spring beauty buzz

 

just a quick update with a few new products from island beauty companies. bubble shack has added a lotion line made of 70% organic ingredients including macadamia nut oil, shea butter, aloe vera and antioxidants like vitamins a, b, d & e. the super moisturizing combo is supposed to sink into your skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. available in 8 of bubble shacks' popular fragrances.

the shack also retired a few soaps to make room for four new creations:

• south shore sweetie: citrus blend of tangerine & japanese yuzu
• wilds of manoa: a lush rainforest bath experience
• rocky point rumble: chunky mix of peppermint, coconut, lemon peel & lime
• auntie aloha's hawaiian comfort soap: moisturizing goodness of honey, coconut milk, apple & oatmeal 

pure hapa recently introduced their luxurious hapalicious body wash made with shea butter, kukui nut oil & aloe vera. scents include white ginger, haupia orange & sweet pineapple.

the company also launched a small men's line with sleek unisex packaging. if you are still using regular aftershave it's time to switch it out for keoni's face formula which has good for your skin antioxidants like vitamins a, c & e plus moisturizing extracts of hawaiian noni fruit, ginseng & green tea.

and pamper your hair with justin's soy shampoo made with soy protein, vitamin b5, ginseng root extract & coconut oil. the gentle shampoo was created for justin, the nephew of pure hapa's owner, who is battling brain cancer with a portion of sales dedicated to the national brain tumor foundation.

michael kors hawaii

 

the next best thing after tim gunn on project runway is michael kors who always has at least a few witty bon mots that make me giggle. the man just has a way with words.

anyhoo, a new limited edition spin on kors' popular island fragrance is being introduced just in time for valentine's day. yep, hawaii is not only one of mk's favorite islands but it is now being captured in a concoction of clementine, jasmine, neroli, orange blossom, hawaiian ginger lily & pineapple.

if you hit sephora you can score an exclusive gift set so you can cover up in a mk signature sarong that tucks into its own little bag (my guess is the pattern is similar to this bikini, shown above). or just grab a little designer lip gloss for a more affordable tropical treat for yourself or stock up on a few tubes to share with your friends (what a cute idea for an island wedding!).

be back soon with a few more ideas for valentine's . . .

say aloha to ola

 

i have been racking my brain to remember who made the lovely spa line i spotted at pacific home last year. the other day while flipping through smart magazine, i finally rediscovered ola and once again swooned over the modern tropical look of their holistic hawaiian spa line (the pretty lauhala packaging makes for instant gifting whenever you want to spoil someone).

many of ola's ingredients come straight from the hilo farmers market and i love how they feature the folks who grow the honey, taro, coffee, lilikoi, etc used to create their extensive product line. the website is gorgeous and, if you are are a stickler for examining labels before you buy, you will be happy to know that ingredient lists are also posted online.

there is plenty to tempt you like ola's kalo enriched face mask (taro, honey, coconut milk & kukui nut oil), hawaiian 'iliahi lotion mist (sandalwood, noni & papaya leaf extract), ocean essence bath soak (sea salt, deep sea clay & hawaiian seaweed) . . . well, you get the idea. you will want to stock up on everything and enjoy a spa day at home whenever you please. 

shop online or hit a spa near you to pick up one of ola's luxurious treats. 

lip balm roundup

there's a bit of an arctic chill hitting the west coast so i'm bundled up and yearning for a trip home to soak up the balmy weather. lips usually take the biggest hit when the mercury dips so i decided to do a lip balm roundup for some much needed moisturizing goodness all the way from the islands.

no. 1 - mama coco's has redesigned their packaging but the lip balm is still made from the same fair-trade & organic virgin coconut oil, unrefined cocoa butter and raw hawaiian honey that have earned it a devoted following. flavors include coconut cream, orange cream, real vanilla & vanilla mint.

no. 2 - a little lip moisture from hawaiian bath & body (aka north shore soap factory) should make those lips a bit more kissable with mango butter, kukui nut oil and vitamin e. take your pick of flavors: coconut, mint, pineapple, sugar cane, tangerine & unscented/kukui.

no. 3 - body + soul recently launched its naughty line of 4-play lip balm which is infused with essential oils and just a hint of color. and the product names are just as saucy as you would imagine: ahh/cherry, mmm/grape, ohh/melon, yes/peach.

no. 4 - island soap & candle works has an affordable line of lip balms made with macadamia nut oil, olive oil & beeswax. the tropical packaging and flavors like kauai kiss and island passion are sure to add a little sunshine to those gloomy winter days.

no. 5 - ali'i kula lavender transforms the harvest from its maui farm into a lip balm made with their very own lavender essential oil blended with moisturizing avocado oil, mango butter & more.

no. 6 - island herbal's handy 3-in-1 lip balm means you can match the flavor to your mood (pineapple, mango or coconut?). ingredients include aloe vera, calendula and hawaiian beeswax.

no. 7 - east coast tropics' kiehls-esque packaging contains a balm made of luxury oils and butters with a whopping 9 flavors to choose from (banana mango smoothie, coconut, guavaberry, kona coffee cream, macanilla, papaya smoothie, pog, rainbow shave ice, tropical chocolate).

honolulu gift fair

bubble shack holiday lathers

the honolulu gift fair kicked off yesterday and a few of the folks featured on h|h will be setting up shop so swing by the blaisdell this weekend to pick up some last minute xmas gifts. there will be 250 vendors, door prizes, and a very shopper-friendly touch is that you will be able to ship your gifts at the fair which will save you a trip and a very long wait at the post office.

and just because you can't be there doesn't mean you can't check out what's new with h|h favorites and still get your order in the mail in time for the holidays!

bubble shack recently introduced their holiday lathers collection (check out the swirls!) with 10 new soaps inspired by the season. the haupia nut cake sounds lovely with coconut, macadamia nut oil, and oatmeal for a bit of exfoliation. these would make great stocking stuffers and since orders over $50 accrue bubblebucks for future purchases it really is the gift that keeps on giving!

punk rock rat + rooster

nine tail fox will also be at the fair featuring their sterling silver and pearl/gemstone jewelry. and, in my quest to find a holiday connection anywhere, let me just say that their punk rock rat ring reminds me of the mean rat king in the nutcracker ballet that i sat through many times as a child. stop by the ntf etsy shop and receive free priority shipping (holiday order deadline is dec 20th)!

handy hold all

finally, the style sisters at fashionista's market are stocking their booth with the latest designs at fm prices. i have to agree that this oh so pretty handbag hanger which has been selected as fm's favorite holiday gift is a much nicer way of keeping your bags organized and sure beats banging holes in the closet wall to hang hooks (guilty as charged).

alas, you have to get yourself to the gift fair to score one of these ingenious hangers in hawaii but i did a little digging and found it online just for you.

details, details, details:

• when: thu, dec 14th - sat, dec 16th
• hours: today 2p to 9p, fri/sat 10a to 9p
• where: blaisdell center
• admission: $5* general public, $3 non-residents/active military/keiki (4-10)

(*if you subscribe to roadrunner then check out oceanic's december ohana newsletter for a $2 coupon)