MILAVE is a business rooted in family. The women behind the products are Ivanny Soto and her mom Milagros Gonzalez.
“She always says, 'I’m very proud of you,' I always try to make her proud. It is also a way to honor her. She was a single mom, raising four kids, and never was like 'I cannot do that,' she had a positive attitude, 'you can do it, keep growing,'” IVI Cosmetics Founder Ivanny Soto said.
More than a decade ago, Gonzalez had a heart attack and was placed on several medications that led to significant hair loss. Gonzalez tried several of the hair care products on the market but did not have luck.
“I didn’t get results and so, one day I decided to combine natural products,” Milagros Gonzalez said in Spanish.
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Gonzalez created her own hair mask filled with ingredients like coconut oil and rosemary oil in her kitchen in the Dominican Republic. Stirring up natural ingredients had been pretty common for decades in the family.
“She started mixing them in a very unique way, it was a success for her, so she continued with the formula. We started using it, and then we started sharing with our friends that asked like ‘what are you doing, it is long, strong, healthier?’ So that is how the business started back then,” Soto said.
Since the product became such a hit and showed great results, Soto decided to share it will all consumers, launching the haircare line MILAVE, under IVI Cosmetics.
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“It is a way for us to share what we have, what started with not such a good situation, due to her health condition, but you can see how there are always good things happening, even in the worst situation,” Soto said.
The Regenerative Hair Mask and Grow Fast Shampoo are being mass produced in California and on Nov.13, they'll be on sale on Amazon and on the brand’s website.
“It is intended to promote hair growth, it is not only when you wash your hair, providing a gentle clean, not leaving your hair brassy, providing nutrients while cleaning your hair,” Soto said.
Soto takes pride in providing vegan and clean products to women and men who may find themselves in a position similar to her mom.
“You have to love yourself the way I did because losing your hair out of nowhere is very sad,” Gonzalez said in Spanish as words of advice.
On Wednesday, the women, along with family members and local business leaders, are celebrating the launch of MILAVE at The Vue in Hamden.
In the future, Soto hopes to continue growing the legacy of haircare products that were started in her family.
“You know, for me launching MILAVE, is a way to honor her effort and honor her passion as a mother and as a strong woman who wants the best for her family,” Soto said.
