I spent my honeymoon on Maui, and there were a lot of different things on my mind and on my to-do list during those ten days, with beauty somewhere in the rear. People say that Maui is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and they’re right. So, neither wearing nor buying makeup was very high on my agenda. But beauty stuff has a way of sneaking into my life …
There’s a Sephora on Maui, and also Macy’s. You can get all the usual cosmetics and makeup brands there, but I didn’t check them out. I was firmly set on buying souvenirs that are in some way connected to Maui or Hawaii in general, and so I got some great dresses by Tori Richard, a brand that originates in Honululu.
But one evening, after some cocktails and a day at the pool I was checking out the Shops at Weilea, the mini open air shopping mall in Weilea, and getting some snacks at the ABC store, when a nailpolish fell in my basket (that’s how it always happens, right?).
Island Girl Nail Polish
Island Girl is a brand you encounter in ABC stores. They have a great range of different colours and textures, and are dirt cheap. The neon coral/watermelon pink polish that ‘fell’ (*cough*) into my basket is called Mahalo and was 2,99$.
Apart from the great and summery colour it also has all the annoying characteristics neon polishes can have – it’s streaky, thick and generally a b**** to apply. It also dries matte. I only tested one shade, so I can’t really vouch for the quality of the whole range – but beware of the neons!
Malie
During that same shopping spree I passed Martin & MacArthur and was intrigued by the heavenly smell that wafted out of their door. I had a look inside and spotted the Malie range, a line of heavenly smelling body products. Malie takes some pride in their Hawaiian roots and the fact that they’re using Hawaiin ingredients in their beauty products. They’re mainly focused on products for the body, perfume, candles and room scents. Their line up consists of different ‘aroma lines’ which feature their products. Some of their delicious scents are plumeria, mango nectar, coconut vanilla, hibiscus and jasmine rose. A lot of hotels and spas in Hawaii use them for their guests.
Koke’e
I opted for a scent that was more unusual and exotic than those mentioned above and chose the koke’e gift set. This includes a body cream, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a body and face soap.
„Koke’e aroma, capturing the crisp, refreshing scent of Hawaii’s native maile (pronounced my-lee) vine. Lush. Green. Vibrant with life! (…) Named in honor of Hawai‘i’s oldest rainforest, koke‘e is a clean, subtle aroma offering a gender-neutral appeal, making it versatile for men and women.“
(From the malie website: www.malie.com)
This is a green scent, with some underlying notes that are flowery, fruity and sweet. Not a squeaky clean green scent, but one that has also some warmth to it. For me this evokes the lush green Hawaiian forests and a veranda with wood furniture and a cool drink with coconut and pineapple in it. (And this, dear readers, is the reason why I don’t do perfume posts. I suck at them).
Quality and ingredients
You can’t argue about the quality of the set. The scent of all the products is gorgeous, and I could slather myself with the body cream especially. It’s nicely nourishing, and neither the body wash nor soap are stripping at all. I’m usually a bit finicky about products for my hair and don’t usually veer away from my trusted products, but I like the shampoo and conditioner ingredients a lot. The conditioner has quite a lot of silicone in it (which I usually don’t like in my hair products), but it doesn’t lead to the dreaded build-up of product in my hair. The scent in all products last quite long on skin and hair.
I love that the main ingredient in the whole line is aloe vera juice, which is very hydrating. Makes sense when you spent a lot of time on the beach, in the sun and in the water! I also like that the brand includes a oils and flower extracts into their products, but honestly? I got the set mainly for the gorgeous scent of the included products that transports me back to Maui every time I use them. Are they indulgent? Yes. Would I pick them again if I just had a look at the inci lists? Well, maybe. But would I buy them again? In a heartbeat.
Shampoo Ingredients: Organic Herbal Infusion (of Gotu Kola, Chamomile, Comfrey, Lavender, Rosemary), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera), Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (from Coconut), Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (from Coconut), Betaine (from Coconut), Canola Oil, Silk Protein Amino Acid Complex Blend, Pelagonium Graveolens (Geranium), Cocomide D.E.A. (from Coconut), Lauramide M.E.A, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot Kernel Oil), Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Polyethylene Glycol Monododecyl Ether (Coconut derived), Fragrance.
Conditioner Ingredients: Organic Herbal Infusion (of Gotu Kola, Chamomile, Comfrey, Lavender, Rosemary), Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Amodimethicone (from natural Quarz), Cetearyl Alcohol (from Coconut), Ceteareth-20 (plant derived), Stearyl Alcohol (from Coconut), Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine (vegetable based), Cetyl Alcohol (from Palm), Silk Amino Acids, Wheat Amino Acids, Silk Protein Amino Acid Complex Blend, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Polyquaternium-37 (emulsifier), Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tethylisothiazolinone, Fragrance
Body Cream Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Coconut), Glycerin (Vegetable), Glyceryl Stearate) Coconut), Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate (Coconut), Cetearyl Alcohol (Palm), Cetearyl Glucoside (Sugar), Organic Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Awapuhi Ginger) Root Extract, Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Lecithin (Soy), Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hawaiian Hydrosol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Stearic Acid (Mixed Plants), Silica, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum (Tree Bark) Phenoxyethanol*, Chlorphenesin*.
Body Wash Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Decyl Glucoside (Sugar), Sodium Coco-Sulfate (Coconut), Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Coconut), Glycerin (Vegetable), Fragrance, Zingiber Officinale (Awapuhi Ginger) Root Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Organic Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, PEG-150 Distearate (Mixed Plants), Vine Hawaiian Hydrosol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (Coconut), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (Guar Beans), Glycol Distearate (Mixed Plants), Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde, Lilial, Lyral, Phenoxyethanol*, Methylisothiazolinone*. (*Ingredients less than 1%)
I could kick myself in the behind that I didn’t get the gorgeous smelling candles to bring back home as well, but the whole Malie line is expensive. Totally worth it though if you have the money to spend – I still ration my dwindling stash of products and use them if I desperately need a pick-me-up that transports me back to a wonderful place and time in my life. If you’re in the US, you can order Malie products from their website – you don’t have to travel to Hawaii to shop them!
Even if I’m a beauty enthusiast and makeup junkie, I’m really happy that those two weeks on Maui were filled with extraordinary experiences and not with shopping trips. Honestly, you don’t go to Hawaii to shop. I was happy that there were little gems to be discovered nevertheless, but the true wealth of Maui isn’t great shopping opportunities, but the incredible sea, amazing nature and animals, and its inhabitants. (Next time I’m there, though, I’ll be sure to pick up one of those candles and also try the Maui Goat Milk Soap!)
Have you been to Hawaii or are you actually planning a visit? (In which case I’m totally and utterly jealous!)
