True Stories
From the desert to your skin: meet Ahava
Idit Gandelman, AHAVA VP Training and Creative Product Marketing (NPD)
My name is Idit Gandelman. I have a degree in art and behavioural psychology, and I bring all this knowledge to the cosmetics industry. Specifically, I have more than 30 years of experience in the industry, where I have held various marketing, training and product development roles. For example, before joining AHAVA I was responsible for the Shiseido brand in Israel. For 14 years I have been working at AHAVA, a nature-based vegan brand, and throughout my work I am constantly discovering the power and alchemy of the Dead Sea’s nature. From the beginning our quest was to transform the natural ingredients of the Dead Sea into modern, active and results-oriented skin care, creating original ways for the skin to strengthen and rejuvenate. In my spare time I take Pilates classes, love to read, travel, go to the beach, cook, watch football games and spend as much time as possible with my family: my adult children and my sweet grandson.
NATRUE: Can you tell us about the origins of Ahava and what inspired its creation?
Idit: AHAVA is first and foremost the story of people living and working at the Dead Sea, established in 1988 by 3 kibbutzim – a communal living situation – in Israel. The Dead Sea is a unique place, a geographical phenomenon located 427 meters below sea level; a desert and sea associated with skin’s health and wellbeing since ancient time. The Dead Sea is like a natural spa visited by millions of people from all around the globe, who collect the mud and water in small containers to take home and continue to enjoy the wonders of this “one of a kind” nature. This is what inspired our founders to build their own laboratories on the shores of the Dead Sea. They devoted the first and only facility in the region to researching the impactful skin benefits of the Dead Sea natural elements and established a mineral skin care brand based on natural actives: super mineral hydrating water, purifying mud, invigorating mineral salts and nutrient rich desert plants.
AHAVA works on research in collaboration with worldwide institutes and universities. That’s why today, we are a multi-brand company with definitive expertise in the field of Dead Sea natural components (minerals, mud, desert plants) that combines nature’s wisdom with science to develop biocompatible and effective skin care products.
NATRUE: Ahava emphasizes its use of Dead Sea minerals in its skincare products. Could you explain the unique benefits of these minerals for skincare?
Idit: The Dead Sea is the world’s largest source of minerals both in concentration and mineral variety. It includes the minerals that are most essential to skin: Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), and Sodium (Na) credited to improve skin conditions. The Dead Sea water and salts are listed in the book of cosmetic compounds (INCI) as natural humectants, or in simple words, active skin moisturizing components.
NATRUE: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the skincare industry. How does AHAVA incorporate sustainability into its products and practices?
Idit: AHAVA’s “lodestar” is to create skincare products inspired by the greater good of coexistence: honouring the relationship between nature and people. The delicate ecological balance of the Dead Sea and its surroundings reminds us every day that the most important thing is to protect our environment and safeguard its future, for the sake of people and the planet. We employ green, sustainable methods at every stage of our product circularity, as for example:
- Manufacture consciously (green chart, ISO14000)
- Pioneering a ‘water return process’ using flora to filter waste
- ISO 9001: Quality Management
- ISO 22716: Cosmetics Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
- ISO 14001: Environmental Management
- OHSAS 18001: Health & Safety
NATRUE: What sets AHAVA apart from other skincare brands on the market today?
Idit: AHAVA’s main point of difference and its reason to believe) is named Osmoter™ – an exclusive Dead Sea mineral composition that is content in every AHAVA product. The Osmoter™ is AHAVA’s 100% natural mineral blend that is created through the natural solar desert evaporation in a Dead Sea water-pool. The evaporation process precipitates sodium chloride (the simplest salt, which does not benefit the skin) out of the blend and obtains a composition enriched with magnesium, potassium and calcium. Therefore, the Osmoter™ is a potent and accurate combination of the most important Dead Sea minerals that are clinically proven to boost skin’s moisture from within, in all conditions. In other words, the Osmoter™ acts as a skin activator, unlike conventional skincare brands which consider added actives as their core philosophy, AHAVA redefines effective skincare as one that is based on within the skin’s own potential mechanism.
NATRUE: Why did you choose NATRUE and what are the benefits of using NATRUE for you?
Idit: The NATRUE logo certifies that our products are natural and organic, free from synthetic chemicals. This certification not only builds consumer trust and distinguishes us in a crowded market, but also attracts environmentally conscious consumers and ensures that our products meet the high strict standards for natural and organic cosmetics.
For more information about Ahava, visit www.ahava.be
Download the interview here.