Frequently Asked Questions

We're finishing pre-launch checks — testing, packaging and compliance — before we open the store. Join the waitlist and you'll hear first.

We currently offer two hero formulas: Barrier Balance Water Gel Cream — a lightweight, all-season hydrator for normal to combination skin, and Barrier Resilience Rich Cream — a deeper, comfort-rich formula for dry and sensitive skin. Both are crafted with precision-selected actives to support a healthy skin barrier.

Balance if your skin runs normal to oily or feels dehydrated without being dry. Resilience if it runs dry, tight or reactive. Both if you want lightweight in the morning and rich at night. The Skin Quiz takes two minutes.

Yes. Balance first, allow it to absorb, then Resilience. Lightweight first, rich second.

Both are designed to be gentle. We recommend a patch test on your inner forearm before first use. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, check with your GP or dermatologist first.

We'll publish the supporting documentation on this page as each confirmation comes through. Until it's in writing, we don't claim it.

We'll publish the supporting documentation on this page as each confirmation comes through. Until it's in writing, we don't claim it.

We use clinically studied, named actives — not just generic ingredient categories. Our formulas include trademarked complexes like Aquaxyl™, Pentavitin®, Olivem® 1000, and Amvifeel® 1101, alongside botanicals and biomimetic ingredients chosen for synergy, not just marketing appeal.

We will, alongside our testing results. Concentration matters — the published evidence for barrier effects starts around 2%, and thins out well above 10% — so a number without context isn't much use. You'll get both.

No. Several excellent New Zealand brands do it well. We chose ingredients on published evidence rather than provenance, and mānuka and kawakawa didn't make the cut on that basis. Being from here is our design brief, not our ingredient list.

Aquaxyl™ is a patented moisture circulation complex derived from Xylose sugar. It works on three levels: replenishing surface moisture, stimulating skin's natural aquaporin channels to improve water transport, and helping the skin retain hydration over time. It's one of the hero actives in Barrier Balance Water Gel Cream.

Pentavitin® (Saccharide Isomerate) is a biomimetic ingredient that mirrors the skin's own natural moisturising factors. It binds to the skin for up to 72 hours, continuously releasing moisture — making it ideal for the Barrier Resilience Rich Cream formula.

The complete INCI ingredient list for each product is published on the individual product pages. We believe in full transparency — no hidden ingredients.

No. Neither product contains SPF and neither replaces sunscreen. Wear a broad-spectrum SPF every morning — it matters more here than almost anywhere. These are what you use around it.

Short version: formulated for our conditions, from Auckland, with them as the brief — daily year-round sunscreen, high UV, coastal wind and salt — rather than adapted from a Northern formula. Read what “formulated for the Southern Hemisphere” means for the longer version, including what it doesn't mean.

It is — Auckland averages around 80% relative humidity. We're not going to tell you the air is drying your skin out, because it isn't. What does put skin under load here is UV, wind-driven evaporation, salt, and constant variability. Plus the practical reality that if you're wearing sunscreen daily, whatever goes underneath it needs to behave.

Independent testing is underway with Mascot Spincontrol — a sensitive skin panel, a dermatological assessment, and a human clinical study. We've committed to publishing the results in full, including anything unflattering. We aren't making testing-based claims until then.

Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin: cells held together by lipids, working as a seal that keeps moisture in and irritants out. Everyday habits can wear it down — hot water, over-cleansing, too many actives at once — along with environmental stress like UV, wind, and indoor heating. When the barrier is under pressure, skin tends to feel tight, look dull, and react more easily. Barrier-first skincare focuses on supporting that seal rather than stripping it.

Texture should follow your skin, not the other way around. A gel moisturiser like Barrier Balance suits normal, combination, and oily skin — it hydrates without shine and sits well under SPF, which makes it a natural morning step. A cream like Barrier Resilience suits dry and sensitive skin, cold or windy weather, and evenings. Many people use both: gel by day, cream by night.

Peak UV in New Zealand runs about 40% higher than at matching latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere (NIWA) — a result of lower summer ozone, cleaner air, and the Earth's orbit bringing the Southern Hemisphere closer to the sun in summer. For skin, that means more cumulative exposure in everyday life, not just at the beach. It's why we recommend broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning, and why sootheKA formulas are designed with UV-stressed skin in mind.

Yes — Barrier Balance is designed for exactly that. Apply it, give it around 60 seconds to absorb, then layer SPF or makeup on top; its non-occlusive texture won't pill. Barrier Resilience is richer, so most people prefer it as an evening step, though it also works under SPF on very dry days.

It's built for exactly that skin: dry, sensitive and reactive. We recommend a patch test on your inner forearm before first use.

Hydration and comfort you should feel from the first applications — that's what humectants like Sodium Hyaluronate and Betaine do. Changes in how skin looks — softness, smoothness, less visible dryness — build with consistent use over several weeks. Barrier care rewards consistency more than intensity: one formula used daily beats five used occasionally.

New Zealand at launch, Australia to follow. Rates and timing confirmed when the store opens.

Both live on one page, so there is a single source of truth: Shipping & Returns.

You will receive a confirmation email shortly after signing up. As a waitlist member, you will get priority early access when we launch. We will not spam you — expect only meaningful updates.

Yes, at any time. Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link. You can also email us at hello@sootheka.com and we will remove you promptly.

Email us at hello@sootheka.com — we aim to respond within 2 business days. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok at @soothe_ka.

sootheKA is operated by The KA Collective Limited, based in Auckland, New Zealand. We are a proudly New Zealand–founded brand built for the ANZ market and beyond.