MINUS 417

MINUS 417 is an Israeli skincare brand built around minerals from the Dead Sea. It was founded in 2003 in Petah Tikva by Moty Fridman, an artist and sculptor who moved into cosmetics, and it remains privately owned and independent [2]. The name refers to the elevation of the Dead Sea, roughly 417 metres below sea level, which the company adopted as the geographical anchor for a product line centred on Dead Sea minerals.

The brand trades internationally and remains active. Its website was rebranded in 2026, and the company reports operations across more than 30 countries through pharmacies, perfumeries, duty-free outlets and online stores. Its products are frequently stylised as "-417" or simply "417"; the parent legal entity has been recorded under several names over the brand's history.

Before working in skincare, Moty Fridman was known for sculptural work that the company says explored "form, texture, and harmony". According to MINUS 417, he founded the brand in 2003 and developed its formulations together with chemists at research laboratories in Europe, building a range around minerals drawn from the Dead Sea [13]. The brand frames Fridman's background as central to its identity, describing an approach in which he treats skincare "much like an artist approaches a canvas".

The choice of name has two recorded explanations, both issued by the company on its own website. The original and most widely documented meaning is geographical: "-417" marks the depth of the Dead Sea, about 417 metres below sea level, which the brand's FAQ retains as a literal definition [9]. This etymology is repeated in independent coverage, including a 2017 product review and a 2023 feature [11][12]. A second explanation appeared with the 2026 site rebrand, where the company recast the number as a symbol of "the rhythm of healthy skin" under a positioning it calls The Skin Frequency [2]. The geographical meaning is the original; the rhythm framing is a later marketing layer added on top of it.

MINUS 417 is privately owned and has no parent company; the brand describes itself as an independent skincare company founded in 2003 [5]. The legal entity behind it has been recorded under more than one name. The current site footer identifies the operator as MINUS 417 Cosmetics Ltd. [1], while the brand's own distributor page names it 417 Cosmetic Research Ltd. [5], and a 2010 trade-directory listing and other records use Minus 417 Cosmetic Research Dead Sea Ltd. [13]. The variation may reflect a renamed entity over time or the use of a related holding company; the company has not published a single canonical legal name across its pages.

The company positions MINUS 417 as a premium Dead Sea cosmetics brand resting on two ideas. The first is the Dead Sea itself, which the brand describes as having an unusually high mineral concentration. The second, introduced more recently, is The Skin Frequency, which the company frames as the principle that healthy skin "appears when the skin returns to balance" — a line attributed to Fridman. In its clean-beauty materials, the brand emphasises ingredient transparency and what it calls naturally and locally sourced formulations.

The range is positioned at the premium end of the market and sold through a multi-channel model. According to the company, it is distributed through pharmacies, perfumeries, online platforms, duty-free shops and selected retail partners across more than 30 countries [5]. An exclusive hotel-amenities line for spas and hotels has been part of the business since at least 2010.

MINUS 417's catalogue spans cleansers and exfoliants, toners, serums, moisturisers, eye care, masks, and body and hair products, alongside a Catharsis hair collection. Recurring items in the line include the 60 Second Miracle Lifting Mask, the Extreme Glow Nourishing Face Serum, the Mineral Infusion Hydrating Toner and the Micro Luffa Foaming Gel, a gel exfoliant based on Dead Sea water and loofah particles. The Instant Miracle Recovery Mud Mask, a Dead Sea mud mask removed with a reusable magnet, recurs in long-running customer reviews on the brand site.

At the centre of the formulations is what the company calls the Precious Mineral Complex, which it describes as a combination of Dead Sea minerals — among them magnesium, calcium, potassium and bromine — with vitamins and plant extracts [9]. Other ingredients the brand highlights include hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol and other vitamin A derivatives, fruit acids and peptides. According to the company, the complex is intended to support hydration, skin renewal and barrier protection.

On formulation policy, the brand states that all MINUS 417 products are paraben-free and mineral-oil-free, and that it is cruelty-free and does not test on animals. Its clean-beauty page adds that its products avoid gluten, phthalates, sulphates and silicone, and the company says more than 90 percent of its range is vegan, with vegan items carrying a stamp from the World Vegan Organization [9]. The brand states that its formulations follow EU cosmetics regulations and the requirements of the Israeli Ministry of Health, and that they avoid photosensitising compounds such as furocoumarins.

MINUS 417 has appeared in international press, though no formal awards are documented. The founder was interviewed by Marie France Asia about the brand's art-led philosophy and its entry into Asian markets, and the brand was profiled in Haaretz's 2023 "Made in Israel" series as an example of an Israeli Dead Sea cosmetics manufacturer [11]. A 2017 review by Her Campus covered the brand at a UK student event. The company's press page also displays magazine clippings, including titles from several international markets.

MINUS 417 is active. The company maintains a multi-language online store and rebranded its website in 2026, introducing The Skin Frequency positioning and the tagline "The Frequency of Balanced, Healthy Skin". By the company's own account, the brand has operated for more than 20 years and reaches over 30 countries. The business remains headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel.