About Still River Co

I grew up in the Perth Hills, about forty minutes east of the city near Mundaring, where the jarrah forest starts getting serious. My parents were German immigrants who landed in Fremantle in 1987 and never left. After university I did what a lot of people do, I left. Berlin first, for three years working in product development for a mid-sized cosmetics company in Prenzlauer Berg. Then London for another four, helping a small natural skincare lab in Hackney reformulate their base products to meet EU ingredient standards. I learned more in those seven years about what actually goes into a bottle than I had in any classroom. I also learned what I missed about home, which turned out to be very specific things.

Before Still River Co existed, I was commuting to a lab in East London and spending my weekends at Columbia Road market, which I loved, but I kept buying products made with botanicals I recognised from Western Australia that had been shipped to Europe, processed, and sold back to people like me at a significant markup. Kakadu plum extract showing up in a serum sold in Shoreditch for forty-two pounds. Rosehip oil from Chilean suppliers when the Stirling Range sits right there at home. It was not anger exactly, more a slow accumulation of noticing. In 2019 I flew back to Perth for my father's seventieth birthday and drove up through the Hills and just did not book a return flight.

— Made in the Hills, shipped from a shed. — Tanja, Tanja Boldt

Our team

• Britta Svensson — Production and Formulation Assistant: Britta joined Still River Co in mid-2022 after finishing a Diploma of Beauty Therapy at North Metropolitan TAFE in Leederville and spending a year working at a compounding pharmacy in Subiaco. She handles the weekly production runs in the Bickley shed, manages ingredient stock levels, and keeps the batch records that our TGA compliance depends on. If a formula is behaving strangely on a cold morning, Britta is usually the first to notice and the first to know why.
• Declan Murakami — Fulfilment and Logistics Coordinator: Declan came on board in January 2023 after Tanja put a card up at the Kalamunda Farmers Market and he replied within the hour. He had spent the previous three years running the warehouse side of a small furniture importer in Osborne Park and knew his way around Sendle, Australia Post business accounts, and the particular chaos of the pre-Christmas fortnight. He manages all outbound orders, handles customer shipping queries, and drives the weekly supply run to the Swan Valley cold-press facility on Thursdays.
• Amara Osei-Bonsu — Customer Experience and Online Store Manager: Amara studied communications at Curtin University in Bentley and had been freelancing for a handful of Perth small businesses before connecting with Tanja through a Fremantle-based small business networking group in late 2023. She looks after the Shopify store, writes the product copy, manages the inbox, and runs the brand's social accounts without making them feel like a brand's social accounts. She works remotely from her home in Victoria Park three days a week and comes into the shed on Wednesdays.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard orders to most metro areas in WA, VIC, NSW, QLD and SA take 3–7 business days. Remote or rural addresses can take up to 10 business days. Express shipping cuts that to 1–3 business days for most capital cities.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes. Orders over $75 qualify for free standard shipping anywhere in Australia. If your cart is under that, standard shipping is calculated at checkout based on your postcode.

Can I return a product if I change my mind?

Yes, within 30 days of delivery, provided the product is unused, sealed and in its original packaging. Change-of-mind returns are at your own cost for the return postage. Once we receive and inspect the item, we'll process your refund.

Are your products suitable for sensitive skin?

Several of our products are formulated to be gentle, but everyone's skin is different. Full ingredient lists are on each product page — we recommend checking those carefully if you have known allergies or sensitivities. When in doubt, patch-test before full use.

Do you offer gift wrapping?

We do. At checkout, select the gift wrap option ($4.95) and you can include a handwritten note. We'll pack it up neatly in tissue paper with a ribbon — no invoice included inside the parcel.

Can I order products in custom or larger quantities for wholesale?

Yes, we work with a number of stockists across Australia. Send a wholesale enquiry to hello@stillriverco.com.au with your business name, location and what you're looking for, and Tanja will get back to you within 3 business days.

Are your products vegan?

Most of our range is vegan. The product pages each flag this clearly. If you're unsure about a specific item, email us before ordering and we'll give you a straight answer.

How do I store the bath soaks and skincare products?

Keep products in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Avoid leaving lids off in the bathroom for extended periods — humidity shortens shelf life. Each product has a PAO (period after opening) symbol on the label indicating how long it's good for once opened.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Actually works on dry winter skin” Ordered the Organic Rosehip Oil after reading the ingredient list properly — no fillers, just the oil. It arrived in four days, which was faster than I expected for a WA-based brand shipping to Melbourne. Been using it for three weeks and my skin genuinely looks more even. Will reorder.
• 4/5 “Good sponge, packaging could be simpler” The Bamboo Charcoal Konjac Sponge does exactly what it says — nice texture, not harsh, and it's held up well after six weeks of daily use. The outer packaging had a bit more plastic than I'd like for a product marketed the way this one is. Product itself is solid though.
• 5/5 “Bath soak is the real deal” I've tried a lot of bath soaks and most of them smell like a candle shop and do nothing. The Eucalyptus and Lavender Bath Soak actually leaves my skin feeling soft, not just scented. Ordered on a Tuesday, had it by Thursday. Already bought a second one as a gift.
• 5/5 “Fast local shipping, great serum” Being in WA, I figured I'd get it quickly and I did — next business day. The Nourishing Kakadu Plum Face Serum absorbs fast, doesn't pill under SPF, and smells faintly fruity without being overpowering. My skin has been noticeably brighter over the past month.
• 4/5 “Solid hydrating gel for summer” Picked up the Aloe Vera and Cucumber Hydrating Gel after a bad sunburn weekend — it did the job well. Cooling, non-sticky and didn't break me out. Took about five days to arrive in Melbourne, which is fine. I'd buy it again but would like a larger size option.
• 5/5 “Genuinely impressed” I've been using the Organic Rosehip Oil every night for about six weeks now. The texture is light and it doesn't leave a greasy residue on the pillow. Shipping was quick and the order was packed securely — nothing rattling around loose. Happy customer.

From the journal

• What I learned driving three hours from Darwin for a plum — Last month I flew to Darwin to meet the growers behind our Kakadu plum supply, and it changed how I think about the serum entirely.
• How to actually get something out of the bath soak — Most people use too little, run the water too hot, and get out too fast, so here is what I do on a cold Perth Hills evening.
• Six months of small failures before the rosehip oil worked — The organic rosehip oil took three distinct formulations and one very honest conversation with a cosmetic chemist before I was happy with it.
• Summer in the hills and what it does to the skin care routine — February in Kalamunda hit 41 degrees three days running, and it made me rethink which products I actually reach for when it is properly hot.