A country’s flagship carrier can be the first and last (and sometimes only) impression people get of a place. And Air New Zealand is giving its customers a taste of mātauranga Māori, the ancient knowledge of the Māori people in the form of Aotea skincare. And guys, this stuff looks amazing (like try-and-steal-your-seatmate’s-kit-amazing.
So what is Aotea skincare?
The skincare brand hails from Aotea. Aotea is the māori name for Great Barrier Island, and it is there that the company grows and extracts all the native flora it uses in its products.
“My grandmother was a Rongoā Māori (Māori medicine) practitioner,” Aotea founder Tama Toki says.
“She would treat us kids with what we found in the bush and the Aotea range is an expression of that upbringing.”
Toki says that as Māori, they are proud to share their traditions. And he sees this partnership with Air New Zealand as a chance to share their unique cultural heritage with the world.
“It’s a privilege to be able to see this part of our culture onboard Air New Zealand flights,” he says.
“We hope that it gives those travelling to Aotearoa an insight into our cultural identity.”
Leanne Geraghty, Air New Zealand‘s Chief Customer and Sales Officer, is proud of the airline’s collaboration with Aotea.
According to her, these amenity kits aren’t just about providing customers with fabulous skincare goodies (though it helps). They’re about telling a story—a story rooted in Aotearoa’s extraordinary culture.
“Our partnership with Aotea provides customers with amenities that tell a story inspired by New Zealand’s unique culture,” she says.
“Air New Zealand is proud to support local, Māori owned business and put traditional ingredients that have been used by Māori for centuries into the hands of our customers.”
Native ingredients take flight
The new Aotea amenity kits are exclusively available to customers in Business Premier and Premium Economy cabins. So what’s inside the kits?
1. The Kawakawa Balm – Exclusively for Business Premier
This pocket-sized wonder packs a powerful punch! With just three ingredients — Mānuka oil, Kawakawa, and beeswax — this healing balm is your go-to remedy for everything from chapped lips to psoriasis, insect bites, and burns. Kawakawa, a native plant of Aotearoa, possesses remarkable healing properties that’ll make your flight-weary skin glow.
2. The Harakeke Seed Oil & Mānuka Water Hand & Body Cream – Business Premier and Premium Economy
Calling all dry skin sufferers! This cream, crafted from Harakeke Seed Oil & Mānuka Water, will be your new best friend. Packed with Omegas 3, 6, and 9, and enriched with linoleic acid, it’s the ultimate treat for your thirsty skin. Harakeke, a plant native to New Zealand, and Mānuka water, extracted from the mānuka bush, bring centuries of Māori wisdom to your beauty routine.
For more information and to dive into the world of Aotea’s therapeutic skincare products, visit their website at aoteamade.co.nz. There are Aussie stockists on the site too for those who can’t wait for their next Air New Zealand flight.
