Why use on your skin only what you can eat
Prince Charles showed interest in native plants and the correct way they can be harvested and utilized to bring benefits to people during his visit to Romania in the summer of 2022.
His Royal Highness, Charles III, honored us with his presence at our estate in Valea Zălanului, and during his brief visit, we showed him around, discussed plants, and presented Hodaia’s future plans.
We received appreciation and advice, for which we are grateful and thank the Prince, who always emphasizes that “Romania is the last corner of Europe where true sustainability, complete resilience, and the maintenance of an entire ecosystem can be observed.
The choice of the foods we consume
When it comes to choosing the foods we consume, opting for products that align with a natural and healthy lifestyle is perfectly justified. Every time we eat, the foods are broken down by our digestive system, and the liver eliminates harmful toxins. However, when we apply something to the skin – the largest organ of the human body – up to 60% of synthetic chemicals can enter the bloodstream and accumulate in the body.
Think about all the products we use every day that come into contact with our skin: makeup, perfumes, moisturizers, soaps, deodorants, and so on. It’s not just about what we eat but also about what we put on our skin! Nature has already provided us with everything we could ever need to stay healthy and happy! Just as you nourish your body with natural foods, your skin deserves care with natural products.
Many personal care products on the market include a significant amount of hazardous chemicals, from parabens (linked to cancer) to formaldehyde. A common lotion off the shelf can thus contain a rather toxic mix, which should make you think twice before using it. In comparison, natural skincare products cleanse, tone, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin without using any of these harmful artificial chemicals or additives.
Elixirs and potions, for over four generations…
In the Hodaia workshop, at the foothills of the Călimani Mountains, we create for skin care only what you can also… eat! Our products are so natural, pure, and beneficial: hair care oils and elixirs, balms and ointments for skin regeneration, solid shampoos, traditional soaps, teas, etc. Our store also features other magical potions obtained from medicinal plants.
The recipes and potions at Hodaia have deep roots in the history of Raluca Olaru’s family, the founder of Hodaia. These ancient recipes have been passed down through generations since the time when healers were the sole practitioners of the art of healing. Today, Raluca combines these recipes with scientific research, bringing them to life in a new way. The invaluable experience of natural healing and care, accumulated from ancestors, is adapted to contemporary lifestyles without losing any of its benefits; on the contrary, enhancing them.
Â
For over 10 years, Raluca has traveled through many places in Romania and Germany.
She studied medical folklore and phytotherapy to explore the intersection of traditional medicine and herbal pharmacy. The combination of knowledge in traditional medicine inherited within her family, along with practices in modern medicine, gave birth to and nurtures Hodaia.
More and more people are turning to organic products, whether it’s about food, cleaning products, or skincare. And this trend makes perfect sense. Why? Because when it comes to food, the process involves their breakdown by the digestive system once ingested, and the elimination of harmful toxins by the liver.
Things happen differently when we put something on the skin – the largest organ of the human body – as up to 60% of synthetic chemicals can enter the bloodstream and accumulate in the body. We can avoid this by using chemical-free, natural, and organic personal care products and enjoy their benefits in our daily skincare routine.
Only native plants, locally produced oils, and recyclable packaging
Hodaia products contain species of native medicinal plants, organically grown and processed sustainably in our workshop. The plants are harvested from areas where they grow abundantly, far from human settlements or roads, or they are cultivated in our garden. Cold-pressed oils come from small local producers in Harghita, MureÈ™, and Cluj counties, and the essential oils are also from Romania, with a quality superior to imported oils.
Very important: by collaborating only with regional producers, we respect the community we are part of and the environment, as giving up imports significantly reduces our environmental impact throughout the production chain. In addition, we use recyclable and reusable packaging, such as the packaging for the Face Elixir, for example. It comes in a cylindrical wooden box that can be used as a brush and comb holder, while the lid can be used as a cup holder.
Accept the Hodaia Challenge
Every year we expand our range of products, as well as the range of plants we cultivate in our gardens. From seed to finished product, we aim to provide health, quality, and transparency in production. We challenge you to choose any product from our store to convince yourself that it’s worth putting on your skin only what you can also eat!
For example, if you also have diligent hands that never stop, you need an ointment that will take care of your hands’ skin, no matter how stressed, dry, or sensitive it may be. For this purpose, we have combined 9 natural ingredients, including cold-pressed oils from grapes, hemp, and walnut, juniper extract, and beeswax.
Or you can try the natural face soap Codru, made from pine, fir, juniper, and mint oils, accompanied by active charcoal that deeply cleanses and leaves a mountain scent… Ahhh, let’s not forget about the shaving potion, a unique combination of cold-pressed oils from grapes, saffron, castor, and rose hips, and essential oils from sage, mint, lavender, thyme, and rosemary, which will take care of your skin like nothing else.