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Ready-to-drink teas don’t entice me — except for locally made Shaka Tea, which saved me from heatstroke at a recent garden party. The ingredients are as simple and wholesome as can be: tea brewed from endemic Hawaiian mamaki, a traditional healing plant, fruit juices and plant extracts. A 16-ounce bottle of pineapple mint, mango hibiscus or guava ginger blossom tea packs just 50 to 90 calories and a big fresh taste. Three percent of profits benefit the Ho‘oulu ‘Aina Nature Preserve in Kalihi. Shaka Tea is sold for $3.29 a bottle at Kokua Market (the price varies at other markets, delis and sandwich shops). Visit Shakatea.com or call 518-0921. — Mindy Pennybacker
Pineapple float gives pool gear a tropical punch
The warmer weather and longer days have me sitting out on the beach working on my tan. Although sunscreen and sunglasses are required accessories, this Sunnylife pineapple pool float will make people do a double take while you lounge on the water. The durable PVC inflatable with repair kit is $60 at sunnylife.com and Bed Bath & Beyond. At 35 by 77 inches, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out. — Jermel-Lynn Quillopo, Honolulu
Heart-shaped pendant comes with hidden, heartfelt message
This darling heart-shaped silver pendant from Maui Divers caught my eye and then warmed my heart when I realized that it spells “aloha.” It’s as clever as it is beautiful. I immediately bought one for my granddaughter. (Now I hope someone remembers me with a gift of aloha!) The heart is available in gold or silver in a variety of sizes, starting at $50 for a 12-millimeter silver charm. Maui Divers has locations at Ala Moana Center, Hilton Hawaiian Village and 1520 Liona St. Visit mauidivers.com — Susie Roth, Honolulu
Rare birds adorn handcrafted cards
Handwritten notes are a bit of a lost art, but Jessica Ke‘ala Kim’s Native Hawaiian Honeycreeper Series of greeting cards will make you want to put pen to paper. Kim has captured six of the rare birds in her block-printed card set, which includes a postcard listing background on each one. “The first print I did was of the iiwi,” she said. “I was so pleased with the way the image came out, I continued researching, designing, carving and printing more.”
Kim block-prints the image first, then goes over it with a paintbrush to add detail. The original prints are scanned, then printed on card stock and sold through her company, Limahana Art & Apparel. Sets of six cards sell for $11 to $15 at Mission Houses and Bishop Museum gift shops, Na Ho‘ala Spa Boutique at the Hyatt Waikiki, Na Mea Hawai‘i/Native Books at Ward Warehouse and through Kim’s Etsy store, 808ne.ws/limahana, where she also sells her block-printed apparel. — Betty Shimabukuro
Soothing primer evens skin tone
In my quest for the perfect primer, I’ve done it all: attended seminars with celebrity dermatologists, undergone makeovers with expert cosmetologists and bought, bought, bought different brands of makeup, ranging from $5 to $195 (no, really). I wouldn’t have predicted that Garnier’s “5-in-1 Miracle Skin Perfector” would be the one product to make my cosmetic dreams come true, but so far, it has come the closest to doing what it promises, giving my skin a smoother appearance, evening out skin tone, moisturizing and above all, soothing.
My skin irritates easily, but this formula calms. Its top five ingredients are water, dimethicone, glycerin, apricot kernel oil and rice bran oil — and it works. A 2.5-ounce tube retails for $7.99 to $12.99 at drugstores. — Elizabeth Kieszkowski
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