AHAVA:

The Dead Sea of Israel is known as the world’s largest natural spa. That’s because it is found at the lowest point on the whole earth, a whopping 410 meters lower than sea level. Because of its low elevation, streams and rivers in the area flow into it, but nothing can flow out. Therefore, minerals of all kinds that are carried by the waters of the Middle East are deposited in the silt at the bottom of the Dead Sea. Those minerals are used by the AHAVA Company to produce a line of cosmetics and skin care products that they say will do wonders for your skin.

The company’s website has a lot of information on the therapeutic values of the deposits found in the Dead Sea. After doing some reading there, I discovered that such substances as magnesium, potassium, and calcium are important for the health of the largest organ in our bodies…our skin. They attract moisture and retain it to help our skin to stay firm and hydrated. These minerals are known as Natural Moisturizing Factors.

The Dead Sea has a 32% concentration of dissolved minerals in its water…higher than anywhere else in the world. While that might make you think that the water would be too harsh for use by people with sensitive skin, or a medical condition, the AHAVA people say that is not the case. People from all over the world that have problem skin visit the sea every year. Many more folks who wish to maintain the youth and health of their appearance are regular bathers there, as well. Dermatologists and skin doctors recommend the Dead Sea waters for their patients.

So, the premise of the AHAVA Company is that you can get all these wonderful benefits without having to travel to Israel. Their company is located there, and they derive most of the active ingredients in their products from the waters or sediment of the Dead Sea. It’s a pretty interesting concept, and one that is very different from the other skin care manufacturers I have looked at.

AHAVA makes a complete line of cosmetics and personal care products. They have potions for your hair, body, hands, and face. There are also sunscreens, men’s products, and bath salts. I decided to focus on their anti-aging line, which is known as Time Line. 

The website states that these creams and lotions were formulated after years of extensive research done in conjunction with some of the world’s leading universities. They say that clinical studies were performed to find out the effects that minerals could have on the condition of our skin.

Published Clinical Studies

One interesting note…while many companies say that their products have been clinically approved, it is often difficult to find any actual research papers that have been published to prove their claims. AHAVA, on the other hand, actually has double-blind research studies posted on the website which show the results of tests done by people using their serums and other folks who used a placebo. These studies were published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science, and show positive results for the creams that were studied. Of course, not every product they sell has undergone tests like these, but they have researched the main ingredients they use, and have some scientific reasons for using them. That is much more than what can be said for many of the hype-prone companies that sell anti-aging products.

Anti-Aging

There are five products in the Time Line group: a daily moisturizer, a night cream, an eye cream, an optimizer serum, and something called 3D Essence Ampoules. Each product has its ingredients listed on the web page, and dermatologists have tested them all. In addition, ophthalmologists have checked those that are designed to be used near your eyes. All of them are listed as hypoallergenic, too, which is important for anyone prone to allergies.

After reading all of the information on the website about the great benefits of Dead Sea minerals, I expected to see many of those minerals listed as ingredients, and I did find them. There were also several other substances in the creams that I recognized from my studies in this area. For example, the daily moisturizer contains glycerin, a common moisture-retaining ingredient. Several of them have Vitamin E and A which are known to be antioxidants. I have to say that there were lots of long, chemical-sounding ingredients listed, too, and it was difficult to know exactly what their purpose might be, but at least I had the advantage of knowing that they are hypoallergenic and doctor-tested, so that they are not likely to do any damage.

The Upside

I especially liked the description of the Daily Moisturizer, because it contains an SPF 15 sunscreen. It says that this product only needs to be used once in the morning to provide 12 hours of hydration and protection from the sun (unless you go swimming or work up a good sweat at the gym, which would require a reapplication.) I always like it when companies make one cream that performs two functions. It is less for me to keep track of and simplifies my day.

The 3D Essence Ampoules are interesting. They won a Most Valuable Product Award in 2006 from Redbook Magazine. They are little individual vials that are meant to be used every day for 10 days in order to refresh your skin when it  “feels fatigued from a change of season.”  The directions state that you should break the vial into your hand, and massage it into your face at bedtime. It’s a unique concept, and it sounds appealing, especially when those cold dry winds of winter start blowing.

The AHAVA Company does provide a money back guarantee, and the fact that they are willing to post the results of scientific studies does a lot to convince me that these products are worth a try. I found several places on the web where actual users had reviewed these creams, and most were happy with the results they achieved.

The Downside

While I am pretty confident that these are quality products, they are quite expensive. There are no trial sizes available, that I could find, and purchasing just one of each of the Time Line creams would cost $310. And that doesn’t include a cleanser. You have to buy it separately.

My conclusion is, that while the Dead Sea is a fascinating and probably healthy place, I am better off using my two favorite products, Athena 7 Minute Lift, and Life Cell. They do what they say they will do without breaking my budget.

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