ILIA Beauty begins with a moment of transition: Sasha Plavsic, the founder, had left a long relationship, worked in Los Angeles as a branding manager in the fashion and beauty industry and now returned home to Vancouver, searching for something new. Her mother, a lifelong advocate for healthy living, one day suggested she read the ingredient list on her daily lip balm. What Sasha found there shocked her: ingredients she did not consider safe in a product she applied to her lips every single day. She challenged herself to see whether she could recreate that lip balm better: safer, cleaner, without compromising on performance.

In 2011 she founded ILIA Beauty in Laguna Beach, California initially with a small collection of lip care products. That personal question became a brand promise: make-up that not only covers the skin, but actively improves it. Today ILIA Beauty is one of the most recognised clean beauty brands in North America internationally available at Sephora, verified by EWG, certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA and one of the most requested make-up labels at Belladonna Naturkosmetik.

What sets ILIA Beauty apart from other clean beauty brands is a clear standpoint: not every natural ingredient is good for the skin and not every synthetic one is bad. ILIA works with a combination of natural ingredients and safe synthetics, each carefully assessed for skin compatibility and efficacy. The result: make-up products containing up to 85 percent bioactive plant extracts, while performing at premium level. All ingredients are fully disclosed including every fragrance used, which is always of natural origin.

ILIA Beauty is formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil, talc, synthetic fragrances, sulphates and chemical sunscreens. The brand is Leaping Bunny certified and conducts no animal testing. Most products are fully vegan certain lip products contain beeswax, ethically sourced to avoid the mineral oil used in synthetic alternatives. Packaging is made from recycled aluminium, glass and responsibly sourced paper.

ILIA Beauty does not think of make-up and skincare as opposites, but as a unity. Every product is formulated to actively supply the skin with actives while simultaneously delivering colour, coverage or definition. The goal: a routine that achieves a fresh, natural result with just a few products one that looks like well-cared-for skin, not heavy make-up.

The ILIA concept is deliberately minimalist: the Super Serum Skin Tint replaces foundation, primer and sun protection in one step. The Multi-Stick handles cheeks and lips. The Limitless Lash Mascara finishes the eye make-up. Three to four products a complete, polished look. All ILIA products can be applied over a normal skincare routine and are compatible with serum-based care underneath.

Sasha Plavsic herself lived with acne and sensitive skin for many years and has formulated ILIA Beauty with this audience in mind from the very start. No chemical sunscreens, no mineral oil, no synthetic fragrances: the absence of these typical irritants makes ILIA Beauty particularly well-tolerated for skin that reacts to conventional make-up products. The use of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera additionally ensures that the skin is actively soothed and hydrated while wearing make-up rather than stressed.

For oily and combination skin, the Super Serum Skin Tint and Fade Into You Powder as a setting combination are particularly suitable: the Tint is silicone-free, oil-free and non-comedogenic it does not block pores. For dry and mature skin, the nourishing character of all ILIA products is especially valuable: shea butter, avocado oil and squalane in the Multi-Stick and lip products actively nourish the skin while being worn.