King Charles just granted his favourite bath oil a royal warrant

Telegraph

01-05-2025

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the unassumingly plain, green glass bottle of bath oil by the beauty brand Olverum is just another run-of-the-mill luxury ointment to glug into your evening bath. The £78 oil in question has this week, in fact, been granted a royal warrant by the King.
It turns out that you'll find the same herbaceous, soothing oil on the sides of the bathtubs of many in-the-know beauty editors. Even Trinny Woodall and Amanda Holden love it. Originally created in 1931 by a German pharmacologist and her winemaker husband, the Olverum Bath Oil was created in small-batches and mostly supplied across Europe through niche retailers and discovered through word of mouth.
Bath Oil, £78, Olverum
In the 1980s, a bottle of the oil fortuitously fell into the hands of the British owner of renowned perfumery Les Senteurs, Michael Hawksley. He had discovered the potent oil at the Mayfair barbers Truefitt & Hill, who were barbers by Royal Appointment to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.
Hawksley was so impressed with the blend that he secured the rights to distribute the oil across the UK, and, decades later, bought the brand in 2014. The formula remains largely the same as it did in the 1930s, a zingy blend of eucalyptus, lavender, lemon peel and rosemary.
It's reviving, comforting and works brilliantly to soothe tired, achy muscles. If you're in the market for a bath oil but would prefer something designed with a better night's sleep in mind, the blend of vetivert, chamomile and sandalwood in Aromatherapy Associates' Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil is hard to beat.
Aromatherapy Associates' Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil, £48 (reduced from £60), John Lewis
A best-seller for a reason, pour a capful in a bath before you soak and it will work better than any soothing lavender pillow mist would. (If you're more of a shower person, you can apply some to your chest before stepping under warm water to benefit from the aromatherapy blend.)
Bath 'milks' are becoming more popular, too, which are used in the same way as bath oil but lighter (and often less expensive). The Perfect Night's Sleep Magnesium Bath Milk by Neom Organics, is an excellent option.
The Perfect Night's Sleep Magnesium Bath Milk, from £12, Neom
For the times when only a bubble bath will do, you can rely on Space NK's own brand Nordic Wild's Bubble Bath, which froths up nicely in warm water and doesn't leave the skin feeling too soapy or dehydrated afterwards.