Body scrubs are physical exfoliants that mechanically slough away dead skin cells. The feel of a “scrub” typically comes from a combination of sugar and/or salt that is suspended in an oil base. While some scrubs (particularly of the DIY variety) contain coarse salt and sugar particles, higher-quality varieties are formulated with fine, premium particles that polish skin without being abrasive.

3. Helps To Avoid or Remove Pesky Ingrown Hairs

One way to treat yourself is to use our Awapuhi Vanilla Sugar Salt Scrub before shaving. When you use the scrub, it can help unclog pores and remove textured skin that can lead to those pesky ingrown hairs.

5. Sugar Body Scrub Removes Dry Bits

Enough said, right? Sugar + oil + dry skin = nourished and smooth skin. A lot of people think they shouldn’t use body scrubs if they have dry skin. Well, they’re wrong! Body scrubs remove dead skin cells and then moisturize with oil. It’s a perfect formula.

Pamper your skin and have an at-home spa day treat every week with our Awapuhi Vanilla Sugar Scrub & Body Lotion.

As a mama, I've had the blessing of being able to celebrate Mother's Day with my ‘ohana for 12 years now! Mothers work hard, so they deserve to be pampered and showered with gifts on our special day.

You can get your mama her favorite flowers, or this Mother's Day, you can skip the cliché gift and get her something you know she will love and that will last longer than just a few days. Here are our top six gift ideas for any and every kind of mom!

Looking for more Mother's Day gifting ideas? Here are some of our favorite local mama-owned businesses that you can support this year!

Happy Mother's Day!

Xoxo,

Chelsa + the AO ‘ohana

When it comes to sustainability at Ao Organics Hawaii and even in my own personal life, we are not perfect, but progress is better than perfection–that's why we say "earth-friendly," not "earth-perfect."

It is “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance,” but I like to say it’s anything that helps people or the planet during the process. Even in our small acts of recycling, repurposing, or reusing things, you make a difference!

Make the world greener by planting something. Trees help clear the air, produce oxygen and will even improve your property value. Consider starting a vegetable garden to help reduce reliance on pesticide-heavy conventionally farmed foods. If you don't have a garden, consider composting your food waste–that's also a start!

Conventionally manufactured skincare products contain ingredients that are both bad for you and the environment. Making the switch to natural and clean beauty products keeps harmful ingredients out of the water, all while giving you healthier skin!

Packaging waste can really build up, especially irresponsible packaging waste. Use this Earth Day as an opportunity to research and support businesses that use eco-friendly packaging methods. Take it a step further by learning more about how to recycle packaging waste.

Conventional shampoos and conditioners come in plastic bottles that many communities can't recycle (check the resin codes on your plastic waste and see if they're accepted in your city's recycling system). Plus, they contain ingredients that may cause asthma or other human health problems and wreak havoc on water systems when they wash down the drain. Try our zero-waste shampoo and conditioner bars!

You can recycle your old, unused or broken computers, tablets, phones and other electronics can often by taking them to electronic stores, manufacturers, or even your local government! By doing so protects, you help to protect our natural resources while also reducing pollution.

Whether you're brushing your teeth, washing dishes, or taking a shower, turn off the water when it's not needed.

Use a backpack or bag from home, or buy reusable bags that you can keep in your car and use them again and again.

Buying local produce and other items reduces shipping distances from food sourced overseas, and also supports your local business owners and communities.

Look for ways you can 1) reduce, 2) reuse and 3) recycle throughout your home. You’ll save natural resources, energy and money, plus reduce the waste sent to landfills.

When you further your own education, you can help others understand the importance and value of our natural resources!

Here are a few ways you can positively share your sustainable lifestyle—because it's better to make small changes than none at all!

As some of you may already know, I started Ao Organics after becoming a new mother. Being an ocean-loving family, we spend most of our family days at the beach, playing under the sun all day long! Because of this, sunscreen has always been a staple in our beach bag.

When I started to learn how toxic the sunscreens we were using were, with their harmful ingredients and chemicals, we completely stopped using them. However, at the time, it was challenging to find a brand we could trust that was 100% organic in stores. That's when I stepped into my kitchen and started making my own.

Four years later, and we've expanded our line of products since our days of just churning out reef-safe sunscreens. Here are mine and Shannele's four must-have items in our beach bag!

We've come so far. From reef safe tanning oils to a full organic and a natural skincare line, we're here four years later, feeling better than ever! We're so thankful to all our AO Glow Goddesses for your amazing support over the years. We couldn't have done it without you!

In celebration of our birthday, here are some of our milestones since we started back in 2017.

• Launched the first product in our anti-aging line!

• Developing more plans to expand our anti-aging line...

We are so humbled by all the accomplishments we achieved and milestones we reached just in the past four years since we started Ao Organics Hawai‘i. Mahalo for your support everyone!

Xoxo,

Chelsa + the AO ‘ohana

It is beneficial to use both a serum and moisturizer. Use your serum before your moisturizer. Adding this combo to your skincare routine will give your skin a double dose of hydrating and healing ingredients!

It’s okay to skip moisturizer, and just use serum alone.

Serums are truly state-of-the-art skin care products because they are potent formulations that deliver beneficial high-performance ingredients such as antioxidants, humectants or other cell-communicating components to the skin.

As beneficial as serums are, dont be tempted to skip your moisturizer, especially if the consistency of the serum you’re using resembles a lotion or an oil-based serum. Moisturizing is a crucial part of skin care! Keep in mind that your skin protects the entire body. Moisturizers protect our skin from the elements, all while hydrating and softening it. Also, while some serums contain hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, you still need to add layer a moisturizer over the serum to seal it into the skin!

Get ready for our NEW ‘Iliwai Hydration Serum, which drops this Friday, Mar. 12 at 6 a.m. HST.

PRO SKIN TIP:

1. Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Apply our new ‘ILIWAI HYDRATION SERUM
4. Lastly, lock it in with a moisturizer!

Be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter to be in the know, and get an alert when this serum hits our site!

March is Women's History Month! This is a month where we celebrate the women before us who paved the way to allow us boss babes to follow our dreams, and reflect on how we can realize these dreams. In order to do so, the first step is taking care of yourself, and we can help!

Skincare is more than taking care of what’s on the outside, it also requires us to care for our bodies from within too. At Ao Organics Hawai‘i, we want to be more than just the products you are using, we want to be a part of your skin health journey in all aspects. Once we care for ourselves starting from the inside out, we’ll feel ready to make history ourselves!

Here are six ways to take extra care of your skin this month:

Did you know that feeling stressed triggers production of extra cortisol in the body? This hormone, which regulates our fight or flight response, is also responsible for an inability of the skin to retain moisture while also promoting an overproduction of oil in response. So you end up with dry, dull skin, and an overabundance of oil production to deal with.

AO Tip: Practice some of these stress-relief activities: take a bubble bath, light a candle and do deep breathing for 10-15 minutes, or find an activity that helps you to de-stress

We’re not scared of fats anymore! Good fats like avocado, coconut oil, olive oil and omega 3s, are essential when it comes to keeping skin moisturized and healthy. Bonus: these fats support healthy cellular growth and function, soothe inflammation in the body, speed healing of damaged skin, and supply you with energy–now go make history babe!

We all know by now we should be washing our face and removing our makeup. That’s right girl–no sleeping in your makeup, ever. But did you also know the temperature of the water makes a difference when it comes to the health of your skin? Washing your face with water that is too hot can strip the sebum from your skin and zap the moisture and hydration right along with it.

AO Tip: Wash your face with lukewarm water as it will give the oil on your skin the chance to warm up for a good cleanse instead of completely washing it away. Then massage our ‘Ōlena + Honey Cleanser into your skin for a full 60 seconds to really get the most of your daily wash.

Not only does makeup residue build up on your brushes, but so does bacteria, oil, dirt, dust and sweat. By not regularly cleaning all of that grime off, you eventually will bet clogged pores, inflammation, and unwanted breakouts.

AO Tip: Make it a weekly routine to give your makeup brushes a good wash! Did you know you can even wash your makeup brushes with our Get Naked Makeup Remover?!

Did you know that daily movement offers skin benefits as well and mental and physical ones? Exercise promotes healthy blood circulation, which in turn carries oxygen and other essential nutrients to all of your cells, including your face! That healthy dose of nutrients helps to give your face an instant glow and overall radiance. Don’t forget your post-workout skincare, either.

AO Tip: Make sure to give your face a good cleanse as softening your sweat glands can push out some of what clogs the pores and you’ll definitely want to wash off that dirt and grime afterwards!

Hydration is of the utmost importance when you’re caring for your skin, especially when it comes to preventing wrinkles and skin elasticity. If you find yourself struggling to drink enough water, you can eat your water, too! Think fruits and veggies with a high-water content like watermelon, strawberry, cucumber and cantaloupe...and don’t forget the topical application either!

AO Tip: Carry any of our facial toners with you for a refreshing dose of hydration on the go. You’ll help to maintain your skin’s balance and can help reduce inflammation and puffiness.

Take time this month not only to celebrate women who've made history, but also the ones making history right now, including you babe! When you make the time to invest in yourself, care for your skin, eat healthy and live healthier, you get to get back to what you were meant to do...Make history!