Malia Manuel lives and breathes Aloha.
Malia's one of the most down to earth humans we know. As a fifth generation Hawaiian, her deep connection to nature (especially the ocean) has led her to a successful career in professional surfing. Her style in the water is equally powerful as it is graceful, and she just has a way of making whatever she does look easy. But since becoming one of our surf ambassadors back in 2015, we’ve gotten the chance to see that Malia’s passions go beyond her obvious love and talent for surfing.
Because of the active lifestyle that Malia lives daily, staying on top of her health and wellness has been a priority for her to continue doing what she loves most. Between traveling the world and spending day after day in the sun and saltwater, she’s found that sticking to a solid daily skin care routine isn’t something to underestimate. We caught up with her to hear more about some of the things she does to feel her best in and out of the water.
Q&A with Malia Manuel
1. What’s one thing you really love about your Hawaiian culture?
One thing I love about Hawaiian culture is the story telling through dance, aka Hula. To me it’s so special to be able to carry on traditions through the art of hula.
2. If you could pick only 3 of our skin care products to take with you on your next trip, what would they be?
Daily Sunscreen Face Mist SPF 30, Daily Cleanser and Hydrating Serum.
3. Do you have a mantra? Or words you try to live by?
Become an expert on yourself.
4. Love that! How do you stay positive when things get tough?
Self-care is how I get my power back during tough times… it varies but it can be in the form of working out, being in nature, meditation, a warm bath, my beauty routine, and/ or journaling.
5. So important to remember. Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Forever an early bird!
6. Any tips for showing yourself some extra love daily?
Less distraction and more intention with anything you enjoy… for me I love solitude, I love my coffee in the morning and sitting in silence for a bit.
7. Salty or sweet?
Sweet :)
8. What’s something that most people might not know about you?
I love interior design
9. What’s your favorite thing about being from/ living on Kauai?
I owe the best parts of myself to the nature on Kauai. A lot of personal growth has been from being in the ocean (surfing) or mountains (hiking).
10. What’s one step in your daily skin care routine that you NEVER skip?
I always cleanse and moisturize at the day’s end.
11. We know you love surfing, but what else are you passionate about?
I love gardening and taking care of my body. I am always wanting to know more about body mechanics and how we move + best practices to nourish oneself. Right now, I’ve been reading a lot about acupuncture and holistic practices.
12. What or who has been inspiring you recently?
My friends ❤
13. What's your go to Spotify radio station right now?
This is Bahamas Radio
14. What are the holy grails of your skin care regimen?
Sunscreen has been my everyday holy grail since I’m in the sun and water every day. I put on multiple layers of SPF on… at home I start with the sunscreen face mist then apply high performance broad spectrum sunscreen in the car before a surf or another SPF moisturizer before I go out in the day.
15. Any foods that you try to eat to help keep your skin healthy?
I usually try to eat mostly plants and locally sourced protein.
16. Any guilty pleasures?
Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups
17. What’s your favorite wave in the world?
Honolua Bay
18. Such a dreamy spot. What animal do you feel like best represents your personality?
I took a quiz and results say I could be a bear “The bear is one of the most powerful animals in the spirit guide realm. You are very intuitive and likely feel a deep connection to the Earth and the outdoors.” Sounds good to me haha!!
19. We hear you're certified in holistic nutrition which is pretty rad—what led you to wanna explore that?
I love learning, especially when it comes to the body. I’ve always been conscious of what foods I ate growing up. Growing up, my parents always had a garden going year-round and we rarely ate out…usually just home cooked meals that my mom prepped. I’ve always been curious about what my body needs to be its best, so I took a deeper dive and took a course to learn more.
20. What social cause(s) do you care about and why?
I like to support environmental education. I think providing our communities and kids with certain information and or experiences that will enhance their appreciation and understanding of their environment around them. Hopefully creating positive impressions to preserve and protect our Mother Earth.
Malia, you continue to inspire us. Thanks for taking the time to hang out with us.
XO, SB