Designed to calm, protect and soothe the skin from the Northern climate, the Céla Complex is a blend of six Canadian botanical extracts - Blueberry, Elderberry, Evening Primrose, Juniper Berry, Rosemary and Lavender. Combined, these potent extracts reveal skin’s natural radiance while protecting it from the ravages of environmental factors and supporting its health at the cellular level.
Seed to Skin
Seed to Skin
We take pride in sourcing our botanical ingredients for their unparalleled potency and purity. Wherever possible, Céla endeavours to work with suppliers who grow, harvest and produce our extracts, oils and butters within Canada.
Cela Complex
Elderberry fruit extract
Elderberries have a detoxifying, radiance-boosting effect on the skin thanks to their potent concentration of Vitamin C. A hero of folk medicine for their cold- and influenza-fighting abilities, they are also an excellent source of anthocyanins, which are antioxidant plant pigments proven to reduce inflammation and promote microcirculation.
Rosemary leaf extract
The needle-like leaves of the evergreen rosemary shrub are distilled to produce a soothingly aromatic, mineral-rich extract awash in skin-boosting flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oils and vitamins. Rosemary’s purifying and skin-calming benefits combine with the woody, relaxing fragrance it imparts to promote the well-being of body and mind alike.
Juniper berry extract
The oil from the slow-ripening berries of the coniferous juniper shrub has a refreshingly astringent, herbal aroma – it’s what gives gin its distinctive flavour, most famously. As a skincare ingredient, it has remarkable antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well aiding in regulating sebum production. Céla’s juniper extract helps balance and clarify skin while imparting a clean, calming scent.
Lavender flower extract
The flowers of the perennial lavender plant emit a calming fragrance that induces peace of mind and supports restful sleep, while its antifungal and antibacterial properties work to heal and balance the skin. Readily absorbed, lavender extract has also been shown to have analgesic effects, helping to alleviate discomfort from minor irritations.
Blueberry fruit extract
Rich in damage-combating antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, polyphenolic tannins with antibacterial and irritation-calming properties, as well as essential fatty acids to aid in moisture regulation, blueberries are a natural-skincare superfood, working to protect and soothe skin.
Evening primrose flower extract
The common evening-primrose wildflower is one of the only vegetal sources of gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), an important omega-6 fatty acid. Evening primrose oil, with its high concentration of GLA, is used topically as a soothing emollient with restorative and balancing skincare benefits.
Elderberry fruit extract
Elderberries have a detoxifying, radiance-boosting effect on the skin thanks to their potent concentration of Vitamin C. A hero of folk medicine for their cold- and influenza-fighting abilities, they are also an excellent source of anthocyanins, which are antioxidant plant pigments proven to reduce inflammation and promote microcirculation.
Rosemary leaf extract
The needle-like leaves of the evergreen rosemary shrub are distilled to produce a soothingly aromatic, mineral-rich extract awash in skin-boosting flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oils and vitamins. Rosemary’s purifying and skin-calming benefits combine with the woody, relaxing fragrance it imparts to promote the well-being of body and mind alike.
Juniper berry extract
The oil from the slow-ripening berries of the coniferous juniper shrub has a refreshingly astringent, herbal aroma – it’s what gives gin its distinctive flavour, most famously. As a skincare ingredient, it has remarkable antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well aiding in regulating sebum production. Céla’s juniper extract helps balance and clarify skin while imparting a clean, calming scent.
Lavender flower extract
The flowers of the perennial lavender plant emit a calming fragrance that induces peace of mind and supports restful sleep, while its antifungal and antibacterial properties work to heal and balance the skin. Readily absorbed, lavender extract has also been shown to have analgesic effects, helping to alleviate discomfort from minor irritations.
Blueberry fruit extract
Rich in damage-combating antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, polyphenolic tannins with antibacterial and irritation-calming properties, as well as essential fatty acids to aid in moisture regulation, blueberries are a natural-skincare superfood, working to protect and soothe skin.
Evening primrose flower extract
The common evening-primrose wildflower is one of the only vegetal sources of gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), an important omega-6 fatty acid. Evening primrose oil, with its high concentration of GLA, is used topically as a soothing emollient with restorative and balancing skincare benefits.
Key Ingredients
Coffee Bean Powder
Finely ground coffee beans act as an effective mechanical exfoliator, sloughing away dead cells from the skin’s surface. They contain caffeine, a hardworking alkaloid that penetrates the skin barrier to fight UV radiation and photoaging with its antioxidant properties while reducing cellulite by stimulating the breakdown of fats.
Abyssinian oil
Named after the Ethiopian highlands where the oilseed plant was first discovered, emollient Abyssinian oil is high in erucic acid, a nourishing omega-9 acid. Quickly absorbed, it imparts a comfortingly silky
texture to the skin’s surface, working as a barrier against dehydration. It also restores a healthy sheen to hair.
Aloe
Use of this stemless succulent can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt, when it was referred to as the “plant of immortality”. The pulp extracted from the aloe plant’s thick leaves is rich in water and polysaccharides, as well as anti-inflammatory sterols. In addition to promoting skin hydration, aloe has been shown to accelerate healing of wounds and burns.
Avocado oil
Ripe avocados grown without pesticides are dehydrated, sliced and pressed to obtain an easily absorbed oil that restores skin barrier function. It seals in moisture while delivering the nourishing, skin-conditioning and antioxidant benefits of its high concentration of essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, D and E.
Coconut oil
The nutritious inner flesh of the coconut palm fruit is cold pressed to obtain a creamy, richly emollient oil with a true-to-nature, comfortingly nutty aroma owing to the preservation of its antioxidant polyphenols during extraction. In addition to providing intense moisturisation to hair and body, the high fatty acid content gives coconut oil remarkable antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Cupuaçu butter
Native to the Amazonian rainforest and belonging to the same family as cocoa, the cupuaçu bean produces a decadent butter with similar skin-softening and protective qualities, plus several unique antioxidants. Prized for its stability and the speed at which it melts into the skin, cupuaçu butter can support 440% of its molecular weight in water, making it a phenomenal hydrator.
Jojoba oil
Jojoba stands out among plant oils for consisting almost entirely of wax esters, replenishing this essential
component of sebum that decreases in production as we age. It also regulates sebum production in problem skin, making it an exceptionally well-tolerated moisturiser with both emollient (skin-smoothing) and occlusive (water-trapping) properties.
Shea Butter
Extracted from the nut of the African shea tree, shea butter is an edible triglyceride and an excellent
emollient with nourishing, skin-softening properties. Mainly composed of oleic acid – a fatty acid closely
resembling human sebum – it is readily absorbed, and as gentle as it is an effective moisturiser.
Ucuuba butter
The seeds of the ucuuba tree, native to the Amazonian lowlands and swamplands, are cold pressed for their remarkable butter. Primarily composed of three essential fatty acids, myristic, lauric and palmitic acid, and rich in anti-aging vitamins A and C, ucuuba butter absorbs quickly and moisturises deeply without a greasy after feel.
Cupuaçu seed powder
Pulverised cupuaçu seeds are used as a rejuvenating and circulation-boosting agent for mechanical exfoliation. Working to soften skin while removing dead skin cells, dirt and debris, the fine particle size and low abrasiveness of cupuaçu seeds make them ideal for sensitive skin or frequent use, as they are unlikely to cause irritation.
Glycerin
Glycerin is the unsung hero of humectants – a naturally occurring alcohol compound that is hygroscopic, meaning its molecules draw moisture from the air, aiding in hydration and moisture retention. Because glycerin mimics NMF (natural moisturising factor) produced by the epidermis, it is highly tolerated by all ages and skin types.
InfraGuard
Composed of organic sunflower shoots and powerful antioxidants derived from Tara spinosa, a thorny shrub native to Peru, this innovative ingredient protects skin from exposure to skin-damaging infrared (IR) rays, which penetrate more deeply than UV light. It also provides protection against the high energy visible (HEV) light, known as blue light, emitted by electronic device screens, by countering the oxidative effects of free radicals.
Snow Algae
This single-cell algae grows on glaciers and permanent snow, thriving in polar and Alpine climates by producing stress-response molecules with remarkable anti-aging and barrier-protecting skincare benefits. While smoothing and moisturising, snow algae extract works at the cellular level, stimulating production of collagen, the longevity gene Klotho, as well as AMPK, the master-switch enzyme responsible for regulating cells’ energy and defense systems.
Pumpkin seed oil
The diversity of minerals and bioactive components – vitamin E, phytosterols and balanced essential
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids among them – obtained by expressing roasted pumpkin seeds makes for
a nutritious, restorative moisturising oil. Its proven wound-healing abilities are soothing to fragile or
damaged skin.
Squalane
Plant-derived squalane is a non-comedogenic (non-pore-blocking) emollient hydrocarbon that mimics the squalene naturally produced by the human body. Squalane compensates for the reduction of squalene production and retention that occurs with aging, promoting skin suppleness and acting as an occlusive barrier against moisture loss.
Vitamin E
The body produces its own reserve of vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant essential for healthy skin due to its ability to absorb UV light, reducing damage from free radicals, as well as its anti-inflammatory qualities. As it is susceptible to depletion via environmental exposure, it is beneficial to compensate for the loss via topical application.
Essential Oils
Begamot oil
This oil’s uplifting effect is owed both to its deliciously sweet, subtly floral aroma of sun-ripened bergamot oranges and to its concentration of flavonoids, which do double-duty as a cleansing agent with
antibacterial properties.
Cedarwood oil
Derived from majestic coniferous cedars, this essential oil’s balsamic, woodsy scent promotes emotional balance and wellbeing while its antiseptic and astringent properties improve skin’s tone and clarity.
Coffee oil
This invigorating essential oil, derived from expertly roasted Coffea arabica beans, boasts powerful antioxidants and nutritious flavonoids while imparting the uplifting, unmistakable aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Grapefruit oil
The refreshingly zesty, citrusy scent of this cold-pressed oil is an instant mood lifter, aiding to de-stress while its astringent, antibacterial phytochemicals work to clarify the skin.
Orange peel oil
The potent phytochemicals produced within the rind of the orange fruit deliver vast therapeutic properties, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immune-supportive – even aphrodisiac – effects, plus a rejuvenating fragrance with bright, juicy notes.
Patchouli oil
With warm, spicy notes composing its richly earthy aroma, patchouli oil has a grounding effect, at once
uplifting and relaxing. It has the added benefits of antifungal properties and soothing dermal irritation.
Lavendar oil
Obtained via steam distillation of lavender flowers, this pleasingly floral-scented oil’s popularity dates back to Ancient Rome, where it was added to bathwater for a fragrant soak, and endures thanks to its soothing effects on the mind and body. (See lavender flower extract for more.)