Aquifer - Face and Hair Oil for Dry skin
AQUIFER was formulated for skin that thirsts. Not for quick fixes — for restoration. The kind of nourishment that doesn't wear off by noon, that works with your barrier rather than coating over it.
An oleic-dominant base of cold-pressed avocado and sweet almond — both deeply penetrating, both rich in vitamins and phytosterols — forms the foundation. Camellia oil, a centuries-old Japanese beauty ritual, carries actives deeper into the skin while sealing the cuticle of dry, frizzy hair with elegant precision. Rosehip, present in a supporting percentage, brings its natural vitamin A content and linoleic acid to address the barrier repair that dry skin specifically requires.
Cacay nut and a fermented sirtuin complex together provide the renewal activity that brightens and restores without the sensitivity risk — gentle enough for dry, reactive skin where conventional retinoids would cause damage. The sirtuin complex supports cellular longevity and repair at a biological level that topical actives rarely reach, encouraging skin to function more like itself again.
Infused with lemon balm, calendula, and lavender — grown and dried by hand — the sweet almond and avocado base carries a full spectrum of flavonoids, triterpene acids, and rosmarinic acid extracted slowly through cold infusion.
Microbiome-friendly. Essential oil-free. Fragrance-free. Non-comedogenic. Suitable for sensitive skin.
All of our Base Oils are essential-oil free and fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and suitable for sensitive skin. They are exceptionally gentle formulas that soothe skin both young and mature.
Choose Aquifer for skin that:
- Appears dull, rough, or flaky in areas
- Feels tight after cleansing
- Lacks elasticity or has more pronounced fine lines
- Is sensitive, reactive, or compromised in barrier function
- Craves deep nourishment without greasiness
Also excellent for all skin types during harsh winter months — supporting weather-confused skin in adapting to seasonal changes without disrupting its natural balance.
Use on hair and scalp that:
- Is dry, coarse, or frizzy
- Requires minimal washing — once or twice weekly
- Has a dry, flaking, or itchy scalp
- Is damaged, brittle, or prone to breakage
Moisturizer — face, neck, and body
Oil cleanser — particularly effective for dry skin's gentle cleansing needs
Makeup remover
Overnight facial treatment — apply generously, allow to absorb while you sleep
Pre-shampoo scalp and hair mask
All-over hair oil — works through dry or damp hair
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Caryodendron Orinocense (Cacay) Nut Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Saccharomyces/Podophyllum Peltatum Ferment Filtrate, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) CO2 Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Antioxidant CO2 Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Haematococcus Pluvialis (Astaxanthin) Extract
*cold-pressed, unrefined
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Aquifer is made with:
Cacay Nut Oil
The highest natural retinol concentration of any plant oil, paired with a high linoleic acid content that provides the barrier-essential fatty acids dry skin specifically lacks. Lightweight and rapidly absorbing despite its potency, cacay supports cell renewal, collagen protection, and brightening without sensitising compromised skin.
Rosehip Seed Oil
Cold-pressed unrefined rosehip — the green, vitamin A-rich oil rather than the pale refined version — provides a targeted linoleic acid correction for dry skin's barrier. Its natural trans-retinoic acid content supports cell turnover and the resolution of dullness and uneven tone that accompany chronic dryness.
Sea Buckthorn CO2 Extract
Present at its highest concentration across all three Base Oils, sea buckthorn CO2 brings omega-7 palmitoleic acid — a fatty acid structurally identical to those found in skin — along with extraordinary carotenoid and tocopherol content. Omega-7 specifically accelerates tissue repair and barrier restoration in ways no other fatty acid replicates. The CO2 extraction method preserves a broader and more complete bioactive spectrum than conventional cold-pressing.
FSS Sirtuin Complex
Sirtuins are proteins that regulate some of the most fundamental biological pathways in our cells — influencing aging, stress resistance, and cellular longevity. This fermented complex, produced through yeast fermentation and concentration, has been shown to increase SIRT1 sirtuin activity: enhancing how efficiently skin cells function, communicate, and repair themselves. Where most active ingredients work on the surface of skin behaviour, sirtuin activation works at the level of how cells operate — supporting genuine, long-term skin resilience rather than temporary correction. Oil-soluble and formulated for seamless integration into an anhydrous base, it is one of the few truly cellular-level actives available for use in a facial oil.
A 75ml timeless bottle that blends gracefully into any space. Label-free with a simple, removable paper tag on cotton string.
No fix-it messaging, no branding, no plastic.
Made from hand blown borosilicate glass, these apothecary bottles with ground glass stoppers come wax sealed, are easily reusable or can be returned (for re-use) when you join our refill program.
Love the bottles but don't want to keep multiple empties around?
When you subscribe (below), we send you a new, full bottle with a return label for your used bottle. Just pop your empty bottle in the box and mail it back to us for free. We make them sparkly again to cycle back into our line.
Choose your Plan
Keep skin simple. Pare down on price, pass on plastic, and get your potion on tap with our Refillery Service.
*Easily swap, pause, add, cancel, or gift it to a loved one, anytime.
Aquifer is made with:
Avocado Oil (herb-infused, cold-pressed unrefined)
Cold-pressed unrefined avocado oil is a deep forest green — its colour an indicator of the chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phytosterols preserved in the oil. Rich in vitamins A, D, and E, and containing avocadene (a unique polyhydroxylated fatty alcohol with documented wound-healing properties), avocado penetrates deeply and nourishes at a cellular level. The infused carrier brings calendula, lemon balm, and lavender bioactives — flavonoids, triterpene acids, rosmarinic acid — directly into the oleic base.
Sweet Almond Oil (herb-infused, cold-pressed and unrefined)
One of the most universally compatible oils for dry and sensitive skin, sweet almond is rich in oleic acid, vitamin E, and phytosterols. Its texture is deeply nourishing without heaviness — it absorbs readily, conditions the hair cuticle, and provides a lasting, comfortable softness. Cold-infused alongside the avocado with the same garden herbs.
Camellia Oil
Tsubaki oil — pressed from the seeds of Camellia japonica — has been used in Japanese beauty rituals for centuries, particularly for skin and hair. Its uniquely lightweight oleic profile penetrates efficiently without residue, sealing the hair cuticle and helping other actives absorb more deeply into the skin. Its phytosterol content supports ceramide synthesis and barrier function.
The slow pour.
The old-school pour. It's such a simple thing, yet it's hard find a skincare option out there that doesn't have a complicated plastic pump or bulb dropper or a spray. Are all the little parts really necessary?
It takes a little practice to get the tilt, but more so it just takes presence.
Sometimes rather than innovate we just need to strip away the over-complications.
An enduring alternative.
If you typically use a dropper, our hand-carved crystalline facial massage wand functions as one, making it effortless to lift and dispense a precise number of droplets into your hand. It also doubles as a facial massage tool.
Ethically sourced and artisanally carved, this design serves multiple purposes and can endure use upon use over time. Our crystalline wands have never seen the inside of a factory and are carefully cut to minimize wastage.
The unbranded bottle
We don’t brand our bottles. We love our logo, but you probably don’t care to see our name every time you lift the bottle. There is enough constant, subliminal exposure to branding, marketing, and messaging throughout any given day.
The Timeless Bottle
We encourage reuse and that’s the second reason why we keep our bottle unbranded. You’ll like it better unstamped. We dream that one day your bottle will be considered “vintage” or “antique” and be truly functional in a number of uses around the home.
The Borosilicate Bottle
We chose all glass to eliminate plastic completely, but we choose borosilicate for the following reasons: 1) completely safe and nontoxic, and does not leach 2) Unlike standard type III glass, it’s resistant to thermal shock. So when you decide reuse the bottle, feel free to boil it. 3) Because of the thickness we are able to achieve with this type of glass, it’s 30% lighter than the ubiquitous boston round in a comparable size.
The Wax Sealed Bottle
We ship our bottles sealed with natural wax. We've been tweaking our method for years. Our solution is unconventional. It’s not machinated, and therefore it comes with imperfections. No bottle is a perfectly cloned iteration of the last one. To us that's all the messaging needed.
Define your Āra
Āra/aara/noun [Latin = altar, home, refuge, protection, sanctuary]