Australian beauty (appropriately nicknamed A-beauty) is all about effortlessness, happiness and celebrating our uniquely beautiful flora and fauna.
Since our culture takes pride in healthy, joyful lifestyle choices, our beauty brands tend to live up to the same standards, resulting in “clean, natural, no fuss skincare.”
From lightweight sunscreens to enriching facial oils, these are home-grown labels the BD team is currently loving.
DB Cosmetics Moisturising Lipstick in Nude Latte - Dragana
What it is: A fan-favourite lipstick that has undergone a makeover, including a new and improved formula, new packaging and new colours.
My experience: Always on the hunt for a good lippy! Can never have enough! What I love about the DB Cosmetics Moisturising Lipstick is that it is so moisturising and easy to apply with a creamy glide. Typically I always need to apply a really good lip balm to my lips and prep them before I apply my lipstick as I find that most brands are really dry and leave my lips looking dry and not so flattering. It’s fantastic to have such a beautiful Nude Latte colour that looks and feels fabulous! Whether it’s a day in the office or a night on the town, this is the perfect shade that complements any look. The packaging is on point too.
TrueBrow™ Collection - Deborah
What it is: TrueBrow™ Collection is a two-step brow kit created by Elle Wilson, which helps deliver fuller, natural-looking brows instantly.
My experience: This gives you salon brows at home! Element really changes the game and it gave my brows a great texture which allowed me to shape them before filling them in with TrueColor. The brush was easy to work with when shaping my brows. The TrueColor is highly pigmented and a little goes a long way - this made the product buildable which gave me more control over my brows. My brows lasted all day, and looked really natural but well groomed.
TONI&GUY Bamboo Brush - Joanne
What it is: A radial hair brush with heat resistant, anti-static bristles.
My experience: I was in the market for a new brush to blow dry my hair and style my wet hair with and like everyone else nowadays, I’m becoming more and more conscious of where my money is going and how it is harming the environment. This brush really drew me in for this reason, as it aligned with my conscious new year efforts to consume less plastic. This brush is good for my medium length, thicker hair. The heat resistant, anti-static bristles helped to smooth my usually unmanageable hair straight from the shower. The fact that this brush is 100% biodegradable, recyclable, vegan, cruelty-free and made from sustainable bamboo, is a massive win for both me and the environment!
Mellow Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner Black - Eleni
What it is: A gel eyeliner that creates smooth, natural, defined lines with its creamy formula.
My experience: This Mellow Gel Eyeliner is my perfect everyday essential and has become my go to gel liner. It helps to create smooth, natural and defined blacker than black lines. I find that it doesn’t smudge, which is great for those with oilier lids, like myself. It’s super long lasting and even waterproof. I first swatched it on my hand to test and found it didn’t come off in the shower until it was thoroughly scrubbed. I have been having trouble getting the shape of my eyeliner to flick right, however with the use of the mini brush, I got it perfect the first time and continue to do so every time! This little pot will go a long way, but be sure to rinse/wipe down the brush in between uses!
Clémence Organics Ultimate Biome Spritz - Kim
What it is: A multi-purpose spritz to nourish, tone and protect the skin, creating the ultimate skin biome.
My experience: Clémence Organics offers a range of products that are naturopathically formulated and made in Australia and the Ultimate Biome Spritz is a gentle multi use spritz for the face. The packaging is informative and the bottle is easy to use. The product itself has a lovely light fragrance which is from the rose, kakadu plum and green tea that is used within. The spritz does spray out a lot of product with one use so I found that half a spray was all that I needed when I was applying it. It really did help to keep my skin supple and is a great product to keep in my handbag so that I can spray my face during the day to rehydrate and protect against the environment.
Saya Skincare Renew Serum - Rose
What it is: A powerful serum with a complex of 15 unique botanicals, including natural retinol alternative bakuchiol.
My experience: The Renew Serum by Saya Skincare has agreed very well with my skin and I am so pleased. A huge plus is this brand being Australian, plant based and cruelty-free – I love the fresh, botanical scent. This was the first product I’ve tried that contains bakuchiol (a natural retinol alternative) and I’m happy to report that I didn’t experience any irritating side effects, like I have in the past with retinol. The serum itself has really helped soften and brighten my face and I love knowing it also contains botanicals, such as kakadu plum, rosehip and hemp seed to protect against environmental stressors, as well as free radical damage. I cannot wait to see the further improvements this will make to my skin with continued use!
Kosmea Nourishing Treatment Cream - Rachel
What it is: A nourishing, rich and ultra hydrating treatment cream for the face.
My experience: This has been perfect for me and my dry/sensitive skin. I use this cream straight after cleansing and feel it sink straight in, leaving my face feeling soft and moisturised. The formula is enriched with natural ingredients including calendula, Australian manuka honey, shea butter and certified organic rosehip oil, which really does deliver the much-needed hydration! I have also been using the cream over a patch of eczema on my hand and it instantly nourishes the skin, as well soothes and relieves the pesky itchiness. The sturdy no-fuss packaging has been amazing for me to take around in my bag and reach for when needed – love it!
Samson & Charlie Pomegranate + Pawpaw Renewal Moisturising Cream - Rhianna
What it is: An ultra-hydrating anti-ageing cream that is lightweight and antioxidant rich.
My experience: The Samson & Charlie Pomegranate + Paw Paw Renewal Moisturising Cream has (not surprisingly) stolen my heart. It’s the perfect balance between a rich and nourishing moisturiser that still feels lightweight on the skin. Inside this product you will find pomegranate extract, fermented pawpaw extract and mangosteen fruit extract which helps to hydrate the skin and fight off free radicals which in turn, prevents premature signs of ageing. I love that this product is packed with antioxidants and nutrient-rich oils which will keep my skin nourished, hydrated and plump. It keeps my mind at ease knowing I am putting nourishing ingredients on my face! I find too often that rich creams result in my makeup slipping and sliding throughout the day – however this moisturiser melts into the skin and creates a perfect base for underneath my makeup. The product also comes in a luxurious glass bottle and the scent reminds me of a cinnamon chai latte (could there ever be a better scent?). A couple of things that also really stand out about this product are that it’s: Hand-crafted in Melbourne, cruelty-free, vegan and is free of parabens and mineral oils. These are all huge plusses in my books!
Ipsum Best Skin Enriching Face Oil - Issy
What it is: A face oil blended with pure and organic plant oils.
My experience: I am a sucker for facial oils. I admired the pure blend of botanical oils including rosehip, apricot and pomegranate to name a few. This oil blends beautifully into the skin, and is seamless to blend by applying two drops into your fingers. My overall skin tone is softer, brighter and hydrated from the key ingredients of vitamin C and macadamia nut oil. The formulation is light, allowing for the oil to penetrate and absorb quickly into the skin. Containing Australian-grown and harvested ingredients, this is one to incorporate into your morning and evening routine.
Provoke Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo - Karen
What it is: A hair shampoo enriched with an active violet pigment to neutralise brassiness in blonde hair and treat yellow tones, fading and dullness in grey hair.
My experience: Since going blonde for about five years now, I can happily say this shampoo has been my absolute go-to product that keeps my blonde looking good in between the salon visits due to the active violet pigment. It foams up well just like a typical shampoo and I leave it on for around five minutes. The results are that my blonde remains bright and vibrant whilst restoring the shine and not drying out my hair. A product that will remain an icon in this industry.
Aussie Bombshell Gradual Tan - Caitlin
What it is: A gradual tan that provides a simple and effective way to build up a tan on-the-go.
My experience: This was a fantastic product to use all year round, a light and moisturising cream that is enriched with macadamia and almond oils was very easy to apply. Over two nights I applied the cream to slowly and evenly build up a natural glow. And you know it’s a great product when the girls at work asked if I have been spending some time outside! I love that it is fragrance-free and doesn’t give off the fake tan smell while also being free from parabens and colours.
em&mary Coastal Naturals Facial Serum - Maree
What it is: A lightweight facial serum that is formulated to revitalise, repair and replenish dry, dull and dehydrated skin.
My experience: The Em & Mary Facial Serum is Australian made, formulated with natural ingredients and is also 100% recyclable! This ultra-hydrating and lightweight formula packs a punch with omega 3 rich chia seed oil and hylaronic acid, which helps promote the production of collagen and elastin, keeping your skin looking younger for longer. It’s also enriched with Australian native seaweed to protect your skin against free-radicals. I have been applying three drops of this serum to my face both day and night and I have noticed that my skin feels so much more hydrated, looks brighter and is more radiant.
Swisse Blood Orange Brightening Facial Serum - Tiarne
What it is: A facial serum that combines potent antioxidants to brighten the skin’s appearance and help protect against the signs of ageing.
My experience: Having always been a fan of Swisse vitamins but never actually having the opportunity to try out the Swisse skincare range, I was very excited to put this to the test. I adore the smell, and it applies so easily to my skin. My face feels instantly smoother after applying, with it also appearing brighter after a couple of weeks. I simply apply it at night after cleansing and before applying a moisturiser or night cream. A little goes a long way as well – you only need about one or two pumps to cover the entire face. The next morning, my skin always feels nourished, while looking bright and refreshed.
Sukin Naturals SPF30 Sheer Touch Facial Sunscreen Untinted - Kerrie
What it is: A natural, sheer touch facial sunscreen that has been designed with daily use in mind, and heroesnatural zinc oxide as the active ingredient for UVA & UVB broad spectrum protection.
My experience: I have quite mature skin that is still oily and suffers from the odd breakout, so sunscreens are usually a real hit or miss for me. This one however was a hit, as it didn’t make my face shiny or oil, and so far there’s no breakout in sight (probably thanks to the lightweight texture). The cream is so smooth, and it left my skin feeling nice and soft and all day long. I was a bit worried about it being untinted, but fortunately it left no whie cast behind. The smell was not overpowering at all – it was actually really nice - like cocoa butter. Love it!
ELEVEN Australia Miracle Hair Treatment - Sarah
What it is: An all-in-one, leave-in treatment and styling product that delivers ELEVEN benefits to the hair, leaving it smooth, rejuvenated and protected against UV rays and heat styling.
My experience: I applied two to three pumps on the mids-ends of my towel dried hair after shampooing and conditioning, and then I blow dried my hair and styled with a curling iron as usual. The treatment absorbed well and made my hair silkier without weighing it down. The leave-in formula really saves me the mess and hassle of, say, a hair mask that needs to be washed out, and it took that post-wash frizz out of my hair that usually takes a day to go down. The bottle also states that it protects hair colour, and I have balayage on dark hair so this treatment is also great for protecting my colour from hot styling tools.
Ultraceuticals Ultra Hydrating Milk Cleanser - Tamara
What it is: A cleanser that will gently cleanse and nourish the skin, while effectively removing make-up and daily residue.
My experience: The Ultraceuticals Ultra Hydrating Milk Cleanser is a fantastic daily cleanser that is good for any type of skin. I have sensitive and extremely dry skin and this cleansing milk helped to clean my skin without stripping it and drying it out. The milk formulation is soothing and didn’t irritate my skin like a lot of cleansers do. The product is very lightly scented and applies to the skin smoothly before being removed with warm water. I found that it removed most makeup but best of all was that my skin still felt hydrated after using it.
