Bella Vida SB is the Skincare Co You’ve Been Waiting For

Bella Vida SB (Santa Barbara) is the skincare company to literally help you love the skin you’re in. Founder Erin Schmidt suffered from cystic acne for years before creating this incredible company that not only cleans and clears your skin, but leaves you feeling rejuvenated and practically 10 years younger. Did we also mention one of Bella Vida SB’s core values is sustainability and striving for developing zero-waste products?? Not many other skincare brands create their products with a conscious, which makes Bella Vida SB so unique in the industry!

LAFM had to learn more about this amazing brand that gives back to the environment as much as it gives back the skin you’re meant for, so we sat down with founder Erin Schmidt to learn all things Bella Vida SB products, all things skincare, and the impact the company is making on the beauty industry! Read more below!

LAFM: Erin, tell us your skincare story! How did you initially get into developing skincare products all the way to creating Bella Vida SB?!

Erin Schmidt: I began Bella Vida SB out of a passion to help others who struggle with acne as I used to have cystic acne myself.  I had used several skincare brands years ago that were way too harsh and hurt my skin and also were not cruelty-free or sustainable.  I saw a need in the market that most Luxury skincare brands are not cruelty-free and sustainable or offer zero waste refills.

LAFM: Let’s dive in and learn a little bit more about your products, can you elaborate on what makes your skincare product vegan, and what benefit this has for your skin?

Erin Schmidt: Our entire skincare line is Vegan, and free from Toxins, like Parabens and Dyes.  We are also Leaping Bunny Certified Cruelty-free.  The vegan and natural formulas are important to us as we feel that Nature is the most powerful healer.  With so many alternatives available to animal based or harmful ingredients, it is an easy and sustainable way to formulate.

Our Products are made of Natural-grade and many Organic certified ingredients, but are very potent.  The Pumpkin Pie Enzyme Mask is made with 1-2% Glycolic acid derived from sugar cane and is very beneficial at brightening skin by increasing cellular turnover.  It is very powerful, so is not recommended to use for all skin types, like very sensitive skin or rosacea.  Our Radiant Sunflower Serum Retinol Cream however is suitable for all skin types that can tolerate active ingredients like Retinol. Our formula contains two types of Retinol, Hyaluronic Acids and Matrixyl Peptides, which together increase collagen production and deeply hydrate the skin to decrease fine lines, wrinkles, acne and dark spots.

LAFM: We love that your products are vegan, and you really make products to be ‘zero-waste’ and sustainable which is obviously so important! Can you tell us about this conscious choice, and how it’s shaped the Bella Vida SB?

Erin Schmidt: We are very proud to use mainly glass and wood in our jars and bottles, and also we are one of the first Luxury Skincare brands to offer a Zero Waste Refill Program on all of our skincare.  Being from California, protecting the Oceans and Sea life from Plastics is very important to us and we want to lead the way in helping other Beauty brands to be more eco-conscious and sustainable in their business practices.

  

LAFM: For someone who wants to get into the skincare business, can you tell us as a female entrepreneur some of the challenges and successes you’ve faced so far in creating your own brand?

Erin Schmidt: I have a master’s degree in Speech Pathology and worked for 16 years with kids. I now am a Financial advisor, but always loved being an entrepreneur. I started several other fashion and clothing related online businesses while working full time, but I wanted to create my own line of products. I decided to focus on skincare because it is something that everyone needs and can help solve issues for people. The first thing every entrepreneur needs is a vision for the company they want to create and then the will-power  and tenacity to not give up until they see that vision become a reality. As a mom of a girl with Autism, it has been challenging to stay focused and not get frustrated or get discouraged.  Find a community of other entrepreneurs in your field where you can root each other on when it gets tough. I have had several successes so far that have kept me encouraged, such as being chosen to be interviewed by Foundr Magazine, Dieline magazine and having retailers start to reach out to me to feature my products in their stores.

 

LAFM: And lastly-can you give us a sneak peek into what’s next for Bella Vida SB?! I see there’s a Bamboo Charcoal product coming soon, but what else can we expect??

 Erin Schmidt: As Bella Vida SB grows,  we will be expanding our Luxury Skincare line to include a full range of products, such as more face masks and moisturizers, as well as expanding our Wellness line to include Zero Waste options for your bath and home, like the loose Bamboo Charcoal to use as a water filter.  We are expanding into other online retailers and are working with a marketing firm in LA to get our products into Major Retailers both here and abroad. We like to release new products at least every few months so our fans have something to look forward to often.  We recently just launched our Pumpkin Pie Enzyme Mask for Fall!

To learn more about this incredible brand, and of course #getshopping, head here to get your skincare fix! You won’t regret it!

River Callaway

Senior Fashion + Beauty Editor & Photographer

River Callaway is the Senior Fashion + Beauty Editor & Photographer for The LA Fashion Magazine covering all things fashion, beauty, celebrity, events, travel and entertainment.

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