After two decades working hands-on with thousands of faces, skin therapist Renee Hohaia has seen it all:
half-finished products, confused routines, damaged barriers and customers stuck in a cycle of trial-and-error. Her answer? Arké – a new clinical-grade skincare line designed to strip back the noise and rebuild long-term trust in your skin.
Launching this November, Arké centres on a four-step ritual – The Cleanser, The Serum, The Moisturiser and The Bed Balm – each formulated with proven actives in thoughtful concentrations. The philosophy is simple: real skin, supported through every season of life.
In this exclusive Q&A, Renee shares the frustrations that sparked Arké, how she created a truly skin-first edit, and why simplicity is the ultimate luxury in a crowded beauty landscape.
1. You’ve spent two decades working directly with clients – what gaps or frustrations in the skincare industry inspired you to create Arké?
Over the past 20 years in clinic, the most common thing I’ve experienced is confusion. Clients would tell me about half-used products they’d been trying, conflicting advice and a sense that they were always one purchase away from “fixing” themselves. What frustrated me was how complicated skincare had become. There was a huge emphasis on trends, fast results and a lot of fear-based messaging, but very little on education, long-term skin health and realistic routines people could actually stick to. I was constantly stripping routines back, repairing damaged barriers and rebuilding trust — both in clients’ skin and in the process.
arké is my response to that. I wanted to create a brand that honoured what I see every day: real skin, real lives and the need for something that works without demanding all of your time, money or mental energy.
2. Arké is built around a streamlined four-step ritual. How did you determine which products were essential and what makes this edit truly “skin-first”?
When I started dreaming up arké, I thought about what I ask of my clients in clinic if I strip everything back to the essentials. It always comes down to four core actions: cleanse, treat, nourish and protect. If you can get those right, consistently, your skin will thank you. So the four-step ritual is built from that philosophy (and an SPF is a must too).
Skin-first means the routine is designed around the biology and needs of the skin, not around trends, packaging or unnecessary steps. If the product didn’t serve a clear purpose for skin health and long-term resilience, it didn’t go into the ritual.
3. Clinical-grade skincare can feel intimidating for everyday users. How did you ensure Arké delivers results without the complexity or overwhelm often seen in the category?
After all of my years in clinic, I’ve learnt the best routine is the one you can actually do. There’s no point in a highly active, beautifully formulated product if it just sits on the bathroom shelf because people are scared to use it. With arké, I was very intentional about removing that intimidation. We use clear, educational language, we explain why each product exists and how to use it, and we guide people on when to introduce actives rather than telling them to buy everything at once.
The formulations are clinical in their efficacy, but the experience is gentle, intuitive and supportive. Textures are pleasant, steps are minimal, instructions are straightforward. We worked with an expert team to ensure the levels were highly effective but gentle on the skin. It took over 18 months to get the formulations right, and we spent almost as long refining how we presented the brand and how we wanted to show up for our customers. Understanding a brand, its intentions and its effectiveness is just as important for customers these days as the market is so crowded.
4. Your formulas focus heavily on barrier support and thoughtful concentrations of proven actives. What was your approach to ingredient selection and creating balanced, effective formulations?
My approach has always been do no harm first, then do some good. If the barrier is compromised, nothing else will perform the way it should — and clients might experience sensitivity, redness, breakouts and a lack of trust in skincare. So we started with the barrier. Every formulation includes supportive ingredients that help maintain or restore that integrity, then we layer in targeted actives at concentrations that are proven, not just fashionable.
I’ve spent years seeing how skin behaves in the real world: tired, stressed, hormonal, sun-exposed, medicated. That informed every decision. When I briefed my cosmetic chemist, she told me it was the most thorough brief she’d seen in her entire career! I chose actives that have strong evidence behind them and then worked closely with our lab to balance potency with tolerability. The goal is steady, sustainable improvement, not a dramatic “before and after” that leaves the skin depleted.
5. You’ve achieved remarkable recognition in your clinic work – from acne results to brand engagement. How has your hands-on experience shaped the way Arké supports real skin through different seasons of life?
I’ve had the privilege of looking after some clients for more than a decade. I’ve seen them move through teenage acne, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause and everything in between. That long-term view has deeply shaped arké.
What I know for certain is that skin is never static. Hormones shift, lifestyles change, seasons roll on and your skin reflects all of it. The core arké ritual is stable and supportive, designed to be a constant you can rely on, while still allowing space to dial treatment up or down depending on what your skin is going through.
My clinic work has also taught me that results are never just about products. They’re about education, realistic expectations and consistency over time. So arké isn’t here to promise perfection; it’s here to be a trusted companion. A system that meets you where you are, honours the season you’re in and helps your skin feel resilient, comfortable and genuinely cared for.
Arké is created for all skin types – including dry, mature, sensitive and changing skin—and is intentionally crafted to make clinical-grade skincare feel accessible, intuitive and genuinely enjoyable to use. Each formula is built around barrier support, evidence-backed actives and concentrations that deliver steady, sustainable results without overwhelm.
The entire collection underwent more than 18 months of formulation development, followed by extensive refinement to ensure the brand presents itself with clarity, education and care – reflecting the same approach Renee brings to her award-winning clinic, R & Co Skin and Beauty in Oakura, New Plymouth.
Where to Shop
Arké is available:
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Online: via the brand’s official website at arkeskin.com
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In Person: exclusively at R & Co Skin and Beauty, New Plymouth
