Saturday, 18 March 2017

Green Beauty Brand Spotlight: Bella Aura

Hi, everyone! Lately I've been lucky enough to test out some amazing local, Canadian green beauty brands and I've discovered another that's no exception- Bella Aura. Creator Yasmine developed the line as a response to her own life stressors, skin complications, and frustrations with the offerings (or lack thereof) on the market. Following the illness of her mother, which left both her and her skin depleted, she was unable to find an effective solution via traditional (and expensive) means. While on a trip to Morocco, she learned about the ancient customs of the Berber women and also consulted with a local chemist who shared with her the local naturally harvested oils that, when then combined with other potent botanical actives, eventually healed her skin. She was converted! 

Bella Aura is based around three central principles: Powerful Traditions. Proven Science. Pure Glow. It aims to be luxurious and to promote beauty, both inside and out. The line is driven by the idea that you don't have to sacrifice your skin's health in the search for effective skin care; instead, you can achieve all of your desired results via time-tested, all-natural ingredients without any toxins or unsafe preservatives. The brand's offering are made completely without parabens, artificial fragrance, SLS, PEG compounds, petrolatum, triclosan, alcohol, mineral oil, propylene glycol, and several other potentially harsh, unnecessary elements. 


Overall, the products are designed to be pristinely clean, groundbreaking in terms of technology, and promoters of serious glow. In fact, the name Bella Aura was selected because an aura is the outer manifestation of one's inner energy. Outer radiance radiating from within! They also promise a fruitful marriage of ancient ingredients and modern science. Further, the integrity of the brand is also demonstrated by their authentic, ethical sourcing of 100% organic ingredients from Morocco.

Each product in the range features their signature Kamilah Oil Blend (Kamila meaning complete) that includes ancient elements of Fig de Barbary (cactus), Argan, Neroli, and Nigella. Each has the same signature green fragrance designed to have aromatherapeutic effects that bring harmony to the mind and body. It's also suggested that the products be thoroughly massaged into the skin, not only to increase product absorption, but also to develop a mindful self-care ritual. 

All of the products are emulsions, which means they are a combination of water- and oil-based hydrators that both penetrate deeply and moisturize the surface. Each formula includes peptides, vitamins, and minerals to nourish and balance and a strong dose of antioxidants to protect the skin against the environmental pollutants that our modern world has to offer. Each also contains hyaluronic acid, elastin boosters, and collagen to replenish skin cells, plump fine lines, and increase firmness and elasticity. 


The brand offers a curated selection of five products, embodying their dedication to simplicity. The Essential Energy Boosting Kit** ($75 CAD) contains miniatures (10mL) of the entire range, each of which is suitable for all skin types. It's a wonderful way to interact with the complete product lineup before committing to the full sizes! 



The outer packaging is super helpful, in that it provides a description and full ingredient listing for each product: 




The products that make up Bella Aura (and this handy Essential Energy Boosting Kit**) are:

Gentle Purifying Cleanser ($45 CAD for full size)
Coloured in blue to represent symbolize calm, tranquillity, and peace. It is designed to thoroughly cleanse without stripping or irritating the skin and contains Vitamin E to create a hydrating foam, Vitamin B to gently exfoliate and replenish, and Vitamin C for antioxidant protection. It also includes a variety of vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and amino acids to remove impurities and improve skin condition.
This cleanser was a pleasure to use- it's halfway between a liquid and cream and creates a soft, subtle lather. It leaves my skin feeling clean but not at all dry and stripped! 

Antioxidant Booster ($125 CAD for full size)
Coloured in orange to represent energy, creativity, and radiance. It promises to promote radiance while seriously protecting the skin against environmental aggressors. It's vitamin- and mineral-rich and also contains omega 3-6-9 fatty acids to nourish and replenish. It promises to calm redness, even skin tone, and support the skin's natural collagen production. 
This creamy emulsion is hydrating enough to use alone, but works extra nicely when layered or blended with the brand's day or night hydrators. My skin always looks so fresh and glowing after I apply it! 

Instant Eye Lifting Contour ($125 CAD for full size)
Coloured in indigo to represent spirituality, intuition, and awareness. This emulsion promises to brighten, firm, smooth and hydrate the eye area as well as reduce puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and uneven texture. Like the brand's other products, it's also rich in vitamin and minerals and promotes collagen synthesis.
I love this eye cream! Not only does it not irritate my watery eyes one bit, it truly brightens and plumps my eye area right away. The outer corner of the eye is the only area of my face to be graced with fine lines at the moment, so it is quite nice to find a product that takes a few years off in an instant! I have no doubt that continued use will yield even more lasting results. 

Daily Repair Moisturizer ($90 CAD for full size)
Coloured in green to represent renewal, healing, rejuvenation, and nature. This daytime moisturizer is designed to hydrate, smooth, lift, and brighten. It minimizes dullness and fine lines and prevents water loss and dullness. 
I totally loved mixing this with the Antioxidant Booster in the morning. It created a perfect canvas for makeup- plump and smooth, but not at all greasy! 

Night Cellular Renewal ($110 CAD for full size)
Coloured in pink to represent compassion, beauty, love, and warmth. It promises to be a potent overnight anti-aging powerhouse that hydrates, renews, plumps, and adds radiance. It promotes firmness, elasticity, and the skin's own ability to renew its cells while you sleep. 
This mid-weight cream works wonderfully as a final step in my nightly skin care routine. It seals in previously-used oils and serums wonderfully while contributing its own actives. Whenever I use this before bed, I wake up to skin that's so fresh and hydrated. 


I have to say that each of these products was a pleasure to use! I love that the textures are rich enough to feel luxurious and hydrating, but viscous enough to not feel at all heavy or stifling on my oilier skin. The products blended quite nicely together and wore well under makeup. They did not break me out nor irritate my redness-prone, sensitive complexion. As for the scent, it's quite potent and also quite different from other natural products I've tried. Instead of channeling common scents like citrus, honey, or essential oils, the products all have a signature fragrance that's quite heady and green. It didn't call to me at first, but over time, I came to look forward to breathing in its grounding and invigorating aroma. Because the scent is so green, I like to imagine that it's the cactus in the formula that's responsible. 

Although I do not have serious signs of facial aging to date (thanks for the good genes, Mom and Dad!), I have no doubt that this line is ultra effective in the realm of anti-aging. The eye cream instantly makes my eye area look younger and all of the products leave my skin looking so plump and glowing. I would definitely recommend this range to anyone who loves green, natural skin care but doesn't want to skimp on some serious anti-aging action. 

If I've tempted you, you can discover the whole world of Bella Aura on the brand's website, here

Thanks so much for stopping by! xo



**Products marked with these asterisks were sent to me as PR samples for consideration and review. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% authentic and my own! 

4 comments:

  1. I love the story behind the range and the products all sound amazing. I also love how they have this starter kit - a brilliant way to try lot of products without spending too much! xx

    Beautylymin

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  2. These sound so good! Definitely pricey but the ingredients look top notch. I'd love to try the starter kit, which is pretty reasonable!

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  3. I am SO glad that you do skincare. This stuff if so foreign to me, but you seem to speak the language. Help my skin gloooooow!

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  4. I really want to revisit Bella Aura! The eye cream, anti-oxidant booster and cleanser are amazing!

    Shireen⎜Reflection of Sanity

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All of your lovely comments make my day! Thanks for taking the time to share your musings, ideas, and opinions. Feel free to leave a link to your blog- I'd be happy to check it out :)