THE BASE
Built to spread. Built to stay.
Most people look at the active ingredients. Far fewer ask what they’re sitting in. In a topical product, the base is part of the delivery system: it shapes spread, skin contact, residence time and how the active system meets the skin.
Most creams start with water — typically 75–85%. ULTIMATE and MUSCLE-AID start with Grampians Olive Co organic extra virgin olive oil, organic virgin coconut oil and unrefined organic beeswax sourced locally in East Gippsland. A rich, concentrated balm where a little goes a long way.
Grampians Olive Co EVOO · organic virgin coconut oil · East Gippsland organic beeswax
In the balm: The same premium oil-and-wax base in ULTIMATE and MUSCLE-AID.
On this page
At a glance
Olive oil: Grampians Olive Co Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coconut oil: extra virgin · cold-pressed · organic
Beeswax: unrefined · organic · locally sourced in East Gippsland
Growing method: dryland grown · no irrigation · low-yield heritage grove
Why the base matters: spread · residence time · semi-occlusion · skin feel · partitioning
Why the base earns its place
A topical vehicle is an active part of the formula.
It influences how an active leaves the formulation, how it partitions into skin and how long the product remains at the application site.
That is well established in topical formulation science.
So we take the base seriously. Very seriously.
Why we use Grampians Olive Co
Our EVOO comes from Grampians Olive Co, from a historic Victorian olive grove established in 1943.
The grove is run by the Mathews family — Andrew and Susan, with their son Greg.
Their heritage trees are dryland farmed:
no irrigation. They rely on natural rainfall and produce very low yields.
Rohan has personally visited the grove, walked among the trees, inspected the pressing operation and spent time with Greg Mathews discussing how their olives are grown, why their yields are so low and what contributes to the quality and phenolic character of their oil. Their Signature Organic EVOO is early-harvest, certified organic, unfiltered and unrefined.
We know where it was grown. We know who grew it. We know how it was produced.
And when Australian growers are producing ingredients of this quality, we’d much rather support them.
Extra virgin olive oil on the skin
Oleic acid can alter the organisation of outer-skin lipids and influence penetration. Whole EVOO also brings naturally occurring phenolic compounds, squalene and tocopherols.
Extra virgin coconut oil
Coconut oil brings very different lipid chemistry. Where olive oil is strongly oleic-acid-rich, virgin coconut oil is dominated by saturated fatty acids, particularly lauric acid.
Unrefined organic beeswax
Beeswax gives the balms their structure and staying power: body, controlled spread, persistence and a semi-occlusive film over the skin.
Read about beeswax as a semi-occlusive film →
That helps the balm remain where it is applied and maintains contact between the formulation and the skin.
Put them together
Extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin coconut oil. Unrefined beeswax.
Each brings different chemistry. Together they shape spread, skin contact, residence time, occlusion and partitioning — the way the whole active system meets your skin.
The base determines how the active ingredients meet your skin.
Selected authoritative research
Topical vehicles and skin delivery
Oleic acid and the human skin barrier
Kováčik A et al. Molecular Pharmaceutics. 2023. PMID 37950377.
EVOO and skin condition
Virgin coconut oil and skin hydration
Beeswax semi-occlusive film
Olive-oil pungency and phenolics
Where Science Meets Nature.
Built to spread. Built to stay.
A rich, water-free balm made from some of the finest oils and wax Australia produces.