This is a great question!
Over the next few weeks, we'll be answering some of the questions we often get asked. We figured if others have asked them, then maybe it's worth answering them on our journal too.
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We love that kawakawa is one of those native plants that's accessible to everyone. You can tap into its soothing, immune-boosting properties by simply popping a few leaves in boiling water and adding a little honey and ginger for a refreshing immunity tonic. It really is that simple to start enjoying the incredible benefits of kawakawa.
It's also great to see more people making kawakawa balm. Mīharo! And we know, like Aunty, they put a lot of aroha into it too. So what makes our Kawakawa Repair different?
Why does Kawakawa Repair get results that other products, including other well-known kawakawa products, don't receive? With over 1700 five-star reviews for Frankie Apothecary, and over 560 for Kawakawa Repair alone, there's a good reason it's trusted by so many families for their itchy or sensitive skin.
1. Most other balms are a simple mix of wax and oils.
A simple blend of wax and oils may be fine for general moisturisation or mild concerns. But when you need to trap moisture to the skin - a must for dry, itchy skin - wax and oil won't cut it. The amount of moisture lost through the skin - called trans-epidermal water loss or TEWL - is higher for those with itchy, eczema-prone skin, meaning it dries out faster; drier skin is itchier, making it really important to reduce this excess moisture loss. Our formulation is a blend of butter, waxes, botanical extracts, rich kawakawa oils and specialty ingredients which trap moisture to the skin and reduce TEWL.
2. We avoid essential oils
Why? Because the number of people we speak to who find essential oils irritating, including mānuka, tea tree and some even lavender, means we steer well clear of all essential oils in Kawakawa Repair.
3. Many balms only use beeswax.
For effective moisture retention, we use a blend of waxes - not beeswax alone - that doubles down, protecting the skin barrier, so it doesn't lose moisture so quickly, which slows down TEWL.
4. Our research-based specialty ingredient
We also use a specialty ingredient that's proven to stop TEWL as effectively as lanolin which is right up there with thick petrochemical-based ingredients. Is it easy to get? No. Is it expensive? Yes. Does it work? Absolutely.
5. We choose a powerful calendula extract.
Calendula is an ancient botanical with a long history of use to relieve reactive skin and calm inflammation. We choose only the best extract to boost the effectiveness of our skin-soothing balm.
6. Two kawakawa extracts, not one
We base Kawakawa Repair on two potent kawakawa extracts in two formats to take advantage of the properties each brings to the table. Kawakawa has been used for generations for a number of concerns, including skin issues with good reason. From a scientific point of view, kawakawa includes powerful compounds, including soothing myristicin and yangambin which fight inflammation, pellitorine which has numbing effects on the body which may explain kawakawa's traditional use for pain relief, and even dopamine. But that's just the start!
7. Wild-harvested native kawakawa harvested using traditional methods
And last but not least, we love using traditional methods to harvest our kawakawa. We're pretty sure Aunty does this too. She believes, as we do, that traditional, mindful harvesting adds a unique goodness to what is created. For us, it's about bringing together the old ways, and new innovative ingredients, that sets Kawakawa Repair apart, and why it's trusted by so many families around the world.
