If you walked into our shed here in Nelson right now, you’d see a room in full preparation mode. The pack-out area is being organized, the buckets are washed, and in the field, the peony buds are swelling fast. We’ve got about three weeks before the harvest kicks off and the beautiful madness of flower season begin.
You’d think Emily and I would be taking a quiet breather while we can. But instead, Emily has been contacting florists and I've been planning out this season’s extraction runs.
Over the last few years, we’ve learned that peonies are so much more than just a magnificent stem in a vase. The plant is an absolute powerhouse of natural bio-actives. Our goal for this upcoming season is simple: continue experimenting with different ways to extract those raw, beneficial compounds so we can build the best, most hard-working skincare possible.
So why are we spending our time mapping out extraction methods before the first bloom is even picked? Because every single part of the peony plant brings something unique to the table, and we want to make sure we leverage every drop of that regenerative power.
Here is what we’re planning to pull from the field this year:
- The Petals (Hydration & Soothing): At the end of October, we’ll start collecting our freshly cut, highly fragrant blooms like Festiva Maxima. Our first job is steam distillation using pure spring water from our own artesian well to create a pure peony hydrosol. Petal extracts are brilliant for soothing irritated skin, boosting hydration, and providing gentle antioxidants that help smooth fine lines and brighten your complexion. Once distilled, we don't dump the petals on the compost; we put them through a physical press—much like an old cider press—to squeeze out the dense peony oil and natural pigment.
- Petal Maceration (Vibrant Colour & Bio-actives): Alongside steam distillation, we’re also running a dedicated petal maceration this season using primarily our deep red peony varieties. By steeping these rich red petals over time, we can capture the plant's delicate bio-actives while drawing out that intensely vibrant natural dye. It gives us a rich, functional base with a deep natural hue, meaning we don't ever need to rely on synthetic dyes or artificial colorants in our formulas.
- The Roots (Deep Restoration): Once the flower harvest is complete and autumn rolls around, our attention moves underground. The root is where the plant stores all its strength and restorative energy to survive the freezing winter months. Peony root extracts are rich in paeoniflorin and paeonal, heavy-duty bio-actives that deeply calms inflammation, reinforces the skin barrier, and helps repair tired, overworked skin.
- The Leaves (The Protective Shield): People often overlook the leaves, but they spend all spring out in the harsh Nelson weather, absorbing sunlight and defending the plant against wind and rain. Peony leaves are loaded with rich polyphenols, protective antioxidants and surprising levels of paeoniflorin. We’re planning dedicated extractions for the leaves this season because those compounds act like a natural shield for your skin, helping protect it against daily environmental wear and tear.
When the picking starts, we’ll be putting these plans into practice using our spring water distillations, physical pressing, and natural solvent extractions with food-grade glycerine and ethanol.
So why go through all this extra effort? Why not just buy a pre-made chemical base off a supplier's shelf, add a drop of floral perfume, and call it a day?
Because shortcut ingredients give you shortcut results.
When you pick up a jar of our moisturising mousse, body butter, or clay mask, you aren't looking for cheap fillers or hollow promises. You want simple, practical comfort that actually works—something that completely sorts out dry skin after a cold day working in the garden or out in the wind.
To us, real luxury isn't about flowery marketing prose or fancy gold packaging. It’s about purity, patience, and time. It’s knowing that every leaf, petal, and root harvested from our dirt was used to its absolute potential to keep your skin feeling good.
The clock is ticking down to harvest day, and we can’t wait to get the stills boiling.
When it comes to your own daily routine, do you prefer simple, honest ingredients that have earned their place in the bottle? Drop us an email or a message—we always love hearing what you think!