Tatawai Botanicals

What is an upcycled ingredient? It is not something we’re used to hearing about in the beauty industry. But some of the most interesting skincare ingredients can start with something that was once considered waste. It’s a genuinely sustainable way to tackle food waste.

Some ingredients we are so familiar with that we don’t even give them a second thought. For example, take apricot oil, it’s often cold pressed from the kernel inside the stone, which is normally discarded in the process of producing dried apricots, jam or chutney. Hydrosols are another good example, they’re the by-product of essential oils that are extracted by steam.

Perhaps my favourite though is tomato seed oil, full of lycopene – a powerful antioxidant. It contains phytosterols that support the skin’s barrier and help reduce dryness, as well as fatty acids that provide deep hydration and help maintain skin elasticity. Until recently most tomato seeds were discarded as waste during the production of tomato sauce.

And we eat A LOT of tomato sauce! Kagome Australia has now partnered with Native Extracts to convert 5000 tonnes (annually) of seed waste into a valuable ingredient known for skincare supporting properties.

It’s the star attraction in the hand cream that we’re currently developing, the lycopene gives it a beautiful pale red/orange colour. But don’t worry, whether you think a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable, you definitely won’t smell like one when you use our products. 🍅

It’s here! 🤍

A low-foam cleanser designed to cleanse without disrupting the skin — especially when skin is feeling tight, reactive or unsettled.

No unnecessary extras. Just a considered first step for skin that needs a little less stress. The Gentle Cleanser is now available at tatawaibotanicals.co.nz.

The Cleanser arrives soon and then The Tatawai Ritual will be complete - 3 simple steps:

1. Cleanse
Start with a gentle cleanse to refresh skin, remove impurities, and prepare for the next steps.

2. Support
A lightweight serum designed to support skin that feels reactive, unsettled, or unpredictable.

3. Seal
Lock in moisture to keep skin soft, supple, and balanced in all weather conditions.

“Skincare range that connects to the land.”

That was the headline when Tatawai Botanicals was recently featured in the Rolleston News.

The name Tatawai comes from a place with a long connection to our family. Lake Tatawai was once part of the Taieri Plains before being drained and converted to farmland, and in the 1950s my Granddad purchased the lease for the farm. Four generations of our family have since called that land home.

That connection is part of the story behind Tatawai Botanicals — alongside my interest in the relationship between skin, plants and the environment around us.

It was lovely to have the opportunity to share some of that story, and the thinking behind Tatawai Botanicals, with the local community.

Thank you to the Rolleston News for the feature. https://issuu.com/malvernnews/docs/issue_248_-_wednesday_26_august_2026/3

I may have launched a skincare brand — but I haven't stopped formulating.

Over the past few weeks, I've been looking closely at ingredients and formulations that may help support the skin barrier for people whose skin is prone to eczema or atopic dermatitis. It's led me somewhere I didn't expect: the connection between our skin and how we feel.

Skin isn't just a barrier against the environment. It's closely connected with our immune and nervous systems too. Anyone living with an ongoing skin condition probably already knows that — when your skin is uncomfortable or inflamed, it can affect how you feel about yourself. And when you're already stressed, looking after it can feel like one more thing to manage.

To be clear, I'm not trying to treat eczema or replace medical care. But the questions people ask and the experiences they share often send me back to the research. Understanding how to formulate for skin that is dry, reactive or struggling to maintain a healthy barrier is something I'm continuing to explore.

Fragrance can make skincare more enjoyable to use. It becomes part of the experience, and for many people that's important.

When I started formulating Tatawai's facial range, I made a different decision. I wanted people with sensitised skin to be able to use our facial products without fragrance becoming another thing to think about.

That choice changed every formulation that followed.

Every ingredient has to earn its place, and every decision starts with the same question:

What does this skin need?

tatawaibotanicals.co.nz

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 5 star review from Anonymous:

A nice light moisturiser. A little bit goes a long way! It has now become apart of my daily routine and my skin has never thanked me enough!

https://tatawaibotanicals.co.nz/products/moisturiser

Somewhere along the way, stronger became synonymous with better in skincare.

When I started formulating, I was just as drawn to the latest actives as everyone else. What they might do and what percentage delivered maximum impact. Working with sensitised skin gradually changed that.

What I kept observing was that the skin wasn't lacking another ingredient. It was skin that had simply had enough.

These days I'm just as interested in what happens when we ask less of the skin.

When your skin barrier is doing its job, you don't think about it.

When it isn't, everything becomes noticeable. Products that once felt fine start to sting. Skin that was predictable suddenly isn't.

Most people assume this means their skin has changed permanently. Often it hasn't. It's simply had too much, for too long.

Given the right support, skin can often regain its resilience.

That's the space Tatawai was made for.

tatawaibotanicals.co.nz

Prize delivered! 🎉 So lovely to hand over the Tatawai Botanicals giveaway box to Lora Jane McLaren in person. Thank you again for entering, and to everyone who joined the list and took part — more giveaways to come! 💚