Ibana Almada Vera: Shaping Science- Backed Wellness in Latin America

Her vision continued with the launch of HELENA, The Spirit of Beauty, in 2025, following 5 years of development, which is Latin America's first certified organic, science-backed, microbiome-friendly skincare brand, where minimalism and luxury meet sustainability .

How did your early experiences and upbringing in Uruguay shape your entrepreneurial mindset?

I was born and raised in Uruguay, a small South American country between Brazil and Argentina with just three and a half million people. I've been an entrepreneur all my life, exploring diverse projects and learning,—often through mistakes.

After earning a business degree, I moved to Argentina post-marriage and, with my then-husband, created and grew a pharmaceutical lab successfully. Following my divorce, I became a regional manager at a major real estate company, overseeing marketing for several shopping centers across Argentina, further honing my leadership and strategic skills.

As a leader, I focus on truth, service beyond the team, and connecting with the community to help others succeed. I value fairness, hard work, honesty, and integrity

What inspired Helena’s launch? How did you navigate its market challenges?

My inspiration comes from my grandmother, Emma, who introduced me to skincare at eight. HELENA treats skincare as a mindful wellness ritual, focusing on superior raw materials and high-quality formulations. Our philosophy is ‘less is more'.

My key responsibility is to empower the team with the right skills and tools to drive growth. Leadership is a service; guiding, inspiring, and motivating the team and investors while staying involved in operations, lab work, and consumer engagement.

The main challenge in pursuing an emerging vision is convincing investors that it's the right path. Backed by data and market insights, our boutique label meets consumers’ shift toward natural, healthier skincare. Today, results validate our approach, driven by clear vision, persistence, and alignment with consumer needs.

How did your phytomedicine experience influence Helena’s approach?

In 2013, I joined my family business to take over from my retiring parents and transformed it into Uruguay's leading laboratory for phytomedicine and supplements, expanding exports to Argentina. This experience showed me that ‘natural’ without scientific support could be risky, motivating me to combine my science background with business skills.

In 2020, I pursued a personal dream: creating HELENA, The Spirit of Beauty, Latin America's first high-standard natural and organic skincare line with global certifications.

My goal was to bring in the vision that allowed us to have the best possible team and set of investors to build our own factory, work with the best labs around the world and develop excellence through our formulas.

HELENA stands on four pillars: certified natural and organic raw materials meeting luxury standards; emotional connection with skin and empowering women; design as accessible luxury; and sustainability through eco-friendly practices, ethics, and transparent pricing.

As the Founder, how do you balance operations with growth?

As CEO and Founder, I balance daily operations with strategic growth, keeping us connected to consumers while building global lab partnerships. We are developing our own molecular technology, typically seen only in major brands, with collaborations in Denmark. After entering Argentina for its favourable regulations, next year we plan to launch in northern Europe, Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay.

Embracing a garage culture, I stay close to clients, learn quickly, and adapt faster than larger companies, giving us a competitive edge and driving sustainable growth.

Which trends will shape the phytopharmaceutical industry in Europe?

In pharmaceuticals, there are two main trends. One is the development of big molecules by large labs, targeting critical diseases like cancer. The other trend is the natural, phytopharmaceutical side, which requires high-quality research, clinical trials, and scientific validation. People want natural products, but many currently available options lack proper scientific backing.

As leaders in the industry, we should bridge this gap by provid­ing high-quality, science-backed natural products. This applies to phytopharmaceuticals, as well as cosmetic lines that are organic and natural. The demand is there, and we need to deliver products that meet the quality and scientific standards people expect.

What guides your leadership, and what are your proudest achievements?

As a leader, I focus on truth, service beyond the team, and connect­ing with the community to help others succeed. I value fairness, hard work, honesty, and integrity; principles guiding my leadership at Abies and HELENA. My goal is to empower women and foster a world where everyone thrives through teamwork.

One of my proudest achievements was creating a product line and factory during the pandemic with minimal resources, driven by a strong belief in the idea. I was fortunate to attract top talent, including a director from Pfizer, who joined and invested in the vision.

Creating and developing the project successfully in such challenging times was remarkable. Balancing this with personal responsibilities, including raising my sons, tested my leadership. Bringing this vision to life remains my greatest accomplishment.

Ibana Almada Vera, Founder & CEO, HELENA – The Spirit of Beauty

Ibana Almada Vera is the Founder & CEO of HELENA – The Spirit of Beauty, a certified organic, science-backed, microbiome-friendly skincare brand and the first of its kind in Latin America. She is a business graduate and started her career by co-founding a pharmaceutical laboratory in Argentina. In 2013, she went back to Uruguay to run her family’s lab, Laboratorios Abies, and made it the leading phytomedicine and supplement company in the country with exports to Argentina.