Scrubs gone wild

FERMENTED foods are commonly associated with the promotion of digestive health, but can you imagine slapping on some kimchi, kefir, or your favourite pickled delicacy on your skin?
Well, if you’re a Sabahan, your wildest dreams are being answered by Deiseree Daniel Jambun, 30, and Marion St Joan Galid, 24. The cousins are offering the world’s first tuhau-infused skincare products through their eight-month-old label Love, Lusie (www.lovelusie.com).
For the uninitiated, tuhau is a Kadazandusun delicacy made from wild ginger which is mixed with chilli and scallion, and pickled using salt and vinegar. A popular appetiser and ingredient in Sabah, it is also traditionally used to heal wounds and cure stomach ache.
As Deiseree and Marion are really using the extract of tuhau in their products, be rest assured that Love, Lusie’s body and facial scrubs do not come with the pungency that the delicacy is known for. They are however packed with antioxidants and antimicrobial properties from the indigenous plant. In fact, according to Marion, tuhau contains more antioxidants than blueberries do!
“We enjoy eating tuhau so much. My mouth waters whenever I think about it,” quipped Marion, a marketing undergraduate.
Save for the two sugar-based lip scrubs, Love, Lusie currently carries four body scrubs – each named after a district in Sabah – and two facial scrubs that are infused with tuhau extract. They are made fresh by hand every week, and best used within six months of opening.
Despite the novelty of their brand’s star ingredient, and the “surprisingly” warm reception even by consumers who aren’t familiar with tuhau, Deiseree and Marion are not resting on their laurels so far.
“We’re experimenting on a mystery ingredient for a new limited edition body scrub. And we’ll be exploring lip balms too,” divulged Deiseree, who’s also a freelance UX developer and mother of one.
Being the only daughter in their respective families, Deiseree and Marion developed a sisterhood growing up in Kota Kinabalu. Establishing and building Love, Lusie together was an instinctive move by the duo to honour their home state and heritage. As a matter of fact, they named the business after their late grandmother, Lusinah.
“We do have our stressful moments but working together, knowing that we can trust one another, is comforting.
“Our dream is to bring tuhau onto the international stage, in a form that everyone can accept if not by pickle,” Deiseree expressed.
With all that they have been blessed with, the altruistic pair also makes sure to contribute to communities in need. Deiseree and Marion initiated the #lusiegivesback movement last December where they’d donate a portion of the month’s sales at every quarter of the year.