An Eco Christmas gift pick

Apheleia beauty products: keeping things simple

To find Christmas gifts that tick all Eco Christmas boxes take a trip to one of the many local markets in Kāpiti. Held regularly in Paraparaumu Beach, Ōtaki, Waikanae , Te Horo, and Paekākāriki, these markets provide an excellent opportunity to buy from local producers, while enjoying the buzz of people and sensory delights.

My local market gift pick is an Apheleia skin care product. You will find an Apheleia stall at the Paraparaumu or Te Horo markets - look out for an eggshell blue banner hanging above row upon row of beautiful glass jars filled with oils and lotions, open for you to try out.  Reece and Hanna who make Apheleia products are likely to be manning their stall and will happily talk about what they have made and why - if you're like me, you'll leave with plenty to think about.

Apheleia began a couple of years ago. Hanna has very sensitive skin, so she was wanting products that didn’t cause reactions and was finding it hard to affordably avoid products that are filled with nasties such as petrochemicals and synthetic ingredients. She began by making deodorant, particularly because there’s a strong link between aluminum found in deodorants and breast cancer. She wanted an alternative to using anti-perspirants which stop you sweating, as this contributes to toxins building up in the body. They now also make moisturisers, suncare, insect repellent, anti-septic balms, soaps, magnesium oil and pure essential oil.

“Your skin is your largest organ and is very good at absorbing nutrients through the epidermis into your capillary system and blood streams.”says Hanna. "We’re interested in health rather than cosmetics or surface appearances. Beauty is a by-product of a healthy person.”  

Reece told me about the finer details of their products and the bigger picture. “We pride ourselves on being small, on creating handcrafted products in small batches made with attention and care,” he says, things like the quality glass packaging and affordable pricing are important. “We like to think, if it’s good for the planet, it’s good for us and good for you.”  Their bigger picture vision, is about investing in nature, being socially responsible and local. “By choosing to buy organic ingredients we’re supporting and promoting other people involved in environmentally friendly practices”

And they sell at market stalls rather than pushing to get their product into shops.  “Part of the reason we have been more focused on selling at the markets is the interaction and conversations we get to have with local people. We get to share our story and knowledge, and learn from others too.”

Nice work Apheleia. Along slide their stalls at the Paraparaumu Saturday morning market and the Te Horo monthly markets you can buy online at www.apheleia.co.nz and follow www.facebook.com/apheleiaskincare

A local gift pick by Vanessa Crowe, Sustainable Communities Coordinator.