The Nature of Things was founded by Benoit Nicol in 2018, however Benoit’s love affair with essential oils and their benefits started many years before that. Growing up in Brittany, Benoit began working with a French producer of natural extracts, which opened his mind to the wonders of natural oils and their benefits.

He moved to New York and for over 20 years he worked with two of the best producers of natural oils in the world.  Their vast global network of farmers and distillers taught him about the importance of the terroir, where to yield the best oil from aromatic plants, the best time to harvest, how to prepare for extraction, the art of distillation and how to define what is a quality natural oil. The best ‘noses’ in the business taught him how to smell, how oils can live together and how they can make you feel, while scientists and aromatherapists taught him the positive effects the oils can have on your health and wellbeing. He learnt that each oil has a unique story and – perhaps even more importantly – he learnt what ‘good’ smells like.

In 2017 he moved to Dublin, and this life change provided him with the opportunity to start his own business. Having noticed how the market was flooded with underwhelming oils he knew there was an opportunity to use everything he’d learnt and his vast experience – from the farmers, the distillers, the ‘noses’, the scientists, the creatives and the market – to create a brand that celebrates the best quality natural oils and share the potential of their life enhancing features. And so The Nature of Things was born.

Benoit believes that essential oils are part of the ‘sustainable toolkit’: they are natural and biodegradable, come in a highly concentrated form so a small bottle goes a long way, and allow us to create lots of products at home. Their uses include:- as a room scent (to replace synthetic commercial products) using a diffuser or burner or by creating a simple spray from a few drops of essential oils in a spray bottle filled with water and alcohol. - as a surface cleaner due to their strong antibacterial properties (lemon, tea tree, lavender etc) typically using a mixture of vinegar, water and essential oils (or with baking soda).- in natural cleaning/detergent products to add a fresh natural scent (‘eco eggs’ in the washing machine, dryer balls , directly in the water for ironing, etc)- as body and bath products or perfumes- as natural repellent for mites, mosquitos, etc.- as small remedies (lavender for burns, eucalyptus for cold, etc)- for wellbeing in general, leveraging the benefits of the oils on our emotions which is an area of growing research.