SPOTLIGHT: KOPARI'S COCONUT OIL
By now I'm sure you know the major beauty benefits of coconut oil, but a new brand from Southern California with ties to Hawaii has taken this coconut craze to a new level. Since Kopari launched in the fall of 2015, the brand has garnered a cult-following on social media and has landed in the hands (and on the skin and hair) of the top beach babes from California to Australia and of course throughout the islands. What you might not know is Kopari's founder Kiana Cabell is a bona fide beach babe born and raised in Honolulu, and she spent summers living on a catamaran in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, with her dad Joey Cabell (arguably the top all-around surfer of the 1960s).
"Boredom turned into beauty when I started experimenting with creating my own hair and skin products made from wild coconuts, awapuhi ginger flower, papaya and aloe vera found in the jungle of Kauai’s North Shore," says Kiana.
After spending years this side of paradise, Kiana landed at the University of San Diego and further studied integrative health and nutrition at New York City's Natural Gourmet Institute, where she became a certified organic chef.
"The most important thing I learned? Coconut oil is the most kick-ass ingredient known to (wo)man. You can eat it, cook it, slather it, swish it, spray it, sun it, soak it, scrub it, and clean with it. There’s almost nothing this super-food can’t do."
So with that knowledge and a desire to create a coconut oil that's formulated especially for beauty purposes, she's offered a whole range of coconut oil products that can be used in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: taming frizz, removing makeup, moisturizing skin and mending split-ends.
All Kopari products are made with 100 percent organic coconut oil sustainably sourced from the Philippines. And rest assured, the entire range is free from sulfates, silicones, parabens, phlatates, GMOs and toxins. Unlike the coconut oil you can find at your local grocery store, Kopari's SheaLight (found in Kopari's Sheer Oil, Body Glow and Balm) absorbs more easily onto the skin and hair for maximum hydration without the greasy residue.
Two of my favorite products thus far are the Coconut Sheer Oil and Coconut Body Glow. The Sheer OIl is a multi-purpose lightweight beauty oil that's jam-packed with anti-aging properties. I use it on my face at night and keep it in my bag to help tame frizz throughout the day. Kopari's Body Glow is the mermaid must-have—perfect to keep in your bag to give your skin a light shimmer for the beach or a girls night out. Not to mention, its tropical coco-tiare scent makes you feel like your on a permanent vacation!
Check out Kopari's whole range of coconut oil products here and keep an eye out for a new crop of coconut items to crave. I assure you this is just the beginning for Kiana and Kopari.
