Product Guru Supplier Focus | Into the World of Oh Lief

Oh-Lief specialises in a range of certified, natural & organic baby, body and sun care products, made from 100% natural and organic, raw ingredients, sourced locally. This is one of thousands of brands from suppliers in our thriving community, which we are proud to support.  

We talked to Product Guru member Simone Cohen from this exciting brand, who told us all about Oh-Lief. 

Tell us about the company, Simone.  

Oh-Lief Natural Products is a sustainable, eco conscious family-run company. We offer Soil Association certified Natural & Organic Skincare and Sun care products for babies, children and their families. 
  
We operate in South Africa, Europe and the United Kingdom most recently. Handmade with love from organic cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and beeswax to nourish the way nature intended!  
  
Founded in 2010 by sisters Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan, Oh-lief was born out of their love for nature and the desire to use products that would not harm your skin or the environment    

The Oh-Lief name references our natural and organic cold-pressed olive oil, harvested from an Organic farm which is the main ingredient found in all our products, as well as our LOVE (Lief = Afrikaans word for love) for all things natural. 
  
Our products do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, petroleum, parabens, artificial colours or nut oils. We use a base of organic extra virgin olive oil and beeswax, combined with other organic ingredients to form a complete range of natural products that are ideal for ALL skin types. 

  
Oh-Lief Natural Products gives back with every purchase of our products, contributes to the Greenpop organisation and together we plant indigenous trees every month to restore ecosystems and empower environmental stewards through forest restoration, urban greening, food gardening, and environmental awareness projects. 
  
Christine and Louiza are involved in every aspect of the business and offer a hands-on approach at their manufacturing factory in Cape Town, South Africa.  
  
Growing up in a household where green and organic were valued principles, Christine found herself questioning conventional baby products while pregnant with Liam, her first baby boy. 

In her quest to find a skincare range to use during her pregnancy, not being satisfied with using harmful products, Christine and Louiza set out to develop a new range of natural & organic baby and body care products, this had led to many new and exciting products in their range, including sun care products. 
  
The result was Oh-lief’s complete range of Certified Natural & Organic baby, body and sun care products, made from 100% natural and organic, raw ingredients, sourced locally. 

We are accredited by: 

• SOIL ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATION ON COSMOS STANDARD. This Standard has been developed at the European and international level by BDIH (Germany), COSMEBIO & ECOCERT (France), ICEA (Italy) and SOIL ASSOCIATION (UK) who are the founders of the COSMOS-standard AISBL (an international non-profit association registered in Belgium) in order to define common requirements and definitions for organic and/or natural. 
• BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY. Beauty Without Cruelty is an animal rights organisation with a primary objective to educate and inform the public about the exploitation, abuse and suffering of animals and to offer humane, non-animal alternatives to replace cruel and harmful lifestyle choices. 
  VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN. All of Oh-lief’s certified natural products within their 3 ranges are vegetarian, we have the following vegan options:Baby Shampoo & wash, Bamboo Biodegradable Wet Wipes. 
• SUNSCREEN ENDORSEMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS. Oh-lief’s full sunscreen range has been endorsed by the Cancer association of South Africa. All CANSA’s Seal-bearing sunscreens will adhere to the new COLIPA standards and carry the new SunSmart Seal of Approval to show this. All listed sunscreens also comply with the EU Colipa Standards and / or SANS 1557:2013 Edition 3.2 (incorporating the new ISO standards) and bear the CANSA SunSmart Choice Seal (CSSS). 
    

Is there a specific product you're particularly proud of and why? 

We are so proud of all of our handmade products, and we are meticulous in sourcing our raw ingredients from reputable and ethical sources. Our ingredients are of the highest quality and never compromised. We are moving to be more sustainable in our packaging as we have done with our carbon footprint and factory. 
  
Our Sunscreen Range is one we are particularly proud of. Our certified natural & organic sunblock is made using non-nano zinc oxide, a natural soft mineral that sits on the skin without sinking in. That means the Oh-Lief sunscreen creates a physical “sun-blocking” barrier, protecting your skin without absorbing into your bloodstream. 

Our Reef-friendly, fragrance-free, water-resistant sunblock is ideal for use all over your body. It provides UVA & UVB (broad spectrum) protection, is water resistant, won’t irritate or dry out the skin and won’t clog pores. It is ideal for everyday use on sensitive skin. 
  
·      100% Natural and Cruelty Free 
·      UVA & UVB Broad spectrum protection 
·      Suitable for baby's sensitive skin and adults too  
·      Reef Friendly 
·      Biodegradable Ingredients 
·      Certified by Photobiology, Medunsa. UVA, UVB Testing 
·      CANSA Association  

One of our most cherished achievements as a small business that started out in a home kitchen was winning the Standard Bank-supported Think Big - Building Business Champions TV series title (Interview video here). 

What encouraged you to join Product Guru? 

We joined Product Guru as we would love to expand into the UK market and would love to become a household name in the British home as we are in South Africa. 
  
We are looking to connect with Retailers that value environmentally friendly & sustainable products that stock high end quality products.