Italian born artist Sara Sidari has lived her life between Australia and Italy and has used her childhood nostalgic memories as inspiration for her tanning brand Orro + Co – reviving exotic memories of the Italian coast through her products. By Anita Quade.

Tell us what inspired you to launch Orro + Co?

“Orro + Co is inspired by my childhood, growing up my summers were spent mostly on the coast of Italy soaking in the summer sun, when I would go back to school I was known as the golden girl. Obviously when I knew the dangers of sunbaking I turned to fake tan. But, I could never find a product that would replicate that natural tan and wouldn’t leave my skin sticky, dry or green. When I first started Orro in 2016-2017 I saw there was a gap in the market for a hybrid skin / tan where skin-loving ingredients were used. Orro was the first hyaluronic tanning serum on the market, we actually copyrighted ‘Skin Care With a Glow’.”

No doubt your Italian heritage mixed in with childhood nostalgia had a big impact on the product and the packaging tell us about that?

“I wanted it to tell the story of the brand and essentially the story of my childhood. Every element is thought out and designed with a purpose, this includes our packaging and naming of each product which relates to a city that I hold dear to my heart. We hired our own photographer Andrea Gallucci in the Amalfi Coast to take photos of each town and coastal beach which we use for the cosmetic packaging of the products in a textured linen stock which when you pick up the packaging you feel the textures and colours of the cities.”

The tanning market always has plenty of formula innovations – how did you set out to differentiate your brand?

“When we began formulating in 2016 the fake tanning industry was purely tanning with no skincare, many would leave my skin patchy, dry and dehydrated so the idea of having the brand and formulation as skincare first then tanning was innovative and the first of its kind. We were the first on the market with a hyaluronic tanning serum and since then have dedicated our time to create formulas that are good for the skin as well as leave you with the perfect natural looking tan. It’s not just a tanning brand, it’s a lifestyle.”

The glow drops in the range are incredible – tell us how these were developed?

“The tanning industry is saturated, so I wanted to launch the brand with a product that wasn’t on the market already, our Amalfi Glow Drops were the first of their kind. It took two years to create the perfect formula, lots of trial and error but we (and our) customers are so happy with the results. We actually sold out of our first run!”

What tanning trends have you noticed over the past five years?

“Since launching Orro the tan drops have become a trend but also a shift in line between skincare and tanning being taken down. Our tanning serum has allowed for experimenting with contouring on the face with tan, controlling your glow so it’s not a stock standard result for all rather the consumer can control how dark they want to be.”

Any thoughts on tanning trends for 2023?

“It’s no longer about fake tanning, it’s about creating a healthy glow combined with skincare benefits. Orro will have some exciting products launching that will be first of their kind.”

What is your favourite product in the range?

“I love our hero, the best-selling Amalfi Glow Drops. I use these every day, without fail.”

Where do you source your ingredients?

“I am really proud to say all of our products are Australian made. We use 100% natural DHA in the Glow Drops and have made sure we are cruelty free and vegan so that we are conscious of our effect on the planet, this trickles through our cosmetic boxes and packaging.”

This article first appeared in the November-December 2022 print edition of Professional Beauty.

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