Kasturi's story
She wasn't looking for a business idea. She was looking for answers..
In 2014, Kasturi discovered her daughter had hyper reactive skin & no medication seemed to cure it! She quit her consulting job to study alternative therapies to help her daughter. Her first blend of plant oils worked wonders on both her baby's skin and her own, and she was in awe!
By 2016, what started in a home kitchen had become a registered company.
"I didn't know if the handmade creams would sell, but I felt the need to share them with others"
— Kasturi Sen, Co-founder
Vidhi's story
She was trying to fix her own skin
After years of dermatological treatments that never truly worked, Vidhi turned to therapeutic oils and herbs — first for herself, then for friends. She wasn't building a business. She was solving a problem she couldn't find an answer to.
"It all started with my own acne and finally coming full circle, embracing the power of natural oils for healing from within."
— Vidhi Dave, Co-founder
SAME THREAD, OPPOSITE ENDS
They found each other
Kasturi completed her training in Cosmetic Science & Aromatherapy. and started selling handcrafted skincare at local markets. By then Vidhi had completed a course in Natural Cosmetic Formulating and spent a few years creating solutions for effective skincare.
Their meeting felt less like chance, more like alignment. Two journeys, one belief: that skincare could be more honest, effective, and thoughtful.
Vidhi joined as Co-Founder in 2018.
Two founders, Two stores & Countless Learning
Oleum Cottage was real, alive and growing.
Life, Covid & Pivot
Closing one door opened another
Vidhi had to move to Hong Kong. There was no plan - just trust, and their long-distance founder life began.
Covid hit. Stores shut. They moved fully online. Office and warehouse became one. It wasn’t glamorous. But it was necessary.
Then something shifted. People with chronic skin concerns found them - eczema & psoriasis cases that needed more than quick fixes.
A decade of pattern recognition
Ten years of listening, One answer
Growth brought clarity, and tough choices. They let go of many products they loved.
But one insight always remained - The root of every concern is a skin barrier that has stopped doing its job. Dermatologists confirmed it.
Together they built the Barrier Lipid Complex™, to teach skin to produce its own ceramides. Not a trend. But a validated formula.
And somehow, it still feels like the beginning.