As beauty and wellness continue to merge, there are a lot of empty promises being thrown around by brands. Ellixi Beauty isn’t one of them. Co-founded by esthetician Amanda Bavaro, Ellixi simply isn’t about slapping a label on a product and calling it clean. It’s about thoughtful formulas, real results, and an intentional approach that doesn’t cut corners—or rely on fluff.
In this interview, Barvaro breaks down what actually makes Ellixi different and explains how her customers get health, not hype.
The Tease: Amanda, you’re an esthetician by training — so what was the “aha” moment that sparked the creation of Ellixi Beauty?
Amanda Bavaro: “I’ve always been the esthetician who actually read the regulations behind the beauty industry—and knew just how unregulated beauty products really are in the U.S. I remember getting into a debate with another esthetician who insisted that a certain cream had the same ingredients and formulation in the U.S. as it did in Europe. I couldn’t believe how strongly she believed that—because it’s just not true! European standards are far stricter and less toxic, and I knew firsthand how misleading and sometimes even toxic U.S. labeling can be.
That moment stuck with me. I realized how even professionals can be misinformed, and if we are confused, how is the everyday customer supposed to stand a chance?
That’s when I knew I wanted to create something different—a brand that strips away the noise and just tells the truth. No marketing fluff, no trendy “miracle” ingredients like vitamin C in twenty confusing forms. Just real, simple, effective products made with ingredients that you can actually understand.Because this isn’t just about beauty—it’s about health. What you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body. If we care about what we eat, we should care just as much about what we apply daily to our face and body. I wanted Ellixi to reflect that: a brand rooted in health, honesty, and results.”
Your approach to beauty is very direct. You’re even quoted as saying “We’re not interested in competing with these huge competitors. We’re interested in dismantling everything they’ve brainwashed us into believing about beauty.” So, what have consumers and even beauty pros been getting wrong?
Amanda Bavaro: “What consumers are getting wrong about beauty comes down to three major things: plastic packaging, marketing language, and water-based formulas.
Let’s start with plastic. So many brands today act like they’ve solved sustainability just because their packaging is technically recyclable. But the truth? Most of it never gets recycled. The bottles are cheap, low-grade plastic that’s “recyclable” in theory but not in practice. It’s a marketing cover-up, not a solution. And while we’ve finally started ditching plastic water bottles because of microplastics and chemical leaching, no one’s asking the same question about skincare. Why are we still storing creams and serums—products we rub into our faces—in containers that are contaminating them? If we won’t drink from plastic, why are we okay bathing our skin in it?
Next up: marketing language. Consumers—and even pros—keep falling for feel-good labels like clean and natural. But in the U.S., those words mean nothing. They’re completely unregulated. Brands use them to sell products loaded with synthetics, preservatives, and fillers. The label feels safe, but it’s just another sales tool. Meanwhile, the U.S. has only banned about 11 cosmetic ingredients, while the EU has banned or restricted over 2,500 (echa.europa.eu). That alone tells you how unprotected American consumers really are.
And then there’s water. Most skincare products are over 70% water (natrue.org). You’re paying premium prices for something mostly inactive. Even worse? If a product has water, it has to include preservatives. Think about it—leave water out too long and something grows in it. Same thing happens in your skincare. So brands add chemicals to keep it shelf-stable, then market it as hydrating. It’s filler wrapped in fluff.
So the problem isn’t just confusion—though yes, a lot of consumers are confused. The bigger issue is this obsession with trends. The industry keeps pushing the latest miracle ingredient, the next ‘must-have’ product. Aren’t we exhausted? We’re constantly being sold the fantasy that this one might be the cure. It never is.
At Ellixi, we’re not here to play along. We’re here to wake people up. To tear down the labels, the hype, the fake promises. And to rebuild beauty on truth, simplicity, and ingredients that actually serve your skin and the planet.”
From product development, including limited ingredients, to environmentally-responsible packaging, Ellixi is clearly built with care. How do you keep innovation and intention at the core of everything the brand does?
Amanda Bavaro: “For us, innovation isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about stripping beauty down to what actually works. Intention is built into every part of Ellixi, from the ingredients to the packaging to the message.
Every formula starts with a single question: What’s the purpose? If an ingredient doesn’t have a clear, necessary role, it’s out. That’s why all of our products have five ingredients or fewer. We believe less isn’t just more—it’s smarter. It means fewer allergens, fewer preservatives, and more transparency.
I personally love using food-grade ingredients—things that come from nature and are actually healthy for you. Just like we care about what we put into our bodies, we should care about what we’re putting on our skin, face, and hair. Your skincare is part of your health—it’s not separate from it. Beauty should be an extension of wellness—not a compromise.
That same thinking applies to our packaging. We’re anti-plastic not because it sounds good in marketing, but because it’s toxic—to the planet and to your product. We use materials that don’t leach, don’t pollute, and don’t get greenwashed. We will never use plastic packaging, period.
One of our co-founders, Lila, is truly the ingredient and formulation mastermind behind Ellixi. Every product goes through her hands with purpose and precision. And being a women-owned brand in a space where the majority of beauty consumers—over 70%—are women, matters deeply to us.”
What do you hope Ellixi changes about the business of beauty?
Amanda Bavaro: “We want to completely change how people think about beauty—starting with the truth. The industry has been built on overcomplication, greenwashing, and marketing that preys on insecurity. At Ellixi, we’re not here to add to that noise—we’re here to dismantle it.
We hope Ellixi inspires consumers to demand more: more transparency, more honesty, and more accountability. We want people to stop being impressed by buzzwords and long ingredient lists and start asking: What’s actually in this? Why is it here? Does it benefit my skin—or just the brand’s bottom line?
We want to show that you don’t need 10 steps, synthetic ingredients, or plastic packaging to have high-performing, luxurious skincare. You need intention, integrity, and simplicity. And most importantly—we want people to start treating skincare and grooming like part of their health, not just their appearance. What we put on our face, body, and hair should be as clean and intentional as what we eat. Your beauty routine is part of your wellness routine. We hope Ellixi proves that a beauty brand can lead with values, prioritize health over hype, and still deliver results.
So when you walk into Ulta or Sephora ask them where the healthy beauty products are located! When they don’t have a clue about how to answer, tell them that if they aren’t carrying Ellixi there is nothing healthy about any of their products!”
