“Flights to Honolulu are $422!”

A friend of mine emailed me not even a week after I returned from 2 weeks in South America. So, what’s a girl to do? Books it and invites two of her best girlfriends to join.

I’ll admit: I never was too interested in going to Hawaii. Crazy-yes, but to me, it seemed like a destination full of honeymooners and the over-70 set; neither of which I would be a part of anytime soon. I am so glad I was wrong (especially with the plethora of adorable, barefoot, long-haired surfing hunks walking around).

But as I was unpacking last night, I looked over everything I brought home and noticed a common theme: every single item was either edible or beauty-related… two of my favorite things.

The day before I left, a makeup artist and dear friend of mine, Matin Maulawizada (Laura Mercier’s Global Ambassador), gave me the beauty tip that would eventually save me from my most common travel problem: sunburn. He told me that 100% pure Shea butter would not only prevent sunburn, but also create a beautiful golden tan. I picked up an 8 oz. tub on the street in the East Village for $3.50 and threw it in my suitcase.

100% pure Shea butter is solid but melts in seconds once it warms up on the skin. It is extremely rich and leaves a high shine on to the skin which is beautiful on the beach, but should be mixed with body lotion for everyday use. So my first day on the beach in Waikiki: did it work? It “shore” did, with not a touch of sunburn on my olive skin*.

The moisturizers in Shea butter are the same moisturizers produced by the sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin. What are some other uses for pure Shea butter?

– Hydrating dry, peeling skin
– Blemishes and wrinkles
– Shaving cream
– Tough or rough feet and heels
– Preventing stretch marks during pregnancy or a change in weight
– Eczema and Dermatitis
– Skin damage from heat (from hot hair tools, hot grease splatter while cooking, etc)

Stay tuned for more on Hawaiian beauty… I have a feeling I’ll be back soon 😉

Until next time… Aloha and mahalos for reading!
*Disclaimer: I was tan from a previous beach trip, plus my Eastern European skin is olive. Fair-skinned sun lovers should continue to use extra caution in any sunlight.

Written by: Julie Kandalec Edited by: Karen Mowls