Press Release

Fresh & Juicy New Organic Spa Products Debut At Ihilani Spa

Exclusive signature line of spa products feature the Hawaiian mountain apple fruit

KO OLINA, Hawaii – October 30, 2008 – A luscious but relatively little known Hawaiian fruit is now the essence of a new line of spa products and a body treatment at the award-winning Ihilani Spa. Featuring everything from bath salts to shampoos, the ‘Ōhi‘a ‘Ai Mountain Apple spa products are available exclusively at the Ihilani Spa, located at the luxurious JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa on O‘ahu.

“In creating our new signature line, we chose the mountain apple fruit because it was uniquely Hawaiian and we wanted to offer tropical products that you won’t find anywhere else,” said Robin Desha, spa director of Ihilani Spa. “Our guests will find the Mountain Apple line to be a refreshing and invigorating way to relax, whether they receive a treatment here or enjoy it at home.”

Developed in collaboration with Island Essence of Maui, the ‘Ōhi‘a ‘Ai Mountain Apple signature line is only available at Ihilani Spa and online at www.ihilani.com.

• Mountain Apple Shampoo (4.5 oz)
• Mountain Apple Conditioner (4.5 oz)
• Mountain Apple Lotion (4.5 oz)
• Mountain Apple Wash (4.5 oz)
• Mountain Apple Bath Salt (4 oz)

The Mountain Apple lotion, wash and bath salts are all paraben free, with the shampoo and conditioner in development to also be paraben free.

Guests at the award-winning Ihilani Spa can also enjoy the new line in a body scrub, manicure and pedicure treatments.

“We loved the opportunity to do something different with Hawaii’s Mountain Apple and ultimately creating this original product line, exclusively for the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa,” said Martin Diamond, co-creator of Island Essence based in Maui. “We so enjoyed working with Robin Desha and the Ihilani Spa. And, overall, it was a fun and fascinating process from beginning to end, and a wonderful way for Hawaii to share this unique indigenous fruit with visitors to our shores.”

Known in Hawaiian as ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai, the reddish fruit is called “mountain apple” for its similar appearance and taste to apples. Believed to be native of Malaysia, the fruit was brought over to Hawai‘i by the original Polynesian voyagers, who used the wood of the ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai tree for building materials and the fruit for nourishment and tapa cloth designs.

Offering services and treatments that are uniquely part of the Hawaiian tradition and lifestyle, the Ihilani Spa celebrates healing by the sea. A “must do” experience at Ihilani Spa is the authentic Thalasso therapy, an underwater massage that stimulates and relaxes the entire body using warm, filtered seawater and colored lights. The resort’s location, along one of Hawaii‘s most spectacular reefs and fronting a picturesque lagoon, ensures an excellent supply of the essential ingredients necessary for this treatment. And Ihilani Spa is one of only two places in the United States to offer the Thalasso therapy.

For more information, please call (808) 679-0079 or 1-800-626-4446, or visit www.ihilani.com.

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The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina is an award-winning resort that fronts the first of four lagoons on Oahu’s sunny western shore. Part of the 640-acre Ko Olina Resort & Marina and offering the island's most complete resort experience, the hotel features luxuriously appointed rooms; relaxed Hawaiian elegance; gracious, warm personalized service; secluded beaches; professional tennis courts; 18 holes of challenging championship play at Ko Olina Golf Club; and a variety of restaurants showcasing unique and distinctive international cuisine. The world-class Ihilani Spa, voted one of the “Top Spas in the World” by readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazines, is internationally renowned for its full complement of invigorating body treatments and massages, using products harvested from the honua (earth) and the moana (ocean) here in the islands. The resort recently ranked as one of the “Top 100 Golf Resorts” by Conde Nast Traveler, as well as Editor’s Pick in TravelAge West’s 2006 WAVE Awards. Heralded as the "Best Luxury Hotel" and "Best Place to Get a Massage" in the islands by readers of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa is home to NFL's crème de la crème during the annual all-star Pro Bowl game in Hawaii.

About Island Essence
Island Essence was created by Denise and Martin Diamond, who met on Maui over 35 years ago. She was an authority on the cosmetic and therapeutic uses of flowers and plants and authored “The Complete Book of Flowers,” a wonderful guide for bringing flowers into your daily life. Martin’s expertise involves over thirty years of entrepreneurial business experience. They co-founded one of the first natural skin care companies in California in the 1970s. Island Essence uses no animal ingredients and does not test on animals. They use a minimum of packaging and whenever possible, they use recycled and recyclable materials. A portion of their proceeds is donated to environmental and cultural groups. Island Essence develops complete lines of individually formulated aromatherapy and spa products. Their private label spa creations are sold in many of the premier resorts and spas in Hawaii and throughout the world.

Editor’s Note: Images of JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, Ihilani Spa and Mountain Apple products are available upon request.

For More Information, Contact:

Jeanne Datz Rice or Noreen Kam
McNeil Wilson Communications, Inc.
Phone: (808) 531-0244
Fax: (808) 521-7163
E-mail: jeanne.datz.rice@mwc-anthology.com
or noreen.kam@mwc-anthology.com

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