Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Batista.
Hi Alexa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am an Afro-Latina woman of Dominican and Afro-Cuban descent, shaped by resilience, heritage, and healing.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, I come from a lineage of strength where survival, culture, and community are woven into everyday life. My journey into skincare wasn’t born from luxury, it was born from necessity, love, and tradition.
As a single mother, I had to figure out life for myself and my sons. At one point, I had just 16 cents to my name, and from there, I had to rebuild, to push forward, and to find a way. I worked hard, leaned into faith, and learned through my grandmother the natural ways of healing that would ultimately change everything.
The foundation of Balanced Shea began with and through her….
My grandmother carried generations of ancestral knowledge, recipes for healing rooted in nature and passed down with deep intention. While raising my sons in a shelter to a transitioned housing in NYC, with hard water and limited resources, noise and air pollution, I faced a reality many women know too well. My son struggled with skin issues, and eczema, and despite trying medicated creams, over-the-counter products, and everything within my reach, nothing worked. Watching his skin worsen while living paycheck to paycheck was heartbreaking. I could barely even afford the co-payments of $1-$5 at that time. I tried to preserve every cent I could to feed my sons and pay my bills.
So my grandmother stepped in. She flew in from the Islands, Dominican Republic and began creating.
She created something she once used on me, a shea butter blend rich with natural, healing ingredients from our lineage. Within days, I saw a difference. My son’s skin began to heal. That moment changed everything.
From then on, I began making everything at home.
Every time my grandmother returned from overseas, she brought raw shea butter and guided me through the process, teaching me not just how to make it, but how to create with intention, praying onto it, and that was the main ingredient to perfection. She taught me that what we make carries our energy. That healing is not just physical, it’s spiritual, something carried in faith. That every batch should be made with care, joy, and grounding.
My kitchen became our sacred space. My safe space, my place of peace, prayer and connection.
Together, we crafted small batches for family and friends. As a DV survivor, and starting with only 16cents to my name, I extended that care beyond my home, creating and distributing products to women in shelters, transitional housing, and even correctional facilities. The feedback was overwhelming. What started as simple, unscented blends “Original” became something much bigger.
Then one day, sitting with my grandmother as she prepared tea, grating orange peel, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, I had a moment of clarity.
I said, “This is it.”
She smiled and told me, “This will be your first scent.”
That moment became the beginning of something new. Each ingredient held purpose: citrus to awaken, ginger to heal, cloves and cinnamon for their anti-inflammatory and nourishing properties. From that inspiration, every scent I’ve created has grown, rooted in that same sacred space, guided by intention, and built from love.
Balanced Shea is more than skincare…
It is storytelling. It is cultural awareness. It is a bridge between generations. A gift we should keep alive.
My mission is to educate, to reconnect families with ancestral wisdom, and to create products that are ethically sourced, rooted in nature, and made for us. What my grandmother passed down was more than a recipe, it was a responsibility from my ancestors.
Through Balanced Shea, we honor that legacy. We create with purpose and faith. We heal with intention. We build cultural pride through every jar, every scent, and every story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. There were many struggles along the way that tested me mentally, emotionally, and financially. There were times when I made no sales at all, times when I failed at getting the recipe right, and even moments where I ruined entire batches because I poured the shea butter into jars too soon and the jars cracked or broke. I also invested money into vending events where I did not make a single sale, which was discouraging. I felt like I was failing at something that was so special, and a gift that was passed down to me.
One experience that really stayed with me was attending a vending event where I did not feel culturally welcomed. I was the only Black & Brown Woman & Black Owned Business vendor there, and I could feel the cultural distance throughout the event. How I wasn’t welcomed young arrival and set up.
There were customers/people passing by and asking, “What is shea butter?” and although they did not understand the product, its usage/purpose and cultural roots, I used those moments as opportunities to educate people and create space for learning and conversation.
What made the experience even harder was that my table placement was near a dumpster toward the back of the event. That moment carried with me because it made me feel unseen and out of place. But at the same time, it became a learning experience that strengthened me. It reminded me why representation matters, why education matters, and why I have to continue creating spaces where our culture, products, and stories are valued and respected. Finding events that are culturally relatable and supportive.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
**What should you know about Balanced Shea?
Balanced Shea is a self-care and wellness brand created from a deeply personal desire to make care feel more intentional, elevated, and meaningful for families. At its heart, the brand is about more than products or offerings alone. Its about creating a lifestyle and experience centered on balance, softness, confidence, and restoration. I created Balanced Shea with the belief that self-care should not feel like an afterthought. It should feel beautiful, nurturing, and essential. Everything about the brand reflects that vision, a thoughtful approach to wellness that reminds women and families they deserve to feel cared for, grounded, and poured into. And safe enough for families and children to feel comfortable in their skin.
**What do you do, and what do you specialize in / what are you known for?
I am the Founder and CEO of Balanced Shea. I oversee all of the operations, logistics, the preparation, marketing and content. As a business owner I carry alot of that weight, but it’s a weight that comes with fruitful benefits. Balanced Shea specializes in self-care and wellness with a focus on creating a brand experience that feels both luxurious and genuine. This brand is known for its message of balance and intentional care, how we make it, and encouraging to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and embrace self-care as a necessary part of living well. What I want people to recognize about Balanced Shea is that it represents a certain feeling of ease, confidence, softness, and wholeness. It is a brand who want to care for themselves in a way that feels elevated, and aligned with their well-being, especially for the Black and Brown community where products many products aren’t aligned with our skin and culture. Beyond what we offer, what we are truly known for is the heart behind the brand and the way it centers everyone in a meaningful way, and with diverse communities.
**What sets Balanced Shea apart from others?
What sets Balanced Shea apart is the intention behind it. This is not a brand built only to sell. it is a brand built to connect, to affirm, and to create space for women and families to return to themselves. In a world where so much feels rushed and transactional, Balanced Shea is rooted in a softer approach. It stands apart because it blends wellness with beauty, purpose with presence, and care with empowerment. There is an elegance to the brand, but there is also substance behind that beauty. Balanced Shea is not just about looking good on the outside; it is about supporting how families, feel on the inside. That combination of intention, emotional connection, and elevated self-care is what makes the brand distinct.
**What are you most proud of brand-wise?
I am most proud of is that Balanced Shea has been built with authenticity and meaning. I am proud that the brand stands for something bigger than itself. It represents a mindset and a message, that all families deserve care, balance, and moments of restoration without guilt. I am proud of the feeling the brand creates and the values it reflects, confidence, wellness, and intentional living. Brand-wise, I am especially proud that Balanced Shea feels soulful. It is not empty branding. It comes from a real cultural place, and that sincerity is woven into everything the brand represents. To me, that is one of the most beautiful things a brand can have, not just aesthetics, but heart.
**What do you want readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, and overall mission?
I want readers to know that Balanced Shea is a brand created to serve families in a thoughtful and elevated way. Whether someone is discovering us for the first time or becoming part of our growing community, I want them to feel that this is a brand that values how they experience care. And that their feedback is heard, and considered. We hear and honor their story, their skin journey. Balanced Shea is rooted in the idea that wellness can be both beautiful and transformative, and that self-care can be a powerful act of reclaiming balance in everyday life. I want people to know that this brand is intentional, and deeply grounded in the desire to help families feel nurtured, confident, and supported. More than anything, I want Balanced Shea to be known as a brand that makes you feel seen, valued, and reminded that taking care of themselves truly matters.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Balanced Shea, our mission goes beyond skincare. We believe self-care should feel intentional, nourishing, and rooted in balance. Every product we create is designed to support not just healthy skin, but confidence, ritual, faith and well-being in everyday life.
We’re incredibly grateful for the community that continues to support and grow with us, and we hope our readers remember that taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be complicated consistency, quality ingredients, and a little self-love go a long way. The best beauty routines are the ones that make you feel balanced from the inside out.
Pricing:
- Vanilla & Fig Body Butter $28
- Sweet Orange & Spice Body Butter $28
- Body Butter Baby-Lavender & Magnesium $33
- Vanilla & Bourbon Beard Oil $20
- Lavender, Chamomile & Rosehip Face $18
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.balancedshea.com
- Instagram: balanced.shea_
