Irish peat is the key ingredient of a new skincare brand with sisters Lorna Stewart and Aisling Boyle swapping their corporate lives for a mystical journey to unearth the ancient magical powers of the bog.

Tell me a little about your backgrounds - what was the day job before the new skincare brand?

We both come from the Financial Services industry, Lorna specifically from Compliance and Aisling from Investments. Growing up as children our Mum and Grandmother really looked after their skin, and encouraged us to do so, we have our day jobs but skincare has always been our passion, it’s in our blood! Coupled with our love of being Irish and all that entails, the language, the people, the culture and the folklore, Oíche Apothecary was born. 

So do sisters make good business partners? Do you get along well - who does what?

Listen we’re sisters, there’s only two of us so we’ve been best friends for a long time. I think we work really well together because we know and understand each other so well. We each have different strengths and weaknesses, so we make a good team, but of course we have moments of disagreements like all sisters!

Where did you get the idea to use Irish Peat?

Lorna moved up to Glenamsole in the Dublin Mountains, after a couple of weeks of walking the bog she realised that her feet were incredibly soft and smooth. We started to mix Peat at the kitchen table, testing it on ourselves and our families and it quickly became apparent that there was something magical here. 

You are reviving some ancient traditions about the bog - tell us more about that?

Our boglands and peatlands are a special and unique part of Irish history. Cloaked in folklore for thousands of years, these bogs hold a special place in the hearts of our people. Peat has been used for thousands of years in Irish culture and many have witnessed its healing properties and as such treat it with respect. It is renowned within the older generation to be a miracle burn cure, soothing the skin once emersed in the bog. We are a nation of storytellers, and many are centred around the bog and it’s magical properties. Glenasmole is rumoured to be the home of the fabled Tír na nÓg or Land of Youth, reputed to be the entrance to the Celtic Otherworld and there is a definite sense of magic once you enter the bog. Oíche’ (pronounced Eee-ha) is the Irish word for ‘night’, traditionally a time cloaked in folklore and superstition when the fairy folk come out. While we sleep, our body starts an amazing journey of skin regeneration and repair, and this new range seeks to honour that process. Our logo is ‘Púca’, the guardian of the bog; he is a gatekeeper to the legends of old and while the moon is high he gathers his ingredients to add to our skincare. 

Our ethos is to protect the bog, the landscape and the creatures who call it home, we want to go back to basic natural organic skincare that actually works. 

What are the active ingredients that you use?

The benefits of peat are truly amazing. Our peat is packed with naturally occurring organic nutrients, amino acids, phytohormones and vitamins, nature’s elixir born over millennia from plant matter breaking down under perfect conditions, to feed your skin. Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid long revered for their brightening and anti-inflammatory properties. Once you try the peat on your face you will feel a tingle, that is the naturally occurring Humic Acid working to detoxify and brighten your skin. It's 100% organic and natural so there’s nothing harsh involved, it truly feeds your skin and cloaks it in a protective layer. Our Ethos is to sustainably and ethically extract our peat to maintain and protect our beautiful bogs.

Tell us a bit about the process of making the skincare range - from peat to skin?

We started our journey with just an idea, we weren’t sure if it was even going to be possible. As we mentioned above after a couple of weeks of walking the bog Lorna realised that her feet were incredibly soft and smooth and so we just started mixing. We started to mix Peat at the kitchen table, testing it on ourselves and our families and it quickly became apparent that there was something magical here and it just went from there. There were a few times were we kind of said hmm is this going to be possible but we managed to figure it out. We’re so passionate about showcasing Irish culture and our raw natural ingredients. We want everyone to feel beautiful in their natural skin. 

How important is sustainability to the brand?

It’s one of the most important parts of our brand, we love the Irish landscape and all the plants and animals that call it home. We are both so passionate about sustainability and animal welfare. Oíche Apothecary shows that it is possible to have a skincare range that is 100% cruelty free with recyclable packaging and ethos at its core. We are dedicated to doing no harm and improving our landscape and environment for the generations to come. The sheet masks themselves are biodegradable and made from Tencel material that comes from recycled wood pulp that comes from sustainable forests, the packaging is all fully recyclable.

Did you have any hiccups along the way or was it all plain sailing?

We have had many hiccups along the way, there were times where we felt like we were taking one step forward and two steps back, however we have very supportive friends and family and so a great support system to turn to. I think it’s important when you feel like you’ve hit a road block to take a break, re-assess and go again. Anything is possible once you work hard and be relentless in following your dream or passion whatever that may be and mostly importantly don’t be afraid to ask for help. Often taking that first step is the hardest and it’s all about trusting yourself, taking risks and following your gut. 

Do you think consumers have changed in their approach to skincare since the pandemic?

Yes absolutely, we’ve all had that time over the past eighteen months to take a breath, look at everything around us and possibly re-algin our priorities. For us and many others, skincare is a huge part of our self-care ritual, taking that time to cleanse away the day, to feed, nurture and protect your skin. We really want to show real skin, we want people to feel beautiful in their own skin without feeling like they need to change it. Oíche really makes that possible, peat is such a wonderfully magical ingredient, it’s as natural as you can get so it feeds your skin and cloaks it in goodness. We have a responsibility in a world of filters to show young girls and boys that real skin is beautiful and should be embrace and protected. 

What's new on the horizon - do you have plans to extend the range?

Yes absolutely, again Peat is so amazing in what it can do. We have launched our two biodegradable Peat based sheet masks Twilight Dreams and Midnight Dew. We are launching our three newest products Puca’s Brightening Berry Serum, Puca’s Sleepyhead Serum and Puca’s Peat Mask next week so we are super excited for what’s coming down the line. Tá an chuid is fearr fós le teacht (The best is yet to come).

 For more information, visit oiche.ie