Black garlic is a beauty component said to be rich in antioxidants to maintain scalp health.

Miram Frexia Villena, R&D manager at Tara Formula, considered this pungent ingredient for its beauty benefits, and along with her R&D team, created  the brand’s new Black Garlic + Ceramides haircare line.

Developed in house by a crew of female chemists, the three-step system is said to strengthen and hydrate hair from root to tip. Biomimetic ceramide leave hair softer, stronger and visibly revitalized, according to the Barcelona-based indie company.

Tara offers collections focused a specific hair concern. For example, Onion+ Peptides is formulated to address thinning hair and scalp health. Rosemary+ Peptides combats hair loss. Detox Scalp+ Hair Revival works against scalp buildup and oily hair.

Black Garlic + Ceramides joins the lineup in 2026 for strengthening tresses. Products include a shampoo, hair mask and leave-in scalp serum.

Villena, who has worked to develop all of the brand’s signature formulations, sat down with Happi to talk about the launch.

Happi: Tell us about the Tara brand… How is it unique compared to other beauty companies and why?

Villena: Tara is a beauty brand born in the lab. What truly sets us apart is that we have our own in-house laboratory, which allows us to create fully original formulas that don’t exist elsewhere on the market. Every haircare collection starts with a “scalp-first” approach… we consider the health of the scalp as the foundation for beautiful, strong hair. From there, we design formulas that balance efficacy, sensoriality and safety. This gives us complete control over every product, and allows us to move from an idea to a finished formula with real intention behind it.

Happi: You have an all-female R&D team. Can you share some recent wins and challenges with Happi readers?

Villena: Our team is a small group of women with diverse scientific backgrounds. Each of us brings different interests and experiences, which allows us to approach formulation from complementary perspectives, a real strength when developing new products. One of our biggest wins is being able to take an idea, research it thoroughly and turn it into a safe, stable and effective product entirely in-house. The main challenge is balancing creativity, scientific rigor and production timelines; still, this closeness allows for fast decisions and seamless collaboration.

Happi: What are the beauty benefits of the black garlic launch? How did you create this collection in the lab?

Villena: For the black garlic collection, we focused on hair repair, vitality and protection, while also supporting the scalp barrier. Black garlic is rich in antioxidants, helping strengthen hair and maintain scalp health. To boost repair and resilience, we combined it with highly effective scientific actives such as ceramides.

Our development process always starts with research; we study the bibliographic evidence for each plant extract and then source it from trusted Spanish suppliers aligned with our ethical standards. Once we have the active ingredients, we design a base that ensures optimal stability, pH, viscosity and sensory experience. Only after these criteria are met do we move to safety and efficacy testing.

Happi: Where does the Tara team source its beauty ingredients?

Villena:  We primarily work with Spanish suppliers we know and trust, always aligned with our ethical standards. Being close to our partners allows us to maintain transparency, quality control and long-term relationships. We also collaborate with pioneering labs that produce cutting-edge cosmetic actives, enabling us to include highly efficacious ingredients in our formulas.

Happi: Who is Tara?

Villena: Tara takes its name from the Latin root terra — meaning ground and foundation.
It reflects our approach to beauty: effective botanicals that complete and elevate advanced actives through modern science.

Happi: Any big plans for the company for 2026?

Villena: We’re exploring new collections designed to address even more hair and scalp needs. In 2026, we plan to continue expanding our beauty portfolio while staying true to our lab-driven DNA approach.