LIFESTYLE

Meet the team: Go Native founder Elinor McEwan

What's the best part of running a business like Go Native NZ?

The best part of running Go Native is the freedom and flexibility of working from in Devonport, Auckland. Having the Devonport beach and ocean close by brings a peaceful balance to the busy days. While there’s always a lot to do, it hardly feels like work in this setting. We are busy, but with the sea just a few steps away, it’s easy to recharge.

What common misconceptions do you most frequently come across when it comes to making your own beauty and household products?

Most people don’t realise just how easy it is to make their own skincare products—and how much money they can save in the process. With a few high quality skincare ingredients and simple recipes, creating customised products at home is not only fun but also incredibly cost effective. A added bonus is you get full control over what goes into each product, making it a rewarding way to care for your skin naturally!

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Always moisturise. Always.

And what advice would you give someone who's just starting out in natural skincare?

Start by choosing a carrier oil, like camellia oil, to gently moisturise your skin. Each oil has unique benefits, so try a few to see what works best for your skin’s needs. For a light, quick-absorbing option, chia seed oil is fantastic and won’t leave a heavy residue, making it ideal for morning routines. On the other hand, if you’re after a rich, deeply hydrating treatment, macadamia or pomegranate oils are a wonderful choice. They absorb more slowly, so are perfect for overnight use, giving your skin plenty of time to soak up their nourishing properties while you sleep.

Is there a particular ingredient you're currently loving at the moment?

I LOVE barbary fig oil. It’s also known as prickly pear seed oil. It’s from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and harvested by women in a number of villages there. It’s not too oily so can be a moisturiser for daytime use.

What's Your Favourite Recipe?

I love cold processed soap and it's all we've ever used since I started making it 22 years ago. At the moment, the soap we’re using is fragranced with aniseed essential oil, my favourite.

Recipe: 230g coconut oil; 230g organic palm oil; 230g olive oil; 230g water; 104g sodium hydroxide; 30g essential oil.

Where do you get your ingredients from?

Our ingredients are sourced from across New Zealand and the world, with the team and me (including my daughter Chelsea, pictured right) carefully selecting ethically and sustainably produced products. When possible, we buy directly from growers, many of whom are small families or village enterprises. By building long term relationships with them and understanding their lives and businesses, we can feel confident about their working conditions and practices.