An innovative range of hair care for self-tanners has debuted into the market at a launch event at Bondi’s iconic Icebergs restaurant. Titled Auriche, as derived from the word ‘gold’ in Latin, the technology was fittingly created with ground-breaking university research to protect golden hair from the damaging effects of tanning products.

As founded by Lana Kelly, Lana’s own experience as a skin cancer survivor and fake tan enthusiast personally led her to fill this necessary gap in the market.

“After a decade of regular fake tanning, I noticed persistent discolouration around my blonde hairline and realised that weekly spray tans were the culprit. Forced to choose between my hair and my skin was an impossible decision so I decided to find a solution that meant I wouldn’t have to sacrifice one for the other,” Lana said.

Lana worked with chemists through COVID to create world-first formulas, after testing a collection of commercially available products and not finding a satisfactory solution., These formulas have been refined since with clinical tests and trials, including an experiment in conjunction with the University of NSW, which showed that fake tan could be as damaging to hair as bleach. The experiment utilised specialist microscopes to analyse the exposure of virgin hair to fake tan, and found that the hair follicle was cracked, brittle and had sharp, shredded ends. Hair that was protected by Auriche appeared smooth and healthy with no discernible cracks.

The entire Auriche range is scientifically formulated, cruelty-free, Australian-made and comes in unique recycled-plastic packaging.

“After I had my first two skin cancers removed at 16, and having watched two of my four sisters go through skin cancer treatment, sun tanning isn’t an option – it can be a death sentence for me. Because I have had early-stage melanoma, I have a high chance of developing melanoma again, and have had nearly 100 spots removed to prevent skin cancer. I am covered in spots and scars and fake tan is the only thing that makes me feel comfortable in my skin,” Lana said.

“With some 17,000 Australians expected to be diagnosed with melanoma this year – that’s a diagnosis every 30 minutes – the only safe tan is fake tan. Auriche allows Australians to enjoy a healthy glow year-round without ever having to worry about the impact of regular fake tanning or the dangers of the sun.”

The Auriche technology works under four pillars – protect, cleanse, restore and repair. It protects as a unique serum formulated to shield delicate hair follicles and prevent the damage and discolouration caused by fake tan, as applied around the hairline on the neck and face when exposed to fake tan. The vegan formula is built with Kakadu plum, which uses vitamin C to smooth and moisturise, and snowflower, containing active phytonutrients, gallic acid and flavanols, for protection and hydration.

To cleanse, a clarifying vegan shampoo with natural exfoliators removes discolouration and damage caused by fake tan, thanks to five Australian botanicals of Kakadu plum, lilly pilly, quandong, snowflower and wattleseed to smooth, hydrate and nourish the scalp and hair, as well as reinforcing the hydro-lipid layer to protect hair.

To restore, a bond-building purple conditioner tones and brightens coloured hair, as the ideal complement to the Cleanse shampoo in eradicating the build-up of tan chemicals on the hair. The technology rebuilds broken bonds and protects the hair follicle from further damage with those hero Australian botanicals. Quandong in particular is rich in chlorogenic acid, tryptophan, vitamin C, bioflavonoid rutin, and ferulic and phenolic acids, for moisture, density and lustre, and to relieve dry and itchy scalp conditions.

To repair, the brand’s leave-in bond-building serum is touted as sunscreen for hair, offering heat and UV protection designed to rebuild hair damaged by fake tan exposure as an all-in-one treatment powered by Australian botanicals. in Vitamins C and E, anthocyanins, and essential minerals like magnesium and potassium serve to plump the hair and protect it from UV damage and oxidative stress.

The technology is vital for our country’s sunny aesthetic, which is further trending in 2023.

“Barbie-core has taken the world by storm and Ken and Barbie are the poster children for blonde hair and fake tan,” Lana said. “Auriche is the antidote to Ken’s fake tan halo, and I hope the range can help new, and long-time, self-tanners protect their hair and reclaim their crown from the unsightly staining effect and irreparable damage caused by fake tan. I call on anyone embracing Barbie-core to practice Barbie-care to ensure their hair doesn’t end up brittle and damaged like a Barbie doll.”

For more information visit www.auriche.com

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