The Azorean natural cosmetics brand Sazorea was honored with the Natural Excellence Award at the European Natural Beauty Awards gala, held last Tuesday in Paris. The award was given to its rejuvenating night serum, “The Dream Glow,” recognized among hundreds of European entries as one of the most innovative, effective, and sustainable products in the natural cosmetics sector.

“This award is a recognition of the power of the Azores’ native ingredients and our dedication to creating excellent formulas that care for the skin and the planet,” said Catarina Andrade, founder and CEO of Sazorea. “Bringing the Azores to Paris with this distinction is a source of enormous pride for the entire team. Launched in 2024, The Dream Glow – Rejuvenating Night Serum is a fast-absorbing, 100% natural facial oil developed to deeply nourish the skin overnight, reduce signs of aging, and restore its radiance and firmness. Formulated with botanical ingredients from the Azores, such as Laurus azorica, fennel, and Cryptomeria japonica extract, the serum also combines renowned active ingredients, including bakuchiol (a plant-based alternative to retinol) and Japanese camellia and rush oil, among others, in a formula that blends green science and island tradition.

The Natural Excellence Award is given annually to products that stand out for their innovation, effectiveness, ethics, and sustainability. Sazorea’s victory represents not only a milestone for the brand but also an achievement for the Portuguese cosmetics sector and for the Azores, which are gaining visibility as a source of pure ingredients and unique biodiversity. Created in the Azores, Sazorea is a premium natural cosmetics brand that develops each product with local plant-based ingredients.

Catarina Andrade-SAZOREA

Hi, I’m Catarina Nascimento Andrade, founder of SAZOREA.
I’m from Corvo Island, Azores—an extraordinary natural sanctuary that’s also home to all our products.
My desire to make a positive impact on the world and society led me to pursue a degree in Cardiac Physiology. After a few years working in hospitals in the Republic of Ireland, I started to feel unhappy and unmotivated, even though I knew my purpose was to care for and change my patients’ lives. I needed to bring lightness to my life and find my true happiness. Amid the discomfort, stress, and anxiety, I began to notice a drastic change in my skin. Once healthy, it became sensitive, unbalanced, dry, and dull.

I began searching for the causes and realized that my inner imbalance, together with some not-so-natural cosmetic ingredients, could be behind my problem. So I started studying cosmetics and learning to create formulas that cared for my skin’s health. I learned about each ingredient and its benefits.
Without knowing it, in 2018, I was taking the first steps toward creating SAZOREA. After earning certification as an organic formulator from Formula Botanica, a multi-award-winning school in the UK, followed by a postgrad in Advanced Cosmetology and then a master’s in Cosmetic Science and Dermopharmacy, I discovered my calling and my happy place.

While I was still working at the hospital, I decided to create my own brand. But some difficulties and circumstances made me give up. However, the sudden loss of my grandmother and, a year later, my grandfather made me question my entire life again. Everything was so brief…

These devastating events reignited my dormant passion, helped me overcome my fear of stepping out of my comfort zone, and made me realize that life should be about who we want to be and about following our intuition and dreams.

I left everything behind, returned to the Azores, and decided to follow my intuition. Today, I lead a team of experienced Portuguese cosmetologists who create SAZOREA’s formulas. Formulas powered by Azorean nature and backed by science, to bring you the best products that respect skin health.

This brand changed my skin and my life—and now it will make a difference in yours, believe me. Let yourself become your best version: more beautiful, more authentic, and more radiant—from the inside out.

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In Diário dos Açores-Paulo Viveiros, director, and from the Company website.

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.