Les Simples et Divines, the magician of Corsican plants.

Simplici è divina, a maga di i pianti corsi

Isabelle Buiret is the founder and creative soul behind "Les Simples et les Divines", an essential oil company in Porto-Vecchio. We had the privilege of meeting her in her delightful cocoon amid immortelle fields and stills.

Meet her here

1. The beginnings of the adventure:

• How did the idea of creating "Les Simples et les Divines" come about?
  The Corsican maquis, with its abundance of aromatic plants, was a great inspiration.
• What was the first product you developed, and how was it received?
  The pear-shaped calendula soap that you hang on a string was a very encouraging success.

2. Craftsmanship and know-how:

• Can you describe the process of creating one of your flagship products in 3 words?
  difficulty, magic, sharing.
• Which Corsican plant is your favorite and why?
  Myrtle blossom, which is very feminine and fresh.

3. Materials and choice:

• How do you choose the plants you use in your products?
  I choose those that are most effective in cosmetics.

• Do you have a specific method for guaranteeing the quality and purity of your ingredients?
  Yes, of course, hand-picking, gentle distillation and organic ingredients.

4. Innovation and tradition:

• How do you combine traditional plant processing methods with modern innovations?
  I drew inspiration from Corsican plant books and developed the subject in cosmetics and solarization.
• Is there a recipe or technique you discovered by accident?
  Yes, the carrot soap used by one of my customers as a shaving soap, and it works very well.

Boutique les Simples et Divines © Alizée Nové-Josserand

Making hydrolat © Alizée Nové-Josserand

5. Challenges and achievements :

• What has been the biggest challenge you've faced as producers of natural cosmetics?
  Cosmetic regulations, their cost and complexity.

• What achievement are you most proud of since the launch of your company?
  The perfect elixir, the quintessence of 7 super-effective plants.

6. Culture and identity:

• How do Corsican culture and traditions influence your products?
  I'm very happy to perpetuate the use of all these Corsican plants, to magnify them, because before, their use was more agricultural or in the form of herbal teas.
• Is there a favorite local legend or story that inspires your work?
  The shepherd who repaired his sheep's broken legs by incorporating immortelle branches into his plaster.