Olverum Bath Oil Review

Reviewed by Lindsay Harris

We all deserve a touch of luxury sometimes, and that’s precisely what this aromatic bath oil delivers. Promising to ‘relax, restore and renew’, Olverum Bath Oil would make a gorgeous gift for a friend – or just for yourself.

The first thing you notice as you open the box is the lovely scent. Made with a unique blend of essential oils, the ingredients include Siberian Fir, Lavandin, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Rosemary, Exotic Verbena, Lavender, Lime and Geranium. It reminds me of the scents that you encounter during a luxury spa experience; and like a spa day, the aim of Olverum is to help you ‘ease stress and relax tension in both mind and body’.

Pressing ‘play’ on my spa playlist and pouring a small amount of the oil into my warm bath, I can definitely vouch for the relaxing qualities. I instantly inhaled a fresh, clarifying scent which soon spread around the whole bathroom (and indeed the entire upstairs – you won’t need any home fragrance while bathing with Olverum!). The oil itself soon dispersed and vanished from the surface of the water, leaving only the relaxing fragrance behind as evidence.

Olverum’s website promises that ‘as only a small amount of our concentrated formulation is needed, virtually all of the oil is absorbed by the skin, leaving no greasy residue in the bath after use’ – and I can confirm that my bath was left clean, while my skin was left soft and lightly scented with citrus.

I have sensitive skin which is prone to mild eczema, so was pleased to find a product that didn’t irritate my skin and which also left a subtle fragrance without being overpowering.

The bottle is simple and modern, with a gorgeous light green glow from the elixir inside. It isn’t huge but since you only need a third of a capful per bath, it will last you a long time. I received the 125ml bottle (enough for 25 baths) but there’s also a 250ml version and a travel version (3 x 15ml) available.

Although the bottle is modern, the story behind the oil goes back to the 1920s, when a winemaker and pharmacologist husband-and-wife team combined their expertise to blend the perfect therapeutic oil. According to the charming little brochure which is tucked inside the packaging, World War II halted production in the 1940s, but a few years later their son revived the recipe and renamed it Olverum – from the Latin oleum verum, meaning ‘true oil’.

I love the family story and heritage behind this oil (and particularly loved the tale of how the secret formula was buried in the garden to keep it hidden during the war), and am very pleased to say that the oil lives up to its striking history.

We all need some encouragement to relax and unwind – so this bath oil would make a perfect ‘just because’ gift for that frazzled friend; the one who focuses all their attention on other people but never seems to give enough time for themselves. And if that sounds like you… you’re worthy of a treat too.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £36.50

This product can be purchased from Olverum here.