With rising concern over global climate change, more consumers are looking to make sustainable choices when shopping and becoming more invested in the ways retail goods are produced.
Avner Talmon’s olive grove is a testimony to sustainable business. As the owner of Olea Essence, Avner uses completely natural methods to develop and manufacture olive-based beauty products that are as kind to the skin as they are to the environment. In this interview, Avner speaks on the culture, success, and mission behind Olea Essence’s business model.
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Integration into nature
In 1997, Avner moved with his family from their home in central Israel to the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights in the North. This was a huge change as the family moved from the second most populous city in Israel to the quiet and peaceful countryside.
The Sea of Galilee region is well known for its beautiful nature. Seeing this as an opportunity, Avner and his family made the unique decision to build their house and business right around an olive grove.
“We chose a sustainable way of life,” Avner explains. “It means cooperation with the nature around us without chemical involvement, spraying, or fertilization. We don’t fence our areas, and we allow free movement for the animals inhabiting the area, even if they may cause damage to the farm.”
Pure and untouched Olive Oil
Olea Essence is defined by the holistic vision of treating everything with respect and kindness. The name ״Olea Essence״ means “the essence of olive”, which is indicative of the brand’s philosophy – no preservatives or artificial colorings are added in the process, making for an all-natural product.
“We don’t purify our olive oil or filter it because there are antioxidants in it. This preserves the strength and effectiveness of ingredients found in olives, such as tocopherol and vitamin E, which together are effective at nourishing the skin and maintaining a youthful appearance.”
Olea Essence makes sure that no part of the olive goes to waste. The water created as a byproduct of pressing olives into oil is toxic to the environment due to its high concentration of antioxidants. Using a patented fermentation process, Olea Essence turns the “olive blackwater” into olive vinegar, which is then used as a raw material for cosmetics and toiletries.
“We produce multi-purpose household cleaners, utensils, and machine tools completely naturally. We do not discard anything from the production process.״
This 100% natural production method requires work and attention, but this effort has not gone without recognition.
“We made the decision to offer uncompromised quality and this has given us unique and extensive public credit in Israel and around the world. For example, the Olive Wash & Exfoliate was the winner of the 2010 Cleantech Open competition, which was held in San Francisco with 6,000 judges.”
From a small family business to an international brand
Through a combination of hard work and sticking to values of uncompromised quality and innovation, Olea Essence has grown from a small family business in the countryside of Israel to an international brand, active in countries such as Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United States.
“We are now very strong in China. We have sales throughout the Asia Pacific and the United States, with an emphasis on online sales. Right now we are working on setting up a store in Beijing and hope to do so in the future in Japan as well.”
“In Japan, we started our activity in Okinawa. Okinawa is known for its delicious foods and ingredients, so we believed that they were going to be the most difficult to win over. If we succeeded in Okinawa, it meant to us that we could succeed anywhere.”
Sales are thriving in Okinawa. Now Avner is looking to expand the business to the rest of Japan. He has presented his products at several exhibitions in Japan, including CosmoProf, and is gaining the trust of the market.
Avner’s next big step is the accelerated development of a sunblock, free of artificial chemicals, designed for people who are active outside. This will lead to other products, such as face cream and lip balm with natural SPF, to help protect people in their daily lives from harmful UV radiation.
“We are also now setting up another research center and visitor’s center that will show how we make the olive oil.” When traveling will once again be possible, Avner hopes to teach others the holistic method of production that started it all.
All olive: must-try organic cosmetics from Olea Essence’s lineup
Olea Essence has a vast catalog of fully-natural olive products, from food to skincare. Here we have highlighted a few bestsellers from the brand, which can be found in Olea Essence’s online shop.
OLIVE WASH AND EXFOLIATE
This olive-based 3-in-1 wash, scrub, and toner is based on crushed olives with pits for an intensive exfoliating scrub, leaving the skin feeling supple and moisturized.
Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, combined with other essential natural oils and plant extracts, provides a rich natural source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamins E and A. Dead skin cells are exfoliated away to reveal healthy, visibly-younger skin.
For use, apply a small amount of ‘Olea Essence’s Olive Wash & Exfoliate for Hands and Body’ onto dry skin, massage gently in small circles, and rinse off.
REHABILITATION CREAM
This skin restoration cream is 100% natural first-aid cream, formulated to calm, soothe, and heal skin from itchiness, burns, bug bites, rashes, and more. Fans have reported the effectiveness of this cream for eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and even seborrhea.
The antioxidant-rich formulation helps repair the skin’s natural barrier and enhances the ability of skin cells to regenerate themselves. Honey, renowned throughout the ages as a naturally-powerful moisturizer, deeply boosts hydration and gives the skin a soft and supple feel.
For this concentrated formula, a small amount is enough to achieve effective results – a little goes a long way!
Use a small amount on the affected areas of the skin until skin ailment clears. Allow the cream to sit for three minutes to fully absorb into the skin.
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