Shannon Dunn has just re-launched her natural beauty site, Eco Beauty Editor, following what she describes as “a break from blogging”. The site encourages readers to to delve behind-the-scenes of natural brands and aims to be an authentic guide for consumers struggling with knowing what’s truly natural; but also hopes to be a resource for those in the industry who are wanting to know what’s what in natural beauty—from the latest brands, to what’s truly and authentically natural.
BD chatted with Shannon to learn more about her history in the industry, and why she chose natural beauty above all else.
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in the beauty/lifestyle industries?
I’ve been a journalist for 23 years, starting my cadetship in Wagga Wagga at The Daily Advertiser newspaper. The then-editor, Michael McCormack, took a chance on me (I was only 19) and assigned me as editor of a lifestyle liftout called Today’s Woman. During my time as editor, I was introduced to the beauty and lifestyle industries, and my passion for both of them grew from there.
As a writer and editor, I’ve focussed on the eco and holistic wellnesses industries since 2009, so a lot of my freelance work over the last 10 years has been for magazines such as WellBeing, Australian Natural Health, Nourish, Nature & Health and other wellness-focussed titles. I started an eco PR agency, Communeco, back in 2014, but since going on maternity leave (am a mama of two: a six year old daughter and nine month old baby boy) almost ten months ago, I’m less active with that and more focussed on Eco Beauty Editor, a website I started eight years ago that focuses on holistic beauty – mind, body, spirit and beauty.
What made you decide to focus on natural beauty exclusively?
There were a few defining moments that lead me to natural beauty. While working as a mainstream beauty editor, I used to have aversions to certain products and not really know why. It wasn’t until I was living overseas that I had this moment of, “What am I actually putting onto my skin?”.
Then, after moving to New Zealand from the States, I got really sick. I was bedridden a lot, I couldn’t work, my weight dropped to 47 kilos; it was awful. I had to do a lot of inner work during that time, which turned into a blog called Diary of a Vegan where I shared my love of wholefoods, wellness and eco beauty.
I eventually felt too confined with that, and that’s when Eco Beauty Editor was born. The website has always been about beauty from the inside out – so that very much includes the nutritional and spiritual sides of beauty. Back then, eco beauty was such a new thing. I literally didn’t have enough beauty content to turn it into a fulltime job – there was no such thing as a Google ad that would match my content. Boy, have things changed!
Best thing about the beauty industry?
How much it has changed… that there is now a huge focus on real beauty, healthy beauty, holistic beauty. I love seeing mainstream brands rethink their formulations and stop testing on animals. I adore witnessing all of these incredible boutique natural brands be born.
Can you tell us a career highlight?
It’s actually hard to boil it down to just one – I’ve been given incredible opportunities that I’m so grateful for. Working in LA was a big career highlight… I remember being told that I would find it really hard to “make it there” or find a job. But, if you believe enough and work hard for what you want, anything is possible.
Which trend is exciting you about the beauty industry right now?
I love that cannabis oil is finally getting the credit it deserves, across beauty and wellness.
Which brand or person is doing innovative things in the industry?
As mentioned above, I love Josh Rosebrook and everything he does. Same goes for May Lidstrom and also Nadine Artemis from Living Libations. All three are rock solid in their commitment to holistic, natural beauty, but they also don’t rest on their laurels, continually innovating and putting out divine 100 per cent natural products that also deliver results.
Who in the industry do you most admire?
There are too many to name specifically, but it’s anyone in the industry who pushes the envelope beyond the status quo. Anyone who questions the way things are, in the pursuit of helping things evolve to how they should be. This includes journalists, beauty editors, products formulators, beauty company CEOs and beyond. One person can make a difference, but it’s always more powerful when those people come together as a team.
Top networking tip?
Be authentically you when connecting with and talking to people. Never be afraid to put yourself out there. A quote I like is, “make everybody feel like a somebody”. My boss at the American Film Institute made a strong point about treating all filmmakers, no matter how low budget their film, as Hollywood stars. This resonated deeply and stuck with me, so I try to apply that same philosophy in my day-to-day work.
Who is your favourite person to follow on Instagram?
I love following Rachel Hunter – she is the epitome of eco beauty: she’s real, she’s honest, she isn’t afraid to flaunt “flaws” and I love how open she is about her spirituality.
Your mantra / philosophy is?
I like the quote from David R. Hawkins: To have compassion for oneself and all of mankind is instrumental. Only then do we become healers as well as healed.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?
This is exactly what I’ve always wanted to be doing, although there’s still many more to- dos on my list. I wanted to be a singer when I was younger, but that’s not going to happen!
You can view Shannon's media profile here, and check out Eco Beauty Editor here.
