Welcome to IKO skincare!
IKO~Japanese - Intent, purpose, number one
IKO~Fijian - You
IKO~The inspiration for the name comes from this song by the Dixie Cups - IKO IKO (look it up you'll love it!)
Hi I'm Jan, the Founder Mama of IKO (the pic above is me and my family - yes, it's a selfie taken after a surf sesh at Tawharanui, because we don't often get decent family pics and we haven't quite gotten around to the photo shoot yet!).
My two boys, Heath and Zac - the inspiration for IKO, love to play and be outdoors (they also spend a fair amount of time on devices - those, I don't love so much, but it's all about balance right?) .
And they DO NOT so much love showers and cleaning *cue eye roll*
I knew I had to make some subtle yet real changes as my boys got older and their skin, and body, and self care needs were changing. As they've largely grown up with only natural products, I really wanted them, as they reach the tween and teen years, to start using skincare products that were not only 100% natural and safe to use, but that actually worked. I also wanted something that was good for boys, because boys naturally have more sebum, which can create more of an oily and problematic skin as they hit puberty. Also mostly, they aren't into frills and a 100-step routine (at this age anyway)!
As an avid label reader and also the founder and formulator for organic skincare brand Verité, I unfortunately found that the goods on the market for this age group (9-18) did not cut it for me!
So, with the boys' help, we set out to make a brand that was formulated for tween and teen skin, easy to use, packed with 100% organic and natural ingredients that delivered results, and one with which we could also encourage a holistic lifestyle - teaching boys (and their parents) about skin, health and wellbeing.
Of course, everyone is 100% welcome to use these products - it's not about excluding anyone! We just want boys to know that skincare doesn't need to be fussy or filled with stuff that is going to make your skin worse in the long run, and that good nutrition and an active lifestyle can really go a long way to helping skin healthy.
We've got your back.
