KEY POINTS:
Coconut is a wondrous thing. My skin is still revelling in all those coconut oil massages I had in Fiji recently. Since then, I've started obsessively scanning ingredient lists for coconut derivatives. Turns out, coconut extracts turn up all over the place. Good job too.
1. Snowberry Nourishing
Lite Day Cream
$252 for 50ml
Look hard and you'll see coconut extract is on the lengthy ingredient list - right at the end. Snowberry is the brainchild of Iranian-born Soraya Hendisi, who now lives in Auckland. She created a natural skincare range free of any nasties because she wanted something she could trust. This particular moisturiser is suited to combination skin and is blessed with an anti-ageing formula so anyone over 30 will appreciate the smoothing and nourishing effects.
From Smith & Caughey's.
2. Natralia Nourish Skin Oil
$18.95 for 60ml
This spray-on oil has been sent to help minimise the appearance of stretch marks, scars, dehydrated and ageing skin. The oil comes from coconut, avocado, calendula, olive, rose hip, evening primrose, arnica and lavender. I won't lie, the fragrance isn't one I'm partial to, but it doesn't linger and it really does look after damaged skin.
From selected pharmacies. For stockists ph (09) 630 4488.
3. Nellie Tier Liquid Soap Vanilla
$20 for 300ml
This liquid soap doesn't depend entirely on coconut oil, it also has olive oil, castor bean oil and almond oil and sea salt. It's so gentle you forget it's cleaning as it goes. The vanilla scent is just right, and you get a tick for buying local, as this hand-blended paraben-free range with botanical extracts is made here.
From Smith & Caughey's, Isabel Harris and selected gift stores.
4. The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter
$32 for 200ml
Anita Roddick's Fair Trade legacy lives on. This body butter uses cocoa beans and shea beans from Ghana and soy oil from Brazil. The coconut oil in it gives this rich, moisturising butter its unadulterated coconut smell. Close your eyes and you could be in Fiji.
From The Body Shop.
5. Pure Fiji Body Butter Frangipani Infusion
$39 for 240ml
This could be Fiji in a jar. There's plenty of coconut oil in here, along with the Fijian dilo nut oil and a frangipani fragrance. Rich. Moisturising. Fabulous on dry skin. Fiji revisited, really.
From selected beauty therapists, ph (09) 815 0147.