What Hawaiians can teach us about skincare
I was 11 when my family moved from Seoul, South Korea - where I was born and raised - to Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Kaneohe is a smaller city on the northeast edge of the island Oahu. It’s pushed up against the ocean by a range of mountains, separating it from the bustle of Honolulu, Hawaii’s capital. It begins at the top of these dramatic, ridged mountains and continues downward into a lush, green landscape of tropical plants, which, in turn, gives way to clear, blue water.
Like a lot of Hawaii, it’s a place that looks like it was picked off a postcard. The nature is so beautiful that it dominates life there.
Spare time was always spent outside, surfing, hiking or biking. My best friend there embodied this lifestyle. She surfed everyday after school and the sun turned her skin a beautiful golden brown hue.
She taught me how nature dominates beauty and wellbeing in Hawaii as well. After I noticed that she never got sunburned, my friend showed me how she used coconut, kukui nut, and tamanu to both moisturize her skin and naturally protect it from the warm, Pacific sun.
Natural approach to wellbeing
And I soon learned this natural approach to wellbeing was common for Hawaiians. They had natural oil treatments for everything: Moringa to moisturize damaged skin, Tamanu to heal skin irritation, and Hemp to help bring balance to the skin.
It fascinated me. I loved learning about the wide array of remedies that came from the plants and soil around me and figuring out the right oil for each issue.
I left Kaneohe and finished high school via correspondence, when the pursuit of my modeling career took me to New York City. Suddenly in a very different type of landscape, I grounded myself by continuing to practice the natural and essential oil tips I had learned growing up.
And it was this inspired love of what’s natural that drove me to become a certified aesthetician and begin a line of beauty products that would bring the extraordinary, natural ingredients I had learned about to women and men everywhere.
From our plant-filled studio in Tribeca, the heart of Tulura, we continue to make products that will bring the incredible power and beauty of nature to each person that uses them. Bringing each of our clients their own little piece of Kaneohe.
If this natural approach to skincare resonates with you, please share this story. We’re always happy to welcome new members into our Tulura community.
