We think the Australian saying ‘You little beauty!’ has never been more appropriate to say then it is now. The Australian beauty industry has become a world leader in innovative cosmetic and skin care trends seemingly overnight, with giant international brands and conglomerates turning to our sun-soaked shores for the latest inspiration.
Australia Day is fast approaching, and we’d like to discover, recognise, showcase, and celebrate our homegrown beauty brands that are on their way to making it big on the global scale.
Professional Beauty sat down with a Founder, Director and Marketing Manager to discuss what makes their products unique, why buying locally is important, and what it means to them that their brand is proudly Australian.
Edible Beauty – Anna Mitsios, Founder
What is Edible Beauty?
We’re a natural beauty range that are dedicated to illuminating your natural beauty using the highest grade pure, botanical and wild crafted ingredients that are both therapeutic and luxurious. All of our products have been deliberately and carefully crafted by me, (Founder Anna Mitsios, a naturopath and nutritionist) and I’m incredibly passionate about using food and herbs to achieve radiance, vitality and bountifully youthful skin.
All of our ingredients are edible – all the products are filled with botanicals and there’s nothing in there that shouldn’t be in there or that you don’t understand.
I really want to spread that message of toxin-free beauty and just get that education out there about what we’re putting on our skin does really matter. You don’t have to go clean with everything, but go clean with the things you’re using the most, because that can make a huge difference. If we can just reduce the amount of toxins we consume in small ways, then we’re making big steps towards becoming healthier.
We are more sustainable that most brands and we’re educating the market on what natural is and what green is. Edible Beauty products don’t have just one fruit extract in it and a long line of parabens – we’re all natural. If you can’t eat it, we won’t put it in our products.
What does it mean to you knowing that your brand is proudly Australian?
I think it’s incredible to be able to make something in Australia and use it as a base to launch a brand. Keeping everything homegrown and homemade is incredible and very important to me. With the beauty industry at the moment, there are so many brands catching on to the benefits of Australian ingredients.
Australian skincare has gone to a new level using botanical extracts and to be a part of that is amazing. Australia is also setting a lot of trends overseas, which is almost the reverse of what it used to be, so it’s really amazing to be an Australian brand at the moment. The focus is on us and it’s great to be able to make something here and not compromise that quality by selling yourself short. Edible Beauty has their warehouse here in Sydney and everything is made here and it’s hard to do it. It means your margins are really small, but it’s much better being able to have immediate control over the quality of the products.
What do you think of Australia’s beauty industry?
I think the Australian beauty industry is incredibly innovative and making a lot of progress. I think we’re setting the standard for a lot of international brands with our unique ingredients, products and stories. This is a great change from what we were considered previously – not sure what’s turned that around, but we’re really starting to see the benefits of what’s in our own backyard and keeping our quality standards high. Everyone is using Australia’s beauty industry as a source of inspiration.
Discover Edible Beauty here
The Beauty Chef – Carla Oates, Founder
What was the inspiration behind The Beauty Chef?
When I became a beauty editor some 15 years ago, I was concerned with the amount of toxic chemicals in skincare products and I felt very passionate about helping to change the paradigm in the beauty industry. I knew that beauty began in the belly from my own experience with eczema; your gut is where everything happens: where we make nutrients, where we metabolise hormones, where we neutralise pathogens, where we make detoxifying enzymes. All of these things if not working properly or in balance, can affect the skin profoundly. Also, the skin, hair and nails are the last places to get nutrients that go to more vital organs first, so if you are not getting enough nutrients, they literally starve.
I established The Beauty Chef in 2009 and had been researching the benefits of plants and natural biological processes such as lacto-fermentation for around 10 years and was writing in the area of natural health and beauty. During this time I made all my own skincare from scratch from plants and organic foods and was giving them to friends and family to use. I created quite a demand and that demand grew to friends of friends. It seemed a natural progression to create a brand. One thing that really stood out, too, was the difference in people’s skin when they ate my lacto-fermented vegetables. People were addicted to my fermented veggies – hence why The Beauty Chef started with my lacto-fermented inner beauty super food powder, Glow.
What does it mean to you knowing that your brand is proudly Australian?
It is very important that all Beauty Chef products are manufactured within Australia and we are proud to support local businesses. There are some great local producers that we partner with for example, the papaya in our antioxidant Inner Beauty Boost is grown organically in far north Queensland and our legumes, seeds and grains on a bio-dynamic farm in Australia.
What do you think of Australia’s beauty industry?
I think it is great to see a lot of Australian brands moving towards locally produced natural beauty as well as organic, chemical free ingredients and processes. Going organic is a win-win; better for your skin, better for wellbeing and better for the environment.
Is it important for Australian consumers to buy locally made makeup?
Yes, it’s always good to support local business both for our economy and environmental reasons.
The Divine Company – Emma Trapski, Marketing Manager
What was the inspiration behind The Divine Company?
Our Brand has always been about wellness and authenticity, the inspiration is to ensure consumers have access to high quality, highly regulated Certified Organic skin car and personal care products. We take this approach to all that we do and know that the secret to an enriching and beautiful life is to work as closely as possible with our natural environment.
What does it mean to you knowing that Divine is proudly Australian?
In our values we are committed to sustainability and supporting our Australian industries. Our products proudly support the future of our bodies, our farmers, our earth, and provides hope for humanity – both current and future.
What do you think of Australia’s beauty industry?
We believe and see on a daily basis that the Australian Beauty Industry is one of the more innovative and forward thinking industries in the world. We have educated and empowered consumers and as an Australian business we want to give people what they want. It is a very exciting time for Certified Organics in the beauty industry but it is also an exciting time for all Australian’s. We are living in a progressive world where choice is given and we want to be able to provide the best possible choice for the individual.
Is it important for Australian consumers to buy locally made makeup?
I think it is very important, Australia was built on small business and see how far we have come. Buying Australian Made is not just about supporting a local business, but it is about supporting an entire network of people – that’s families, mothers, fathers and children.
Discover The Divine Company here
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