Cook Islands coconut beauty line wants to catch world’s eye

A couple that put their “toe in the water” with a small line of skincare products to test the demand, is now looking at wading a little deeper into international markets. Rito, a popular skincare range in the Cook Islands created by expats Robert and Susan Wyllie is “… a modern marriage between science and nature,” a product that reflects our environment and culture and one that would appeal to an international audience according to Robert. They established the skincare range following consultation with an international microbiologist and aimed to incorporate the smell, feel and look of the Pacific in the products. Rito is named after the new shoots of the young coconut tree and means the source or essence of something.

The skincare products have Hibiscus Flower and Mamaku Fern Extract, Deep Sea Algae from the hydro-thermal waters of French Polynesia in them and of course, coconut oil. The process of making the products starts as Robert and his helper Tarapi Samuel drive around the island to collect freshly fallen coconuts from participating landowners. The coconuts are processed back at ‘Rito Central’ where the coconut is cracked open, the flesh removed, grated and spread on stainless steel tables to dry. Nothing is wasted from the coconut husks to fuel the fires beneath the drying table, or given to vanilla growers for their vanilla plants, to the dried coconut meal returned to the farmers to be recycled as stock feed. The small range sold at the local Punanga Nui Farmers Market, has now grown to a seven product beauty regimen from revitalising eye cream, to cleansing milk, body lotion and body butters. It is now also available in hotels, spas and pharmacies.

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