“Our” story is actually a little ambitious, given Kumanu is only me!
In 2017 my teenage daughter returned from a shopping trip and told me about a wonderful rosewater toner she had sampled but couldn’t afford. Knowing I could purchase rosewater in the supermarket I decided to attempt to make a toner for her. I found a recipe online and the toner turned out beautifully. There followed a lightbulb moment, and I thought about making more skincare for my family and I, with the benefits of knowing exactly what was in the products, being able to make them 100% natural, and there being little or no packaging waste.
That’s when I got serious. When I get excited about something I really throw myself in, boots and all. I found a fantastic supplier, attended their workshops, studied formulations, the use of natural emulsifiers and preservatives, bought beakers and double boilers, pH strips, many ingredients, and spent hours in my kitchen testing and modifying formulations for myself. My eyes were opened to the wonderful world of natural ingredients – largely plants – and their incredible nourishing and healing properties.
Long story short, after receiving enthusiastic feedback from friends and family guineapigs, I have decided to share the love.
My mission now is to market the Kumanu range to local customers who are looking for natural skincare, made sustainably, with packaging that can be returned, reused or composted. For more information on re-using containers see the bottle refills and returns page.
Over the last year I have planted kawakawa and calendula in my garden and am now using these wonderfully healing plants to make my own infused oils, so along with my beeswax those products are harvested right here onsite.
In 2020 I left my then working life as a Personal Assistant to pursue my own goals on a natural and sustainable path. When I’m not “making potions” as my family call it, you will find me gardening, tending my bees, working on upcycling projects and creating artworks.
Oh, and as an aside, that original rosewater toner is still in my range, however I now use pure rose hydrosol as opposed to rosewater from the supermarket 🙂
Noho ora mai
Renée
