We Aim To Slay

We’ve all been there – scrolling on social media when you see “GIVEAWAY ALERT” in the caption. Your interest peaks, you investigate, and end up entering; “What could it hurt to enter?” you think. We’ve all been there – I myself have entered many Instagram-giveaways, but not until this year did I win one! 

You’ll imagine my surprise when on Thanksgiving evening I got a DM telling me I’d won a giveaway being hosted by three brands – Aora Mexico, Ceremonia, and Yakampot!

Meet the Brands

Since being introduced to Aora Mexico a few months ago I’ve fallen head-over-heels  with the brand’s values and high-quality products. But I was unfamiliar with Ceremonia and Yakampot prior to this giveaway.

Ceremonia – a clean hair care brand rooted in Latinx heritage – was founded by Babba Rivera.

“Ceremonia was born out of the desire to restore my damaged hair, while celebrating the richness of Latin culture,” Rivera is quoted on their website. “Inspired by the rituals I grew up with (her father is a hairdresser!) and a passion for sustainability, Ceremonia is bringing a wellness approach to hair care that is powered by natural ingredients and clinically-backed results.”

Similarly to Aora, Ceremonia is dedicated to creating products that are safe for us to use daily, and safe for the environment! These hair care products are formulated with ~95% natural ingredients, and packaged in containers sourced through Plastic Negative, helping to remove plastic from landfills. 

According to their website, Yakampot – which means “place where water is born” in the Tsotsil language – is a clothing brand that “seeks to promote Mexico’s heritage through the design of garments inspired by iconic elements of traditional clothing to give a sense of identity and rootedness to the contemporary woman.”

In their efforts to create a thriving, inclusive, and equitable industry, Yakampot collaborates with local producers and groups of artisans in Chiapas and the State of Mexico who “imprint their legacy on each garment, creating a convergence between past, present and future through fashion.”

Meet the Products 

The prizes in this giveaway included: the AORA Chili Charm and ACARÍCIAME Lip Serum in Rosa; the Yakampot Monteria Top and Francisca Bottom in red; and the Ceremonia Guava Rescue Spray, Dry Shampoo con Arrowroot and Red Scrunchie.

Ceremonia

First to arrive were the Ceremonia products, and in order to best test the heat protectant spray, I decided to flat iron my hair. It’s now been a week since I straightened my hair – I’ve been through rain and snow without any barrier to protect my hair – and I haven’t had to touch up my hair a single time. Other than using a curling iron for a photo shoot over the weekend, I haven’t used any additional heat to maintain my straight hair. That has literally never happened before, ever!

Similarly, the dry shampoo was also incredibly effective, so much so, that I ended up using way too much: a little goes a long way! This actually ended up working in my favor though, because I had accidentally added way too much of the Love Ur Curls Elixir Oil when I had straightened my hair the night before, but in the future I’ll air on the side of caution!

Yakampot

The second item to arrive was the outfit by Yakampot! I was able to select my size for both the Monteria top and the Francisca bottom, and after consulting the brand’s sizing chart I selected a small for the top and a medium for the bottom. And I’m glad I did! 

These pieces actually fit me perfectly, and feel so buttery soft on the skin! While they can be worn as a matched set, I’ll likely style them separately; on one hand, I don’t typically wear matched sets because I end up looking like I’m wearing pajamas, and on the other hand, because I get very different energy from the top than I get from the bottom. 

The top has more of a structured fit on top, lending nicely to business casual dressing, where I get a much more casual and bohemian vibe from the pants – they’re most definitely coming on my next vacation!

Aora Mexico

Unfortunately, as of last night the final portion of the giveaway (the part I was secretly most excited for) had not arrived. But, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my very own Aora Mexico Chile Charm, and a tube of the best selling Acariciame Solid Lip Serum, this time in the shade Rosa!

My Thoughts

All in all, I am wildly impressed by all three of these brands and I most certainly will be shopping with them in the near future!

I am super excited for the Aora box to arrive, and I can’t wait to explore more of the Ceremonia and Yakampot offerings – especially knowing that I can shop Ceremonia at Sephora! I highly recommend this heat protectant for both curly and straight haired people, not only is it incredibly effective but it smells amazing, and for some reason only smells better when you add heat!

What Do You Think?

Have you tried any of these brands? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how to style the Yakampot outfit – let me know what you think in the comments below!

I’ll be back next week to share my favorite looks from the year!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!