Frequently Asked Questions

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Two formulas. Barrier Balance Water Gel Cream is a water-light gel for normal, combination and oily skin. Barrier Resilience Rich Cream is a richer cream for normal to dry skin.

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

Yes. Balance first, let it settle, then Resilience.

You'll feel the texture and the comfort from the first use. Skin varies, so we don't put a timeline on results beyond that.

Yes. Both were patch-tested by an independent lab on adults with sensitive skin, under dermatological supervision, and came back non-irritant. That is an irritation test. It can't rule out a reaction to a specific ingredient, and both formulas contain fragrance. Please patch test on your inner forearm before first use. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, check with your GP or dermatologist first.

Both formulas were subjected to independent, 24-hour occlusive patch testing on human volunteers with sensitive skin, under direct dermatological supervision. Both returned a verified non-irritant result. As with any new skincare, patch test on your inner forearm first, especially if you have known allergies to specific botanical extracts or fragrances.

The full report belongs to the lab and is marked confidential, so we can’t publish or send it. The Science page shows the three claims the lab’s certificates support. Questions: hello@sootheka.com.

We publish those claims once the written documentation is in hand. When it arrives, it goes on this page.

Both formulas contain a light fragrance, on purpose, at 0.1% of the formula. Skincare should be an enjoyable sensory habit, not a clinical chore. We screened hundreds of options and chose one, deliberately. Dose: 0.1%. The supplier certifies it conforms to the IFRA Standards for face moisturisers at levels at least 35 times higher. Disclosure: the fragrance allergens above the labelling threshold are declared in the ingredient list on every product page. Who should skip it: fragrance-free is the right choice for some skin. If you've reacted to fragranced products, or have eczema or very reactive skin, this isn't your product. Barrier Balance also contains sesame seed oil and chamomile extract. If you're allergic to either, skip it.

Yes: 2% in Barrier Resilience. The rest of our formulation framework is proprietary intellectual property. The complete ingredient list is on every product page.

No. We chose ingredients on published evidence rather than provenance. New Zealand is our design brief, not our ingredient list.

A xylitol-derived hydration complex, in Barrier Balance. The evidence we hold is supplier testing of the ingredient. See The Science.

A moisture binder that attaches to keratin, in Barrier Resilience. The evidence we hold is supplier testing of the ingredient. See The Science.

Made in India, to a New Zealand brief written in Auckland. We worked with highly qualified industry experts to formulate our products.

That is where I found the specific formulation expertise the brief demanded. I took the problem, not a product, to our formulator, then wore more than twenty samples before choosing one.

Daily sunscreen, high UV, coastal wind and salt were the brief, and they shaped the textures and the humectant system. See Our Story.

No. Neither contains SPF and neither replaces sunscreen. Wear a broad-spectrum SPF every morning. These are what you use under it.

Before. Moisturiser first, then sunscreen as the last step in the morning.

It is. Auckland averages around 80% relative humidity, and we won't tell you the air is drying your skin out. What puts skin under load here is UV, wind, salt and constant variability. And if you wear sunscreen daily, whatever goes underneath needs to behave.

Texture should follow your skin. A gel like Barrier Balance suits normal, combination and oily skin and goes under SPF easily. A cream like Barrier Resilience suits normal to dry skin, cold or windy weather, and evenings.

The outermost layer of skin: cells held together by lipids, working as a seal that keeps moisture in. Everyday habits wear on it, like hot water, over-cleansing and too many actives at once, along with UV, wind and indoor heating.

The first Resilience jars and minis carry earlier wording. This page is the current description of the product. The formula is the same, and from the next batch the label matches the website.

Every customer with a sootheKA account gets 10% off their first order. Sign in (or create a free account) before you check out and it's applied automatically, with no code. Guest checkout doesn't include it. One per customer.

Buy a 25ml mini and we send you a NZ$26 credit code. It takes NZ$26 off your first full-size 50ml jar, bought after your mini, within 60 days of your order date. One per customer. It can't be used on a mini or in the same order as one.

No. The bigger saving applies.

New Zealand at launch, Australia to follow. We ship within New Zealand: $8 flat rate, free on orders over $80. Estimated delivery and dispatch times are on the Shipping & Returns page.

Unopened and unused? Return within 14 days of delivery for a refund of the product price. Faulty, damaged or not as described? Email hello@sootheka.com with your order number and a photo and we’ll replace or refund it. Your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act always apply. See Shipping & Returns.

A confirmation email, then 48-hour early access at launch and the things we publish along the way. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Auckland, New Zealand. Operated by The KA Collective Limited.

hello@sootheka.com. We aim to reply within 2 business days. Instagram @soothe_ka and TikTok @soothe.ka.