Botanicals

AFRICA’S BEAUTY POWERHOUSES
Drawn deep into the vast landscape, we have carefully selected these highly-prized, nutrient dense skin powerhouses: Marula, Kalahari Melon, Baobab, Manketti, Cape Yangu, Moringa and Ximenia.

For centuries, Africa’s people have used these botanicals for their skincare and sunscreen needs, long knowing of their remarkable medicinal properties and almost miraculous benefits to skin. Sustaining traditional villages for centuries and inspiring folklore, it is with great honour that we introduce our Ancient African Oil Complex.

This powerful complex forms an antioxidant rich delivery system for dermal enhancing actives. A synergistic blend of potent African botanicals rich in vitamins, minerals, omegas and antioxidants renowned for skin-renewing, hydrating, moisturising, anti-ageing, nourishing, healing, regenerating, soothing, conditioning, anti-inflammatory, brightening and sun protection properties.

MARULA Sclerocarya Birrea
100% Unrefined. Cold Pressed. Cold Processed. Organic. Low Free Fatty Acid Value. Sustainably Sourced.

A beauty treatment used for centuries by the people of South Africa, this miracle oil is prized for its remarkable skin benefits. Marula Oil has been traditionally used everyday to protect skin from the dry, hot, extreme climate, and provide absolute moisture and radiance.

An icon of the African landscape, the Marula tree is native to Southern, West and East Africa. Adapted over millennia to survive the harsh and semi-arid environment, these extraordinary conditions gave rise to this exceptionally rich, nutritious and moisturizing oil.

The value of pure Marula oil is wonderfully immense. Inherent to this oil are antioxidants, essential fatty acids omega 6 + 9, oleic acid as well as vitamins C and E, which deeply penetrate the skin and give marula its miracle rejuvenating, moisturizing and soothing properties. The end result is wonderfully radiant skin.

Our advanced extraction methods pioneered in South Africa delivers the world’s finest quality Marula oil. Sustainably harvested from the wild, and by hand, the Marula fruits empower rural communities with employment, benefit sharing and resource protection. Fair trade practices and organically certified value chain ensures the entire process is ethical and respects the environment.

KALAHARI MELON Citrullus lanatus
A wild melon originating from one of the world’s oldest deserts, the arid Kalahari. Its ability to survive in the harsh conditions is attributed to compounds in its seed oil that actively mop up toxic hydroxyl radicals, creating a potent anti-ageing oil.

Used in Africa for centuries and known since the time of the ancient Egyptians, the oil has been used to care for the skin and to maintain a healthy appearance. Rich in omega 6 fatty acids giving it strong moisturising, restructuring and regenerating properties.

BAOBAB Adansonia digitata
Pronounced bow-bab, the “upside down tree” is Africa’s mystical tree of life and an icon of the African landscape. Some baobabs are several thousand years old and many tribes consider the baobab a powerful spiritual force, we couldn’t disagree!

Made from the seed of Africa’s own superfruit, valuable in containing essential nutrients, the seeds are cold pressed and sustainably sourced. This oil is renowned for its ability to prevent transepidermal water loss, ensuring your skin remains smooth, silky soft all day.

Traditionally used in Africa to protect the skin and hair against the harsh savannah environment, it restores complexion and combats early signs of aging. Baobab is best to help treat dry, damaged skin and restore a healthy, youthful glow. Rich in antioxidants and omegas 3, 6 and 9. With strong anti-inflammatory properties, it can help soothe and treat inflammatory skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis.

MANKETTI or MONGONGO Schinziophyton rautanenii
Scattered across the arid regions of Southern Africa, it is known as the “Jewel of the Kalahari”. It has long been valued by the !Kung San people as an extremely nutritious fruit, as well as the oil to protect their skin from the harsh Kalahari environment.

Common in the upper reaches of the Zambezi and Kavango Rivers, the tree is strongly drought-resistant and able to survive extreme temperature fluctuations. An extraordinary seed oil, it is very high in eleostearic acid, which helps it form a protective film on skin against UV light, shielding skin from excess moisture loss and sun damage while preserving the skin in a youthful state.

Manketti oil is ideal for skin damaged by sun or dry weather. Its unique properties empower it with the ability to protect the skin from premature ageing caused by sun damage. It also helps inflamed skin conditions such as acne, eczema and sensitivity.

YANGU or CAPE CHESTNUT Calodendrum capense
One of the early explorers thought that this tree resembles a chestnut tree in the UK, hence the common name, but rather it is a member of the citrus family. A beautiful forest tree with a spectacular floral display, it occurs naturally from eastern South Africa to northern Kenya. When its spiky fruit ripen, the pods burst and release tiny black seeds from which the oil is pressed.

A popular oil in traditional African skincare, it has inherent ultra violet protection and a high content of essential fatty acids and antioxidants, ideal to moisturise and nourish dry, cracked, damaged skin.

AFRICAN MORINGA Moringa oleifera
Moringa has been used since ancient times as a medicinal herb and the oil for its healing properties. Known as the most nutrient dense oil in the world delivering vital nutrients and helping the skin retain moisture.

Rich in antioxidants, it helps to improve the appearance, softness and radiance of the skin. Moringa is also regarded as an anti-pollution agent as it helps to bind and eliminate foreign particles. Helps to minimise the appearance of fine wrinkles, builds collagen and promotes elasticity.

XIMENIA Ximenia Americana
An exceptionally thick and luxurious silky seed oil, Ximenia has a long history of traditional use in Africa to soften and moisturise the skin. Made from the seed of the sour plum tree, a small thorny shrub-tree occurring in the woodlands and savannahs of Southern Africa.

Known for nourishing, moisturising and hydrating skin, it also softens and revitalizes the skin, stimulates the production of sebum and improves skin elasticity, making it an effective treatment for dry, cracked skin and premature ageing.

CAPE FLORAL KINGDOM - EXCEPTIONALLY RICH & DIVERSE
Just a stone’s throw from the rich kelp forests lies the beauty, bounty and diversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.

A World Heritage Site at the tip of Africa, this floral kingdom is known the world over for its fynbos vegetation; the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms and being the most diverse!

Fynbos is mostly fine-leaved vegetation comprising nearly 10,000 species, most of which occur nowhere else on earth and a substantial number of which are threatened with extinction, making it the world’s “hottest botanical hotspot”! A picturesque mosaic of rugged mountains, valley basins and an exquisite array of botanical marvel, this little kingdom is filled with treasure yet to be discovered.

We infuse our skincare with the exquisitely aromatic Buchu Agathosma betulina, Rose Geranium Pelargonium graveolens and our precious blue Cape Chamomile Eriocephalus punctulatus, all of which boast remarkable skin benefits.

BUCHU Agathosma betulina
Pronounced boe-ghoe, it is perhaps one of the best known South African herbs both locally and internationally. Endemic to the mountains of the Western Cape, occurring nowhere else on earth, we source from the Cedarberg mountain range on the West Coast of South Africa.

A distinctive scent and a characteristic “fynbos fragrance”, it is produced by tiny oil glands on the surface of the leaves, fruits and petals. A potent anti-inflammatory with anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, and assists in the successful treatment of eczema.

ROSE GERANIUM Pelargonium graveolens
A perennial shrub indigenous to South Africa, we source from the Cedarberg mountain range on the West Coast of South Africa. Often called the “poor man’s rose” because it shares many of its therapeutic qualities with the more expensive rose essential oil.

Antioxidant and anti-aging properties. Antibacterial and antimicrobial, it promotes wound healing and prevents toxins from entering the body.

CAPE CHAMOMILE Eriocephalus punctulatus
A rare and exquisite chamomile known for its gorgeous violet-blue colour and intoxicating scent. Indigenous to the mountains of the Western and Eastern Cape, we source our organic Cape Chamomile from an artisan producer in the Cedarberg mountain range on the West Coast of South Africa.

A much sought after oil, with a distinct and hypnotic fruity, berry-apple scent. The shrub is extremely difficult to harvest, steam distilled, and produces a very low yield. Chamazulene is the magical compound giving the oil its striking blue colour, and important skin benefits. Our precious Cape Chamomile is one of the most powerfully calming oils available, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and soothing.

All these species are organic and sustainably harvested through biodiversity-friendly farming practices, Ceres certified and participation in conservation corridor programs. High quality, therapeutic-grade steam distillation of stems and leaves.