About Us

Masters in crafting Blends from Pure Plant Oils and Essential Oils. Experts in creating high-performing formulas that actually work. Proven beauty care professionals.

Mafleur’s producer – Ikarov Ltd. was founded in 1991 as a family company driven by a passion for natural ingredients. Our journey in personal care started when our founder Ivaylo Penkov discovered the incredible power of plant and essentials oils. At the time, the available oils were limited so we started providing the Bulgarian market with products like almond oil and skincare solutions.

After establishing the company, Ivaylo opened his first laboratory, developed his blending skills and enriched the company’s products with a variety of new pure oil blends crafted by himself. Some of the most commonly used active ingredients in the oil blends include rose absolute, rosewater and rose oil extracted from the Bulgarian Rosa Damascena.

The growing demand for top-quality cosmetic oils brings us back to 1997 when the company launched Ikarov Botanicals, an innovative cosmetic line consisting of natural plant oils, essential oils, and herbal oil extracts. The year was quite significant as we developed our groundbreaking aromatherapy line suitable for home use. Prestigious wellness centers and professional massage therapists around the country still use these oils in their practice.

A curious fact about our company is that all cosmetic formulas are still designed by our founder Ivaylo himself who has strong experience in developing cosmetic products with а genuine know-how. With our commitment to purity, every single oil blend is first tested in the family. We strongly believe that if our products are good enough for us or our children they could be offered to the consumers as well.

Growing as a company, in 2002 we implemented and constantly maintain a certified quality management system based on ISO 9001. Furthermore, we ensure that all of our blends are consistently produced and controlled according to the quality standards requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Over the years, we’ve been rewarded for our contribution to developing natural skin and hair care products. In 2002, the local association “Made in Bulgaria” recognized our aroma face care line with a “Silver Lion” award. In 2012, the European Commission’s Economy Directorate acknowledged IKAROV as one of the most significant companies in the natural beauty industry.

Creative approach and innovative knowledge are what we employ in our work.
Our development strategy is built upon the following goals:

• To stay relevant to our customers by providing products with improved formulas based on pure, organic and raw materials with a proven origin
• To implement new environmentally friendly packaging methods
• To ensure fair wages and good working conditions for our employees
• To strengthen and extend the relationships with our partners

What makes our company successful is the contribution of our employees. We celebrate the efforts of our people by building long-lasting relationships with them. Most of our specialists have more than 10 years of experience within the company while some of our senior experts mark their 20-year anniversary.

We stay true to our mission to provide top-quality blends of natural ingredients, derived from plants by a sparing their quality technology. We are extremely proud to deliver products that combine both the beneficial and healing effects of pure plant-based and essential oils. We strongly believe that everyday skincare unfolds an incomparable harmony and a natural sense of timeless beauty.

Over three decades ago, Ivaylo discovered his passion for pure plant oils and their beneficial effects on the human body. His curiosity as a cosmetic chemist was attracted by almond oil – an excellent base for pharmaceutical creams at the time. As a young entrepreneur, Ivaylo introduced the valuable oil to the Bulgarian market. In early 90’s local pharmacies in Ivaylo’s hometown Plovdiv, became his very first customers. Word quickly spread and orders from major pharmaceutical dealers in the capital town of Sofia started coming in. A few months later, Ivaylo started supplying pharmaceutical warehouses throughout the whole country.

One day while driving his cargo bike Ivaylo realized that he has discovered a new market niche in cosmetics and there was no going back. Inspired by his creative drive, he opened a laboratory where he started developing and refining cosmetic blends that soon became a renowned symbol of quality in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ivaylo quickly built his reputation as an expert in creating high-performing cosmetic formulas that actually work. Skincare industry soon recognized him as a master in creating blends of pure plant and essential oils. MAFLEUR’S success is rooted in the use of natural ingredients that reflect Ivaylo’s personal belief that “nature knows best.”

Ivaylo is also one of the first mixologists to produce cosmetic products based on 100% pure plant and essential oils. Ever since, each MAFLEUR product is first tested within the family –among the children, grandchildren and a close circle of friends. This is the quality guarantee of MAFLEUR for three decades.

The MAFLEUR products are produced in small batches of raw pure plant materials and all formulas are designed personally by Ivaylo. That process takes is much longer than average, but we prefer patience over compromising the quality. That’s why every single product is distinguished by a precise blend of well-balanced ingredients, ready to meet the needs of all ages and skin types.

At MAFLEUR we believe that everyday skin and haircare unfolds everlasting inner harmony and brings a natural sense of timeless beauty. That’s why all the personal stories of our customers inspire us in our aim for perfection. For nearly three decades, we have maintained a responsible attitude and integrity towards our customers and we proudly declare that love for nature will live forever in our family!

The quality stamp guaranteed for personally by our founder and engineer Ivaylo Penkov symbolizes a 30 years of tradition and experience in the manufacturing of natural cosmetics. Our products are made in small batches with pure plant-based materials as all cosmetic formulas are still being handcrafted personally by the engineer Ivaylo Penkov. Before marketing our products for commercial use all of them are being tested first within our own family – among our children, grandchildren and close friends. The process itself takes longer than usual but we prefer patience over quality compromises. In fact, this feature of our family-owned company has been recognized by the international Quality Management Standard ISO 9001 in 2002. The introduction of Good Manufacturing Practices system, on the other hand, guarantees a proper functioning at every stage of the production process. In addition to that, it verifies the control over our own criteria for purity of the materials and the product suitability.

• We model and create our own cosmetic formulas based on our 30 years of experience, expertise and unique know-how.
• We enrich our oils with natural antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, vegetable lecithin and rosemary extract in order to preserve their beneficial features and protect the raw materials from oxidation. In addition to stabilizing the oils, the antioxidants demonstrate their beneficial effect on the skin and the hair.
• Being true to our core values, we remain 100% transparent in the manufacturing process of our products. We never include any of the following ingredients in our cosmetics: alcohol, mineral oils, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances and preservatives.
• Some of the raw materials we use in our cosmetic formulas are of bio and/ or organic origin.
• We additionally supervise the process of mixing different essential oils together in a product. We take care of the oils’ compatibility and create a completely safe concentration in order to enhance their beneficial features and bring a harmonious fragrance between them.
• Inspired by the iconic Bulgarian rose, products like rose oil, rose absolue and rose water stand out in our portfolio where traditional recipes and classic methods are being used to obtain a high content of active ingredients.
• When it comes to our packaging, we provide our customers with reliable information. We believe that honesty is the foundation of strong and lasting relationships
• We provide our employees with competitive remuneration and good work conditions.
• Our packaging is 100% recyclable. Our care for nature aims to achieve at least 50% biodegradability in the next few years.