Finding a moment of peace and tranquillity can be easier said than done in a busy world – yet Amy Burke is on a mission to share her love of natural minerals and essential oils to allow us all to do just that. 

Words Lucinda Diack  Photos Drew Logan

Reflecting on her childhood in rural Orinoco Valley, Tasman and growing up next door to her grandparents, Amy Burke softens as she recalls having free range in their ‘gorgeous garden’ with her siblings. ‘We were always learning, seeing, touching … just being part of her garden,’ she says.

It was a childhood steeped in nature and the outdoors. Long days of exploring and play, balanced with hard work have instilled in Amy a practical can-do attitude and fierce determination, tucked behind a gentle disposition. ‘You don’t have to be the smartest or wealthiest person to succeed,’ she shares. ‘Effort comes free.’ And for Amy and her natural skincare company Botanical, that is where the magic lies.

Amy laughs as she tells me that ‘like with everything I do, I had to take it to the highest level’, divulging her love of food, wine and hospitality. She spent a decade working in some of Aotearoa’s top restaurants and wineries before settling in North Otago to manage a cellar door. But the brutal hours of hospitality eventually took its toll and Amy was eager to do something for herself.

‘I walked in one day after work and said to my husband, “I quit my job today.” He just looked at me and asked what I was going to do next. I needed a change, and I thought what’s the worst that can happen? So I started to make soap.’

Starting a cottage soap brand from her kitchen sparked something in Amy. ‘It wasn’t until I was creating with my hands, creating something natural that drew on the knowledge I had instilled in me as a child – that lavender will help with sleep, calendula with healing – that I realised something had been missing.’

She began selling her soap at local markets and fetes, relishing the connection and feedback from those who purchased her products. ‘It was all a bit haphazard in the early days,’ she laughs. ‘Ruby was two when I decided to rebrand and expand.’ A decision that was driven by the demand at the markets for more than just soap. ‘People kept asking me when I was going to start making bath bombs, so I thought why not!’

The biggest challenge was packaging. ‘All I could think was how will I package them?’ explains Amy. ‘I didn’t have the confidence, then, or the budget to buy anything, so I made some.’

Dragging the dust-covered sewing machine from the cupboard (a 21st gift from her mum that had barely been used), Amy sewed a simple triangle and created her own unique packaging.

It is a shape that has become synonymous with her bath bombs and is still used today – in fact they are still hand-sewn, just not by Amy. ‘I spent a long time with two small children sewing the packaging and I’m grateful now that I have some lovely local sewers helping me with that so I can turn my hand to other aspects.’

She is humble in her description of ‘other things’ which include the intricate botanical drawings that grace many of her products, such as her glass bubble-bath bottles – artworks in themselves, without even taking into account the relaxation and soothing properties of the botanical fragrances instilled within them. She is an artistic force as well as a natural innovator.

While the expansion of her product range has grown organically, the entire collection is connected by nature. ‘Skincare is an intimate experience, where effectiveness is just as important as scent and texture, which is why we handcraft each batch in small quantities to guarantee the utmost quality and freshness. And everything that is in our products is there for a reason – each natural element selected for its function and purpose.’

Having returned to her roots in Nelson with Ruby (nine), Hugo (five) and husband Antony in 2015, the couple are now looking for the final piece in the puzzle. ‘The next step is to find that perfect property. We want to grow as much as we can and scale the garden so that we can distil even more of our own herbs and roses; have enough jasmine for the infusions … and open our own factory shop – a cellar door of natural skincare.’

With a garden-to-jar skincare range on the horizon, it seems that the seed for success was planted many years before even Amy realised – slowly being nurtured and tended before blooming into gifts of nature.

Amy’s Favourites

Rose

In all its capacity, the beautiful rose is considered the Queen of Flowers, and for good reason. Their appearance and fragrance alone can seduce most, but the beauty and wellness benefits are very broad, from toning the skin, rebuilding skin barrier, soothing, hydrating, antibacterial and so much more.

Lemon Balm

This is a very under-rated plant. It has amazing benefits for mind and body, helping with mood and anxiety via a fresh leaf tea. Simply pick the fresh leaves, wash them, then add to your teapot with hot water.

Chamomile

Protects the skin from free radicals and repairs and regenerates skin cells. Definitely a great herb to grow at home. Dry their flowers in a paper bag for a week or two in a dry dark place for a natural tea. You can also add plants to your lawn – mow them as normal but every time you walk on it you get a beautiful herbaceous aroma.

Jasmine 

Heavenly scented and known for its anti-ageing properties. Jasmine is something we grow a lot of and will be using our home-grown Jasmine enfleurage in our new skincare range, launching soon.