I always dreamed of creating a face oil made with extra virgin olive oil, but the story truly begins with my husband's childhood promise to his grandmother. At 10 years old, he vowed to return to the half-acre of land amidst the rolling hills of Sicily, where she was born. Sixteen years ago, that mission led us to not only find and purchase that small plot but, over time, to acquire and restore all 800 acres surrounding it. With the help of our friend, Dr. Pasquale—a Sicilian agronomist with a double PhD in botany and biology—we set out to revive the land, planting olive trees and transforming it into the thriving, regenerative farm it is today, where our olive oil is hand picked, pressed, and bottled, and our all of our skincare ingredients are harvested.

Our farm is a living testament to regenerative beauty. At the onset, we planted 12,000 olive trees and even revived Biancolilla centinara, a rare cultivar that was on the brink of extinction. As we restored the land, we discovered over 500 varieties of herbs and flora, including more than 80 medicinal plants. We work with an organization called Planta, helping to preserve the biodiversity of the Sicilian flora. Remarkably, 80% of the property is a biopreserve with some areas left uncultivated for up to 400 years. Through regenerative farming, we protect the soil and the potency of the plants. We’re always discovering and researching on the farm.

Everything we produce, from our extra virgin olive oil to our botanicals, is hand-harvested on site. Our process is truly organic, starting with the natural spring water that feeds everything on the farm. We forage plants that thrive in extreme conditions—extremophytes, or survivalist botanicals—that have adapted to Sicily’s harsh shifts from scorching days to freezing nights. These wild plants are inherently more potent than cultivated ones, sharing underground nutrients to strengthen one another—and you see the benefits of that on your skin. We also use an exclusive process called SoundBath™ extraction, which eliminates the use of harsh chemicals and solvents, allowing us to protect the integrity of the soil and preserve the full potency of every plant.

​​It’s a passion of mine. It definitely translates in creating different blends, tasting it on the farm, finding any defects. The olive tree is incredible. It represents heritage, longevity, health, wellness—everything that Furtuna Skin stands for. People have used olive oil to heal everything from skin wounds to ear aches. Unlike a lot of oils that just sit on the face, Futura Skin Biphase Moisturizing Oil is made with our extra virgin olive oil and also has our olive leaf water in it to help penetrate the oil deeper into the skin. It leaves a nice glow and perfectly dewy skin. I know it’s the best!

We wanted to honor the legacy and heritage of our Italian roots by collaborating with Aelia to design localized treatments, highlighting the region’s olive groves, abundance of fragrant herbs, fertile soil, and potent botanicals. The spa blends high-touch therapies and longevity practices, tailoring treatments to each guest’s needs for guaranteed results. From therapeutic treatments inspired by Tuscan traditions to post-treatment olive oil tastings with a custom ingestible olive oil elixir, LXR12, bottled exclusively by Furtuna Skin for Collegio alla Querce, every aspect of Aelia is dedicated to relaxation in the pursuit of living well.