My journey started in the kitchen.

Growing up, everything in our home was made from scratch — slow meals, fresh ingredients, and a respect for where our food came from. I didn’t realize it then, but those moments shaped my love for mindful, intentional living.

Years later, in culinary school, that connection deepened. I learned about the importance of farm-to-table cooking — choosing ingredients grown with care, understanding their origins, and honoring how they nourish the body. That philosophy became second nature to me.

Then came motherhood.

During my first pregnancy, I became hyper-aware of every ingredient I was consuming — reading labels, researching, making sure everything that went in my body was safe.

And one day, it just hit me: shouldn’t I be just as careful about what goes on my body, too?

That realization changed everything.

I started examining the products I was using every day, from lotion to lipstick and was shocked by how many “clean” or “natural” products still contained questionable ingredients. As a former chef, I was used to understanding ingredient lists. But in beauty? It felt like a language designed to confuse.

So, I began digging deeper, studying formulations, researching ingredient sourcing, and discovering independent brands that actually aligned with my values. What began as a personal mission to detox my own routine evolved into a new passion: making truly non-toxic, high-performing beauty accessible to others.

That’s how Hey Bella was born.

Founded first as BellaBar in 2016, we started as a local clean and non-toxic beauty studio in Anaheim Hills. Over the years, our shelves and our mission grew. Today, Hey Bella has become a trusted marketplace for people who care deeply about what they put on their skin, with a promise that every single product has been personally vetted, tested, and loved before it ever reaches you.

Because I believe that choosing safer beauty shouldn’t be complicated — it should feel empowering, luxurious, and honest.

Eunice Montes-Hamaguchi

Founder, Hey Bella