DISCOVERY
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
THE ULTIMATE
UNTOUCHED WORLD
EXPLORE THE LAND
OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD
AOTEAROA'S PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT
AND DISCOVER NEW ZEALAND'S
NATIVE BEAUTY SECRETS...
New Zealand’s island biogeography is responsible for the country's unique species of animals, fungi and plants. About 80 percent of New Zealand's indigenous plants are endemic. More than 200 plants were used medicinally by Māori. Today Rongoā – Māori medicine – is seeing a resurgence of interest.
Part of this unique natural environment, the island contains many native treasured secrets revealing that each one holds the potential for beauty.
Takaka Springs Water
Situated at the bottom of the South Pacific Ocean in the upper West of the New Zealand South Island is a district named Golden Bay which features pockets of very old marble rock. In fact so ancient that it was part of the legendary super continent Gondwanaland which existed hundreds of millions years ago.
Settled in Golden Bay, the town of Takaka and its whole locality is reknowned for Te Waikoropupu Springs containing some of the clearest water ever measured; optical measurements carried out found that the visibility was 63 metres and clearer water is found only beneath Antarctica’s near-frozen Weddell Sea.
To local Maori, Te Waikoropupu Springs are a taonga (treasure) and wahi tapu, a place held in high cultural and spiritual regard. In Maori tradition, the springs are waiora, the purest form of water and provide water for healing. In the past, the springs were a place of ceremonial blessings at times of birth and death and the living and returning of travellers.
Over centuries, earth movements saw the creation of marble aquifers deep beneath Takaka Hill, and water filtered through marble chasms and caves is trapped under great pressure by an impermeable layer of sandstone. At one point where this cap has been breached the water emerges chilled to a constant 12°C.
The incoming Takaka fresh spring water is extracted from an aquifer and then finely filtered to ensure the best possible water purity. Takaka Spring Water is used throughout the Millefeuille skin care collection to provide the highest purity.
Halloysite Clay Mineral
From the far north of New Zealand comes the whitest clay in the world. The unique and exceptionally white primary clay deposits are derived from the alteration of acid volcanic rocks. To ensure the highest degree of purity, a unique process has been developed resulting in the production of the highest quality porcelain and bone china with outstanding strength and translucency.
The white halloysite mineral clay has natural absorbent properties. Suitable for sensitive skin, the clay is mildly drying and purifying, and helps heal and stimulate blood circulation, removing debris from the pores and bringing a smooth healthy glow.
Totara Tree
Totara is a species of podocarp tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows throughout the North Island and North eastern South Island in lowland, montane and lower subalpine forest.
The huge Maori waka taua, capable of carrying 100 warriors, were often hollowed out from a single totara log. The Maori used the inner bark for roofing or storage containers, the outer bark as a splint for fractured bones. A pointed totara stick could be scraped on a slab of softer wood such as mahoe to make fire. Medicinally, the smoke was a cure for skin complaint, and boiled bark was used to reduce fever.
Totarol is a natural and organic raw material for use in skin and oral care applications. For the extraction of totarol the trees need to be at least 150-200 years old when the anti-microbial constituents develop to protect the totara from microbial attack.
The harvest is sustainable and environmentally friendly as only recovered and recycled timber is used, which is rendered to wood chips before extraction.
Totarol has shown antibacterial activity in the treatment of acne or tooth decay bacteria, anti-inflammatory qualities and as a potent antioxidant.
AOTEAROA NATIVE HONEY
Aotearoa New Zealand Honeys are harvested from the native bush of untouched forests, protected reserve, endemic blossoms or wild flowers growing freely in countryside.
KANUKA HONEY
Sourced from a pristine protected environment, Kanuka monofloral honey is collected from the nectar of the blossoms of the Kanuka tree. This monofloral honey is much more scarce than manuka honey and lighter in colour. This prized nectar demonstrates a crisp, aromatic butterscotch taste with a delightful clean finish on the palate, amazingly tingling on the tongue.
MANUKA HONEY
Collected from the nectar of the manuka shrub’s flowers, slightly similar in taste and more propagated than Kanuka, Manuka honey is renowned for its antibiotic elements and antibacterial activity and is believed to help clear infections and aid healing. Its bitter and earthy flavours are an acquired taste, but it has a huge following.