Our Story

A woman with grey hair smiling, wearing a light pink long-sleeve shirt, with arms crossed, sitting in front of a large map on the wall.

Hi there! I’m Carol,

I’m the proud owner of KOOL Balm NZ. I thought I would share a little of my journey. Looking back at my younger days as a single mum; raising two kids with severe eczema, I learned a lot about resilience… though I do believe if I’d known back then about the incredible natural healing powers of kawakawa, I might have handled things differently—maybe with a little less frustration and a lot more hope!

My oldest son struggled severely with eczema. It was heartbreaking to watch him scratch and suffer with inflamed, itchy skin. We tried everything! Prescriptions, creams, ointments—you know it. Sadly, nothing gave him more than temporary relief. Seeing him so uncomfortable left me feeling so helpless. I remember wishing there was a gentle, chemical free way to help him—something natural and safe that actually worked. That desire stayed with me.

A silver mixing bowl with pieces of yellow and white. Behind it, there is a glass measuring cup with condensation and small bubbles visible.
Multiple glass jars filled with a yellowish-green liquid, with one jar being poured into from a bottle.
Several small glass jars filled with a yellowish, translucent liquid, arranged on a speckled gray surface.

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our core belief, which is to provide a natural remedy using kawakawa.

Two people standing in front of a booth in an outdoor setting with green trees. The booth displays wellness products, specifically balms and oils, with signs indicating skin relief, eczema, psoriasis, and acne. The woman on the left wears a red floral top and white sneakers, while the man on the right wears a black shirt and jeans.

When I became a grandmother, three of my grandsons also had skin irritations, the eldest suffering with the same form of severe eczema as my son had. That desire became stronger than ever to find better solutions for them.

I started exploring natural remedies by researching traditional healing plants and ingredients. As I researched I learned more and more about the amazing healing properties and benefits kawakawa holds.

After months of experimenting with infusing kawakawa leaves into oils and balms, mixing them with other natural ingredients — I finally crafted a balm that felt different.

I gave some to my grandson, and wow the difference was clear! He said the balm was gentle, soothing, and provided real relief.

Seeing how well it had worked for him, I kept refining my recipes — thus creating our small family business, KOOL Balms and Oils.

What began as a passion project to help my family find relief from skin irritation has evolved into providing products that I believe will help others find relief too.

Products made locally in the Marlborough Sounds with natural ingredients, love, and pure determination!