Billie Jo Hohepa-Ropiha developed the personal hygiene range to feel fresh after going to the toilet. But at the same time, BDÉT reduces our reliance on disposable wet wipes that clog up our waterways and take many years to biodegrade.
A foam wash for the future
Pikipiko is the Māori name for the curled silver fern. While these can traditionally be eaten, BDÉT infuses the natural scents and oils of pikopiko into their products.
BDÉT has two key products: foam wash and bathroom perfume.
The foam wash is a natural and biodegradable alternative to wet wipes. After going number two, apply two pumps of foam wash to a new piece of toilet paper and use that to clean your behind. The ultra-gentle and soft foam becomes a highly effective cleanser for your bottom. Also, it has natural scents that leaves you feeling and smelling fresh.
Founder Billie Jo Hohepa-Ropiha is of French and Māori ancestry. Both parts of her background are reflected in BDÉT’s products. The name is a play on the bathroom sanitary receptacle “bidet” – a French word. Plus, each of the products have a name in Te Reo.
BDÉT has worked with a French parfumier based in Auckland to find the perfect natural smell for the bathroom
The bathroom perfume offers a natural and fresh smell as opposed to the more sterile and industrial smelling toilet sprays. Billie Jo worked with a French parfumier based in Auckland to find the perfect natural smell for the bathroom.
“For the BDÉT Room Perfume, I wanted to create a product that smelt beautiful like perfume. So I decided to create a 100% natural spray that was made out of real perfume, and what better perfume can you get than from France.”
Their two scents are newanewa and pikopiko.
In Māori, newanewa means “smooth” or “soft to the touch” so the scent is reminiscent of freshly washed linen with aromatic hints of light woody frankincense, mint, and a hint of freshly squeezed lime. Meanwhile, pikopiko smells of slight hints of native Silver Fern with bolder fruity tones of tropical mango and freshly cut coconuts.
An environmentally friendly alternative to disposable wipes
Although very easy to use, “flushable” wet wipes will take around 6 months to break down. While regular wet wipes contain micro pieces of plastic and take much longer to break down. That was not good enough for Billie Jo.
BDÉT’s foam wash is eco-friendly, made from 98.9% natural ingredients and is plant-based and has no animal-based ingredients.
