Ahava (Hebrew: אהבה) (lit. Love) is an Israeli cosmetics company that manufactures skin-care products made of mud and mineral-based compounds from the Dead Sea.
http://www.ahavaus.com
History
Dead Sea Laboratories (DSL), the company that manufactures Ahava products, was established in Israel in 1988 by three kibbutzim in the Dead Sea area. The company is now co-owned by Gaon Holdings, one of Israel's largest holding companies. Ahava exports to over thirty countries worldwide, and exports account for 60% its sales. Ahava products, popular with tourists, are available in shops all over Israel, with an outlet store at the foot of Masada.
Ahava's shareholders include Mitzpe Shalem (41 percent); Hamashbir Holdings and Gaon Holdings (41 percent); Ein Gedi and Kalya (18 percent). The main manufacturing plant and showroom is at Mitzpe Shalem in the West Bank, on the Dead Sea coast, with administrative headquarters in Holon.
Ahava products are based on the belief that minerals have an extraordinary capacity to act as "intercellular messengers," transmitting information to skin cells and impacting positively on their health and vital functions. The company believes that the black mineral mud on the shores of the Dead Sea has healing properties and beneficial effect on joint diseases and skin conditions. According to the company, it is made of layers of sedimentary clay formed over thousands of years and contains a very high concentration of minerals, which Ahava products use to promote skin health.
Ahava's Dermud series for dry and sensitive skin includes hand cream, foot cream, facial cleanser, body milk, facial nourishing cream, facial moisturizer, moisturizing shower cream and body cream.
Created at the Source
The only cosmetics enterprise indigenous to the Dead Sea region, AHAVA is driven by a deep passion to unearth the secrets of the revitalizing effects of minerals on the skin. Our dedicated scientific approach has helped us to acquire an unrivaled expertise on the subject, which has culminated in the development of an international network for ongoing academic research. Moreover, we have translated this deep knowledge base into a series of superior skincare product lines, based exclusively on the rich resources of this magical region.
AHAVA’s second vocation is to learn and decipher the rich language of the human skin. As a living organ, the skin receives information and stimuli from the outer world and communicates it through specific reactions, helping to protect, nurture and clean its cells, retain moisture and fight the aging process. Minerals have an extraordinary capacity to act as “intercellular messengers” that transmit information to skin cells and positively impact their health and vital functions. At AHAVA, we are committed to unraveling the syntax of these crucial biological phenomena in our ongoing quest to produce the finest Dead Sea mineral-based products available worldwide.
Research and Development
AHAVA invests heavily in research, development and testing to study the therapeutic effectiveness of minerals on the skin in conjunction with leading international experts and scientific institutes. Clinical tests, independently confirmed and published in scientific journals, prove the revitalizing effects of DSL’s mineral and plant-based products on a range of dermatological conditions.
Our R&D efforts, central to the Company’s mission, consist of research in four main areas:
Fundamental research, to improve the understanding of the mode of action performed by minerals in improving skin functions, texture and appearance.
Nano-Technology applied to cosmetics, aimed at studying the physical and therapeutic features of various Dead Sea ingredients processed in nano size.
Product development, focusing on new age control technologies that will become an integral part of AHAVA’s product offering.
Development of spa and therapeutic treatments, based on human genome research and biotechnology and focusing on relieving the severity of various joint diseases.
Environmental Responsibility
True to our philosophy of protecting the innate beauty and resources of the region, we have cultivated a passionate and caring relationship with the Dead Sea, working and living along its hypnotic shores. The Company's activities are undertaken with a view towards preserving the pristine environment and delicate balance of the natural forces in the Dead Sea region. The healthy harvest of crystallized minerals, Dead Sea mineral mud and desert plants, which grow in the pure air of this magical region, is conducted responsibly - we only take what is strictly needed, enabling Nature to effortlessly replenish itself.
Our manufacturing processes are non-polluting and environmentally conscious. No animals are involved in testing phases and all of our products are encased in recyclable tubes, bottles and jars.
