La Mav Organic Skin Science® Launch @ BHG Bugis + Interview with Tarj Mavi

1) Hi Tarj! I’m glad that you brought La Mav to Singapore for people who are pursuing the organic lifestyle. What got you started to develop your very own organic skincare range?

It is my pleasure to introduce La Mav to Singapore and through our products I am on a mission to bring a change in people’s lives towards organic lifestyle.

It was following the birth of my second child Jay in 2000 and I’d developed a severe case of postpartum pigmentation. I searched everywhere to find a skincare product that would diminish it. However finding a product that was safe, healthy and effective proved hard to find. I tried everything to ‘fix’ it! I was piling on heavy concealer, makeup and my skin became itchy, flaky, red and dry as a result. I took the advice of a dermatologist who prescribed Hydroquinone, which is essentially a bleaching treatment that made my skin hypersensitive to the sun and left it inflamed.

I knew there had to be a more natural alternative! The skin is the largest organ in our bodies and many of the products we use on our skin contain toxic chemicals that are absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream. I wanted to take my knowledge and experience and create a skin care product unlike any other on the market – LA MAV – based on healthy, effective, organic ingredients that are good for our bodies, good for the planet and good for generations to come. The one vital factor was that the products had to be 100% natural and Fully Certified Organic.

After extensive cosmetology research and development involving the evaluation of data in the augmentation of skin firmness, elasticity and hydration, La Mav was born. I have spent many years researching naturally derived active constituents that are free of all toxins (parabens, petrochemicals and synthetic ingredients). These constituents provide a potent result driven organic alternative for the repair, restoration and rejuvenation of the skin at a cellular level and provide outstanding age defying results.

2) What is the difference between natural and organic skincare?

I am amazed that so many of us think ‘natural’ and ‘certified organic’ are the same. In reality there is a lot of difference in them. Simply put by natural, it can be ‘derived from nature’ but still can be processed synthetically so it’s important to clarify that point first. Organic skincare on the other hand contains the purest form of ingredients that are grown, harvested and extracted in a way that does not use any synthetic inputs or genetically modified ingredients.

3) Organic skincare brands have been proliferating at departmental stores in the recent years. How can we consumers tell if these brands are 100% organic? What is the definition of organic skincare to you?

Products carrying an Organic Certification symbol assure consumers that products have been independently audited and approved.

While there is no national standard for skin care or cosmetics in Australia, there are numerous certifying bodies that approve organic authenticity. The requirements are that synthetically processed ingredients are not permitted and processes that are toxic or have detrimental effects on the environment are to be avoided – requirements that I wholeheartedly believed in and my products entirely epitomized.

Consumers are inundated with organic and natural claims and with frequent media stories and the Hollywood hype surrounding the potential health risks of conventional products, ‘organics’ are appearing everywhere. Consumers are waylaid by the labels which is not surprising considering the labeling standards in Australia for cosmetic products are open to all sorts of interpretation resulting in widespread and blatantly deceptive labeling practices. The marketing and labeling practices of these companies take advantage of consumer trust in the ‘organic’ labels and are cheating both consumer and certified organic companies – you can just about call anything organic and get away with it!

La Mav formulations are based on a unique combination of certified organic ingredients along with the most current and revolutionary scientific and cosmeceutical principles. To, ensure the highest quality for our customers we have certification from one of the strictest and highly regarded certification body recognized worldwide, the Organic Food Chain Pty Ltd. The Organic Food Chain’s logo is proudly displayed on each of our products along with the signatory for Safe Cosmetics, the Australian Made logo and Cruelty Free logo. We give you the confidence that you are buying a product that is 100% certified organic and pure by nature itself.

4) Is it true that natural organic skincare products can’t be store for a long period of time due to the absence of preservatives?

It is not entirely true.The shelf-life of organic skincare products is generally short but the products are manufactured with the natural preservatives. La Mav products have a shelf-life of 2 years from the date of manufacture.

5) Was it difficult to source for bio-active natural and organic ingredients in this genetically modified world?

The natural and organic wave started few decades back. This wave created a demand of cosmeceutical organic and natural bio-actives delivering results. A lot of major ingredient suppliers have undertaken a lot of research in this field in the recent years. As a result, we now have access to many natural and organic skincare ingredients that have been scientifically proven to deliver results.