I met Chiara in 2018 and I immediately understood that she was a head full of ideas, love and unconditional respect for her territory. Over the years I have seen the evolution of his philosophy of sustainability and beauty up to the development and launch of Bonel Botanicals: a fresh, young, sustainable and clean brand.
Chiara's passion in everything she does is so tangible that I'd like you to taste it too through this interview .
Hello Chiara, how did you get the idea of putting Misurina air in an airless and selling it in the first place?
I remember reading the news of a little girl (asthmatic) who was made to breathe Misurina's air in a cylinder during a trip that would take her to England for treatment. I have always known that Misurina's air was special and therefore I simply wanted to "materialize" it. The intentions were many: to promote my land, to propose a new experience and to raise public awareness of a vital issue such as air pollution.
Misurina, in addition to being an enchanting mountain village with its large lake, offers accommodation and treatment to many children and adolescents suffering from asthma, thanks to its microclimate and low air density and without allergens. Did you also find feedback outside Misurina?
Yes, people and companies have found themselves very interested in the initiative. At the moment my main market remains Italy with B2B projects but the customers who discover it in my store in Misurina are really from all over the world, Asians first and foremost (China, South Korea, Japan).
The air of Misurina is an excellent starting point, but then you had an intuition and you turned your attention to the study of the elodean seaweed that populates the lakes of Misurina and d'Antorno, as you had the feeling that this plant could have this great potential?
I have always started from my territory. I observed that every year these plants grew abundantly in the two lakes and that a boat punctually came to the spot to "eliminate" them. So I thought I'd fit into this cycle and recover the waste in the circular economy. Starting from the conviction that, if the air is pure, an entire ecosystem functions perfectly, I said to myself: let's analyze this algae.
Not everyone knows but aquatic plants have oxygenating and photosynthesising powers on a par with trees and therefore contribute fully to the purity of the Misurina landscape.
The love, respect and gratitude you feel for your territory and for its incredible healing characteristics is tangible, I wonder how the inhabitants of Misurina experience what you are doing with the air and with the 'algae from the lake.
I found participation and enthusiasm in my area. They follow the projects with interest and never know what else could come out of my creative mind!
Do you have any new project in mind?
Actually, yes. First of all, for the ELODEA line, the launch of an entire cosmetic range is expected in spring. Then, on the air front of Misurina I have two projects at stake but for superstition I prefer to proceed in silence. = )
We know you are doing a lot of research on the properties of Elodea seaweed, how is it going? What did the researchers find interesting?
At the moment a thesis in Applied Pharmacy is being drafted at the University of Padua, the thesis student has had the opportunity to test different types of extracts and evaluate their performance. At the moment it has emerged that the Alga Elodea has both antioxidant and moisturizing properties, I myself am waiting to know the results obtained with this latest experimental work.
The values you pursue are those of naturalness, territorial belonging, sustainability and the beauty that comes above all from within, does your everyday life reflect these values?
Of course, I couldn't pursue an entrepreneurial project by not believing first of all the message I am sending. I firmly believe in the power of nature and in its ancestral power to give us balance and well-being. I consider myself lucky to have been born and raised in my area. The Dolomites, the mountains, forge you in body and spirit. In every action, from a walk in the woods to looking out on the balcony, you understand that a greater Logic surrounds us and that we must treat it with respect.
Your Bonel Botanicals line currently boasts three excellent room perfumers with annexed concentrates for the vaporizers, magnificent scented candles, a bag of dolomitic hay, a green clay soap and an anti-ageing face cream… what's in it wait for 2021?
At the moment I am working on the entire ELODEA cosmetic line.
Last summer, after registering the first natural extract in the world based on Elodea Canadensis and launching the anti-aging face cream on the market, I wanted to evaluate with pay attention to public perception.
I must say that I received an immediate and very positive response. I am happy with the feedback received from my clients and this is where I started to create ELODEA Skincare.
The line will include a micellar water, a serum, a face mask, a massage oil and other body products. The star ingredient will always be the algae that grows at the foot of the Tre Cime but in addition to Elodea, the formulations will also include other native natural extracts as well as Misurina water, duly registered as a cosmetic and pH neutral.
I am very curious about the development of this line and in particular about the use of Misurina water inside it...I can't wait to see the launch of the new products! But tell me, having had other jobs in your life, when was this passion for the beauty world and for beauty in general born?
To tell the truth, I believe that everything was born in a very progressive and natural way. When I decided to found Bonair Misurina my intention was to tell the virtues of a place through the purest and most ethereal element, the air. Subsequently exploring new possibilities, I believed that the beauty world could best express my vision. Cosmetics is a magical sector where each brand with its own ethics and idea can accompany the customer on a true journey of beauty and well-being. In my small way, I reconciled the therapeutic power of the Dolomites with its original elements and I am convinced that the origin of the products will be the most important lever in the future.
At this point the question is legitimate... what is your beauty routine and your way of feeling good about yourself? And which product would you never do without?
I have a pretty simple beauty routine. I would be lazy but I make an effort in the basic things that are good for me. In the evening, before dinner, it is usually the moment in which I dedicate myself more to myself. I remove my make-up (even if light) and proceed with cleansing my face, milk, tonic and a good moisturizer.
Finally, I always try to carve out 10 minutes for a face massage, it relaxes me and my skin appears visibly brighter.
Among my various passions, I am also a holistic-sports massage technician. During the first lockdown I discovered facial self-treatment exercises and fell in love with them so much that I developed a real personal practice which consists of small yoga poses and massages involving the head, face and neck. It is an extremely relaxing moment and its benefits accompany me throughout the day.
I certainly couldn't do without an excellent moisturizer. I have rather dry and sensitive skin so the sense of pleasure I feel as soon as I apply the cream is indescribable.
Have you ever had any skin problems in the past and how did you solve them?
Like all redheads my skin is very fair and sensitive to the sun. In the past it has often happened to me to burn myself and for this reason I never forget to protect myself, especially in the summer.
I always try to apply a protective filter, even in winter, and personally I am very satisfied with the Avène mineral fluid protection 50 which I often apply instead of foundation.
At the moment your brand is mainly found online, but if you were to decide to sell Bonel Botanicals in a physical store where would your personal choice fall?
Among my plans there is already the desire to develop a distribution project both in Italy and abroad. I imagine Bonel Botanicals products in exclusive beauty salons and spas but also in green or niche perfumeries. I also really believe in chains like Douglas and Sephora. They have a sales force, a differentiated and affiliated audience, and excellent research. They are experiential realities in which, alongside the big names in beauty, it is easy to find young emerging realities or brands that are little known in Europe but strong in other parts of the world. An opportunity that I hope to experience in the future.
Dr. Federica D'Incà - COSMAST Master in Cosmetic Science and Technology
"Every woman has the right to be beautiful" - Elizabeth Arden