By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

We loved testing Avitalin Skincare’s line of awesome, natural products earlier this year (check out our review), and wanted to know more about the woman behind this line of super nutritious and potent products.   Founder, Marina Volod, shares her philosophy, unique approach to skincare science, as well as some killer tips to fight the signs of aging skin!

Tell us about the philosophy behind Avitalin Skincare?

Our company goal is to create a result-driven skin care line which is focused on restoring the skin’s health while improving its barrier. Unlike many skin care companies on the market, who focus on DNA-based approaches, we emphasize on epidermal restoration.  Avitalin’s concept is based on the Corneotherapy method, the repairing of the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis). In order to protect the skin from environmental damage and to prevent inflammation which is the primal cause for premature skin aging, we choose to use high quality active ingredients and this is our priority. We have spared no expense to provide the finest active ingredients in high concentrations within a controlled-release formula that assures efficient absorption. Each formula is natural and we avoid using harmful chemicals and preservatives.

What were you doing before you started Avitalin, and what inspired you to start the line?

I had been working as a clinical esthetician for more 25+ years. I had been using well known skin care brands for a long time until I realized that those products were not providing the best care for my client’s skin. Not only were their formulas not sufficient enough, but they contained low concentrations of active ingredients. I found that most ingredients in these formulas were harmful to use and contained chemicals known to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. My clients and their expectations were the inspiration for creating my own skincare line.

What sets Avitalin apart from other organic beauty products on the market?

With so many choices of so called “natural” products available on the market today, most of these lines do not live up to their promise. They still use a lot of harmful chemicals in their formulas and little active ingredients. We believe that result-driven skincare should focus on high quality ingredients and be backed by science.

Avitalin’s formulas do not contain ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, artificial colors, fragrances, silicones, formaldehyde -releasing ingredients, ureas, propylene glycol, ammonia compounds or triclosan.

All ingredients must meet strict guidelines:

• We choose our suppliers based on the quality and concentration levels of the active ingredients present.
• Our ingredients come from all over the world: (reputable labs and farms of Europe, New Zealand, Canada, Unites States, Brazil and Australia). We do not use any suppliers from China.
• All the latest skin care ingredients have to be backed by science and must be proven to be beneficial to the skin. All oils, plant extracts, butters and essential oils must be certified organic whenever possible.
• All ingredients must be harvested in an environmentally-friendly and humane manner with absolutely no animal testing.

 What is your favorite Avitalin product, and why?

My favorite cream is Placentine. No matter how often I alternate my skincare routine; I always come back to using it. I have very thin and dry skin and love creams with a thicker texture. When I created Placentine, I wanted the formula to have a rich, buttery texture which adds a lot of moisture into skin but does not leave any greasy residue. Placentine’s formula contains great anti-aging ingredients such as placental extract which is a main source of growth factors, nutrients and stem cells, resveratrol, hyaluronic acid and natural progesterone from wild yam extract. Placentine has a beautiful aroma of Rose, Geranium and Chamomile. It smells like a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Many Organic Beauties are starting to deal with aging skin. What are your recommendations for a great anti-aging skincare routine?

I have many clients who ask me what they should do to prevent their skin from aging and when they should start using anti-aging products. I think that it’s important to start taking care of your skin as early as your teen years.

Young skin does not generally need skincare with a lot of anti-aging ingredients. It should be very simple. A good cleanser, sunscreen and everyday moisturizer will be enough until you reach your thirties. Then your skincare becomes a little bit more complicated. At this point I recommend starting to use anti-aging serums and eye creams. Always check the ingredients and make sure that your creams contain antioxidants, essential amino acids, peptides and nutrients.

What is your own skincare routine?

Like most of us, I have a very busy schedule and am always looking for a simple skincare routine which is easy to follow. Since my skin is very thin I prefer to use a milky cleanser which is gentler than gel formulas. I use a light, non chemical sunscreen most of the year. I am very particular about eye creams and use them sometimes as often as 3 times a day. It’s very typical to loose the fatty tissue around your eye area as we age and the skin around the eyes become thin and fragile. I usually like to alternate different anti-aging ingredients because skin can adjust to the same ingredients over time. Luckily, the Avitalin skincare line has a great variety of anti-aging formulas with different active ingredients which allows me to get complete skincare nutrition!