Wild Olive African Artisans

General information

H I S T O R Y

Once upon a time in a cave off a cliff at the tip of Africa, humans began to dream and in perhaps the most profound moment in human history, lines were scratched into a slab of red ochre. This simple pattern was our first specie-defining leap towards pure creative thought. Soon after, our
ancestors began grinding powders and plant oils so that they might draw their dreams on the surface of the rough rock. The first step towards beauty as a ritual, started right here in Africa, and maybe with the ochre paste worn as make up, moisturizer and sun protection. Life had become more than mere survival, from now on, we all wanted to look and feel good.

Wild Olive was established in 1997 by a Cape Town pharmacist who sought to innovate cosmetic solutions for the eco-conscious, and since 2007, our Creative Director is the Bucharest born Madalina Bhatia, working under the name of Marioara de la Tara.

We manufacture over 250 different bath, body, home and
perfumery products, mostly inspired by African cultures and traditional African medicine, using the best materials available and the latest technology in order to ensure consistency and performance.

P H I L O S O P H Y

Our loadstone is a simple one: respect for our African ancestors from whom we borrow the future; for the materials entrusted to us by nature; for those eager hands that shape their pride into every creation; for the process and the patience it sometimes takes for things to perfectly evolve; and most of all, for the trust and commitment that you show us. We believe that by making choices based on integrity and purity of purpose, we will ultimately surround ourselves with meaningful value and quality.

O U R T A B L E O F I N G R E D I E N T S

The Cape Floral Kingdom is the earth’s smallest, but richest
botanical treasure. It is also our primary resource and inspiration: essential oils, absolutes, extracts, gums, butters, powders... African botanical knowledge and natural traditional remedies were cautiously gathered from all corners of the continent, and compiled into performant solutions for maintaining our health and beauty with integrity, for as long as possible.