merrie monarch market

if you plan to explore hilo town while attending merrie monarch festivities this week, be sure to find your way to the kuikawa boutique which will be stocking a handpicked selection of goods from local designers.

kudos to akemi from paradisus who coordinated this wonderful pop-up shop! in addition to paradisus (including kumu hula sonny ching's collection), you will be able to stock up on h|h favorites like indigenous soap, kealopiko (who will also be in-store), meleana, saffron james, sleep under stars (discovered on h|h!) & kuleana.

even better, a portion of sales will be donated to the nawahi hawaiian immersion program.

• shop hours: wed, apr 7th to sun, apr 11th - 9a to 5p
• where: 160 kamehameha avenue, hilo

p.s. click over to kfve which will be live streaming all the hula performances during merrie monarch week!

happy hale*days 08: beauty edition

thankfully, the islands are well past the days when wicked wahine was the most well known beauty product made in hawaii. since pampering treats are always a welcome surprise under the tree (especially for peeps like me who have a hard time splurging on pricey potions), enjoy this roundup of luxe and budget finds for your favorite beauty junkie!

1 - malie kaua'i continues to green its product line and recently introduced an organic update to its popular coconut vanilla collection.

2 - pure & true organic beauty offers up a range of luxe skincare treats concocted with good for you & the earth ingredients. (budget tip: sample the line with the mini facial kit for $20; available in the online shop or at hot mama maternity in kaimuki)

3 - spoil fragrance lovers with nani, saffron james's newest eau de parfum inspired by princess ka'iulani. the fancy scent enchants with notes of pikake, pink plumeria, mimosa & ylang ylang. (budget tip: order up samples at the perfumed court)

4 - glamour girls will adore maleana's holiday gift collection which adds a little sparkle just in time to ring in the new year. (alas, no online shop yet but you can hele over to the kaimuki studio or phone in your order to receive free shipping)

5 - the packaging for the simply kukui line from lanikai bath & body says it all plus all orders score complimentary gift wrap for the holidays! (fyi - there are a few days left to enter to win a $250 gift set!)

6 - a blend of moisturizing oils, hawaiian beeswax, and aloe vera & mango butters make ola's lauhala wrapped tropical lip balm a sweet stocking stuffer.

7 - hawaiian bath & body mixes epsom & hawaiian sea salts with essential oils for a relaxing and detoxifying bathtime soak.

8 - scent your space with island herbal's pretty seashell potpourri infused with fragrant tropical floral notes.

indigenous soap

what do you think of when you hear the words indigenous soap? at first, i thought it was all about island culture but after chatting with soapmaker eric gamundoy i learned that his company's name was truly inspired by the ingredients found in nature that are the foundation for his indigenous soap line.

eric became fascinated with the alchemy of soapmaking after reading a book, and, with a background in the healing arts, was determined to create soap that nixed synthetic ingredients and instead embraced an all natural philosophy. he and his lady love handcraft all their soap on oahu with an emphasis on good for you ingredients like essential oils, shea butter, limu and clay (to name a few).

the best way to sample indigenous' most popular soaps is to order their handy travel bars, and they also whip up some pure soap for folks with sensitive skin &/or fragrance allergies. order online or click here to find shops in the islands that are keeping it indigenous.