Pure Hapa Makana Milk Facial Cleanser

I remember going into a drugstore once with a boyfriend and feeling like a kid in a candy shop. Aisles of make-up, skin care, body products--each one a potential treasure in the eternal quest for youth and beauty. "This is why I love being a girl!" I said to him. He countered with "This is why I glad I'm NOT!"

Too bad for him--he has to stay in his rut of Ivory soap and aftershave. I get to be transported to the lush tropical islands of Hawaii--courtesy of Pure Hapa, a skin care line created by self-described "Hapa" girl (part Hawaiian) Nadyne Kealaokopono Kim-Orona. Inspired by her Hawaiian grandmother's ritual of using coconut milk to cleanse her skin, she created the Makana (meaning "gift") Milk Facial Cleanser. A combination of coconut milk, honey extract, rice bran extract and orange flower extract (which gives the cleanser a heavenly, almost "good enough to eat" scent), it gently cleanses the skin and leaves it feeling toned but supple.

I've been using the cleanser for the past couple of nights and I can certainly attest to its gentleness and effectiveness. It's got a nice creamy consistency and leaves my skin completely clean without being drying. The coconut milk has anti-aging properties while the honey extract is a natural anti-bacterial agent and the rice bran extract improves skin elasticity.

“It has always been my dream to create a skincare line crafted from the purest Hawaiian botanicals and fruits, blended with healing, anti-aging antioxidants from Asia. Pure Hapa brings soothing Hawaiian tropical and herbal blends into your home for a beneficial, natural and pampering spa experience!,” says Nadyne.

The Makana Milk Facial Cleanser is the newest addition to the Pure Hapa line and will be available starting in October. But you can check out the rest of the Pure Hapa line which features skin care products such as the Sweet Papaya Facial Exfoliant, Hawaiian Essential Facial Serum and Hapalicious Body Wash at www.purehapa.com.

I've also been using two Pure Hapa body creams--the Sweet Pineapple Sugar Cream and the Haupia Orange Soufflé Body Cream. The Pineapple Sugar Cream is a sinfully rich, creamy sensual delight! It's very emollient and the scent is light and yummy. It's a bit too emollient for the summer--but I'm looking forward to slathering it on come the drier winter months. The Soufflé Cream is lighter and airier in texture--much more suitable for summer wear.

Even if you can't get away for a trip to an island paradise, the scents of the Pure Hapa products can bring that tropical Hawaiian feeling to you! Not that I've ever been to Hawaii, but this is what I imagine it smells like...And better yet, proceeds from each sale of Pure Hapa products benefit the Queen Lili’uokalani Trust, providing for orphaned and destitute children in Hawaii.