Farmer’s Market: Science, nature meet at Sia’s counter

If you go

Green Valley Farmer’s Market runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Green Valley Village, Esperanza Boulevard and La Canada Drive.

By Annette Kelly

Special to the Green Valley News

“Our name, Sia Botanics, means intelligent plant science,” explains company founder and owner, Kristina Mahar. “Our Tucson-based face care company is set up to sell our product ourselves. To do that, we give a lot of samples away.”

Jen Lohnes brings Sia to the Green Valley Market every Wednesday. Last week a shopper approached her asking, “What do you have for wrinkles?”

After a laugh and short consultation, Jen answered, “I’m going to give you a few samples to try this week. I’m out of samples of the one serum I really think you’ll love, but I’ll bring them to you next week. Try these until then and come by and let me know how you like them.”

The customer happily departed, pursuing other wonderful products at the market and joining those of us who have learned to “Shop the Market First.”

“Our products are free of toxins and anything that would cause free radical damage,” Jen says. “Our deep hydrating night cream is our best seller. This is the desert; everybody’s dry here!” Of course the company carries product perfect for every skin type including a full line of serums, cleansers, toners, moisturizers and masks. Sia’s delightful pumpkin mask is just one product where the natural origins are easily apparent.

Backed by years of experience in cosmetics and essential oils, founder Mahar invested more than 18 months developing this product line to insure the best possible product for her customers. Even the presentation is uniquely beautiful.

But presentation doesn’t make a good long-term face care product; proper development and merging of science and practicality does. It is here that Mahar finds her line far superior to the more expensive spa and department store brands. Mahar, as the owner/developer has chosen to invest in the highest level of effective ingredients possible in all products.

“Since we don’t spend millions in advertising, we’re able to provide not only a good price but the highest effectivity. The big brands will often include just a small fraction of the effective amount of an ingredient just to say it’s included on the label; we use the amount that is most effective for long-term skin health and appearance.

“Our bases are also the best they can be. For instance, we substitute organic aloe vera juice for water because of the added skin benefits derived from the plant. Wherever possible, our source ingredients are natural rather than synthetic for the added benefits they provide.

“We want to teach people you don’t have to compromise between good science and what’s good for you. We give you both in one product line and we put our product line up against the best in the world,” Mahar says.

So come talk to Jen at the Market and decide which products will be best for you. Then try a sample or two; they’re enough to give you a week’s fair trial of the product. Then you decide; the people at Sia are ready to welcome you as new customers. www.siabotanics.