Collagen is bombarding the beauty industry, but Te Mana Skincare has a twist on the protein that’s all its own.
The Auckland-based brand has added New Zealand Merino wool and collagen derived from the prized sheep strands to a diverse ingredient list that already includes red and green seaweeds, black fern, Manuka honey and green tea, all native to New Zealand. Te Mana teamed with AgResearch to study the healing powers of New Zealand merino wool on damaged skin, which led to the creation of two new products: Ultra Soft Polishing Scrub and Overnight Rehab Mask.
“I had never heard of merino wool incorporated into skincare in the way they did it,” says Te Mana co-founder Andrea Taimana, who was approached by AgResearch to develop the products. “I worked with [a scientist at the research institute] in the past. She knew that I was innovative. [She said], ‘There will be clinical trials. We don’t know how they’re going to behave. We can’t make any promises. We would like to do scientific [research].’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and that’s how we started.”
The Merino wool and the collagen from it are ingredients exclusive to Te Mana Skincare. They are featured in the Ultimate Overnight Skin Rehab Duo, a set containing the two new items. Previous research on wool collagen showed that, when applied as a scrub to the skin, it softened, exfoliated and polished the skin without damaging it, making it a safer and environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic microbeads. “The wool replaced the plastic beads with something that is completely natural and also native to New Zealand,” says Taimana.
As a complementary product to the exfoliant, Taimana developed the mask incorporating merino wool collagen. The mask endured two-part clinical trials with human volunteers. During the trials, measurements were taken on moisture levels, collagen growth and melanin production. The results of the trials provided evidence that the mask restored, protected and healed wounded skin, and staved off water loss.
It took 18 months to finalize the Ultra Soft Polishing Scrub and Overnight Rehab Mask formulas. They contain the same doses of Merino wool and wool collagen that were tested in the trials. “There’s no dropping [the amounts of] active ingredients to be cost-effective,” stresses Taimana.
Because only a small amount of each product is required per application, Te Mana initially launched the duo in 15-ml. jars. The small helpings can last two months for customers who apply the formula twice a week, but Taimana received feedback that most women apply it more frequently. Based on those positive responses, she decided to offer the mask in a 30-ml. airless pump that will retail for $89 and the scrub in a 30-ml. open jar for $67. The larger sizes are expected to last two to three months.
“The ingredients, especially the Merino wool, are extremely expensive, so this is the lowest price [we could do] because the other ingredients are also top skincare ingredients, most of which we harvest and process ourselves,” explains Taimana. She introduced Te Mana’s products to retail buyers at the Indie Beauty Expo trade show in Los Angeles last month and is confident the brand will secure U.S. distribution soon. “Retailers were impressed by the product,” says Taimana. “We hope to have good sales in the U.S.”
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