FAQ
Aloha! Get answers to your questions about our products and more. If you need further help, you can chat with us on Facebook or drop us a note at info@honuaskincare.com
SHIPPING
What are my shipping options?
All orders ship First Class USPS for delivery within the continental USA within 2-5 business days. International orders are also sent via USPS and rates vary. For expedited packing and shipping, please email us at info@honuaskincare.com. Please ensure to have your package shipped to a secure location that you are able to access. Unfortunately, Honua is NOT responsible for lost packages after they are delivered. We do partner with Route for affordable shipping insurance. If available, your shipping insurance option will be shown at checkout.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes! We do ship all over the world using USPS. Taxes and duties may occur on international shipments and are the responsibility of the receiver. Please plan at least 2-3 weeks, if not more. Once a package leaves the US, we have very limited tracking ability and cannot be responsible for lost or damaged shipments. DHL shipments are available at an additional cost as well.
Do you offer insurance for shipments?
We do offer shipping through Route, which is available at checkout. If you are interested in protecting your shipment, please select this option as we are not able to replace lost or mis-delivered packages.
I can't find my shipment! Please help!
Every order receives a shipping confirmation email once your order has shipped. In that email, you will find tracking information and the carrier that is handling your shipment. If your package is missing or lost, please contact the carrier directly.
For international shipments, please monitor the tracking information as once it arrives in your country, the local carrier or customs office may hold it or contact you about delivery. If delivery is not made in a timely manner, carriers may return packages to us. This situation is disappointing for all of us. We are not able to refund purchases or shipping fees if this happens so please be sure to retrieve your shipment!
Why doesn't my shipment include a receipt or packing list?
At Honua, we take every opportunity to conserve and since most receipts and packing lists end up in the trash, we elect to save that paper, resulting in many saved trees per year!
RETURNS
The Spirit of ALOHA guides our mission and daily interactions at Honua. With that we hope to embody compassion, kindness, grace, harmony and humility with every action.
At Honua, we are honored you've chosen us to play a small part in your skincare journey. We strive to inspire and delight you with every customer interaction.
If you purchase a Honua product that appears defective, please contact us immediately and we will figure out what went wrong. If you purchase a product that does not work for you, please contact us at makana@honuaskincare.com within 30 days of purchase and we can set up a personalized consultation to determine the best next steps. Please provide your order number, product name and how the product falls short of your expectations.
We do ask that you respect our roots. We are a small, family-run company and each return does affect us personally. We cannot accept returns if you just changed your mind. We offer store credit on approved returns.
Beginning in February 2023, we will have return options so you can ensure you have the option to try something else in the event one product does not work for you.
If you have sensitive skin or allergies, we recommend starting with one product and easing in slowly or patch testing in an area other than your face. For all skin types, we recommend transitioning slowly rather than starting with an entirely new skincare regimen and expecting results overnight. For this reason, we also recommend buying one of a product as we don't accept returns in bulk (i.e. multiple SKUs of the same product).
Special Editions, Free Gifts and Sets: Special/limited editions and gift sets are not eligible for returns. The full value of any gifts (mystery, free, promo) are subtracted from any return.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Do you offer subscriptions or recurring shipments?
As a matter of fact we do, though the program is limited and closes from time to time due to capacity constraints. Our subscription members get great deals on each order, free samples + first look at brand new products! To join, simply visit the product page you would like and look for the Subscribe and Save option under the One Time Purchase option. You can cancel, change products, change quantities and change shipping frequencies at any time.
DO YOU OFFER DELAYED OR DEFERRED PAYMENTS?
Yes! We work with Shop Pay to do payment installments. Upon signing up, you can defer payments on most purchases. How does it work? You'll make automatic payments for a total of FOUR interest-free installments. As long as you make your payment on time, you never pay interest or fees. The signup form is SUPER easy and you know instantly if you are approved, so no waiting around.
REWARDS PROGRAM - HONUA INSIDER PERKS
Do you offer rewards for purchases or loyalty?
The Honua Insider Perks program is new in 2022! We award points for purchases, referrals, social posts and even bottle returns! Points can be redeemed for free products, free shipping, discounts and more.
Is it free to join Honua Insider Perks?
Yes, HIP is totally free to join. Just enter your email address, set up a password and you are IN.
How do I see my points activity?
First, please login to your account. On the upper right side you'll see a grey box that says INSIDER PERKS (see below). Click on that and you are in. Scroll down and you'll see your points activities, rewards and even points history so you can see how you have earned points.
How do I redeem rewards?
Within your INSIDER PERKS portal, scroll down to the rewards. If you have enough points, the option GET REWARD will be available. Click on it and you will redeem the points for a reward code to use at checkout.
I am in the 'Ōlena Tier - How do I use my free shipping ?
Within your INSIDER PERKS portal, scroll down to the rewards section. You'll see a FREE SHIPPING voucher. It does show that you need to redeem 5 points for it. We can't quite figure out a way for it to show up "FREE" but in the meantime, you'll use 5 points. If you ever run out of points and have no shipping vouchers left, we will stock you up again. Just email us at aloha@honuaskincare.com
How are my points awarded?
Every time you complete an activity or make a purchase, points will be added to your account. If you purchased with us in 2022, you will already have points added. We deployed Honua Insider Perks in October 2022 so purchases from then on will have points. If you purchased prior to that, we added points to your account for earlier purchases as well.
How do I get points for recycling bottles?
We award 50 points per bottle returned to us! Bottles must be clean and dry so rinse them out and let them dry first. Discard the cap. Take a picture of the bottles you are sending back to us and send that to aloha@honuaskincare.com. Here is the address to ship them to:
GlassHalfFull NOLA
re: Honua Skincare
3935 Louisa St
New Orleans, LA 70126
More questions?
You can learn more by visiting our Honua Insider Perks page!
Only products could toward purchases - not shipping/taxes. Questions? Email aloha@honuaskincare.com for more info.
OUR PRODUCTS
Are your products vegan?
All of our products are derived from natural sources that embrace cruelty-free practices. Some of our products contain raw Hawaiian honey, so the 2 that contain honey (Moana and 'Āina Masks) are not 100% vegan. They are 100% cruelty free however, as the honey comes from a sustainable Hawaiian honey bee farm.
Are your products cruelty Free?
Absolutely! Cruelty-free is the only way to be, in our opinion. Honua products are extensively tested but only on humans. Willing humans, of course. Honua is also a member of PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies Program!
Are your products gluten free?
Our products are gluten free. The exception is our Moana Mask, which uses some wheat germ in it.
What if I have allergies to ingredients?
All of our ingredients are listed in detail on each product page here on our website. If you have further questions, feel free to email us at info@honuaskincare.com
Are Honua products safe for pregnancy?
Our ingredients are all botanical-based and are definitely free from harmful chemical, toxins and hormone disruptors. We have had many women use our line during pregnancy, including Kapua, our founder. However, everyone has a different experience during pregnancy and some herbs can be irritants so it is best to share the ingredients with your physician to address any potential concerns.
Do your products contain preservatives?
Some of our products contain water and other ingredients that necessitate a safe, non-toxic preservation system to prevent the growth of mold, bacteria, yeast, or fungi. We use safe, environmentally friendly sources for our preservatives, including sodium anisate, lactobaccilus, sodium levulinate and several others, all of which have been “green beauty” approved. Our preservatives help to extend the shelf life of our beautiful products.
What is the shelf life of Honua products?
We recommend all products be consumed within 12-18 months. Many of our products have been known to last longer, particularly when kept in cool dark places or even the refrigerator, but refrigeration is not necessary and the products are shelf stable on their own. For open bottles, we personally suggest 6-12 months for potency of our super botanicals.
Are your products certified organic or wild crafted?
Most of our products are sourced from organic or wild crafted sources, however many of our suppliers are small farms in Hawaii and elsewhere that are unable to spend the considerable amount of money to be “certified” so many of our ingredients are not actually certified organic. You can rest assure that none are grown using GMOS or harmful chemicals.
What is the texture of the Aloha Youth Serum?
The texture of our Aloha Youth Serum is a milky, creamy emulsion that absorbs beautifully into the skin. While it contains some miracle oils, it does not have an oily texture.
Does the Aloha Youth Serum come with a pump top or dropper?
We are always testing out the best possible dispensing options for our products and currently the Aloha Youth Serum comes with a dropper top with glass pipette. We feel this keeps our beautiful Serum optimally fresh. If you prefer a pump top and would like it included, please include it in the notes section upon ordering. We recommend you always close and lock the pump top, to prevent unwanted air from getting into the serum.
What is the scent of the ‘Ōlena Oil?
Our ‘Ōlena Oil is made from Hawaiian turmeric, tamanu oil and a few other beautiful ingredients. However, the scent is distinctly turmeric/tamanu and dissipates into the skin after a few minutes.
Several products list pure vitalized water in the ingredients. What is pure vitalized water ?
We use a six-step purification system for our water that enhances the products naturally, using rare volcanic minerals. The system produces quality results equivalent to mountain spring water in purity, texture and performance.
Which products are good for pigmentation?
Both our Aloha Youth Serum & Our ʻŌlena Oil are very effective for fading pigmentation and brightening skin . Kapua, Honua’s founder, had severe sun spots and some post inflammatory spots and scarring and she developed these products specifically to address her own skin issues, as well as for her facial clients in Hawaii, many of whom had similar pigmentation spots. The Aloha Youth Serum and ‘Ōlena Oil layered as a night/day treatment under SPF are most effective.
Are your products good for teenage or hormonal skin?
Our Pa’akai Cleansing Cream is for all skin types and is meant to cleanse, heal and balance skin. It is very safe and clean ingredients and can be used for the family. We use Hawaiian salt along with witch hazel to give skin a deep cleanse, hibiscus to gently exfoliate and tighten pores, rose and herbal oils to balance and hydrate and other beautiful soothing ingredients like comfrey and aloe. Our Hawaiian Beauty Water is great to incorporate into the skincare routine for hormonal skin as it is a liquid exfoliator that uses papaya enzymes to exfoliate and brighten skin.
Are your products safe for rosacea?
We have treated many rosacea clients and customers, who have had success with Honua. Our line is based on traditional healing and is very anti-inflammatory... perfect for rosacea/seborrheic Dermatitis. Our 4-step ritual would be the best option, as the products work together to treat the different needs of skin.
Here is a link to a video of customer who also has rosacea, and has been saved by our healing products.
https://thclips.net/video/a1pKoDLb0ts/my-favorite-honua-skincare-alchemies.html
What is so great about turmeric?
Turmeric has been used for centuries by many cultures, including Hawaiian. As an esthetician, Kapua (our founder), has used turmeric for over a decade to treat facial clients because she discovered that treating the root of skin issues was incredibly effective. Turmeric is very anti-inflammatory, and many skin issues are the result of inflammation. Our ‘Ōlena Oil is a collection of healing oils and it absorbs beautifully without feeling to heavy and will hydrate your skin, balance your oil production and also give your skin a huge dosage of anti-inflammatory 'Olena (Hawaiian Turmeric).
How do I use the Hawaiian Beauty Water?
Our Hawaiian Beauty Water is a liquid exfoliator – not a facial mist. It contains Aloalo (Hawaiian hibiscus), kō (Hawaiian sugar), papaya enzymes and willow bark, which exfoliate dead skin for a healthy glow. We recommend using 3-5x week depending on skin type. If your skin is very sensitive, you can start out with 1x per week to see how it reacts. We recommend using it on a re-usable cotton round and swiping all over your face (non-reusable rounds works too… we just love the eco perk and cost saving benefit of the reusable). We will soon offer the re-usable rounds for sale on our website!
What is the Honua Ritual?
Our Honua Ritual starts with our Pa’akai Cleansing Cream, which is a product for all skin types and is meant to cleanse, heal and balance skin. It is safe for use morning and night, though we find some skin only needs cleansing at night. Following the Pa’akai Cleansing Cream, dispense 2-3 pumps of our Hawaiian Beauty Water onto a reusable cotton round or gentle washcloth. Swipe gently over the face for a healthy glow. We recommend this step 3-5x per week (or less often for really sensitive skin). Then follow with our Aloha Youth Serum, which is a creamy emulsion containing Hawaiian super powers that soaks into clean skin. For nighttime routines, you can finish with our ‘Ōlena Oil as a moisturizing treatment and skin healer. During the day, we recommend the Malu SPF after the Aloha Youth Serum. The ‘Ōlena Oil may not be necessary during the day, depending on the moisture level in your skin.
Do you have any sun protection products?
Absolutely! Our Malu Protecting Day Cream is a beautiful daily moisturizer with SPF 30. It contains only non-nano zinc oxide that is reef and ocean safe so it is good for you and good for the earth!
Do you offer bottle recycling?
YES! See this blog post for more information on how to send back your Honua bottles. Honua x Glass Half Full NOLA
What is the Batch Number, as indicated on the box or bottle of my product?
Our batch numbers allow us to track exactly when a product was made and all of the associated products in the batch.
Do you offer wholesale opportunities?
Our Honua community is relatively small but growing. We do offer some wholesale opportunities. Please click here to share more information: WHOLESALE AT HONUA.
How do you support your community?
This is such an important question and a core tenant of our mission. Honua supports many organizations, including small, independent Hawaiian farms that supply us with ingredients for our handcrafted products.
We also support organizations that are helping to improve our land in Hawaii and elsewhere. Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii organizes beach cleanups all over Hawaii (and all over the world through its parent company) and we host a beach cleanup with Sustainable Coastlines each spring. A portion of the proceeds from our newly released Malu SPF benefits Sustainable Coastlines.
We also support Haloa' Āina, which helps to restore the land to its native Hawaiian habitat, by clearing invasive species that destroy our endemic plants and replanting endangered species, like the precious sandalwood tree. We use sandalwood in some of our products, but only because we are able to plant sandalwood trees through this critical project.
I have more questions. How do I reach you?
If you need further help, you can chat with us on Facebook or drop us a note at info@honuaskincare.com
Mahalo ~ Kapua and the Honua Hawaiian Skincare Team