Essential Oils. Not All Are Created Equal.

When my business partner Yael and I decided to focus full-time on this journey into the world of tallow healing, one of the most unexpected explorations was into the world of essential oils. I had never really given this world much attention. All I knew was that I wanted to make a back-to-basics skincare product for my daughter’s psoriasis, as the continual prescription of steroid creams was not a long-term option. My goal was to cook up a natural, clean product that would not only feel good but support the skin It was never about fragrance for its own sake. My focus was on skin support—any scent had to contribute to healing, not just aesthetics and something obviously free of artificial perfumes.

I had heard of the healing properties of essential oils but had no formal training in the subject. Being a passionate cook, I let my nose lead the way. As I developed my formulations, relying largely on intuitive instinct, our clinical results over time have proven to be, quite literally, “on the nose.”

Most consumers are unaware of how many products line the shelves masquerading as “natural” and “pure.” In fact, there’s so much BS in the unregulated essential oils industry that the only way I could be sure we were using genuinely pure oils was to find a farm that not only grows the plants but also distills the oils themselves. Our single-source farm focuses on fynbos oils but also produces an exceptional Lavandula abrialis (lavender) and Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree).

Essential oils are made up of a vast number of natural compounds—aromatic alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, esters, and terpenes, to name a few. In the essential oils trade, it’s almost standard practice to “stretch” oils by adding cheaper components. Traders often dilute or blend oils to maintain aroma, flavour, and pricing consistency.

But a truly pure, natural essential oil will vary depending on the season in which it’s harvested.

Climate conditions—like a very wet spring or a drought—will change the chemical composition. The fragrance industry aims to standardise everything, because customers are used to getting the exact same smell every time they buy their favourite oil. So the industry blends, reconstitutes, and manufactures a standardised product in labs to deliver that sameness. But nature doesn’t work that way—and frankly, those standardised products often aren’t great. You can get a Linalool from Coriander seeds as well as a Lavender bush if it’s manufactured in a lab you don’t know where it comes from. At Zero BS, we let nature take the lead.

The majority of our essential oils at ZERO BS are sourced directly from a single farm. These oils have never seen the inside of a laboratory. The farm is tucked away in the mountains of the Southern Cape Karoo, in the Western Cape. The climate there is predominantly Mediterranean, with highly variable rainfall. Winters bring frost; summers can be intensely hot and dry. We believe this unique climate has a direct impact on the strength and quality of our oils. Since we do not standardise, you’ll notice our product fragrances can vary slightly from batch to batch—depending on the season, the cultivar, and the year in which the oils were harvested. 

We’ve gone to great lengths to find the purest, most natural ingredients in our product range. This back-to-basics philosophy is the beating heart of both ZERO BS and our company ethos: keep it simple, and let nature lead.

Four years into this unexpected journey, Yael and I are continually rewarded. We receive messages almost daily from people who’ve found relief using our products—particularly those with serious eczema, psoriasis, and TSW (topical steroid withdrawal). Our clinical trials continue to prove that we are on the right path. A late-in-life career change for both of us has become a deep source of purpose. We feel blessed every single day.