January 17, 2023 marks the seventeenth anniversary of Honey Girl Organics. To celebrate this milestone, we sat down with HGO founders Anthony, Gwen and Christina to answer some of our most frequently asked questions!
How did it all begin?
Christina: Gwen and I were looking for more effective skincare during the many years we were vegan raw foodists. In our research, we discovered that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body. When Gwen and I started looking at our products' ingredient panels more closely, we realized we needed an update.
At the same time, Anthony had been keeping bees and started the yearly honey harvest. During this, Gwen discovered that his hands were getting much softer and smoother than before the honey harvest after submerging them in the wax and honey. Of course, she wanted this for herself without having to tend the bees, so Anthony started his experiments, making beeswax and honey into a skin cream. After many renditions and broken blenders, he developed organic skincare that was incredibly effective at enhancing the condition of our skin. A few years later, after many of our friends were also enjoying the fruits of his labor, we decided to bring a sample to our local health food store to see if they'd be interested in the product coming to market. Their response was very positive and enthusiastic; the rest is history, as they say.
How did Anthony get into beekeeping?
When Anthony & Gwen moved to Hawaii, they discovered a beehive in their backyard. The choice was to exterminate or encourage the bees. Being the nature-loving man he is, tending the bees was the obvious choice.
Where did the name "Honey Girl" originate?
"Honey Girl" is a Hawaiian term of endearment inspired by the Hawaii island lifestyle. Local living combined with the founders' dedication to the all-natural Green Beauty Movement helped shape and nurture Honey Girl Organics, brought to market in 2006.
How have you seen HGO evolve over the last 17 years?
Over the years, word has spread, and many more stores have come to us asking to carry our products. We've also added new products, of which our most recent additions are the Rose Collection and the Matte moisturizer. We've enjoyed communicating with our customers and discovering how the products work for them. The Extra Sensitive line was developed for customers asking for products without essential oils due to their sensitivities.
Our packaging changed a couple of times, but the product formulations remain the same high-quality everyone is used to. We keep to our original mission – providing excellent organic products with outstanding customer service.
Is there anything exciting on the horizon for HGO?
We have a few products in mind and are working on developing them. Also, we'll be moving our HGO facilities to a larger space here in Pupukea on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii!
What are the founders' favorite products?
The owners continue to use all the products because we love them and for quality control, but these are our favorite ones...
- Christina's current favorite products: Facial Scrub & Mask for deep cleansing, the Toners, Rose Cream for moisture, and Super Skin Food to lock in moisture and help heal any skin issues that arise. Foot Balm for deep moisture and extra circulation of my feet and calves after showering.
- Gwen's current favorite products are the Facial Cleanser, Rose Toner, Rose C Serum, HoneyGlo Serum, Rose Crème, Mom & Baby Butter, The Lotion, Matte and Prime.
- Anthony's current favorite products are HoneyGlo as an aftershave, ManKine lotion and Matte.
Honey Girl Organics strives to provide the safest and most effective skincare possible. No parabens, hormones, silicones, petroleum products, artificial preservatives, fillers, or other unnatural additives are used in the manufacturing of our organic skin care.
We also believe in the safety and health of animals and promise that no animal testing is ever performed. Our research is conducted entirely by adult human volunteers who are fully aware of any new ingredients or processes.