soul purpose
“When soul rises up something is going to change! It might not be cataclysmic, life-altering change that's afoot, but on the other hand, all change has that potential…
Soul is the thing that requires we get real: Real with ourselves, and real with the world”
“life changing adventure..”
More than 40 years ago a little English girl embarked on a life changing adventure to Africa with her Mother. When they settled in the small Kingdom of Swaziland (now called Eswatini) Laura developed a heart for the people of her beautiful “home” country. Friendly, warm, loving and kind.
“woman & children living in the worst poverty…”
As she grew up she became aware of the plight of her people too:
The majority of the population living on less than GBP1 a day, recovering from having one of the highest HIV-Aids rates in the world, and consequently a country with a significantly high percentage of child headed homes. Woman are often left in the rural area while the men go to the cities to earn money. Unfortunately, this often translates into the woman and children living in the worst poverty.
“taking other woman with us…”
As a single mother of 2 daughters, who went though some of her own financial struggles providing for her children, Laura became determined that businesses should have impact! And so, when she began to plot out the destiny for Botanical Elixir she decided to take other woman with her - with the vision for each product or ingredient-need developing into a sustainable business, owned by a female entrepreneur.
“first, an empowerment project…”
What makes Botanical Elixir obviously different is that we are, first, an empowerment project. We are here to change lives, and to revolutionise the way we, as women see ourselves and care for ourselves.
Yes, we manufacture fantastic vegan skincare products. Really nutrient rich, scientifically excellent, ethically produced skincare products. They’re also organic and they’re cruelty free - they check all the boxes as far as product excellence goes but that’s not the real magic behind Botanical Elixir.
The magic is in the women whose lives are changed by this movement. The rural women who hand-pick and crush the marula kernels that produce our oil, the women who sew our beautiful cosmetic pouches, but also you…and me…
“I knew that I needed to build a community of women who learned to love and support one another. You see, for centauries the world has pitted women against one another. Competing for looks, positions, men…but as women, our God-given innate strengths lie in collaboration – living and working as a collective. It’s time to change the narrative…because the thing about women is that we thrive together. We excel in uplifting one another, and in raising each other’s children and speaking kind, edifying words to one another (like we do in the ladies’ bathroom). That’s where we are strongest. And that messaging needs to be embraced by the world.” - Laura
our ethos
We are passionate about leaving the world a better place; some days that impact could be minuscule and other days, more significant. We are firm believers in the "Butterfly Effect" - You may never know the full impact that you have on another individual.
On that note, Botanical Elixir was founded to create a ripple effect of positive actions and messaging into the world:
- To push against societal messaging about perfectionism versus celebrating who we are as individuals.
- To release a product into the market that guarantees a set of values and principles that bring hope and contribute to a better world for ourselves, and the generations to come.
- To partner with women in uplifting one another through business opportunities, mentoring/coaching, and general life collaboration.
- To challenge consumers on how they spend their money, and the impact that they have on communities and the environment around them through that choice.
social consciousness
At Botanical Elixir we believe that we are all uniquely connected; and making a difference to “just one” is at the foremost of our mind when we source our ingredients and accessories. Where ever we can we support single parents, rural communities and woman farmers/ entrepreneurs.
We firmly believe that we have a responsibility to uplift one another – in thought, word and deed. By working with these communities, not only do we offer our customers the best quality, natural ingredients, but we can all feel good knowing that our choices are benefiting the economic and social development of rural areas. It’s Significant! And that’s the kind of impact we wake up in the morning to make!
organic ingredients
Certified organic ingredients are inherently better for your skin and undoubtedly better for the environment.
In so much as is possible we source organic ingredients, where it is not possible we use natural or wild harvested products.
sustainable
Sustainability is at the core of who we are, and not only because we believe it is the right thing to do. Women who wake up to change the world do so because they want to leave a lasting, significant legacy. And to do that, we must make sure that our choices are sustainable. At Botanical Elixir that translates into our triple bottom line – it’s not only profits that are important to us, but also people and the planet. We pay fair living wages and ensure the same is standardised across our supply chain, we campaign (and pour profits into) against human trafficking (otherwise known as modern day slavery). Our ingredients are organic, cruelty free and chosen for their sustainable and ethical supply chain. Our packaging is recyclable, and moving into the future there will be options for refills.
contains African ingredients
Africa is a continent of extremes…
Extreme beauty, extreme weather, extreme wealth of natural resources, and regrettably for many, extreme poverty.
When Laura first started Botanical Elixir in March of 2020, she wanted to send a 100% African product into the world. As She tried to find raw ingredients grown/harvested in Africa that are also certified organic, vegan and cruelty free, she realised that there was a real shortage in this area. The product is grown, it’s just not as well-regulated as in the first world. Which made her even more determined to succeed in this area. The number of women farmers/ collaboratives in Africa who are producing organic/ vegan certified raw ingredients (and therefore being paid the high value returns they deserve) are noticeably small.
Currently, a percentage of our raw ingredients comes from rural African communities and we hope, over time, to be able to increase that amount as we grow with our farmers. The certification process is arduous and expensive, but so important because that is where the women will start to be able to demand their worth from all their hard work.
fresh microbatches
By creating our luxurious elixirs in small batches we can ensure the ultimate in efficacy and freshness. Your skin is getting the most active and inherent vitamins, omega fatty acids and phytonutrients in every bottle.
positive messaging
After decades (centuries, actually) of women aspiring to look like some culturally imposed ideal or another, we're now slowly starting to embrace our individuality. The new beautiful is about being the best version of yourself. This means taking good care of yourself, in every way. We strongly believe that looking good and feeling good are inextricable concepts. That is why we develop our beauty products around real women and real ingredients…Skincare with Soul.
luxurious
The world has become so busy! Sneaking a few minutes each day for our self care isn't always easy and so, besides the distinct physical benefits offered by our products, we invite you to bring a sensory experience to your daily skincare regime. From the subtle scents, to the way the product feels on your skin and even the packaging, we endeavour to create naturally active products that help simplify your skincare routine, yet still are indulgent and special. Take a few moments as you use our products to practise mindfulness. Take deep breaths…Inhale confidence, exhale competition and be your own damn Muse. A gift from you, to you!
cruelty-free & vegan
No animal testing and no animal products. Completely Vegan-friendly.
We are also kind to one another and to our suppliers! And this is the attitude of love that surrounds us and is poured into the products we send to you, with love xxx