Why making the switch to a solid moisturiser may be the best thing you do in 2020

OK, so making your 2020 highlight list may not be hard, but we can promise four things when you switch from a liquid body moisturiser to a solid moisturiser:

One…

You’re guaranteed to save money. Our solid moisturisers last as long if not longer than the equivalent of two 250ml pump bottles of moisturiser. Plus you’re not paying for water or preservatives to get that nutrient-rich burst of skin-boosting moisture. Win!

Two...

You’ll hydrate and protect your skin without exposing your beautiful body to any nasty chemicals thanks to our gorgeous, natural hydrating oils packed with vitamin E, C and omegas 3 and 6 among other delicious goodies. Perfect for sun exposed summer skin, and winter skin that loses excess moisture due to winter heating and sudden temperature changes.

Three...

You’ll do a world of good for the planet and clock up those Brownie points with our guilt-free packaging that goes on to have a second life. Plus because of no excess water, our bars have a reduced carbon footprint compared to the equivalent pump bottle moisturisers. 

Four...

As well as being a money saver our Ahhh solid moisturisers are an amazing space saver fitting easily in cupboards or in your handbag or gym bag. Plus, when you travel, your solid moisturiser doesn’t fall victim to the onboard cabin bag restrictions so even when your body dehydrated while flying you can give your skin a boost. Obviously, this isn’t happening any time soon, but it's great to know for the future!

We tell you more below about our sustainability mission, nutrient-rich moisturising ingredients and our range below.

Our solid bar sustainability story

When I researched solid moisturiser bars and the enormous amount of plastic waste they generated, I didn’t have to think twice about adding them to our Ahhh plastic-free range: 

“It’s estimated that in 30 years there will be more plastic in the sea by weight than fish. Most plastics are also made from unrenewable petroleum sources, and while recycling is an option in New Zealand, more than 250,000 tonnes of plastic still ends up in Kiwi landfills every year, and only 28% of us recycle - that’s less than a third of us. Plus plastic bottles are costly to recycle so some councils just don’t do it. Non-recycled plastic packaging is also expected to grow by 40% as more products are made from new plastics rather than recycled plastics.” Read more about our Ahhh sustainability journey here.

There are all sorts of solid moisturisers available in the New Zealand market, but for simple, easy and fast application with no excess or waste, the push-up cardboard tube is a revelation. Plus our Ahhh moisturiser tubes are home-compostable and printed with non-toxic dyes, so when the last of your moisturiser has been used, simply pop it in with the veggie peelings and into the compost and they’ll start their journey to become reborn into something new in your garden.

Or, with spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to plant seedlings into either end of the tube. They’re also ideal for seed propagation, enabling space for seedlings to grow big and strong before transferring them into the garden. Follow this mini seedling greenhouse blog to see how you can do this at home.

And if you want to give your friends some succulent babies, our tubes make happy little homes for them on the way! See here.

Our nourishing, protecting ingredients

Our hero ingredients are hemp seed oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. Each was chosen with care for their skin enhancing and intensive moisturising properties.

Cocoa butter

Promotes skin elasticity, aids in the prevention of premature skin ageing while alleviating dry skin and providing a protective barrier to stop the body's natural moisture from escaping thanks to essential fatty acids. Evidence suggests that cocoa butter can be helpful for pregnant women in preventing the formation of stretch marks and is often recommended by midwives and doctors.

Hemp seed oil

Is ultra-hydrating and is known for moisturising skin without clogging pores while balancing the skin’s natural sebum production. This makes it perfect for skin on the body that is prone to breakouts such as the chest, shoulders and back. Thanks to high levels of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid and oleic acids, hemp seed oil is a potent antioxidant shown to calm and soothe irritated or dry skin while promoting skin cell regeneration and slowing the effects of skin ageing. This makes this oil ideal in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, excess dryness and psoriasis.

Coconut oil

Science has backed up claims of the potent healing and inflammatory properties and skin elasticity promoting effects of coconut oil. This natural oil extracted from raw coconuts or the dried coconut kernels is rich in fatty acids, most abundantly lauric acid and myristic acid. Lauric acid has antibacterial properties and has shown to be effective in reducing acne - more so than benzoyl peroxide - and in treating psoriasis. It also fights against pathogens, preventing the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and yeasts, including athlete’s foot. Myristic acid is ultra-hydrating and is easily absorbed by the skin. Coconut oil also relieves inflammation caused by eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis thanks to high levels of antioxidants. As a moisturiser, used consistently for 2 weeks on dry skin, coconut oil can return skin to high levels of hydration, decreased eczema - by as much as 68% - provide a barrier to bacteria, heal wounds and scarring, reduce chance of infection and promote collagen production to create strong, supple skin.

Sweet almond oil

This is a vitamin-rich oil with ingredients proven to aid in skin repair and elasticity while reducing dryness and calming skin issues such as acne and eczema. This is thanks to potent levels of vitamin A and E, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc. Vitamin A contains retinol and is increasingly being recognised as a star in the fight against premature skin ageing due to promoting cell regeneration. Antioxidant vitamin E and omega 3 have been shown to reduce cell damage as a result of UV exposure. And zinc is beneficial in the treatment of acne healing and the prevention or reduction in scarring from acne or stretch marks. Thanks to its emollient skin softening properties, almond oil is also effective in improving skin tone and complexion.

Our delicious Ahhh range of solid moisturisers

Because variety is the spice of life, we have four delicious solid moisturisers to keep your skin hydrated and smelling glorious:

Ocean Cruz

This ocean-scented moisturiser is popular with everyone. It was inspired by my husband who informed me that the guys at his gym apply lotion after showering and he wanted to too… FOMO much? 🤣 🤣 🤣  The hydration secret behind Ocean Cruz is a nourishing blend of cocoa butter, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. Ideal for application straight after the shower at the gym.

Sweet Orange and Grapefruit

This is my all time favourite solid moisturiser for so many reasons, not least that it smells like a citrus dream but that it contains the powerful antioxidant ascorbic acid (vitamin C) proven to protect skin from the damage of free radicals as a result of UV exposure. It aids in the prevention of premature ageing, even skin tone, hyperpigmentation and brown spots by inhibiting melanin production, and restores skin radiance.

Raspberry and Vanilla

This raspberry-scented luxurious moisturiser is our best seller. The star ingredient is ultra-hydrating hemp seed oil, which is a well-known celebrated hydration and healing ingredient that supports skin repair while maintaining skin breathability and health.

Rose and Chamomile

I was going to wax lyrical about this heavenly moisturiser with calming chamomile and healing rosehip oil, but just this afternoon, while writing this very blog post, the amazing Nishu from LipsnBerries sent us her review of it. So I thought I’d share it here:

“A solid moisturiser that is super-rich, keeps my skin hydrated for days, sports no plastic, saves time during application..yada yada..count me in. This is busy mama’s best friend. I actually look forward to applying this body moisturiser post a warm shower in the evenings. Ahhh is a handcrafted soap brand, in our lil ole New Zealand, that aims to make you feel exactly like the name suggests - Ahhh. That post-bath contented sigh. The bliss. The self-care ritual. I’ve been using many of their products recently. I like them all, but this (Rose and Chamomile) solid moisturiser tops the list. A gentle soothing fragrance, rich cocoa butter, Coconut Oil, Vitamin E and some beautiful calming scents-what’s not to love.”

 

I am biased, but I am obsessed with our Ahhh solid moisturisers, that’s why I have perfected them. I would love for you to try the one that most appeals to you and really hope I can make your best of 2020 list!