If you ever want to know the secret to maintaining youthful beauty and health, just incorporate the ancient traditions of the Hawaiians into your beauty regimen. From the mountains to the sea, the ancient Hawaiians knew that Kauai’s abundant natural resources provided the best beauty products available for everlasting health. From natural salt scrubs to flowers that squeeze out shampoo, here are a few favorite natural products:
Awapuhi
Photo by alohimalama
One of the simplest ways to restore natural luster and shine to your hair is to run the juice of the awapuhi flower through your scalp as a replacement to regular shampoo and conditioner. Awapuhi is in the ginger and turmeric plant family and was introduced to Hawaii by the early polynesian settlers. Its sweet and slightly spicy scent leaves hair smelling and feeling beautiful and is completely free of chemicals!
Kukui Nut Oil
It’s amazing how the Hawaiians found so many uses for the kukui nut, or candlenut, which is considered the official state tree of Hawaii. From extracting its oil to light their lamps to mashing the kernel for use as a strong laxative, this small nut packs powerful healing properties. Among its many uses, Kukui Nut oil makes an excellent skin and hair moisturizer and massage oil and can also used to soak in a warm bath.
Hawaiian Sea Salt
Photo by Tasting Kauai
The salt pans of Hanapepe on Kauai’s southwest produces some of the purest salt in the world with magnificent health benefits. The only challenge – it’s not for sale. The only way you can get this salt is by knowing one of the families that has been farming this salt for over 100 years. If you are fortunate enough to receive some Hawaiian sea salt, mix it with a bit of organic coconut oil for an excellent exfoliant to treat dry, damaged skin. Many natural minerals can be found in the red alaea salt, including potassium and magnesium, and can help regulate blood pressure and keep bones strong. These healthy minerals are usually removed from common table salts.
Olena (Turmeric)
Photo by plant.lovin.e
Known by the rest of the world as turmeric, olena was highly revered by the Hawaiians as a common anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic agent. Olena is known to treat eczema, acne and aging spots. Create a concentrated wash by boiling on the stove in water and allowing it to reduce. Let cool completely and apply to the area of concern. The color of Olena can stain clothing and skin so use with caution.
Coconut Oil
Every knows that vegetable oil for cooking is out and coconut oil is all the rage. Not only is coconut oil a healthier fat to cook with, it is also one of the best moisturizers around. Kauai’s east side is known as the Royal Coconut Coast and coconuts can be found just about anywhere on the island. Making your own coconut oil is easy with a food processor and some patience.
Aloe Vera
Kauai’s year-round sunny weather means that even the most careful will get sunburned at some time. If this happens to you, soothe your sunburn with some fresh aloe vera, which is commonly found growing around Kauai. For the best sunburn relief, place the aloe vera leaves in the refrigerator until cold and then rub over skin and let dry.
Where to purchase natural Kauai beauty products and services
Kauai spas are known for blending these Hawaiian practices into their services, creating one-of-a-kind experiences to purify, beautify, detox and cleanse. Anara Spa at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa offers their signature Coco Mango bath and body line for sale in their shop to take the islands with you wherever you go. Anara Spa’s Island Aromatherapy massage uses an essential oil blend of island ingredients such as pikake (jasmine) and alani (citris) and the Lilikoi Body Polish is a 50 minutes or 100 minutes body treatment where island grown lilikoi (passion fruit) and Hawaiian sea salt are scrubbed over the entire body to increase circulation and then moisturized with a lilikoi moisturizer. The Spa at Koa Kea Hotel in Poipu focuses on using Hawaiian healing practices and ingredients such as awapuhi root, kukui and coconut for their beauty treatments.
When shopping in Poipu, visit The Shops at Kukuiula or Poipu Shopping Village to purchase your Kauai made beauty products. Malie Organics at The Shops at Kukuiula uses only indigenous and local flora to produce their products, with scents made in the essence of plumeria, pikake, and hibiscus. Sand People Hawaii at the Poipu Shopping Village carries a variety of island bath and body products that continue to remind you of the islands.
Kauai is a magical place that brings out the youthful elegance and fresh-faced beauty in everyone. Local Kauai made products will only enhance what you already have and the many heavenly scents will leave you with nostalgic memories of the islands long after your return home.