Three spirited creators provided Madonna Melrose a small window into the rich culture of Australia’s Indigenous healing powers. 

The rise of Aboriginal, Native Australian beauty brands has bought to life a blend of ancient traditions and ingredients from indigenous culture. Crafted beautifully with modern innovation, products deliver rich, powerful and immotive products to our local salon and spa industry.

Larn’wa

The message goes: Nothing springs more beautifully from the earth than Grandmothers Voices. Enter Larn’wa – the newest, nutrient-rich range of Australian Aboriginal botanical skincare products and healing protocols. Larn’wa, which translates to Grandmothers Voices, is a feminine language that speaks of medicine and healing, herbs and philosophy.

Owner Anne Warren seeks to resurrect authentic Aboriginal Lore and healing via products from Larn’wa range. Alongside her on this journey is consultant to the Australian spa industry, Susanne Kosonen, who supports Anne in educating emerging Larn’wa spa partners.

​On the concept and focus of her range Anne said, “Larn’wa presents an exquisite range of pure, potent extracts and botanicals combined with sacred teachings from our Aboriginal wise ones. The goal was to create a true fusion of knowledge around traditional and modern healing from earth’s oldest culture for today’s world.” Products stem from integrated ancestral knowledge around the healing properties of Australian whole plant hemp, plant essences, oils, leaves and flowers, and how best to interweave them with sacred rituals and authentic traditional treatments.

Proudly using organic and premium-quality extracts, the Larn’wa range is processed with a fresh batch methodology. All botanicals are sourced by Australian growers and Aboriginal owned enterprises using sustainable supply chains with respect, integrity and care at every turn. This process ensures essential nutrients, plant compounds, active plant constituents, bio flavonoids, antioxidants, enzymes, and vibrational plant frequencies synergistically work together to create an active and exquisitely balanced range of skincare and treatments.

The hero ingredient – whole plant hemp – is said to be an Australian skin, body, spa and wellness first. Anne shares, “We are exceptionally proud to pioneer the blending of this unique infusion with powerful native botanicals as an integral ingredient within our entire skin and body care range.” The ingredient blends with a high-quality, chemical-free olive oil to create a phyto-nutrient rich infusion. Hemp is exceptionally high in beneficial nutrients to nourish and maintain optimum skin health. Because the oil from hemp seeds is not used, products are naturally safe for use by those with nut and seed allergies.

To deliver the product range with pure authenticity, the Larn’wa healing journeys have been developed to work in conjunction with the range. Healing journeys and rituals are based on traditional native techniques and follow six seasonal cycles. Within the Ya-idt’midtung- language group, six seasons are recognised and celebrated to reflect the intricate relationship between all aspects of the natural world. Journeys reflect an ancient understanding that seasons blend and flow together into a connected, supportive cycle of growth. 

“Each season is unique in its connection to our environment, the plants and animals, available medicines, and cultural significance of place,” Anne adds. “So, we intrinsically incorporate into the commencement of each treatment a traditional smoking ritual that burns old man’s beard – better known as Spanish moss – to clear energy.”

“All botanicals are sourced by Australian growers and Aboriginal owned enterprises using sustainable supply chains with respect, integrity and care at every turn.”

Amplified Beauty

Shahna Smith became inquisitive of her Aboriginality in her early twenties, which led her on a path of self-discovery which has now manifested in Amplified Beauty – Beauty with a Purpose.

Female empowerment is a strong message championed by Shahna. Through her own challenges at a young age, she now seeks to empower younger generations on how to tap into their personal resilience through her platforms and by public speaking – something which is very dear to her.

Championing diversity and inclusivity, Amplified Beauty is also said to be the first Aboriginal-owned cosmetic brand in the world. As such, “culture is at the heart of what we do”, Shahna says. “We are here to bridge the support needed for Aboriginal youth to step into their power and create change for the next generation. At Amplified Beauty, we are focussed on putting the ladder down.”

Amplified Beauty’s makeup products are made in Australia and are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. All ingredients utilised are food-grade to ensure safety across the full range of eye, lip and cheek colours. The range was developed with the makeup artist in mind, delivering fine, weightless textures and long- lasting pigment. Created for all skin tones and genders, it’s Shahna’s mission that no Amplified Beauty devotee will ever go unseen or unheard.

Products have a luxurious, wet velvet liquid application and matte finish for long-lasting wear. Waterproof lipsticks are also recommended for use on the eye lids and cheeks. The brand recently also expanded into a range of creamy lip balms. In addition, Amplified Beauty donates 10% of sales from The Tracey – named in honour of Shahna’s late mother – to charity organisation, Youth Off The Streets in support of young individuals at risk or experiencing homelessness.

RUWI

One to watch is RUWI – a native Australian botanical skincare line recently launched. RUWI means land and its connection to country and culture, Tjimari Sanderson-Milera. Tjimari is one of the founders of the South Australian-manufactured range.

“Multiple native botanicals are working in synergy to produce nutrient powerful products providing medicinal outcomes for the skin”, Tjimari shares proudly. Used by First Nations Australians for a millennium, native Australian flora have outstanding healing properties that RUWI encapsulates in a skincare range. While in touch with the past, products are sustainable for tomorrow, and the perfect way to be pampered today.

Key native ingredients in the brand’s refreshing and invigorating Finger Lime Cleanser include finger lime infused with macadamia oil, with kangaroo apple extract known as bush tomato. The Quandong Scrub delicately exfoliates without stripping the skin, with a clever combination of quandong, Davidson plum, finger lime fruit and macadamia oil. The Dreaming Moisturiser calms the skin with nourishing Tasmania lavender and manuka honey, while the Kakadu Plum Serum utilises Australian native Kakadu plum and finger lime, native snowflower, and nutrient-rich Tasmanian kelp and yerba mate. Three additional products are also on the horizon for this unisex-marketed range.

Born from the true spirit and essence of our Indigenous history and heritage RUWI have produced an ethical, natural and connected skincare.

Hero image: Amplified Beauty

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