Māmaki Balm ingredients
Our products are unique in that we do a slow infusion of mamaki (Hawaiian nettle) into the base oil, which is a proprietary blend of coconut oil, fractionated coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and kukui oil. Mamaki is high in polyphenols, making it highly effective for reversing free radical damage, on top of the oils that are all very nourishing. Combining that with pure Hawaiian beeswax from chemical-free apiaries that we work with locally here makes our balm a perfect consistency for repairing the skin. We add different essential oils to distinguish each balm’s scent profile.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the ingredients we use:
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Mamaki (pronounced maah-mah-kee) is the key ingredient in all of our products. A native Hawaiian healing herb in the nettle family, mamaki is a shrub/tree with leaves that have pronounced veins and white raspberry-like berries. Rich in polyphenols, the leaves are well-known for its use as an herbal tea. The use of mamaki in skincare had not been popularized until we created our Coconut Mamaki Balm in 2022. Highly antioxidant, it fights free-radical damage and is a potent skin-repairing herb. Our mamaki comes from trusted Hawaiʻi Island farms that practice organic/natural farming, as well as our own natural farm.
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Rich in medium-chain fatty acids like antibacterial lauric acid and super-hydrating linoleic acid, we use virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil as the “butter” in our balm, at a precise ratio that provides enough of its beneficial properties but not too much that it clogs pores.
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A liquid, refined version of coconut oil, fractionated coconut oil is a silky, non-greasy oil that absorbs quickly into the skin. Our fractionated coconut oil is made from only coconut (some are made from palm or a blend of palm/coconut and not certified organic).
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Olive oil is known for its ability to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, by improving elasticity of the skin. It naturally includes squalene and vitamin E, which are both known for increasing the ability of the skin to retain water, and therefore keeping the skin supple.
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Expeller-pressed from the seed of the culturally significant canoe plant, kukui is also known as candlenut. It has so much oil inside that it was used as a candle / torch in ancient Hawaiʻi. The oil is rich in essential fatty acids and helps to retain moisture, while protecting the skin from environmental stressors.
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Harvested from chemical-free apiaries by natural beekeepers on Hawaiʻi Island, our beeswax is what makes our balms solid. Beeswax helps to create a skin barrier that minimizes water loss, softens the skin, and locks in moisture. It helps keep the natural healthy balance of skin flora and has been shown as an effective ingredient for a wide range of skin complaints. Beeswax from Hawaiʻi bees has a potency unlike beeswax from any other geographical location, as the bees collect nectar from the wide variety of native and introduced plants growing in rich volcanic soil, a concoction found nowhere else in the world.
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Behenyl Alcohol is a natural fatty alcohol that is used at a low concentration as an extra stabilizer and viscosity enhancer for the balm. While synthetic types also exist, ours is naturally produced from non-GMO plants. Behenyl alcohol helps to soothe and strengthen the skin. (Not to be confused with benzyl alcohol)
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Oil-based products can go rancid over time, so we add tocopherol (vitamin E), an antioxidant that slows down the oxidation process of oils. Derived from non-GMO plants, vitamin E also has a skin-protecting function and is a staple in cosmetics.
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Essential oils that we use are marked organic or "beyond" organic - but do not necessarily have the organic certification. This is because even when certain oils have the "organic" mark, it does not guarantee absolute purity (free from pesticides, solvent traces and other chemicals, etc) because the world of essential oils is highly unregulated. So we chose suppliers that do rigorous third-party testing for every batch (many companies do not do this) to make sure there is nothing in the oils aside from, well, the oil itself, regardless of whether they have the organic mark.
The reasons certain suppliers may not have the "organic" certification is that they are working with suppliers in countries that may be difficult to get approval or small-scale farmers who don't have the time or means to go through the expensive certification process. Our balms are formulated by an aromatherapist and holistic health practitioner and we dilute the oils properly, which is also something a lot of people don't do especially these days since a lot of essential oil marketers promote amounts that we personally find to be too much for the body to handle, especially over time, as sensitization can happen after repeated exposure. So that is why our balms are scented very lightly; we keep the essential oil ratio low enough to not cause any sensitization issues. These are based on research that may be more on the conservative side, but we'd like to make sure it can be used daily without causing any issues.
Each ingredient creates a skin barrier, locks in moisture, and fights free-radical damage, but when combined, these ingredients create a powerful synergy that restores skin health.
Using these pure ingredients are obviously important, but equally important is the way we put them together. Mamaki is slow-infused in the oil base to maximize its potency, and the rich green color of the leaves oozes out, signaling its readiness. We melt the ingredients together, mix gently yet thoroughly, and add the tocopherol and essential oils at the very end before pouring. We hand-pour each and every jar and do a rapid cooling right after pouring.
This part may not seem like a big deal… but we also shut off unnecessary electronics and wifi during this process, and make sure we are in a calm and happy mood, because we truly believe the makers’ frequency affects the products, too! We want to get the products to you in their purest state possible, and the last thing we want is some grumpiness in the mix ;) We hope you feel the purity and therapeutic power of all the ingredients that create the balm!
Māmaki Balms surrounded by Māmaki plants