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La Mav is an Australian company that focuses on natural skincare and makeup products. All La Mav products are 100% plant based, vegan and certified cruelty free with Choose Cruelty Free (CCF have a strict certification process). I knew about La Mav because they make natural makeup, but I am going to focus on their skin care products today, specifically the Hydra-Calm Cleansing Creme and the Anti Dark-Circle Eye Gel. If you read my cruelty free skincare favourites post, then you know I mentioned that I would do a whole review on my new favourite cleanser and eye cream, and here it is. You can buy La Mav products from the La Mav website directly or from Nourished Life website (affiliate links), which has a wide range of cruelty free and natural skincare available – both websites ship internationally.
All La Mav produucts are made using their ‘Three-Tier Formula’ system which consists of essential base ingredients, speciality oils and bio-active constituents. The bio-active constituents are clinically proven and help to fight the signs of ageing by nourishing, refining and repairing the skin. There are a huge range of skincare products produced by La Mav, including cleansers, moisturisers, eye treatments, serums and scrubs. As a certified organic range, La Mav anti-ageing products will never contain “Petrochemicals and other synthetic substances, Harmful preservatives like paraben and sodium benzoate, Talc, Artificial fragrance or colour, Chelating agents based on EDTA and its salts, Suphonation, ethoxylation and propoxylation, Polysorbates, Alkyl Sulphates (eg Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate), Alkyl Ether Sulphates (eg Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Ammonium Laureth Sulphate), Polyethylene Glycol, Ethanolamides (eg Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA), Genetically modified organisms”.
A bit about my skin first, I have normal to dry skin – with good skincare I can get it to sit around normal, but without I get very dry and dehydrated. I have multiple skin issues with rosacea on my cheeks, eczema on my eyelids and this year I have been dealing with fluoride induced peri-oral dermatitis, so my skincare has to be very gentle as my skin is extremely sensitive.
The La Mav Hydra-Calm Cleansing Creme is marketed as a gentle cleanser for normal to dry skin types that are prone to fine lines and dehydration. The website says it will remove impurities, perspiration, makeup and pollutants whilst still being suitable for sensitive skin. The website also says that essential fatty acids and bio-flavonoids from Camellia, Macadamia and Avocado Oils will help to protect dry and dull skin, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice & Chamomile Extract will calm, soothe and reduce redness, and natural Vitamin E will deliver long lasting anti-ageing benefits. The cleanser comes in a 100 ml container that has an airless pump for easy dispensing. The creme is a white colour and has very little smell. I use it on a damp face and massage it in with finger tips and then wash it off with warm water. This is a cream cleanser so it doesn’t foam on application, but it is still very easy to spread and wash off. I have found it very hard to find cleansers I like. Before this product I only had two cleansers I could use because the vast majority of the cleansers on the market (including all the ones marketed as suitable for sensitive skin) are far too harsh and strip my skin. I am very pleased to say that the La Mav Hydra-Calm Cleansing Creme is now my favourite cleanser. This product does cleanse the skin and removes sweat and makeup but it does not make my skin feel tight, dry or sore afterwards. It’s so gentle that I can use it to double cleanse if I need to. Many people think that the skin should feel tight after cleansing, but that tightness is your skin being stripped of the essential lipid barrier that is needed to keep in moisture and protect your skin from outside elements. Rosacea is a condition that is associated with barrier issues as is, so the last thing anyone with rosacea needs is a cleanser that will make that worse. I haven’t experienced any extra rosacea symptoms since using this cleanser. If you have oily to combination skin that is prone to congestion then you are better off trying the Sweet Orange Foaming Cleanser.
The La Mav Anti Dark-Circle Eye Gel is marketed as a light cooling gel that will revive, rejuvenate and and brighten the delicate eye area. It is suitable for all skin types but especially those with dark circles, eye puffiness, and fine lines and wrinkles. The website says that the bio-actives included are Vitamin C, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Rumex Extract and Licorice Root Extract, which help to reduce dark circles and fine lines as well as under eye puffiness. Alantoin from Aloe Vera and Rosa Damascena instantly revitalises tired eyes delivering a refreshed appearance and Polyphenols from seaweed extract (Fucus Vesiculosus) smooth and firm the eye contour. The Anti Dark-Circle Gel comes in a 15 ml container with an easy to use pump. The product is a gel consistency but it is on the more liquid side which makes it very easy to smooth out on the skin. I use one pump for both eyes and use my ring finger to smooth it out and tap it gently into the skin. In the mornings, my eye puffiness can extend down to the tops of my cheek bones, so I will spread the gel past the puffiness line. The gel gives an immediate cooling sensation to the area as it dries down, which helps to take down the eye puffiness immediately. Over time, my eyes have been less prone to eye puffiness in the mornings when using this product on a daily basis. I have seen slight improvement in my dark circles but my dark circles are still visible. I do want to note though that I am very very fair and the skin under the eyes is thin (thanks genetics), so the blood vessels underneath my skin are very prominent and make the area look dark. That’s not something a topical product will ever be able to fix. For others though, especially with those with more melanin in their skin than mine, dark circles can be caused by skin pigmentation and therefore the brightening ingredients in this eye gel will give you much better results. I’m 28 so I don’t have a significant number of fine lines yet but I do think the eye gel helps to hydrate the eye area and therefore make fine lines less visible. The La Mav Firming Eye Lotion is targeted more at skin with fine lines and wrinkles but it doesn’t target dark circles, so that could be one to try if fine lines are your only concern. One of the biggest problems with my eye area is milia. I wrote a whole post about milia and laser milia removal that you can check out, but what is important for this is that I am very prone to milia, even when not using any eye products. I have however seen very few milia pop up since using this gel, so I think the thin consistency has really helped to hydrate the area but its not so heavy that it is causing milia to appear. Before this, I had tried so many eye gels and creams and I had never found one I could use for a long period of time as they would be too irritating and cause stinging or redness or they would be too thick and cause milia, the La Mav Anti Dark-Circle Eye Gel doesn’t do either of those things, I have been using it for months and I will be repurchasing it when it runs out.
I am a massive skin care lover as I know what good skin care can do for me, so I was really excited to try these products from La Mav, as I am always on the look out for more cruelty free products that I can add to my skincare routine. I am really happy with how the La Mav Hydra-Calm Cleansing Creme and Anti Dark-Circle Eye Gel have worked for my skin. Irritation and dehydration tend to be big problems I have with cleansers, but the Hydra-Calm Cleansing Creme is nice and gentle while still being able to cleanse the skin. I have had even less luck with eye creams and gels as many of them (including all those marked as suitable for sensitive skin) sting or irritate the eye area or they are just far too thick and cause milia. The La Mav Anti Dark-Circle Eye Gel doesn’t irritate and the gel consistency is nice and light so it doesn’t cause milia. Although it hasn’t changed my dark circles (as nothing will), I still love the ingredients included as it’s really important to use a good anti ageing product around the eye area no matter how young you are, plus it has really helped to reduce the eye puffiness that I often get. It is such a gentle eye cream that it didn’t irritate when I accidentally used it on my eczema. I wouldn’t actively use this on my eyelid eczema as I try to use as few products as I can on it, but when my eczema spreads to underneath my eyes and I don’t realise, I haven’t had the eye gel cause any problems. You can buy La Mav products from the La Mav website directly or from the Nourished Life website (affiliate links), which has a wide range of cruelty free and natural skincare available – both websites ship internationally. Have you tried any of the skincare products from La Mav? Will you be trying any in future? There are lots of products that sound amazing but the Hyaluronan Daily Moisture Creme, Hyaluroninc Acid Hydra-Max Serum and Vit C Advanced Nightly Repair Nectar peaked my interest with their descriptions on the website. I still have some makeup products from La Mav that I will review. If you want to keep up to date with what I’m doing then you can sign up to email updates to get my blog posts sent to your email so you don’t miss any, or follow me on social media – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
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