Equilibrium - Face and Hair Oil
EQUILIBRIUM was formulated for skin that doesn't quite fit a category — sometimes oily, sometimes dry, always somewhere in between. Where most formulas choose a lane, Equilibrium doesn't.
A thoughtfully balanced fatty acid profile — neither aggressively linoleic nor heavily oleic — allows this oil to move with your skin's natural rhythms rather than overriding them. Sesame oil, one of the most balanced and stable plant oils in the world, forms the herbed base of the formula; its unique lignans (sesamin and sesamolin) bring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in almost no other oil. Zinc-rich pumpkin seed addresses sebum regulation from a mineral pathway that fatty acids alone cannot reach. Cacay nut delivers the formula's retinoid activity — the highest natural retinol concentration of any plant oil — while a fermented sirtuin complex amplifies and extends cellular renewal through a complementary pathway: activating SIRT1 proteins that regulate how efficiently skin cells function, communicate, and repair themselves.
Steeped in equal measures of hand-harvested calendula, lavender, and lemon balm — cold-infused into the sesame base — Equilibrium carries the botanical depth of a traditional herbal oil preparation within a modern, active formula.
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 Equilibrium for skin that:
- Is generally balanced but shifts between oily and dry depending on season, stress, or cycle
- Has an oily T-zone with normal or drier cheeks
- Is sensitive or reactive without falling into a clear dry or oily category
- Wants one oil that adapts rather than commits
Use on hair and scalp that:
- Is generally calm, manageable, and comfortable between washes
- Occasionally tends toward either dry or oily depending on the season
Moisturizer — face, neck, and body
Oil cleanser
Makeup remover
Facial massage oil
All-over hair oil — scalp to ends
Squalane, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil*, Caryodendron Orinocense (Cacay) Nut Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil*, Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil & Saccharomyces/Podophyllum Peltatum Ferment Filtrate (Sirtuin Complex), 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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Equilibrium is made with:
Cacay Nut Oil
The highest natural retinol concentration of any plant oil. Lightweight, fast-absorbing, and rich in linoleic acid, cacay supports cell renewal, collagen protection, and the resolution of uneven tone — working in tandem with bakuchiol to activate the skin's renewal pathways through complementary mechanisms.
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.
Astaxanthin
One of nature's most potent oil-soluble antioxidants, derived from Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae. Uniquely capable of spanning the entire lipid bilayer, it provides antioxidant protection across the full depth of the cell membrane — an architectural advantage no conventional antioxidant offers.
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.
Equilibrium is made with:
Sesame Oil (herb-infused, cold-pressed unrefined)
One of the oldest cultivated plant oils in the world, unrefined sesame contains a unique class of lignans — sesamin and sesamolin — with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in virtually no other oil. Its balanced oleic and linoleic fatty acid profile makes it exceptionally compatible with combination skin. Cold-infused with calendula, lavender, and lemon balm from the garden, the sesame base carries the herbal botanical layer of the formula.
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Cold-pressed from organic pumpkin seeds, this deeply green oil is naturally rich in zinc — a mineral that regulates sebaceous gland activity through a pathway that fatty acids alone cannot address. Pumpkin seed's phytosterols support barrier function, its beta-carotene contributes antioxidant protection, and its balanced fatty acid profile suits the shifting nature of combination skin without tipping it toward oil or dryness.
Camellia Oil
Used for centuries in Japanese skincare, cold-pressed camellia is extraordinarily lightweight despite its oleic richness. Its phytosterols support barrier function and ceramide synthesis; its polyphenols provide antioxidant protection; and its unique penetration-enhancing properties help the formula's actives absorb more deeply and efficiently.
A grounded application
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]