No?

Me neither.

But it was a close call when we were in Singapore.

When traveling, eating my way through traditional food is right there on top of my list, and I have had my fair share of questionable experiences, but I draw a line when something completely grosses me out.

That being said, New Zealand wasn’t quite as challenging when it came to food. 

So to make sure I would get my share of unique experiences, I decided to try some New Zealand exclusive body care.

Choosing a tough life, I know.

Wild Ferns is part of Parrs Products Ltd, a New Zealand based (obviously) family company, established in 1951 and based in Auckland.

The Wild Ferns skin- and body care is divided in several lines:

– Manuka Honey

– Kiwifruit

– Lanolin

– Native Flowers

All these ingredients are New Zealand grown and harvested and targeted at different issues.

And even though these things are hard to come by when living outside New Zealand, the homepage lists some international sellers if you are desperate to try them.

I went for two products from the Manuka Honey line, Conditioning Hand Crème (yes, thats how they write it) and Sweet Indulgence Body Butter. 

The honey used is declared to be AAH 650+, which seems to be a marker for the anti-inflammatory properties. 650+ is said to be high, thus being effective. (Don’t quote me on that, as far as I know there is no research to back up that claim.)

Conditioning Hand Crème:

I got 85 ml for 13,95 NZ$ at a souvenir shop.

Inside the pot is a lovely, whipped looking cream, smelling like honey (who would have thought) with a subtle floral hint.

It applies smoothly, sinking in within two minutes, just leaving a barely noticeable residue on my hands.

The ingredients are lovely blend of oils (Sweet Almond, Wheat), butters (Cocoa, Shea), above mentioned honey and Vitamin E. Also contained are alcohol, fragrance and preservatives, but overall nothing really disturbing.

One thing I really liked was the added Titanium Dioxide (physical sunscreen). Nothing that I look for when buying hand creams, but something I probably should use more often on my hands.

Sweet Indulgence Body Butter:

This one contained 195 ml and retailed for 22 NZ$, again at a souvenir shop.

While the Body Butter looks the same as the hand cream, it is much richer and firmer in texture. The smell ist the same floral-tinted honey.

When applied, it has a rich feel to it and needs some working in, otherwise it leaves white streaks on the skin.

The BodyShop Body Butters feel similar, but sink in  a lot quicker.

But after some massaging, you are left with super soft skin, smelling warm and sweet. I love it especially around bedtime, because the scent transfers slightly to my sheets, making the bed smell of honey.

The ingredients are similar to those of the hand cream, but contain bees wax and jojoba oil on top, as well as silicones and lack the sunscreen.

Overall a much more pleasant experience than drinking tea made of Yak butter, I assure you.

Your turn:

What do you do when visiting a foreign country?

And what was the most exotic thing you ever tried?