Ajaylene Victoriano-San Andres. Photo courtesy of Bella Amore Skin.
Bella Amore Skin started with the entrepreneur’s determination to help her family
When her husband, Kenneth, and son, Kent were diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune skin condition, Ajaylene Victoriano-San Andres began searching for alternative ways to care for their skin. Witnessing the challenges of long-term steroid use, she sought options that could help support their skincare routine.
According to dermatological studies, extended use of topical steriods may have metabolic effects, gastrointestinal complications, and dermatologic effects such as skin thinning, easy bruising, and delayed wound healing, though these outcomes vary based on dosage and medical supervision.
“As a wife and a mother, I can’t stand seeing [that] happen. I used that pressure to create organic products that help manage the symptoms conservatively,” recalls Victoriano-San Andres.
With that goal in mind, she developed the Himalayan Soap, an all-natural and chemical-free exfoliator that she believed could be a gentler option for cleansing. Originally created for her family, it later became the foundation of Bella Amore Skin, a brand that has since built a community of customers with various skin concerns.
“It was worth taking the risk because now we are giving hope to people with skin diseases worldwide,” she says. “Clearly, this is my calling in life, lalo nung mga panahong hinahanap ko yung purpose ko.” (Especially during those times when I was looking for my purpose.)
One of the biggest struggles the skincare founder faced was finding the balance between pursuing her business and being fully present as a mother. “Sometimes, finding the right balance between progressing your career and feeling like you’re a good mother feels impossible. The guilt of being a working mom is real,” she admits. She credits her family’s support for helping her navigate through the demands of both roles.
The birth of Bella Amore Skin came during the pandemic. Despite the risks, Victoriano-San Andres invested her savings from her internship in the US and built it from the ground up. Social media quickly caught on and the brand gained traction, with the 27-year-old growing her following to 355,000 combined followers on her personal Facebook and TikTok. Since the success of the Himalayan Soap, the Filipino skincare brand has also produced the Himalayan Shampoo and Manuka Cream in scented and unscented varieties.
Beyond products, Victoriano-San Andres is proud of how her brand has created job opportunities and continues to actively manage outreach programs in her local city of Valenzuela and partner with Psoriasis Philippines.
Looking back, she reflects that success is not about just growing a brand, it’s about the lives she touches along the way. “No matter how successful you are or how little you feel in this world, you can still leave big imprints.”
And for anyone afraid to take that first step, she offers this advice: “There was once a younger version of myself that didn’t think I’d make it here today. I’m glad I took the risk. It may take months or even a few years of hard work, dedication, and discipline, but whatever you’re working on, never look back and keep moving until the impossible becomes possible.”
For more information, follow Bella Amore Skin on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
