Finding Ikigai with luxury organic and natural skincare and beauty products

Ikigai is Japanese word that refers to a sense of purpose, well being and joy in daily life. It is also the name of a hot new online store offering luxury organic and natural skincare and beauty products. We caught up with Ikigai founder Kate Hanson, to find out a little more about this new and exciting adventure.

Kate Hanson Ikigai Founder

What inspired you to start Ikigai and how has the journey been for you?

I suppose Ikigai couldn’t have come into being if I hadn’t moved from busy, dirty, grimy old London to beautiful Queensland back in 2006. The stunning scenery and more laid-back lifestyle here helped me to reconnect with the things I had loved as a little girl growing up in the English countryside. As an 8-year-old I used to gather ‘herbs’ and ‘seeds’ (mostly various types of grass I suspect) and try to sell them in the front garden to passers-by. My mother had a Culpeper book and I was fascinated by the properties of all the herbs in the book. However, I went off to work in the cut-and-thrust world of PR and advertising and all that was lost until recently.

I’ve always been addicted to beauty and skincare products but for the first time I started to research what actually goes into them. And I was absolutely horrified. As I tried to ‘green’ my beauty routine and find products based on the powerful natural benefits of herbal extracts and essential oils, I made lots of mistakes. I believed that products claiming to be ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ actually were, only to get the product home, read the label and find it was full of chemicals!

Ikigai was born out of this frustration together with a sense that there must be girls like me out there. Girls who appreciate glamour, style and luxury could do with some green beauty alternatives that keep their promises AND make us feel special. After all, who wants to use hemp shower gel in dodgy packaging? Why can’t we be green and glamorous at the same time?



There are so many natural and organic products coming onto the market now, how to you choose the products you are going to stock at Ikigai?

There are some truly wonderful ranges out there to choose from and I get really excited when I find a great new product.

I decide which products are right for Ikigai based on three criteria:
1. Does it work?
2. Is it genuinely natural or organic? So many products claim to be but also include harsh synthetic ingredients.
3. Is it somehow unique, stylish, sexy and luxurious?

If I can’t honestly say ‘yes’ to all three, we won’t stock the product.



Ikigai offer luxury natural and organic skincare products, such as Pure and True Organic Beauty. Is there a reason you have opted for this end of the market?

Absolutely. I simply wasn’t prepared to sacrifice the kick I got from finding a really special designer beauty or skincare product just because I wanted to be greener and healthier. And I was convinced there must be other girls like me out there! Pampering yourself with great skincare treats should be an act of self-love, not a compromise.


What are your three must have beauty products?

1. My absolute favourite product of all time is the GLOW Intensive C Rejuvenating Serum from Pure&True Organic Beauty. This stuff seriously rocks, proving the point that organic products can be every bit as effective as the top brands. Its base is healing aloe vera, not water like most skincare products. It’s absolutely packed with antioxidants, including heaps of vitamin C and E – so much so that your skin tingles when you apply it. The antioxidants help stimulate collagen synthesis which is just a fancy way of saying they can help you look less old and haggard (I need all the help I can get!). And I am extremely surprised and pleased that a brown pigment patch on my face has all but vanished since I’ve been using the serum. A percentage of the profit from sales goes to social and environmental charities. Love it, love it, love it.

2. endota Spa Organics Lilly Pilly Body Moisturiser. This stuff is just too yummy. It’s made with organic vanilla beans that leave you smelling good enough to eat. Lilly Pilly is a native Australian tree and the extract from the edible berries is full of vitamin C, antioxidants and exfoliating fruit acids. So not only does this stuff smell great, but it leaves your skin mega smooth too. Packaging is 100% recycled and a percentage of profits goes to Bush Heritage Australia, which is dedicated to protecting 7 million hectares of ecologically significant bush land.

3. Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub. This is a seriously refreshing scrub with organic cranberry extract which has a natural astringent effect and is loaded with antioxidants. Ground adzuki beans were used traditionally by the Japanese geishas to exfoliate and cleanse without drying, for a beautifully clear complexion. The coolest thing though is that you can plant the box to grow a herb!


If people are just getting started on converting to natural beauty products, what would you recommend they start with and why?

My advice would be to have a look at the shopping guide I’ve put together which explains some of the worst chemicals that can be found in cosmetics. You can find it here. Take it into your bathroom and read the ingredient lists on your products. Then sort them into ‘good’, ‘medium’ and ‘bad’ piles depending on how many nasties they have in them. Chuck the bad ones out, use up the medium ones and replace them with a better choice when you’ve finished, and hang onto the good ones.

I’d say to be in the ‘good’ category they shouldn’t have any of the ingredients on the hit list. Perfume, parfum or fragrance is a tricky one – generally it’s a pretty safe bet that this refers to synthetic perfume but sometimes (like with Lush products) it’s referring to essential oils that are added for their aroma. If in doubt, exercise caution!

Generally speaking, the easiest areas in which to go green are shower gel, bath and body oils, body moisturizers and facial care products. Hair care, toothpaste and deodorant are a little harder but it’s definitely worth persevering until you find the right ones for you!


Most people consider starting and running a small business a difficult undertaking, what keeps you going when things get tough?

I feel very blessed that after years in the wrong career, I’ve finally found something that inspires me enough that I would want do it even if I never earned a penny from it. I’ve had so much fun starting Ikigai, and that more than makes up for the challenges and the incredibly hard work.

What keeps me going more than anything though, is my wonderful fiancé who encouraged me to start Ikigai because he was convinced of my ability to build it into something great. He’s now my partner in the business and working with him inspires me every day to be the best I possibly can be!




The perfect day is different for everybody, how would you describe yours? That is how do you manage to find Ikigai!?

It’s tempting to think that we’re not having a good time unless we’re completely relaxing and doing nothing. But if we’re always waiting until the next time we can enjoy ourselves, life passes us by. So we have to build balance and relaxation into everyday life – which is easier said than done – it is a discipline that I am still learning!

With that in mind, my perfect day would be pretty normal. It would start with a gentle yoga session. Then I’d do some fulfilling work (maybe write a fantastic article for the Ikigai blog or find a great new product range). I’d definitely want to have a giggle with a friend either over lunch or on the phone. The perfect end would be a walk on the beach with my man followed by a wholesome organic meal, a warm bubble bath and a glass of red wine. Oh and a good book at bed time would top it off. That’s definitely Ikigai for me!


Looking for some Ikigai in your skincare? check out www.ikigai.com.au