Shakira’s Isima Serves & Celebrates Complex Hair

By Contributing Writer: Rea Lowery

Celebrity beauty launches aren’t the sure thing they once were. In a world where fame alone no longer guarantees fandom (or sell-through) many star-powered brands feel like flash-in-the-pan vanity plays. But Shakira’s Isima is something different. It’s strategic, rooted, and refreshingly joyful.

This isn’t the pop icon’s first foray into beauty. (She’s sold over 100 million fragrance bottles since her debut scent launched in 2010.) But Isima is her most personal, and perhaps most ambitious, beauty venture yet. Instead of slapping her name on a formula, she surrounded herself with pros: ex-L’Oréal executives, curl-centric cosmetologists, trichologists, and dermatologists.

Together, they built a line that reflects the realities and rituals of textured hair care. With no compromises.

A Love Letter to Latin Hair

At its core, Isima celebrates the richness of Latin culture. In name, but also in formulation. Think: superfruits, botanicals, and biotech, all working in tandem. The brand spotlights ingredients native to South America, like cupuaçu butter, passionfruit oil, and aloe vera, paired with clinical innovations like Nonapeptide-3 and proprietary technologies GluconaBond™ and FiberSeal™.

The result? A routine that performs, while it simultaneously honors heritage, science, and identity.

There’s intention behind every touchpoint. The branding leans playful, with colorful, curvy bottles that wouldn’t look out of place in a tween’s bathroom or your own beauty shelf. It’s a cheerful antidote to the sterile “clinical clean girl” aesthetic.

And it’s not just vibes. It’s smart retail strategy, too.

“Más es Más” Is a Mission

The brand's tagline: Más es más, or “more is more,” goes beyond volume and bounce. It’s a reclamation. A statement for everyone who’s ever been told their hair is too big, too wild, or too hard to manage. Isima meets that energy with an 8-step system that’s flexible, functional, and fun.

It also meets the moment. As more consumers prioritize scalp health and ingredient transparency, Isima shows up with a science-first POV and receipts to back it up. With ingredients like biofermented hemisqualane (derived from Brazilian sugarcane) and linseed extract for curl definition, the line reads more like a derm-backed apothecary than a celebrity brand play.

Mini But Mighty

One of the brand’s standout moves? Chiquísimas. Isima's mini-sized discovery kits. While travel and trial kits aren’t new, Isima reframes them as entry points into long-term relationships. They're designed to slide seamlessly into daily routines, creating trust with consumers who don’t want to commit to a full line off the bat. In a crowded hair-care aisle, that kind of thoughtfulness matters.

Platform, Meet Product

Of course, when you’re Shakira, platform is built-in. Isima capitalized on the artist’s global reach, building a waitlist through social media, her El Dorado Tour tie-ins, and BTS teasers. It was a smart move: exclusive but accessible, intimate yet scalable.

And while many celeb brands chase D2C dreams, Isima opted for a mass retail partner right out the gate. Launching exclusively at Ulta was both practical and powerful: a beauty destination that shoppers already trust, and a signal that Isima isn’t just a vanity brand. It’s here to play in the big leagues.

Shakira, Shakira… You Did That

In a time when celebrity brands are met with a collective side-eye, Isima feels like a refreshing reset. It’s playful without being frivolous, culturally grounded without being gimmicky, and most importantly, it's crafted with care.

Consider this our love letter. Your formula is fierce, your strategy is tight, and your identity is clear. We’re rooting for you, Isima.