Product: Mineral Dead Sea Mud Complex Used in Cosmetics Company: AHAVA – Dead Sea Laboratories Start of Development: 1990
The mud along the shores of the Dead Sea is known for its high mineral content and its antibacterial properties. Scientific research has shown that these minerals dramatically improve the complexion, relieve stress, strengthen the skin barrier, and significantly soothe sensitive and very dry skin.
In the 1970s and 1980s, members of Kibbutz Ein Gedi made commercial attempts to market this mud as a cosmetic product.
In 1988, the kibbutzim of Ein Gedi, Mitzpe Shalem, Kalya and Almog collectively founded a company for Dead Sea products (currently known as Dead Sea Laboratories) with the goal of realizing this vision.
At the time, the company was marketing a few basic products under the AHAVA brand name, while striving to expand and develop cosmetic products for the face and body based on Dead Sea minerals, touting their positive effect on the skin.
In 1990, Ichilov and Hadassah Medical Centers started a clinical trial looking into the therapeutic effect of Dead Sea mud as a natural treatment for psoriasis. The R&D team of Dead Sea Laboratories, which was taking part in the trial, formulated the idea of developing a moisturizer cream that would contain the mineral mud in order to enhance its therapeutic effect. It was the first time that a moisturizer would contain a substantial amount of mineral mud that is left on the skin and not rinsed off (Leave-On Mud).
The trial was halted abruptly when the Gulf War broke out, but many participants asked to keep receiving the ‘mud moisturizer’ due to an improvement in their condition. What had started out as a product complementing medical research had evolved into a scientific breakthrough, leading to additional studies and trials in the field of dermatology.
Over the years, Dead Sea Laboratories has meticulously analyzed the microbiological and chemical properties of black mineral mud and its positive effect on the skin. Studies have shown that it helps the skin combat damage from free radicals and UV rays, it fights microbiological infection, and it alleviates sensitivity and irritation caused by environmental stresses.
In 2000, the technology behind Dermud™ was registered as an international patent. To this day, it is used in the brand’s cosmetic products for face and body care. They are the only products in the world in which Dead Sea mud is listed as a key ingredient in their formula. AHAVA is known as the global expert in the development of cosmetic products based on the incorporation of innovative technologies and Dead Sea minerals.
