Botani is an Australian skin care brand founded in 1994 by Melbourne based herbalist and naturopath Barbara Filokostas. The key ingredient in the Botani line of skin care is olive squalene- a pure plant oil derived from olives which is supposed to mimic the squalene in our own skin.
I’ve been curious about Botani for some time now and have been fortunate enough to be sent their best selling products to trial- the Botani Boost Balancing Moisturiser, Olive Hand Cream, and Olive Skin Serum. So far I’m very impressed with the Botani. Their products are beautifully formulated for a variety of skin types using quality pure plant extracts and no fillers- and are a pleasure to use.
Olive Skin Serum contains 100% phyto-active Olive Squalene, sourced from olives . Olive squalene is similar to the squalene found in our own skin, and is thought to provide free radical damage and reduce transepidermal water loss. As we age, our natural squalene levels drop, leading to dryness and loss in skin elasticity.
Unlike rose hip oil and some of the other plant oils I’ve used, olive squalene is incredibly light in texture- making it ideal for day time use, with or without makeup on top.
15mL $31.95
Keep reading after the jump!
The Botani Olive Hand Cream is a nourishing hand cream enriched with organic jojoba oil, vitamin E, and olive squalene. It boasts both hydrating and anti inflammatory properties – making it suitable for normal skin as well as for skin effected by eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
This is my favourite Botani product so far, and also one of my favourite hand creams. It hydrates well, without leaving any sticky residue or heavy sensation; it is beautifully formulated with an aloe vera base, botanical extracts, and pure plant oils; and it contains no unwanted petrochemical fillers or unnecessary irritants like artificial fragrances.
The Botani Olive Hand Cream has a lovely herbal scent which reminds me of olive groves- to me this has a reassuring quality to it.
$24.95 for 100g
Formulated by Australian naturopath Barbara Filokostas, Botáni’s Boost Balancing Moisturiser has been developed to balance combination skin. It is designed to hydrate dry areas and also combat blemishes with the anti-bacterial properties of Australian Lemon Scented Tea Tree Oil and Echinacea.
The texture of this is halfway between a light lotion and a gel- it feels quite refreshing on the face and is a perfect moisturiser for the warmer months (oilier skin types would do well with this throughout the year). I’ve noticed it leaves a slight sticky/tackiness on the skin after applying (probably due to the aloe base), but this goes away after it completely absorbs.
$25.95 for 50mL $42.95 for 100mL
Botani Olive Hand Cream Ingredients List:
Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glyceryl Monostearate, Squalane (Olive) , Glycerin , Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate , Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract Citric Acid, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Pelargonium Graveolens Flower (Rose Geranium) Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower (Roman Chamomile) Oil
Botani Boost Balancing Moisturiser Ingredients List:
Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis (Leaf) Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Lecithin, Glycerin, Squalane (Olive), Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Leptospermum Petersonii (Australian Lemon Scented Tea Tree) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (French Lavender) Oil, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)
Botani Olive Skin Serum Ingredients List:
Olive Squalene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E