Science, nature and a passion for skin care have come together in ILOS Natural Luxury Cosmetics to create an unforgettable experience.
Science and the olive tree come together for natural facial care with ILOS NATURAL LUXURY COSMETICS. The company founded by Elena Grau more than 14 years ago, is a pioneer in bio cosmetics and skin care. After years of research, Grau and the olive grower entrepreneur José María Rodas, undertook this project. They offer an exclusive line of cosmetics based on the active ingredients of olive oil, being the first brand that has focused its research on the biomolecules of the entire olive tree.
Horse: What are the advantages of natural cosmetics for consumers and are they less long-lasting than conventional brands?
Elena Grau: Natural cosmetics try to emphasise the use of products that are harmless to the skin. The shorter shelf life is related to the fact that no preservatives are used. There are formulas, such as our Elixir de Nuage, which are only oil-based, and in that case there is no need for preservatives because it will last. In general, cosmetics, whether natural or not, do not have a shelf life, but it is true that if we think of creams and there is an absence of preservatives, it is likely that they will have to be kept in refrigerators or will have a shorter shelf life. For this reason, by law, the shelf life of the product once opened must be indicated on the packaging.
Elena Grau, founder of the organic cosmetics brand ILOS Natural Luxury Cosmetics and its star product Elixir de Nuage, a serum oil.
In 2018, the first formula was born that would give life to the flagship product ELIXIR DE NUAGE, an oil serum specially designed to rejuvenate and repair the skin when it needs it most. Many brands work with olive oil, but the difference with ILOS is that they focus on the bio molecules of the whole tree.
H: White peonies, caviar, olive tree, gold, stem cells, orchids… each brand sells their biomolecules as the best. Which of these active ingredients works best for the skin?
E. G: It depends on the efficacy of the active ingredient. An active ingredient is something that, in cosmetics, goes into the skin and makes it act, producing collagen or reducing melanin for example. Therefore, the active ingredient that has a higher efficacy will be better, so tests are carried out to measure its efficacy.
H: What is ILOS’ commitment to the environment and sustainability?
E. G: We are experts in the olive world, but that expertise was born from working with several companies that worked with the by-product of the olive industry.
We use what needs to be thrown away, weupcycle and from that by-product we get bio molecules that we use in our cosmetics. Our commitment to sustainability comes from the very first moment we start working with active ingredients.
H: How is the active ingredient extracted from the olive tree and how was your development process?
E. G: The extraction of active ingredients from the olive tree is the same as for any other ingredient. First you have to identify the molecule and once identified, a process of different phases is designed to extract the base ingredient and concentrate it into the desired molecule.
As for our development process, we have known for a long time that Spain is a major producer of olive oil and generates a large amount of waste that is very rich in ingredients. We identified it and together with other companies and specialists, we started to work on the extraction of molecules so that it could be added to a cosmetic formulation and create our products.
The residue of the large olive oil producers is used for the extraction of molecules for the cosmetic formulation of our products.
They have created unique active ingredients that offer elasticity, density and firmness to the skin. Elixir de Nuage fights the signs of ageing at any age.
H: Are your cosmetics designed for all ages, are they mixed products or can they only be used by women?
E. G: Our products are mainly aimed at people of mature age, who need them the most. In particular, our iconic product, Elixir de Nuage, can be used by anyone regardless of age, because it is a base cosmetic. In other words, it will take damaged skin and restore its good function at any age, whether you are a man or a woman. As for the creams, they are more oriented towards women of a certain age. And our make-up remover and contours are for all ages.
New ILOS launch: Contour en Soie
ILOS launches the new CONTOUR EN SOIE, a concentrate of natural active ingredients for eyes and lips. With nourishing properties, it contains a high concentration of active ingredients that promote the production of elastic proteins and deeply nourishes. Like the previous product, it contains ingredients of natural origin such as red algae extract and Zi Cao oil.
ILOS Belle Pour Demain night cream and Contour en Soie eye and lip contour cream
This new contour is perfect to combine with Belle Pour Demain cream and add to your nighttime routine.
Night is the biologically ideal time for repair. BELLE POUR DEMAIN has been specially designed to restore cells to their youthful state and reactivate skin cells. It is suitable for all skin types and contains natural ingredients such as Silvestris olive stem cells and fig leaf essence. Now you can get their night cream together with their star product Elixir de Nuage in a pack with a gift box for a deep skin repair.
The olive tree, one of nature’s longest-living trees
ILOS Natural Luxury Cosmetics focuses its products on preventing ageing and there is no better ingredient for this than the tree with the longest life span. Elena Grau together with José María Rodas discovered how to use the properties of the olive tree to create their own active ingredients.
H: What is the storytelling of ILOS?
E. G: Our story goes back 15 years when we focused on the olive tree. We are discovering the different molecules, we learn how to treat them and how to prepare them so that they can be used in cosmetic formulations. The olive tree has always nourished us and therefore our organism accepts it very well. Through research, we developed our line of natural ingredients and created a “mix” of oil-based ingredients. It was then that we saw the possibility for this “mix” to reach the public and that is when the story of ILOS was born and developed around the Elixir de Nouage d’olivier.
It is a cosmetic that extracts the olive tree’s wisdom of living a long time and brings it to our skin.
ILOS products can be purchased through its website, specialised shops or professional skin care centres.
