INTERVIEW WITH ORGANIC SKINCARE FOUNDER oF MADARA, LOTTE  (August 2008)

1. Is Madara a certified organic beauty brand? Is there such a thing as
an organically accredited beauty brand (as in the organic food industry)?
MADARA is ECOCERT® certified organic cosmetics. ECOCERT® is the leading European authority on organic certification, and the standards used by prestige organic brands.

2. What's the philosophy of Madara?
MÁDARA is about ecology. It means a belief that natural ingredients
are the best protection for our body and mind. We believe that natural ingredients are the best for long term beauty care. MÁDARA not only does not harm body, but also works much deeper than skin. We believe in the wisdom of beauty and health, inherited from our great-great-grandmothers, stemming from times when people were much closer to nature.

3. What are some of the most commonly used organic ingredients in
Madara, and in which products do they appear?
Ingredients. We use:
* Pure flower and herb extracts from the Baltic region – St. John’s wort, camomile, calendula, yarrow, plantain, sage and others.
* Natural vitamins, moisturizers and other active ingredients – barley germ, avocado oil
* Inorganic pigments, which can be found in nature - mica, natural salts.

4. What's special & unique about Madara, that makes it stand out from
the other organic/holistic beauty brands in the market?
The very heart of MADARA products – the active ingredients – is made up from flowers and herbs from the Baltic meadows and forests. The natural environment in the Baltic region is unique because the northern summers are much shorter, leaving flowers with a much shorter time to attract bees for pollinating. Plants are compelled to concentrate their blossoming vigor in this short blossoming time. As a result, at the time of harvest they are rich with the active ingredients required to survive in bitter climates.
* There is a deep understanding of the importance of lunar phases rooted in the traditions of the Baltic nations. MADARA products are made from only the highest quality natural ingredients, including medicinal herbs and plants harvested according to the astronomical calendar. This local knowledge has been retained from the ancient times when each person was in harmony with the nature.

6. Because of the nature of beauty products (for eg. foaming shampoos
need a foaming agent, which often can only be created synthetically),
can organic beauty products ever be 100% organic?
All skin care products contain items from the following categories in some combination or other: emollients (to prevent dryness and protect the skin, acting as barrier and healing agent), humectants, emulsifiers, preservatives and surfactants (surf-active-agents or foaming agents). These components could be synthetic or natural. In certified organic cosmetics you can find only natural components. All ingredients used in our products meet the ECOCERT requirements and derived either from plants or from inorganic.
For example, in MADARA range we use sucrose cocoate, gentle cleansing agent, extracted from plants and fragrances, made from essential oils.

5. The preservatives that are being used to give 'organic' beauty
products shelf life, are these natural?
In MADARA cosmetic products plant alcohol is used in small concentrations as the preservative. This is a natural plant alcohol, made from grain.

7. Is there any bit of quirky information you can tell me about Madara
(anything at all)?
When we first started making organic cosmetics 3 years ago, we decided there
are going to be no weak points in our venture. We wanted to design a company
which is great both in function and form. Logical, perfect in every detail, each
function designed with care. Beautiful, green and alive. Like the flower that has
inspired our brand.
Every single one of our small, young and ambitious team has an expertise in one
of the essential functions required for the success of the company and passion for
outstanding products, outstanding design, outstanding planning and outstanding
marketing. Together we share the passion for MÁDARA, which is a Latvian
name for “cleavers” – the humble flower from our meadows that has inspired our
brand with both its beauty and unbelievable logics. Because we grew out of
“madara”, we have to be “madara”. We are truly MÁDARA, and that is why our
customers believe in us.

8. What’s the most common misconception about organic skincare?
A common misconception about organic skin care products is that they are more gentle for the skin but not as effective as synthetic dermatology brands.
In fact, organic cosmetics don’t give an instant effect, but have a deep and long-term efficacy to our skin.
Each natural component has various properties – it is able to regenerate, moisturize, tone, stimulate, heal, nourish, relax, and tighten. Human skin is able to use exactly those ingredients which it needs the most, to become healthy, glowing and happy again. The wide range of plants in nature allows selecting the most suitable ingredients for each product. Usage of plant active ingredients in the beauty care is effective, because metabolism processes in cells of plants and people are similar.


10. If I have no real allergies to regular skincare, why should I switch to organic?
Here is why you should avoid chemical cosmetics:
1. our skin is extremely permeable. This is particularly important for leave-on cosmetic products like hair dyes, facial creams and make-up. One scientific study showed that 13% of the cosmetic preservative butylate hydroxytoluene (BHT) and 49% of the carcinogenic pesticide DTT (found in cosmetic containing lanolin) is absorbed through the skin!
2. if you use a small amount of a toxic chemical everyday for your entire life, it's going to accumulate in the tissues and organs of your body.
3. Recent scientific studies show that these chemicals are toxic even at very low doses
4. some of these chemicals may be the culprits of this vast epidemics of infertility. If you don't want to have to go through infertility and IVF clinics to be able to have children, you're better off avoiding chemical personal care
5. if you are pregnant or if you are breast-feeding, your baby is exposed -through you- to these chemicals which have even worse effects on a young developing organism
Mother Nature always has and always will provide us with everything we need. By seeking out truly natural and organic products we are making a positive difference to our own health as well as respecting of environment.

11. For a first timer, what 5 rules-of-thumbs should I remember if I plan to switch to organic?
Switching to organic cosmetics you should remember following rules-of-thumbs:
1. Make sure cosmetics carries the label “certified organic” if you do not know how to read ingredients.
2. Test the cosmetics before buying. Organic cosmetics are with active ingredients, which can react with skin and cause allergic reaction. These reactions are usually short-term, and the skin adapts quickly to the more active components.
3. Never buy cosmetics in big quantities, organic cosmetics has a limited shelf life, because there are no synthetic preservatives inside. More caution has to be taken to avoid direct sunlight, heat, extreme cold etc.
4. Organic cosmetics can have an unusual, but fresh scent, because in production of organic cosmetics synthetic fragrances are never used. Instead, combination of natural essential oils is used. They evaporate very quickly and do not give a strong lasting scent.

12 For women on the go, how can I streamline my beauty regime to ensure I use as little as possible but have great skin. Can you recommend a few good Madara items and how to use them in hot tropical country like Singapore.

A skin care regimen have to be as simple as 1-2-3, especially for women on go. Here are the secrets of a simple 3-step skin care regimen from MADARA.

1. The first step is to cleanse. MADARA purifying floral foam carefully frees the skin from impurities and dirt accumulated during the day or night, as well as make-up and anything else it no longer needs!

2. The second step is to tone. Toning is the middle step that a lot of people seem to overlook. Toning is a very necessary step in a skin care regimen. What a skin toner does is it - calms, refreshes and balances skin, treats blemishes. Aside from its extra-cleaning properties, a toner also closes your pores and prepares the skin for the last step: moisturizing. Choose appropriate MADARA toner for your type of skin – “floral water” for dry and very dry skin, “mild floral water” for normal and combination skin and “floral toner” for oily skin.

3. The third step is to moisturize. Apply a cream that will nourish and moisturize it, as well as providing protection from UV rays and promoting the skin renewal (night creams). Human skin has an ability to utilize the exact active ingredients it needs from plant extracts. As a result, skin will normalize and become less dry or less oily.