Harakeke | Ecostore's Key Hydrating Ingredient From NZ!

What Is Harakeke?

Harakeke is the Māori name for native New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax). The evergreen perennial plant features yellow or red flowers and long, straplike leaves. The plant fibres have been used by Māori people for hundreds of years to create fabric, ropes and sails. 

Each Māori village tended to their own Harakeke plantation, and different varieties were planted and harvested based on their colour, softness, fibre strength and medicinal properties.

So, why is this humble plant prized in traditional Māori medicine? Well, the long leaves of the Harakeke plant contain a cool, clear gel — basically like aloe vera! The gel has a multitude of uses — from healing burns, cuts and skin infections — to treating diarrhoea.

What Are The Benefits of Harakeke?

When talking about the benefits of Harakeke, two words come to mind: soothing and hydrating! The clear gel, extracted from the lower half of the Harakeke leaf, is packed with hydrating, skin-loving nutrients and beneficial plant sugars.

Harakeke is a secret weapon for those suffering from acne, too. Harakeke’s slight astringency is great for controlling breakouts and excess oil production without stripping the skin of its natural protective oils. Much like aloe vera, Harakeke gel cools and calms skin due to its potent skin-conditioning compounds. Humectant D-xylose and pH-balancing D-glucuronic acid work together to soothe, hydrate, and reduce redness in the skin. Sounds great, right? But that’s not all! Harakeke gel reduces inflammation in the skin, which is typically caused by irritating chemicals, environmental stressors and lack of sleep. The result? Skin that’s calm, hydrated, and less irritated.

Ecostore’s Harakeke Hand Wash 

I think we’ve all tried a few awful handwashing products in our time… You know, the ones that leave your hands feeling drier than the Sahara desert? Here's why we love ecostore's:

• HYDRATING HARAKEKE | The base of the mild, plant-based formulation is Harakeke, which soothes and nourishes your hands without stripping them of their natural oils. 
• VEGAN & CRUELTY-FREE | As with all of ecostore’s products, NO animals were harmed in the process.
• RECYCLABLE PACKAGING | ecostore’s recyclable bottles contain a mix of sugar plastic (which actually captures CO2 as it grows!) and locally-sourced recycled plastic. 

We absolutely love the range of scents in ecostore’s Hand Wash range! There’s delicious Vanilla & Coconut, invigorating Lemongrass, floral Rose & Geranium and Ultra Sensitive.

Ecostore’s Harakeke Body Wash 

If you’ve ever had acne on your body or dry, rough patches — you’ll know how difficult it is to find a body wash that a) cleanses bacteria off the skin properly, and b) doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils! Thankfully, ecostore’s Body Wash range contains Harakeke. While it adds natural moisture, it’s also beneficial for acne-prone skin due to its gentle, anti-microbial action that helps to reduce spot-causing bacteria all over the body.

ecostore’s range of Body Washes are available in the same scents as the Hand Wash range, so you can enjoy your favourite scent (or fragrance-free variation) in the shower, too! Their luxurious Body Washes are available in 400ml recyclable sugar cane bottles.