By EVOO+ botanicals®, the voice of waterless skincare in New Zealand.
Many skincare formulations are mostly water
Turn over almost any skincare product and you’ll see Aqua listed first. This means water makes up the majority of the formula. It gives creams their texture, helps them spread easily, and creates that familiar lightweight feel. But water doesn’t nourish your skin. It simply acts as a base. In many cases, you're paying for a formula where water makes up the majority, with only small amounts of the active ingredients highlighted on the front label.
What happens when water is removed?
When water is removed from a formulation, everything becomes more concentrated.
Instead of diluted blends, you’re left with ingredients that actively support the skin. Oils, plant extracts and lipid-rich ingredients that work in harmony with your skin rather than sitting on top of it. The result is skincare that is more concentrated and designed to deliver visible results.
The role of preservatives
Water-based skincare requires preservatives. Water creates an environment where bacteria, mould and yeast can grow. To keep products safe and stable, preservatives are essential. They protect the formula, rather than actively benefiting the skin. This means that many skincare users apply these synthetic ingredients daily, often without a second thought. Most skincare is designed to preserve itself first and support the skin second.
Waterless skincare takes a different approach
Without water, the risk of microbial growth is significantly reduced. Formulations can focus less on preservation and more on delivering nutrients directly to the skin. The result is a more concentrated, active formula designed to support the skin directly.
Why oils make sense
Your skin naturally produces oils. This lipid layer is essential for keeping skin soft, balanced and protected. When skincare supports this natural function, results tend to follow. Oil-based formulations support the skin barrier, reduce moisture loss and significantly improve the look and feel of skin over time. Rather than stripping and replacing, oils work with your skin. This includes lipids such as squalene, which is naturally present in both the skin and olive oil, helping to support hydration, balance and overall skin health.
A shift towards less, but better
For years, skincare has been built around steps. Layering multiple products, often with more complexity than necessary. Waterless skincare simplifies this. When formulations are concentrated and thoughtfully composed, fewer products are needed. A single well-formulated oil can replace multiple steps without compromising results. For example, a well-formulated evening oil with ingredients such as bakuchiol, kawakawa and green tea can support skin renewal, hydration and barrier repair in a single step. Less routine, with better results.
The EVOO+ approach
At EVOO+ botanicals®, waterless skincare is at the core of everything we create.
Each formulation begins with polyphenol-rich New Zealand extra virgin olive oil, slowly infused with bioactive botanicals such as green tea, ginkgo, marshmallow, kawakawa and babchi. These infusions are then balanced with organic jojoba oil and vitamin E to create lightweight, nutrient-rich oils that absorb seamlessly into the skin, leaving it balanced and radiant.
No Aqua. No dilution.
Our approach is simple: To support the skin barrier and leave skin calm, healthy and radiant. Waterless formulations focus on what matters. No unnecessary filler. No dilution. Just concentrated, nutrient-rich ingredients that work with your skin.
We have a simpler routine, by design.
Aura in the morning.
Nuit at night.
1–2 pumps.
That’s it.
Waterless skincare is not about doing more. It’s about removing what isn’t needed and focusing on what is. Fewer steps. Better ingredients. This is the most direct way to achieve healthier-looking skin.
Find your waterless oil