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Some weekends leave you feeling inspired, and others leave you thinking about things a little differently long after you get home. The Olive Tree People Festival was one of those weekends for me.
Words honestly cannot describe how amazing this experience was. From the little details and unexpected surprises to getting a closer look at the vision behind Olive Tree People, there was so much to take in.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Thomas Lommel, the founder of Olive Tree People, it’s that I should never assume he doesn’t have another surprise up his sleeve!
We got a glimpse of exciting new ideas, learned more about the philosophy behind OLIVEDA skincare, and heard stories about products that have been years in the making (literally since 2016). But beyond the products themselves, what stood out to me most was the reminder of why I’m drawn to this brand in the first place.
It goes beyond skincare. It’s about reconnecting with nature, being intentional about what we put into our routines, and finding ways to slow down in a world that rarely asks us to.
I want to give you a recap of the Olive Tree People Festival, the biggest takeaways I’m bringing home with me, and a little look at what’s on the horizon for OTP.. trust me its pretty exciting!
The story behind Olive Tree People
If you’re new to Olive Tree People or OLIVEDA skincare, let’s start with a little background.
Thomas Lommel is the founder behind Olive Tree People, a company whose story is rooted in a broader interest in health and the olive tree. Thomas has spent decades developing his vision, with 23 years in Europe and three years in the United States at the time of the festival.
One of the things I appreciate most about Olive Tree People is the emphasis on its roots and where the company began. According to the brand’s philosophy, the story started with internal health before expanding into skincare.
And here’s something worth knowing: OLIVEDA’s skincare approach centers on the olive leaf cell rather than simply using olive oil as its main point of difference.
That distinction is an important part of the brand’s identity and what makes its approach to skincare interesting to me.
I love learning about the people behind a company, why they started it, and what continues to drive them. It’s one thing to see a product on a shelf, but understanding the thinking, experimentation, and intention behind it gives you a much better picture of the brand as a whole.
That was one of my favorite parts of this weekend: getting to look beyond the finished products and learn more about the vision behind them.
Although I have been apart of this company for years now, I am still learning new things each day that make me love this brand that much MORE.
My biggest takeaway: The world is loud, so why not get a little quieter?
This is the part of the Olive Tree People Festival that has stayed with me the most.
We live in a world that constantly asks us for more. More productivity, more noise, more stimulation, more doing. We wake up, reach for our phones, fill our schedules, and move from one thing to the next without always stopping to ask ourselves how we’re actually feeling.
And somewhere along the way, I think we can lose touch with what our bodies are asking for.
One of the biggest things I took away from this weekend was the importance of getting quieter. Of slowing down enough to notice the world around us and allowing ourselves to reconnect with the earth God gave us.
This weekend reminded me that the world around us can be so loud. So why not create a little more quiet? Why not give myself the opportunity to slow down, be more intentional, and come back into alignment with what God has given me?
For me, this is about more than adding another wellness habit to my routine. It’s about being more aware of the environments I’m in, the energy I allow into my days, and the things that help me feel grounded.
I’m learning to turn back toward nature and find small ways to help my body feel more relaxed in a world that can feel incredibly high-stress.
Sometimes that looks like stepping outside, getting fresh air, taking a few deep breaths, or giving myself permission to stop doing for a minute.
I’m not saying we can eliminate stress from our lives. But I do think we can become more intentional about how we care for ourselves within it.
And that is something I want to carry with me long after this weekend.. and something I wanted to share with all of YOU.
You cannot flourish without strong roots
Another message that really resonated with me was the connection between a tree and the soil it grows in.
We often focus on what we can see: the branches, the leaves, and the growth. But what happens beneath the surface matters just as much.
A tree needs the right foundation to grow and flourish. The soil surrounding it plays an important role in providing what it needs to thrive.
And honestly, I think the same can be said about us.
We can spend so much time focusing on what we’re producing, what we’re achieving, and how we’re showing up for everyone else that we forget to look at what’s supporting us underneath it all.
Are we nourishing ourselves? Are we making space to rest? Are we surrounding ourselves with things that help us feel grounded? Are we giving ourselves the foundation we need to grow?
This weekend reminded me that growth isn’t just about what we do on the outside. It’s also about what we’re cultivating within ourselves.
It’s a reminder I needed, and one I think many of us can relate to.
We don’t always need to push harder or add more to our plates. Sometimes we need to go back to our roots and pay attention to what is helping us grow in the first place.
A sneak peek at what's next for Olive Tree People
One of my favorite things about this festival was getting a little peek behind the curtain at what Thomas has been dreaming up for the future of Olive Tree People. I always find it fascinating to hear the why behind what a company creates, and you can tell there’s a lot of thought going into what’s next.
Two things that really caught my attention were a microcurrent sheet mask that uses conductive silver threads and a connected controller, and an app designed to analyze your skin and help guide your skincare choices. And here’s the part I found especially interesting: the technology is designed to use real-time data connected organically through the olive tree in Spain, to help shape the mask’s treatment.
Here’s what makes these new products so different:
These new products are combining traditional microcurrent with an entirely new approach inspired by nature. While conventional microcurrent devices use electronically generated electrical impulses, our technology incorporates frequency patterns reportedly captured from living trees, digitally translated, and integrated into the device’s programming.. literally how COOL is that?!
The release date for these products is still TBD but you best bet I will be putting them to the test as soon as I can and filling you in on my thoughts!
Skincare Essentials for Travel: What I Pack and Why
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about traveling with skincare, it’s that your skin doesn’t always love a change of scenery as much as you do.
Whether you’re heading somewhere hot and humid, escaping to a dry climate, or spending hours on a plane, your skin is adjusting to a whole new environment. And one thing I never want to leave up to chance? Hydration.
Why Hydration Is My Number One Travel Essential
Before you even arrive at your destination, travel can be hard on your skin. Between the dry air on the plane, changes in your routine, and sometimes not eating or drinking as consistently as you normally would, it’s easy for hydration to take a back seat.
And here’s something I’ve noticed: even when I’m somewhere humid, like Hawaii, my skin can still feel different. It’s not always about how much moisture is in the air. Your skin is adjusting to a different environment, and I want to make sure I’m giving it the support it needs along the way.
My approach? Pack for the climate, but always make hydration a priority.
Once you’re at your destination and your skin is adjusting, you may find you don’t need as much moisture throughout the day in a humid climate as you would somewhere dry. But I still want to have my hydration essentials on hand, no matter where I’m headed.
My Oliveda Travel Skincare Essentials
I like to keep my travel skincare routine simple. You don’t need to bring your entire bathroom cabinet with you! I focus on a few essentials that help me maintain hydration and keep my routine easy while I’m away.
1. F06 Cell Active Serum
Long travel days and dry airplane air can leave your skin looking a little dull and feeling dehydrated. F06 Cell Active Serum helps moisturize, renew, and rejuvenate tired skin while supporting a smoother, more radiant-looking complexion. Its lightweight formula absorbs quickly, making it an easy addition to your travel skincare routine.
2. F27 Jasmine Face Oil
When your skin needs a little extra nourishment, F27 Jasmine Face Oil is a great one to have in your travel bag. Its silky, fast-absorbing formula helps soften and smooth the skin while providing moisture and nourishing oils. It’s a lovely way to give your skin some extra care after a long flight or a day spent exploring somewhere new.
3. Happy Mom Face Cream
Sometimes, keeping your skin happy while traveling means going back to the basics. Happy Mom Face Cream is a gentle, lightweight moisturizer that helps replenish hydration and reinforce the skin barrier, leaving your skin feeling soft, comfortable, and nourished. It’s an easy everyday essential when your skin needs a little extra support while adjusting to a new climate.
A few optional extras
Hyaluronic acid: An additional option if you want to incorporate another hydrating step into your routine.
Under-eye patches: A nice extra to have on hand when you want to give the under-eye area some attention after a long flight or an early travel day.
You can absolutely adjust your routine based on your destination and what your skin needs. The goal isn’t to pack more products; it’s to pack the right ones for you.
My Travel Hack for Keeping Your OLIVEDA Products From Leaking
Okay, can we talk about one of the most frustrating things about travelling with skincare? Opening your suitcase and finding your favorite products have leaked everywhere.
After travelling with my OLIVEDA products, I have a little trick I want to share with you! It’s especially helpful when you’re flying, because changes in air pressure can contribute to bottles leaking during travel.
Here’s what I do before packing my products:
1. Clean the bottle and lid.
Wipe away any leftover product around the bottle opening, inside the lid, and along the threads. You want everything clean before closing it up.
2. Empty the dropper.
Make sure there’s no excess product sitting inside the dropper before you seal the bottle.
3. Add a little tissue paper.
This is the part people sometimes get confused about! Take a small piece of tissue paper or toilet paper and place just one corner over the bottle opening. When you screw the lid back on, that little corner should be wedged between the lid and the bottle threads.
You don’t need to wrap the entire lid in tissue paper. The goal is simply to create a little wedge to help keep the lid securely in place.
4. Tighten the lid securely.
Close the bottle firmly, just as you would when securing a pharmacy bottle. Make sure the lid is snug before packing it away.
And that’s it! Four simple steps before your skincare goes into your suitcase.
This isn’t a guarantee that your bottles won’t leak, so I still recommend putting your products in a sealed pouch for extra protection. But it’s a little precaution that can help give you peace of mind when travelling with your favourite skincare.
Tested, Then Shared: How I Choose the Brands I Recommend
If you’ve been here for a while, you know I’m pretty particular about the products I share with you. And that’s intentional.
I never want you to feel like I’m recommending something just because it’s trending, a company reached out to me, or there’s a commission attached to it. If I’m going to talk about a product, I want to know that it’s something I’d genuinely use, love, and feel confident recommending to you.
That means testing comes first. Every single time.
I’m not interested in trying something once, deciding it looks good, and immediately telling you to go buy it. Sometimes testing takes months. Sometimes I need to use the entire bottle before I can really decide how I feel about a product. And sometimes, a product or brand simply doesn’t make the cut.
That’s okay! I’d rather take my time and give you an honest recommendation than rush something out just because a company wants me to share it.
First, comes the Checklist
When I’m evaluating a product or considering working with a brand, I’m looking at more than just whether I like it on the first try. There are three areas I pay close attention to: the product itself, the brand behind it, and the overall customer experience.
Next, my testing process
I don’t follow a one-size-fits-all timeline when testing products. Some things can be evaluated relatively quickly, while others need weeks or months of consistent use.
Sometimes I’ll test a product until I’ve used the entire bottle. I want to know how it fits into my routine, whether it continues to perform as expected, and whether I still love it after the initial excitement wears off.
My process looks something like this:
The Paycheck Is Never the Reason
I want to be really clear about this because it’s important to me.
Sometimes I find a product I absolutely love, but I’m not invested in the brand as a whole. In that case, I might share the individual product without making it a bigger brand partnership.
Other times, a product or brand simply doesn’t meet my standards. If it doesn’t pass my testing process, I won’t recommend it.
And yes, that applies even when there’s a commission involved.
A commission doesn’t make a product better, and a brand offering to pay me doesn’t change my opinion of something I’ve tested. I never want money to be the reason a product moves from a no to a yes.
If I’m sharing it with you, I want it to have earned that recommendation.
Why I'm So Intentional About What I Share
At the end of the day, I know you’re spending your hard-earned money when you try something I’ve recommended. I don’t take that lightly.
There are so many products, trends, and opinions coming at us every day. It can be overwhelming to figure out what’s actually worth trying and what’s just really good marketing.
My hope is that the things I share help make those decisions a little easier. I want you to know there’s thought behind my recommendations and that I’m not going to tell you I love something simply because it’s the next big thing.
I won’t get every recommendation right for every person, because we’re all different. But I can promise to be intentional about what I choose to share, to take the time to test it, and to be honest about my experience.
If I’m sharing it, it earned it.
And that’s how I want it to stay
