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Luana Naturals - Handmade in Hawaii Skin Care

84-1266 Telephone Exchange Rd
Honaunau, HI 96704
808.328.8797
"Good food for the skin"

Everything   we   create   nourishes your skin
Farm-fresh ingredients & Hawaiian oils and botanicals

Luana Naturals - Handmade in Hawaii Skin Care

  • Aloha
  • Our Ohana
  • Our Ingredients
  • Shop
  • FAQ

A Wabi-Sabi Farm: Appreciating the Imperfect Beauty of a Farmstead in Hawaii

January 17, 2015 Timothy Bruno
 The climb up to our farm in Honaunau, Hawaii.  The beautiful Pacific Ocean glimpsed through the trees.

The climb up to our farm in Honaunau, Hawaii.  The beautiful Pacific Ocean glimpsed through the trees.

Kona coffee harvest time on the Big Island can feel overwhelming and tedious.  Remember, we pick each and every cherry by hand - one at at time.  Yet, it does provide the opportunity to contemplate the subtle messages that one finds throughout one’s day if one is willing to look close enough.

It is in those quiet moments that I contemplated the phrase:  Wabi-sabi - the Japanese art of embracing the beauty of imperfection.  Wabi means humble and simple, and sabi, denotes beauty in the natural progression of time.  When joined together, the words invite us to set aside our demand for perfection and learn to appreciate the beauty of simple things. The emphasis always placed on authenticity.

Wabi-sabi can be found everywhere on my farm.  I must admit, I am not always quick to embrace the concept.  There are plenty of projects I would like to take beyond “imperfection” and bring them more into the light of “completion.” One project is my chicken coop.  I haven’t convinced my “girls” that their wabi-sabi place of rest is a good thing.  They require more comfort.  The roosting pole is too high or too low.  The mongoose get to their food before they can.  The sun doesn’t hit their feathers just right in the morning.  The nesting boxes aren’t as soft as my laundry basket.  Still more work to do before they are ready to enjoy their new home.  The coop is too wabi-sabi for their tastes.  I can understand their feelings.

I didn’t attempt to introduce wabi-sabi elements into my farm; it just happened - all too easily.  Wabi-sabi is more about chance and what unfolds organically.  It's hard to plan and force into place.  The challenge is making the mental shift from wanting things to be “just so” and "now" to seeing things as part of the welcoming and evolving comfort of our place.  It is not easy for me to slow down and recognize the beauty in what may appear as unfinished or ordinary.  I have to work on it.  Like my chickens have to work on accepting their new sleep spot.  But I am beginning to learn that you have to be patient and discover the undeclared beauty of an object or a place over time.  This is when you feel most at home.

The best way to describe my wabi-sabi farm in Hawaii is to give you a list of examples of what came to mind on my walk today.  Perhaps, they will conjure a few images and the concept will be more clear.  For me, it was a good exercise.  Take some time today to make your own list of what wabi-sabi means to you.  Look around at your own space, and rather than see a yard that has a mind of its own or a house with changes to be made, focus on what feels good and embrace the memories that are woven into each part of your home.  This is the true meaning of wabi-sabi.

My Wabi-sabi farm is . . .

a pile of coffee branches waiting to be chipped
  passionfruit jam that is more like syrup than jam
   sun-dried cotton sheets
    hens laying in a laundry basket
     fresh goat cheese spread on toast
      worn wood floors that tell a story
       a lava rock garden bed overflowing
        a large farm sink found in a banana patch
         rusted metal roofing recycled for a chicken coop
          a fig tree growing in between the rows of an orchard
           handmade vintage fabric napkins that are soft and worn
            a thrift store copper pot that has prepared countless bowls of soup
              a fence woven by hand from strawberry guava
                the colors of the papaya skin picked from a volunteer tree
                 details of a found feather used as an impromptu bookmark
                  the feel of an old basket in your hands as you gather fresh herbs
                   a warm cup of chai tea with local honey enjoyed with friends . . .

← From The Archives: Hurricane Newsletter from October 18, 2014Calendula: A must for every herb garden →

From Seed To Skin

From Seed To Skin tells the amazing adventures of my family's life on a coffee farm on the Big Island of Hawaii.  I'll share our story of building a natural skin care business and provide information on why plant-based products are the best choice for you.

I don't drink coffee.  So I needed to find my passion on our farm.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have been enamored with pretty packaging, beautiful fragrances, and colorful palettes.  When we moved to Hawaii, I became interested in the food we put in our bodies and on our bodies.  So, with my first jar of our 100% Kona Coffee scrub, I began my plant-based skin care company - simple, pure, and just "good food for the skin."

I am always learning.  I know that if you keep it simple and nourish the body with quality ingredients, you will look and feel beautiful.  Of course, living in Hawaii doesn't hurt.

 

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MAHALO FOR JOINING OUR OHANA - OUR EXTENDED FAMILY

We look forward to sharing our life on a farm in Hawaii.  The crazy animals, the beautiful ingredients, and the creative process of building a business.  Our monthly newsletter is an opportunity to connect and share stories that are informative and entertaining.  Plus, you will hear about new products as they are being developed and special offers just for our ohana.

Thank you for your support.  We will do our very best to provide a few of the finest things from the island to make your life a little bit more like paradise.  If we are doing it right, please share Luana Naturals with family and friends and invite them to join the ohana too!

With much aloha,

Karen, Tim, Mia, and Oliver


From Seed to Skin
From The Archives: Hurricane Newsletter from October 18, 2014
about 9 months ago
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Luana Naturals   •   P.O. Box 390087, Keauhou, hawaii 96739   •   321.430.7697   •   karen@luananaturals.com

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