Brand Creator Fatima Diagana joins us on an eponé Spa Journey.
The first thing you notice is that typical smell: intense and spicy, more than just the sea. In the fishing villages on the south-west coast of Japan, it smells “seaweedy”, because Wakame characterizes daily life. The large brown algae with jagged edges, which thrives best in current-rich water at depths of six to twelve meters, is harvested and dried, eaten and processed into a variety of products.
Wakame is both ubiquitous and special. It is one of the most nutrient-rich algae in the world, a superfood whose mix of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, proteins and antioxidants is considered unrivaled. Because the pH value is similar to that of our skin and all the ingredients are easily absorbed, Wakame is a delicacy for beauty care. There are hair packs and extracts, a whole natural pharmacy.
When selecting ingredients for eponé, I am interested in more than just what a raw material can do.
I want to get to know its history and what it means to the people who are familiar with it. How it has been used for generations, what traditions have been upheld, what you can do with it, how best to handle it, what beauty rituals and healing treatments exist.
This ambition has taken me to more than a hundred countries to date – it’s my personal spa journey! As an island nation, Japanese culture is closely interwoven with the sea. The first thing I ate was Wakame: The texture and salty taste are really special. It’s not unusual for my exploration of a new ingredient to begin with tasting it, coming into contact with the people and carefully immersing myself in their culture.
The clarity of the colors in Japan, the black, the white. The women’s straw hats, the simple linen dresses they wear to work, their love of the sea. For me, everything belongs to Wakame. I find it very Japanese that it is not a contradiction to maintain traditions and at the same time use the latest technologies to refine something further and further.
Wakame is available today in outstanding quality and is one of the three precious main ingredients in our eponé Balancing Bath & Shower Gel. The second is Jojoba oil from Arizona. The ecosystems of the two could not be more different! Jojoba bushes thrive in semi-desert areas. Magnificent plants – typical of the landscape, often to be seen at the side of the road. They may not be classic beauties, but their disheveled look gives them something unbending. They defy the wind and the dry heat. And use the powerful soil of the red desert. For a very, very long time!
When we talk about regional products today, we primarily mean that something comes from our nearest surroundings. On my travels, I have been able to gain another fascinating perspective: That every plant, every raw material, has its natural origin and home. Its soil, its water, its light – all the elements it needs and which only exist there in a unique interplay.
The fact that we can now use the finest Jojoba oil in our eponé Balancing Bath & Shower Gel has a long history. The Aztecs already extracted a fine plant wax from the seeds of the Jojoba fruit, which they used for beauty care. What for us today are historical facts that are told in passing, we owe to the primal human desire to discover and research: Someone had to think of it first. Isn’t that wonderful?
The indigenous population of Arizona also smoked the precious Jojoba balm and used it for ceremonial acts, accompanied by drumming and repetitive singing. For example, for spiritual rituals of purification or to establish a connection to the ancestors. This transcendent component attributed to Jojoba reminds me of a very practical property: Jojoba oil is so fine that it simply slips into the skin without leaving a film. It does not clog pores, retains moisture in the skin, nourishes, protects and gently cares for it, is rich in vitamins and has anti-inflammatory properties. Its structure is similar to our skin lipids, which makes it well tolerated by all skin and hair types. Jojoba oil also supports the absorption of other active ingredients.
For the third main ingredient in the eponé Balancing Bath & Shower Gel, we travel to another continent: Fruit Liquid Baobab from Tanzania. A nectar of precious lipids extracted from the fruit of the baobab tree. In this formulation, it primarily has a protective function. The baobab is regarded as the “first aid kit” of the savannah, as a provider of shade it is a meeting place and a symbol of life in general.
Today, raw materials are used primarily for their effectiveness. As a spa brand, our claim goes beyond this. We see the sensory experience as a quality in itself – that you enjoy spending time with the product. For example with the Balancing Bath and Shower Gel. I still celebrate the moment in the same way I did the first time: I apply a small amount to the palm of my hand and lather up with a little water. This produces a wonderfully creamy lather. A complex fragrance accord unfolds: refreshing, mineral and enveloping. Apply the foam to the body and enjoy – it is an experience for the skin. A luxurious feeling. And when the effect is long-lasting … a luxurious feeling.
In our Balancing Bath & Shower Gel, the three main ingredients combine to create a new whole. Minerals as a refinement crown the formulation. Practiced naturopathy or “back to the roots” expertise meets the latest, gentle technologies. This results in a formulation that actually sounds paradoxical: although the gel is rinsed off, it is incredibly nourishing. Its precious nutrients cleanse, nourish and protect at the same time.
We have used more than 50 selected main ingredients and refinements from more than 30 countries in our formulations to date. Each of them embodies a journey through space and time. Awakening associations. They tell of encounters with people who all contribute with their skills. I find that something very valuable today.
