Cathi Carrier is a Master Esthetician and the founder of PURELY BELLA, a clean skincare brand made with active ingredients. She ran Bella Estetica Spa in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, a local favourite that earned the “Best Day Spa in CT” award before selling it. Purely Bella Skincare was recognized as the Best Clean Skincare Brand in Connecticut in 2024. She saw women care for everyone else and forget themselves in the process. Cathi understood that skincare is comfort and confidence.
Many of Cathi’s clients came in feeling invisible at the spa. Cathi listened to their stories and saw the history written into their skin. This is why she creates each product carefully. She chooses safe ingredients that nourish the skin barrier and support mature skin with kindness. In this interview, Cathi explains why she focuses on antioxidant-rich formulas, ingredient purity, and results that build self-worth from the inside out. Cathi believes radiant skin starts with how a woman feels, not with how she looks.
Cathi, Purely Bella blends botanical purity with clinical science. How do you decide which active ingredients have enough proven efficacy and integrity to make it into your formulations?
Cathi Carrier: At Purely Bella, our ingredient selection process reflects our core philosophy of marrying botanical purity with proven clinical science. We approach formulation with the discerning standards that our 40+ customers deserve, because aging beautifully means being selective about what we put on our skin.
Our Multi-Layered Vetting Process
Clinical Efficacy Standards: Every active ingredient must demonstrate measurable results through peer-reviewed studies or clinical trials. We look for ingredients with at least 6-12 weeks of documented efficacy data, particularly for skin health markers like hydration, elasticity, and barrier function.
Botanical Integrity: For plant-based actives, we require transparent sourcing, standardized extracts with consistent potency, and sustainable harvesting practices. We prioritize ingredients where the traditional use aligns with modern scientific validation.
Gentle Yet Effective Philosophy: Since we create formulas for mature skin, we evaluate each ingredient’s irritation potential alongside its efficacy. An ingredient might be clinically proven, but if it causes sensitivity in our demographic, it doesn’t make the cut.
Synergistic Compatibility: We don’t just look at individual ingredients; we consider how they work together. Some botanicals enhance the penetration of clinical actives, while certain peptides work better in specific pH ranges with complementary ingredients.
Our “No Compromise” Criteria
- Concentration thresholds: We only include actives at concentrations shown to be effective in studies, not just trace amounts for marketing claims.
- Stability testing: Ingredients must maintain potency throughout our product’s shelf life.
- Skin health focus: Every ingredient must contribute to overall skin wellness, not just temporary cosmetic effects.
This rigorous approach ensures that when you use Purely Bella products, every ingredient has earned its place through both scientific merit and alignment with our vision of empowering women to feel beautiful in their skin through genuine skin health improvements.
Purely Bella emphasizes both active botanicals and gentle scientific actives. How do you define “efficacy” when balancing clean, natural ingredients with clinically proven results?
Cathi Carrier: Efficacy isn’t about promising overnight miracles or chasing youth; it’s about delivering real, measurable improvements that help women feel confident and beautiful in their skin at every stage of life.
We define efficacy through three core pillars:
First, gentle effectiveness. Our formulas must deliver visible results without irritation, redness, or compromising the skin barrier. For women over 40, skin can be more sensitive, so we’ve learned that gentle doesn’t mean weak; it means smart. We achieve this by combining time-tested botanicals with clinically proven actives at concentrations that work with your skin, not against it.
Second, holistic skin health. We’re not just targeting one concern; we’re supporting the skin’s natural functions. Our customers tell us their skin feels more comfortable throughout the day, their makeup applies better, and they wake up with that healthy glow. That’s efficacy you can feel, not just see.
Third, sustainable results that celebrate aging beautifully. We’re not trying to turn back time; we’re helping women enhance what’s naturally beautiful about their skin right now. When a 45-year-old customer tells me she feels radiant and confident without feeling like she’s fighting her age, that’s true efficacy.
We believe in transparency, too. Every active ingredient we use has research behind it.
You’ve spoken about using antioxidant-rich and nutrient-dense botanicals. What does your ingredient selection process look like, from sourcing to testing, to ensure safety, performance, and transparency?
Cathi Carrier: Our ingredient selection process is as meticulous as our customers’ standards, because when you’re creating formulations for discerning women who prioritize skin health, every step matters.
Phase 1: Strategic Sourcing
Botanical Partner Vetting: We prioritize suppliers who use gentle extraction methods that preserve the integrity of delicate compounds.
Extraction Method Requirements: We specify extraction methods that maintain the full spectrum of beneficial compounds. Cold-pressed oils, supercritical CO2 extractions, and water-based extractions that preserve heat-sensitive antioxidants like vitamin C and polyphenols.
Phase 2: Multi-Tier Testing Protocol
Raw Material Analysis: Every botanical batch undergoes:
- HPLC testing for active compound concentrations.
- Heavy metals and pesticide residue screening.
- Microbiological safety testing.
- Antioxidant capacity measurement (ORAC values).
Stability & Compatibility Testing: We test how each botanical performs in our specific formulation environment, pH stability, oxidation resistance, and interaction with other actives over time.
Skin Compatibility Assessment: Since mature skin can be more sensitive, we conduct patch testing and irritation assessments, particularly for potent botanicals.
Phase 3: Performance Validation
Bioavailability Studies: We verify that our botanical actives can actually penetrate the skin barrier and reach target areas. Beautiful ingredients mean nothing if they can’t perform.
Synergy Mapping: We test how botanical antioxidants enhance the performance of our clinical actives. For example, how green tea polyphenols can stabilize vitamin C or how plant peptides complement traditional peptides.
Long-term Efficacy Tracking: 12-16 week studies measuring skin hydration, elasticity, and barrier function improvements.
Our Transparency Commitments
- Full INCI Disclosure: Every ingredient is listed with its concentration range and source.
- Third-Party Testing: Independent labs verify our claims.
- Batch Tracking: Each product includes a batch code linking to specific test results.
This rigorous process means when you see “antioxidant-rich botanicals” on a Purely Bella product, you can trust that every plant extract has been selected, sourced, and tested to deliver real skin health benefits that support your journey of aging beautifully.
The result? Clean, effective formulations that honor both the wisdom of botanical traditions and the precision of modern skincare science, exactly what sophisticated women deserve.
Many consumers equate “natural” with “simple,” but formulating effective clean skincare is complex. What scientific principles or formulation challenges do you prioritize to ensure visible results without harsh additives?
Cathi Carrier: You’re absolutely right, “natural” doesn’t mean simple. At Purely Bella, creating effective clean formulations requires more scientific precision, not less.
The Real Challenge
Clean formulation means we eliminate questionable ingredients while maintaining performance. We can’t rely on harsh chemicals as shortcuts; we have to engineer smarter solutions that work with your skin’s natural processes.
Our Approach
Advanced Delivery Systems: We use sophisticated delivery methods to get actives where they need to go without aggressive penetration enhancers.
Precision pH Control: Clean ingredients require careful balancing to create optimal conditions where all components work harmoniously together.
Multi-Layered Stability: Without harsh preservatives, we engineer multiple protection systems to ensure product integrity and safety.
Synergistic Formulation: Instead of high-dose single actives that can irritate, we create ingredient networks where components amplify each other’s effectiveness at gentler concentrations.
Why It Works
We prioritize skin barrier health first; healthy skin absorbs actives more effectively than compromised skin. Every formula includes calming agents to prevent irritation that could counteract benefits.
The Bottom Line
Clean doesn’t mean simple; it means smarter. What appears as a straightforward product actually represents months of formulation science to deliver visible results without compromising on safety or skin health.
The result? Effective skincare that supports your journey of aging beautifully, without the ingredients you want to avoid. Clean beauty that actually performs.
Purely Bella’s message often bridges nature, science, and skin wellness. How do you communicate that balance to customers who want products that are both luxurious and genuinely effective?
Cathi Carrier: We speak to the sophisticated woman who refuses to choose between luxury and results. Here’s how we communicate that balance:
Our Messaging Strategy
“Clinical Science Meets Conscious Beauty”: We lead with efficacy first, then explain how we achieve it cleanly. Our customers want proof before poetry, so we share the science, then the story.
Real Results Language: We use specific, measurable terms like “improved skin texture” and “enhanced barrier function” rather than vague promises. Our 40+ customers appreciate honesty over hype.
Elevated Education: We explain why our approach works, not just what’s in it. When customers understand the science behind clean formulation, they appreciate the luxury of having both effectiveness and integrity.
How We Connect
Luxury Through Quality: We position clean as the ultimate luxury: having products sophisticated enough to deliver results without compromise. It’s about what we don’t need to include, not what we’re missing.
Empowerment Over Fear: Instead of scaring customers about “toxic” ingredients, we focus on empowering choice. “You deserve formulations that work with your skin, not against it.”
Experience First: We let the products speak through texture, performance, and visible results. When something feels luxurious and works beautifully, customers trust the science behind it.
The Message
We don’t ask customers to sacrifice performance for principles. Instead, we say: “This is what’s possible when science serves your values.”
Our customers want to age beautifully with products that respect both their intelligence and their skin. We deliver exactly that, no compromises required.
As technology and ingredient science advance, how do you see Purely Bella evolving? Are there specific active ingredients or delivery systems that excite you for the next generation of your products?
Cathi Carrier:
Our Evolution Philosophy
Smarter, Not Harsher: Every advancement we consider must align with our clean standards while delivering superior results. We’re not interested in technology for technology’s sake; it has to genuinely serve our customers’ skin health.
Mature Skin Focus: We prioritize innovations specifically beneficial for 40+ skin, enhanced barrier repair, gentle yet effective renewal, and ingredients that support skin’s changing needs through different life stages.
Transparency by Design: As we evolve, we’ll continue making complex science accessible, ensuring our customers understand not just what we’re using, but why it’s the best choice for their skin journey.
The Vision
We see Purely Bella becoming the bridge between cutting-edge science and conscious beauty, proving that the most sophisticated skincare solutions can also be the most mindful ones.
Conclusion
Cathi Carrier gives women tools to care for themselves again. PURELY BELLA grew from stories that she saw and heard. Cathi’s products are gentle, purposeful, and created to support mature skin. PURELY BELLA also donates to the Connecticut Cancer Foundation. Cathi honors her father-in-law, Jerry, and gives back with every purchase. To her, beauty includes kindness. It includes giving. Cathi proves that beauty grows when compassion leads the way.
