About us
The Story of Milva
Milva Cosmetics Slovakia was not born from a business plan. It began at a time when I was looking for help for my own hair.
Read our story tooI came to Slovakia nineteen years ago
Love brought me here. I had a completely different professional path and never planned to build a cosmetics company one day. Then a period came that changed the direction of my life.
For more than three years, I struggled with severe hair loss. I visited many doctors, tried various products and searched for a solution that would truly help me.
As one of the possible solutions, I also began looking for quinine hair tonic, which I remembered from my childhood. In Bulgaria, it is traditionally used for hair loss and to support hair growth. However, I could not find it in Slovakia. Mainly caffeine-based products were available, but they did not help me.
So I ordered Milva hair tonic directly from Bulgaria. Because shipping was complicated, I ordered several bottles. I used one myself and gave the others to people I knew.
I was surprised by how many people around me were dealing with hair problems. After some time, they began contacting me. They told me that the hair tonic had helped them and asked where they could buy it.
At first, I ordered the products for friends. Then for their families and acquaintances. Everything developed naturally, without any business intention and without imagining that it would one day become a company. People simply began looking for Milva themselves.
It was founded on the belief that if something helped me and the people around me, it should also be available to others.
Above all, I brought functional cosmetics to Slovakia
I did not choose Milva simply because it is a Bulgarian brand.
Its Bulgarian origin is a natural part of its story. However, what earned the trust of customers in Slovakia and later in the Czech Republic was above all its functionality. Even in the first years, Milva spread mainly through personal recommendations. Without major advertising campaigns, customers shared their own experiences and returned to the products they were satisfied with. This trust remains my greatest achievement to this day.
The brand's story began in a small laboratory
Milva was founded in Bulgaria around the turn of the millennium. It was created by two friends with backgrounds in chemistry and microbiology. At first, they were not creating a cosmetics brand. They worked in a small laboratory, preparing individual formulations according to the requirements of doctors and pharmacies.
Hair tonics, facial lotions, tar and sulphur-based products, and other products based on traditional active ingredients were developed there. It was from this professional work that the Milva brand gradually emerged.
Where the name comes from
The name was chosen around the year 2000. The inspiration was the Italian singer Milva, known not only for her voice but also for her striking hair. The name was short, pleasant-sounding and easy to remember. In Bulgarian, the word “milva” also evokes tenderness, a caress and a gentle touch.
To this day, Milva remains a small family company made up of two families working together on the development and production of the products.
How Milva products are created
Product development does not begin with the question of what is currently trendy. It begins with the question: what problem do we want to solve?
Milva does not build its formulations around the highest possible number of active ingredients. What matters is that every ingredient in the product has a clear purpose. A simple formulation with one or two main active ingredients may make more sense than a complex product containing many ingredients that mainly sound good in marketing communication.
All plant extracts used in Milva products are produced directly at the manufacturing facility. The manufacturer purchases selected Bulgarian herbs from verified suppliers, prepares the extracts directly in production, and then uses them in the formulations of shampoos, hair tonics and other products.
The exceptions are raw materials that require separate specialised production, such as Bulgarian rose oil from Damask rose or rose water. These come from expert suppliers who have been producing them for many years — but they are not used simply because they are typical of Bulgaria. Every product must first and foremost make sense in terms of its composition, fragrance and purpose.
Tradition and innovation belong together
We follow new ingredients, research and modern manufacturing methods. At the same time, we do not believe that every new development is automatically better than what has worked for decades.
That is why it makes sense to return to proven ingredients such as quinine, caffeine, nettle, tar, sulphur or plant extracts, and combine them with current knowledge and technologies.
We are not just a distributor
In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, we do not sell products without taking part in their further development. Every day, we communicate with customers, listen to their questions, experiences and feedback. We know what problems they face, which products help them and what they feel is missing from the range.
We regularly pass this knowledge on to the manufacturer in Bulgaria. This cooperation also contributes to the creation of new products and the improvement of existing solutions. Development is therefore based not only on laboratory work, but also on the real experiences of the people who use the products.
Today, we apply the same philosophy to other areas of care, including oral hygiene.
We do not promise miracles
We never want to claim that one product will help everyone. Even two people with very similar problems may need different care — every person has different skin, a different hair condition and a different ability to regenerate.
This is also why Milva has a broader portfolio. Not to offer as many products as possible, but to make it possible to find a more suitable solution for different needs. We prefer to ask the customer questions, explain the options and recommend specific care.
People are our greatest value
Over more than twelve years, I have met thousands of customers. I have been communicating with many of them for years. I know some of them personally, and some have become my friends over time. Their experiences are still the most important confirmation for me that this work has meaning.
I am proud that Milva has earned the trust of customers in Slovakia and later also in the Czech Republic. Behind every product are years of work, development, careful selection of ingredients and attention to fragrance, consistency and the way the product reaches the customer.
Today, I am no longer on this journey alone
What began with my personal experience is today the shared work of people who believe in Milva just as much as I do. Milva Cosmetics Slovakia was born from my story, and its direction remains my vision.
However, the day-to-day operation of the company is now supported by a team of people whose work I value immensely. They help me turn this vision into reality, communicate with customers, prepare orders, develop the brand and look for new solutions. Without them, Milva would not be where it is today.
Milva remains true to itself
I do not want to change the essence of Milva. I want it to remain simple, honest and functional, and to continue showing future generations that effectiveness does not have to be hidden in complexity.
People change. Their lifestyle, the way they communicate and their expectations change. However, the basic needs of hair and skin do not change nearly as quickly. That is why we believe in functionality, safety, expertise and long-term results. We believe in tradition combined with innovation. And we believe that a brand can grow without losing its essence.
Milva remains true to itself.
See real resultsCustomer experiences are individual and results may vary. Cosmetic products are not a substitute for professional diagnosis or medical treatment.