Leahlani Skincare remains one of the most beloved brands in the Amazingy Family ~ and for good reason! It cannot be understated how inspiring & full of life the Hawaiian islands are, in no small part thanks to all the indigenous communities there working their hardest to keep shepherding & safeguarding the land ❤️‍?

i went on a little odyssey across the globe to see Leahlani HQ up close & personal, and this reel of highlights below from my day trip to Kaua’i is just a small taste of the richness that i felt being there ~ their office / studio has such a quaint charm to it and it’s just across the field from their beautiful home! All of the incredible products in @leahlaniskincare’s range are made in small fresh batches, and despite their growing international popularity, their team in total still has only 13 members! Talk about #supportsmallbusinesses ?

That’s why i was thrilled to be able to interview Leah once more as a part of Amazingy Mag’s “Behind the Brand” series ~ to see how far the brand has come since our last interview article in 2019 ~ and after spending a bit of time in Hawai’i visiting a dear friend who grew up there, a few more well-informed questions started coming to mind, and thankfully Leah was more than happy to indulge me … so let’s get to it! ?

 

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“I think many of our loyal Leahlani fans know that your work in natural skincare began with your own holistic care journey, but how did the idea for Leahlani itself first come up?”

Honestly, it’s a long story! Being a business owner was never part of my plan—if someone had told me back then where I’d end up, I wouldn’t have believed them. I actually share the full journey on my podcast, so if you love hearing all the details, you’ll enjoy this episode.

But in short, it all started with my own skin and my treatment room. I formulated Honey Love in 2006 for myself because nothing else worked. It was the only thing that truly helped clear my skin, and when I saw it transforming others’ skin too, I knew I was onto something. At the same time, I felt completely uninspired by the skincare products available. Everything felt clinical—formulas that all looked, smelled, and felt the same. I knew skincare could be so much more. My clients would lie on my table with their eyes closed, and I wanted them to feel the magic of Hawai‘i—the fresh air after a morning rain, the scent of blooming tropical flowers, the warmth of the sun mixed with salty ocean breezes. Even with their eyes closed, I wanted them to soak it all in through their skin. And honestly? I wanted to love the products I was working with every day.

So I started expanding—blending formulas that were vibrant, aromatic, and quite literally full of life. What started as something just for my treatments quickly grew—clients kept asking to take little jars home. That’s when I knew this could be something bigger. It wasn’t just about skincare; it was about creating an experience. To make it more accessible, we opened an Etsy shop in 2009, allowing people to buy the products from anywhere. At the same time, we started selling Leahlani at the Hanalei Farmers Market, which became such a special part of our journey. We stayed there for over a decade, connecting with our community, sharing our products, and watching Leahlani grow organically—one conversation, one jar, one person at a time.

Then, in 2016, everything changed overnight. We launched our official website, leahlaniskincare.com, with a full rebrand, and within 24 hours, our entire life shifted. Fourteen days later, we had to move the entire operation into a larger warehouse, and things rapidly progressed. We started opening the doors to wholesale, having no clue what that would mean for our small business. By the end of that year, life as we knew it would never be the same. And if I’m being honest? It’s been a game of catch-up ever since.

 *fun fact* Leah’s parents also operated a small family business selling luxe soaps they produced themselves – looks like it runs in the family ?

“Which part of the work with Leahlani brings you the most joy?”

So much of what I do brings me joy, but at the core of it all is connection. Connection with the ingredients, with the products as they come to life, with the island, with my team, and most of all, with the people who welcome Leahlani into their daily rituals. Skin and skincare have been my entire world since 2006—it’s what I know, what I love, and what I pour my heart into. There is something so comforting about creating skincare from fresh ingredients that not only nurture the skin but also work effectively to bring out a glow you can see and feel. Formulating is one of my greatest joys—working with raw, vibrant ingredients, blending them together, and watching them transform into something that feels alive.

I also love the creative process—dreaming up new products, playing with colors, textures, and scents, and making sure everything we create feels as beautiful as it is effective. And beyond the work itself, one of the greatest blessings is getting to share this journey with my sisters. Working with both of them every day is something I cannot even begin to explain—it’s a rare and special gift that I cherish deeply. And then there’s Shell Me About It, the podcast I have with my sister, where I get to share personal experiences I’ve learned along the way in a casual, honest, and lighthearted way. It’s another way I get to connect—beyond skincare—and that makes it so meaningful. At the end of the day, everything we do at Leahlani is built on connection, and that’s what makes this work so fulfilling.

“In our last interview with you (almost 5 years ago, wow time flies!) you explained that 75% of the ingredients in all the honey products were locally sourced. Is that still the case now? Are any of the ingredients grown on your acreage? Which Hawaiian ingredients are used most in your formulations? Are there some which have been difficult to source?”

It’s no secret that honey is one of my favorite skincare ingredients. It was the miracle that saved my acne-prone skin, and to this day, it remains one of the most powerful and instantly effective ingredients I work with. Honey is naturally antibacterial, a humectant that draws moisture into the skin, and rich in enzymes that help brighten and cleanse—all while being incredibly gentle.

We still source our honey from different apiaries across Hawai‘i and primarily use macadamia blossom, ‘ōhi‘a lehua, and wilelaiki honey, creating signature blends for each of our honey-based products. We always use raw honey because it retains all of its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and beneficial properties. When honey is heated or processed, many of these skin-loving nutrients break down, which is why we work with it in its purest form. It is still the case that 75% of the ingredients in our honey products are locally sourced. However, we do not currently use ingredients grown on our farm. As much as I would love to, we aren’t sure we could produce enough to meet demand—though we do have plans to incorporate our own harvests in the future.

Some of my favorite local ingredients include Hawaiian honey, spirulina, astaxanthin, alaea and lava salts, and sea silt. Sourcing has definitely had its challenges over the years, but we’ve been able to refine and dial in our process to ensure we get the highest-quality ingredients without compromise.

“That last interview was also not long before the COVID-19 pandemic began … a time of misfortune for so many of us. We can be grateful that we are still here today, but were there any moments where you thought that Leahlani might not make it through?”

It feels like a lifetime ago, but I know for so many, the impact of that time is still deeply felt. It was one of the most stressful and uncertain times I’ve ever experienced, both personally and as a small business owner. There were moments of real fear, wondering how we would navigate the unknown and how to best support our team and community when everything felt so fragile.

Kaua‘i went into complete lockdown, cutting us off from the rest of the world. It was surreal—our island was suddenly closed, flights stopped coming in, and everything changed overnight. We only had a few ICU beds, so the potential for a major outbreak was terrifying for our community. Every decision we made felt high-stakes—not just for our business, but for the safety of the people around us. In many ways, we were incredibly lucky. Because we manufacture our products here, we were still able to operate safely while so many other businesses struggled with supply chain disruptions. But at the same time, the weight of responsibility felt heavier than ever. I had a team depending on me, a studio that needed to keep running, and the uncertainty of whether we’d have enough demand to sustain it all.

Thankfully, not only did the demand remain, but it actually increased. People were looking for small comforts, for rituals that made them feel grounded when everything else felt so out of control. I started getting messages from people around the world—isolated, scared, struggling—who told me that receiving a package from Hawai‘i was the highlight of their year. That taking five minutes to care for their skin helped them find a moment of peace. It really struck me how deeply we all needed those tiny acts of self-care to feel even a little bit normal.

That feeling of gratitude and responsibility also led to “Bless on the Frontlines”. While we were safe on Kaua‘i, so many others—doctors, nurses, essential workers—were out there every day, risking their own health and working under unimaginable stress. Their skin was wrecked from constant mask use, sanitizers, and exhaustion. I wanted to do something, even if it was small. So we launched “Bless on the Frontlines”, allowing anyone to send a small jar of Bless Beauty Balm to a frontline worker for free—all they had to cover was the shipping. It was a way to offer a little moment of relief, something soft and soothing in the midst of all the chaos. Through it all, I felt deeply grateful—to still do what I love, to keep my team employed, and to connect with people in ways that felt more meaningful than ever.

 *fun fact* The only Leahlani Skincare product to ever have been discontinued is the Garden Isle Body Oil… r.i.p. you are missed ?

“Does the north of Kaua‘i have a particular microclimate to it (as I’ve noticed on the other islands)? Does the weather stay consistent?”

Hawai‘i is full of microclimates, and we talked about this when you were here! The islands were formed in such a unique way—rising straight out of the ocean with volcanic peaks and valleys—so the way wind, moisture, and temperature move across them creates completely different climates in a short distance. On Kaua‘i, for example, the North Shore is lush and gets the most rainfall, while the South Shore, just a 30-minute drive away, is almost always warm and sunny. The weather is consistent… until it’s not (lol). You can count on temperatures being in the 70s to low 80s year-round, but if you’re on Kaua‘i, you can also count on rain—a lot of it. The rain is what makes this island so incredibly green, but it also means you can have a bright, sunny morning and a downpour an hour later. It definitely keeps things interesting. As for our farm, we keep it pretty wild—more like a jungle than anything else. We grow different varieties of avocados, citrus, breadfruit, cacao, coconuts, and other tropical fruits, and thankfully, they mostly take care of themselves. It’s pretty low-maintenance… until harvest season hits, and then it’s a scramble to give everything away before it goes bad. The second you think you’ve got it under control, nature reminds you who’s really in charge. One thing about working at Leahlani HQ—there will always be more fresh avocados and coconuts than you can eat.

“How did you choose Kaua‘i as the island for your beautiful studio? Did you begin with Leahlani on one of the other islands first?”

Kaua‘i has been home for over half my life now. I moved here when I was 21, and I never left. My husband and I spent a couple of years on O‘ahu for school and then lived on Maui while I trained to become an esthetician—but Leahlani began right here on Kaua‘i in 2006.

Kaua‘i has always felt like home. Leahlani started in my kitchen, and for over ten years, we sold our products at the Hanalei Farmers Market, building a community around them. In 2016, we launched online and expanded into wholesale, bringing Leahlani beyond the islands.

“What’s your favorite spot on the island currently?”

Honestly, my favorite place is at home, or at a friend’s house, just spending time together. And of course, the beach—there’s nothing better than being by the ocean.

“With the effects of climate change becoming sadly more & more evident, what are your sustainability goals for the coming years?”

Sustainability is always on our minds—how can we do better? What small and big changes can we make? It’s an ongoing process, and while we don’t have all the answers, we’re always evolving. At our studio, we recycle nearly everything that comes in, run on solar power, and use energy-efficient hot water on demand. We’re also proud members of 1% for the Planet, which allows us to give back in a way that feels intentional and impactful. In the past, it felt overwhelming trying to support every cause we cared about, and we often felt the pressure to spread ourselves thin. When we joined 1% for the Planet, we made the decision to focus our giving on causes that directly touch our local community. That’s why we support organizations like Waipā Foundation, which is doing incredible work to preserve and restore traditional Hawaiian farming and sustainable land stewardship, and Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i, which helps protect our island’s coastlines and keep our beaches clean. We’re also constantly refining our packaging, sourcing, and production to be more mindful. The goal is to keep making thoughtful shifts, one step at a time, and to continue learning along the way.

*fun fact* Co-founders Leah & Oliver have known each other for over 25 years!

“What does ‘aloha’ mean to you?”

Aloha isn’t just a word—it’s something you feel more than you can explain. I have come to understand aloha as something far beyond just a greeting—it’s a presence, a way of being.

It’s kindness, respect, and deep care—for the land, for the people around you, and for the energy you carry into every space you enter.

?✨