NATURAL INGREDIENTS

Konared® Hawaiian Coffee Fruit Extract

KonaRed® Hawaiian Coffee fruit extract is the patented extract of the bright red fruit that encases the coffee bean. Kokua Sun Care uses this Hawaiian super fruit because it is the most potent of the natural antioxidants due to its extremely high concentrations of polyphenols. Scientific research shows that it has the highest antioxidant capacity of all botanicals – up to 10x that of other topical antioxidants. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and hydrating benefits for the skin. Not only does it neutralize free radicals protecting the skin against DNA damage caused by the sun, but it also restores the integrity of the skin after UV exposure. Kokua Sun Care sources its KonaRed® Hawaiian Coffee fruit extract through KonaRed® Corporation, a Hawaiian Coffee Company and the pioneer of the Hawaiian Coffee Fruit. The extract comes from the discarded fruit of the coffee plants grown in the rich volcanic soil of Hawaii coffee farms.

Macadmamia Nut Oil

Kokua Sun Care uses macadamia nut oil for its hydrating, protective and anti-aging properties. Originally from Australia, the first macadamia nut tree arrived in Hawaii in 1881 and was planted on the north shore of the Big Island near Waipi’o Valley. Because Hawaii’s climate and rich soil are perfect for growing macadamia nut trees, they have thrived in the islands ever since. Macadamia nut oil is a special ingredient because it naturally consists of a high concentration of the fatty acid, palmitoleic acid, which rejuvenates the skin. This fatty acid naturally occurs in children’s skin making it smooth and taut, and we slowly lose it as we age. Palmitoleic acid also plays a role in protecting skin cell membranes and helps prevent water loss especially for skin exposed to lots of sunshine.

Kukui Nut Oil

High in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, kukui nut oil prevents free radical damage to the skin and has exceptional hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties.  Ancient Hawaiians used it to protect their skin from the sun, wind, and salt water, and they also used it to treat burns, wounds, and other skin irritations.  It is high in both Omega-6 (linoleic acid) and Omega-3 (linolenic acid), which has been shown to reduce the skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s UV rays and protect the skin from sun damage.  The skin absorbs the oil quickly penetrating deeply into the stratum corneum, slowing water loss, and therefore acting as an excellent moisturizer.  Because of the immense healing and rejuvenating benefits of kukui nut oil and its many traditional uses, it continues to be one of Hawaii’s rich natural and cultural treasures.  It’s no surprise that the kukui tree is the official tree of the State of Hawai’i.

Noni Fruit Juice

“Noni” as it is called in Hawaii and the Pacific islands is a small evergreen tree that thrives in the nutrient rich volcanic soil of Hawaii.  Our Noni comes from the lower Puna regions of the Big Island where it is harvested and processed using ancient traditional Hawaiian methods to preserve the potency of the juice.  Noni continues to be one of the most important traditional Polynesian medicinal plants, and topically it is used to care for, protect, and promote healing of the skin.  Noni has a significant amount of potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and fatty acids, and it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which make it a treasured ingredient in Kokua Sun Care products. 

Plumeria Extract

Plumeria trees flourish in Hawaii and in warm tropical climates all over the world and have been a symbol of love and immortality in many cultures. The flowers of these trees are not just beautiful and alluringly fragrant, but they also have provided important medicinal benefits for people throughout history. Kokua Sun Care uses the extract of fresh Hawaii-grown plumeria flowers produced by gently macerating the flowers and naturally preserving the extract in sunflower oil. This gentle, traditional extraction method produces a natural extract with all of its plant constituents in tact. Plumeria flower extract has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to its high concentration of naturally occurring linalool. The natural lignins that provide the cells of the flower with flexible structural support also help protect human skin from the elements and keep it supple and toned. Easily absorbed into the skin, Kokua Sun Care’s plumeria flower extract also acts to soothe and moisturize the skin.

Noni Honey

Honey has been used for healing, protecting, and beautifying skin for centuries in many cultures.  Honey has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties due to its polyphenol content.  The antioxidants in honey help neutralize and thereby disarm free radicals – the reactive molecules that damage skin cells as a result of environmental stress to the skin, such as sun exposure.  Kokua Sun Care also loves honey because of its humectant or skin conditioning properties.  This means that honey increases the water content of the top layers of the skin by attracting and retaining moisture.  This makes the skin feel soft and smooth without making the skin feel oily!  Our honey comes from the nectar of noni flowers and secreted by honey bees that live on the same beautiful Big Island noni farms that produce the noni fruit that we use in Kokua Sun Care products.  A big mahalo to the bees!

Spirulina

Spirulina is a green superfood powerhouse not just for the inside of your body but for your skin, too! This blue-green algae rich in vitamins and minerals, including B-complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) is one of the most nutritionally rich superfoods in existence. As a result, it has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. The abundant chlorophyll content helps the skin retain moisture and stay hydrated in the hot sun. Kokua Sun Care uses spirulina cultivated on the Kona coast of Hawaii, in conditions similar to how the algae first grew on the planet, 3,500 million years ago. The Kona coast has a perfect growing climate allowing the spirulina to continuously grow all 12 months of the year rendering a superior strain of the algae with the highest concentration of key nutrients and carotenoids.

Full Ingredient List

Active Ingredient:  Non-Nano Zinc Oxide (25%)

Inactive Ingredients:  Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Hawaiian Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hawaiian Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Cetyl Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrogenated Methyl Abietate, Galactoarabinan, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, KonaRed® Hawaiian Coffee Fruit Extract, Hawaiian Noni Honey, Hawaiian Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) Fruit Juice, Arthrospira Platensis (Hawaiian Spirulina), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Heliantus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis (Cantaloupe) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Extract, Butter Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Leaf/Seed Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Heliantus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Plumeria Alba Flower Extract, Kaolin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol Caprylhydroxamic Acid