La Bella Donna: Simply Elegant

When Kathy Tracy and her daughter Nicole Tracy Lindenbaum could not find a cosmetics line for their sensitive skin, they didn’t get irritated,they created their own line of cosmetics instead. Together they developed La Bella Donna, a unique, all-natural mineral-based line of cosmetics. The products contain no FD&C dyes, oil, talc, alcohol or fragrance. “We wanted to bridge the gap between wellness, healthy skin and beauty,” said Ms. Lindenbaum.

They wanted the appearance of their cosmetics line to reflect who they were and their commitment to natural beauty products. According to Ms. Tracy, the packaging reflects La Bella Donna’s belief in purity. Ms. Tracy and Ms. Lindenbaum chose packaging that conveyed a sense of simple, yet elegant sophistication. “We wanted to let customers know that you don’t have to sacrifice appearance to use something that is all-natural,” Ms. Tracy explained. The two stressed that although La Bella Donna is a health and wellness brand, it is also a beauty line. The products can provide women with a glamorous look, but at the same time provide a healthful alternative to traditional cosmetics. “By choosing high-end, sophisticated packaging we are allowing ourselves to be promoted in all different places and not limiting ourselves,” stated Ms. Tracy. Originally available in premier destination and day spas and recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons for laser post-op coverage and for women with sensitive, allergy-prone skin, the products are now available at select department stores and on the company’s website, www.labelladonna.com.

To highlight its sense of simple elegance, La Bella Donna cosmetics does not have its name prominently displayed on the packaging. Ms. Lindenbaum explained, “The reason we did this was because we wanted to go for a simple look. The product speaks for itself.” Ms. Tracy added, “We didn’t need a logo because we feel the product is recognizable without it, as a result of the simplicity and elegance of the packaging. The compact is so beautiful.”

La Bella Donna contains all-natural ingredients such as micronized titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride and zinc oxide. The cosmetics line consists of more than 150 colors and shades and 11 different products. Some of the products include Loose Mineral foundation, Compressed Mineral powder, Compressed Mineral powder blush, Protective Color concealer, Compressed Mineral eye shadow and Mineral Enhanced lipstick. Recently the company launched three new products: Mineral cream-to-blush; Mineral Eraser, a concealer designed to eliminate discolorations and Lip Sheers, a line of high shine lip glosses. In addition, there is a complete collection of professional makeup brushes specifically designed for use with the mineral makeup.

The products’ packaging consists of sleek metal and clear plastic. The products’ packaging design alternates between clear screw-on lids with metal tubs and metal lids with clear tubs. The company’s signature product, Loose Mineral powder comes in a clear package with a silver screw on top. A screen separates the mineral powder so that it can be applied with a brush. Although all the products contain natural preservatives, the products are designed to be used with corresponding brushes to further decrease the risk of contamination. The company’s newest product, Mineral cream-to-blush, comes in a silver pot with a see-through, screw on top. The Lip Sheers line is packaged in elegant fluted silver wands accented with gold.

Ms. Tracy and Ms. Lindenbaum hope that the quality of the products and the upscale design will convince people that this is not your average natural product. “We are so proud of our products that we wanted to complement this with packaging,” explained Ms. Tracy.