and the winners are . . .

alrighty, earlier this morning my fella pulled the names of the 16 lucky malie winners out of a hat before heading out the door. if you see your name above, check your inbox in a bit for further instructions.

many mahalos to everyone who entered (especially readers who took the time to jot down sweet little notes)! this was a good geography lesson and it was lots of fun to see where the h|h 'ohana call home.

and, for those who still covet their own bottle, the linen mist has been reborn as malie's organic aroma mist so click over to the online shop to get yours.

congratulations, everyone!

{mahalo dana, shaun, lindsey & the entire malie 'ohana!}

malie giveaway

malie kauai has always been a favorite around h|h for their commitment to creating luxe spa products with island grown ingredients (supporting local farmers and protecting the environment in the process). over the summer, i have been chatting with the malie 'ohana and jumped at the chance when they offered to surprise readers with a malie linen mist giveaway.

malie has generously donated four bottles each in the following scents - coconut vanilla, gardenia, pikake & pineapple coconut - so 16 lucky readers will have a chance to spritz their space with yummy hawaiian hydrosols evocative of the islands.

odds are good but only if you send an email with your name & current hometown by 11:59pm on thu, sep 18th. also, you are welcome to jot down your top two scents and i will do my best to accommodate requests but no promises that your favorite will arrive in your mailbox. (unfortunately, shipping regulations require the linen mists be sent by ground mail so, alas, the giveaway is only open to readers in the 50 states).

p.s. email subscribers - the email link and the newsletter seem to be incompatible so simply click reply and follow the above instructions to enter. remember to put malie giveaway in the subject.

good luck!

{update: winner list posted}

made in hawaii festival sneak peek

with the made in hawaii festival set to open its doors tomorrow, it's time for this year's peek of edited picks to keep an eye out for as you navigate the blaisdell this weekend:

1 - stock up on soap box hawaii's elegantly wrapped handcrafted soaps and keep a stash of thoughtful hostess gifts on hand.

2 - tropical accessories from the rare orchid have been spotted in the pages of real simple and are just the thing to pretty up your office space.

3 - coconut, kona coffee and butterscotch are just a few of the flavors to be found at island nut roasters (and further proof that a good photo is worth a thousand words).

4 - the i ku mau mau! design from hilo's the hawaiian force is just one from their tee collection which highlights the values and history of the islands' native culture.

 

5 - spice up your next meal with one of the many blends of organic seasonings from aloha spice company.

6 - stop by lynn's treasures and order a custom hand stamped necklace for mom.

7 - the hawaiian vanilla company made their name proving that vanilla beans could be grown in hawaii and now the homegrown bean is the inspiration for their new bath and body line.

8 - artisan francisco clemente reveals both gorgeous organic shapes and an inner glow in his handcrafted woodturned bowls.

be back later with a roundup of festival specials from a few h|h faves that will be making an appearance at the show!

malie organic aroma mists

longtime readers may recall my mission to switch over to organic beauty products as empty bottles of questionable formulations find their way to the recycling bin. commercial perfumes have always triggered a headache for me so i am always on the lookout for fragrances made by nature rather than a chemical factory in new jersey.

that phthalates (common in most personal care products) may be a hormone disrupter only confirms my suspicions that au naturale is the better way to go when it comes to potions that will be absorbed by your body.

yesterday, happy news arrived in my inbox compliments of malie kaua'i's introduction of their organic aroma mist line. malie continues to tread lightly on the 'aina with an ingredient list that is 70% certified organic and each of the five scents (coconut vanilla - koke'e - mango nectar - pikake - plumeria) feature fresh, fruity &/or floral notes compliments of the wildcrafted hydrosols grown in the islands.

even better, the organic aroma mists are a one bottle wonder formulated to work as both a personal and home fragrance to scent you and your world.

the new organic aroma mists can be ordered online or stop by the malie beauty boutique to pick up your favorite scent when in kaua'i.

{update | may 29th: look for the launch of the mango nectar product range in mid-june. mahalo shaun!}

earth day beauty tips

to celebrate earth day, this week h|h is going green with easy eco-friendly tips tested by yours truly plus a roundup of island made products good for the environment.

today we're getting pretty with a few of my favorite beauty fixes that tread light on both the earth and on your bank account.

• tip no.1 - baking soda exfoliator. dampen a bit of baking soda with your favorite facial cleanser for a cheap way to slough off dead skin cells. your skin will be brighter plus you will use a smaller amount of any skin potions which will have an added boost with your newly revealed skin (don't forget the spf!).

• tip no. 2 - brown sugar body scrub. moisten sugar with kukui nut oil (olive oil works great on dry skin) and scrub away. raw sugar is a bit more rough in texture so if your skin is sensitive break out the regular brown sugar (the tub may be slippery afterwards so be sure to rinse it off with a little soapy water).

• tip no. 3 - apple cider vinegar rinse. i have been making the switch to natural/organic beauty products and have noticed that the more eco-friendly shampoos & conditioners (still looking if anyone has any suggestions) have a tendency to build up residue on my locks. the acv rinse is a simple substitute for clarifying shampoos. just add 1/4 cup of acv to a small water bottle and fill to the top with warm water (i prefer filtered but straight tap will do). rinse hair with mixture, give it a few minutes to soak in, and shampoo out. voilà - shiny, happy hair!