- BY ISSIMO
- June 2, 2023
On May 26, our gorgeous La Posta Vecchia Hotel – which recently reopened with a fresh new look – played host to a pretty special celebration: the launch of lifestyle brand Lávika, a new wellness concept by multi-talented Italian actress, presenter, and model (plus long-time friend of Pellicano Hotels Group CEO & Creative Director, Marie-Louise Sciò) Miriam Leone.
The glam evening saw a crop of Italian A-listers and tastemakers clink their glasses and dance into the night at our hidden gem on the coast of Palo Laziale. Above all, though, everyone – team ISSIMO included – was eager to try Miriam’s products and hear more about the ethos behind Lávika.
The project has all the right cards to get any beauty aficionado excited. A labour of love conceived to rediscover the link between external wellness and interior beauty, Lávika aims in fact to offer a holistic, all-Italian approach to wellbeing, and become a one-stop shop for all-things mind, body, and skin – with a personalised twist.
The brand is setting out on this journey with skincare first, through a line of ten genderless products featuring scents and elements inspired by Sicily (Miriam’s region of origin) recyclable packaging and, for some, refillable cases.
Each item can be differently combined based on the result of a questionnaire specially designed by Lávika, to provide bespoke rituals according to different “skin personalities” – an intuitive diagnostic system created together with Claudia Ferretti, facialist and skin expert; Matteo Pincella, biologist and nutritionist, and Hervé Balot, life sherpa expert in yoga and Chinese medicine.
The idea is to make customisation regularly achievable, and offer unique, just-for-you, cosmetics you can trust.
This first chapter will then be followed by another dedicated to nutrition and supplements, and then again meditation practices, breathing techniques, and body care, with Miriam as the face, voice and soul of each line.
As some of the first lucky ones to have had access to Lávika, we couldn’t help but bring some of these fab products to ISSIMO, of course. To make things super easy, we’ve selected three items that work for all skin types: Accordo, a dual mask that includes an exfoliating balm and a calming mask; Crema, a smoothing and nourishing cream and Lumia, an illuminating oil.
But enough from us.
Here’s Miriam on Lávika, the inspiration behind it, and why her brand might just be the Italian wellness game-changer we all need.
Ciao Miriam! First of all, congrats on the Lávika launch. Tell us about the inspiration behind it. Where did it all start from?
Ciao! Lávika started from me, from my personal history, from my path. The inspiration is Sicily and Mount Etna – my roots, the place where I always find myself and that makes me feel the best.
Because of my work, over the years I have had to inevitably distance myself from what most belonged to me. I’d be always on the road, constantly changing houses, never really stopping when I was on set, be it to eat a proper meal or pay attention to what was happening around me. Simply put, I was living an unbalanced life, and in the long run it started taking its toll on me – starting with my skin.
Slowly, I began realising I had lost the ability to listen to myself, and it reflected not just on my body but my energy levels, too. So I pressed pause. I began yearning for change and as often happens, what I needed came to me.
As I sought a better way of living, I met several professionals who helped me re-establish a fundamental harmony and balance in my everyday schedule. I became myself again and learned to understand and recognise my skin and my needs. It was thanks to these encounters that the idea of Lávika was born.
How long did it take to bring the project to life?
If we consider the launch of the project, more than two years. But I started dreaming about it long before that.
What does Lávika mean?
The force behind Lávika is Mount Etna’s lava. As a Sicilian born in Catania, I like to think I am made of this dark, volcanic earth, which for me it’s the synthesis and cure of everything. Lávika is a name I have always loved very much and now it has become the name of a dream. I chose an earth name because with this project it is as if I have “grounded,” so to speak, all the travels, experiences and encounters of these last years. It signifies my eternal return to the place where I am happiest.
How would you describe the brand in three words?
Soul care, inspiring, made in Italy.
The first launch focuses on a skincare line. Could you tell us about it?
Gladly! Let’s start with the fact that…I’m a black belt in facials! I’ve had all kinds of treatments, as I have a very sensitive skin that reflects all my emotions, even those of the characters I play. Skin, to me, plays such a big role in the way I approach life. I fall in love ‘through skin.’ If I like a person, I feel it by skin.
For years I didn’t know how to recognise its needs, I ignored how to treat it, how to care for it. It’s only when I embarked on my journey to regain balance between mind and body that I began to grasp that she changed with me, depending on the moments of stress, the place I was in, the temperature… she had her own personality, to be understood and respected, not just on its own, but in combination with nutrition, the energy of everything around me, even my thoughts.
Lávika’s skincare line channels all that. It looks at the whole picture, and that’s why the Lávika method takes into account different factors when diagnosing skin personalities and aims to offer personalised rituals through an integrated approach that blends skincare, mind and soul, nutrition, and more.
Where are the products made?
The first thing we did when we decided to start the Lávika adventure was to look for an excellent laboratory where we could start the production of our formulas and fine-tune the products exactly as we wanted them. We set on an Italian laboratory, of course, with over 50 years of history behind it. We tried and tested textures and efficacy: it took 70 attempts for the Crema to come out as we wanted it to, for instance. The products are all made in Italy, without silicones or parabens, with cutting-edge formulations and top-quality active ingredients.
Could you tell us about the products that we will have on ISSIMO?
The first, Accordo, is a wonderful duo consisting of a butter scrub and a cream mask. It’s real pampering for the skin: The scented natural scrub is super protective and rich in vitamins and vegetable oils (some hint at my land, such as olive oil and avocado oil), offering a sensory, exfoliating, antioxidant and regenerative treatment. The mask, which is the second step, is based on citric acid and hyaluronic acid, and it’s a light, silky ointment full of antioxidants and moisturising elements, with important cleansing, emollient and skin pH maintenance properties. On its own, it can also be used as a cleanser and makeup remover.
Crema is a cult, universal and versatile product with strong nourishing, moisturising, antioxidant and anti-aging actions. Packed with vitamin B5, vitamin E and peptides, it is a cream that regenerates the skin, making it soft and silky. Aloe, prickly pear and shea butter nourish and moisturise the tissue while witch hazel and citrus extract help close pores and fight the onset of imperfections. Crema also has a firming effect thanks to phosphatidylcholine, while the croton lechleri (a species of flowering plant in the spurge family) extract improves skin elasticity and healing processes.
Finally, Lumia is a brightening oil rich in vitamins E and C, and coenzyme Q10, which provides anti-radical, antioxidant and nourishing action. It’s very light and smells of Sicilian citrus thanks to its essential oils of bitter orange and lemon, creating a moment of pure escapism and relaxation when you use it, in addition to promoting the rapid absorption of its components.
All of these products are suitable for all personalities.
What does it mean to you to have Lávika on ISSIMO? What traits do the two brands have in common?
ISSIMO for me is a natural and heartfelt choice. Marie-Louise is one of my dearest friends and Lávika is a project that includes and revolves around all my dearest and sincerest affections. In addition, ISSIMO is synonymous with Italian excellence, and Lávika skincare is a completely made in Italy line that speaks of my land, Sicily, its scents and elements. It’s a great match.
What are your ambitions and hopes for Lávika?
Definitely that it succeeds in making others feel good, as it did with me. May it become a cue for a change in perspective, toward a new awareness – a mantra of care and love for oneself, a gateway to the beauty that each of us has within us.
How much of your personality is in the brand?
I would say everything! There is my volcanic soul, in constant becoming. My beloved land. There is the energy that moves me, my interest in meditation and breath practice, my striving for joy. My deep belief in an integrated approach to wellness, which cannot be separated from harmony between mind and body. The idea that authentic beauty comes from being as close to one’s truth as possible, discovering what makes us happy and finding one’s strength there. That is self-care. The method and pillars on which Lávika is based reflect my worldview.
Lávika skincare line offers a custom approach to beauty based on a personalised test that builds a full routine around your skin type, concerns and needs, so that you can achieve your skincare goals through unique formulas tailored to you. To discover the full experience, visit lavikalab.com
