Aussie Brand Lux Aestiva’s Natural Instincts Are The Way of The Future
A more conscious routine can start as simply as replacing outdated rituals with new ones, little by little…
Buy better. Know who makes your products. Invest in materials that can live a second life. These are the attitudes of the ‘20s that will be a real part of our collective psyche moving forward. In fashion and beauty, industry-wide trend forecasting surveys are showing that it’s the brands that have conscious, eco, and handmade elements that are going to thrive now that we, as consumers, have opened our eyes to the environmental impact of our shopping choices.
In beauty, it’s an excuse to invest and actually treat yourself to ingredients that do no harm. Rather than grabbing that drugstore staple wrapped in plastic, filled with chemicals and splashed on carelessly without thinking twice, without any joy, there’s an environmental reason to invest in your routine. “I couldn’t go into business knowing I was contributing to the excess plastic consumption in the beauty community,” says Katie Blyth, founder of Lux Aestiva’s Australian beauty blends of Wildflower Oils. Before launching the brand, she owned an eco hairdressing salon, so natural has been part of her ethos as she continuously evolves her processes to improve. “Any plastic that was used when we started was very quickly phased out and we now use over 95% glass in our packaging,” she explains. “We also ship items with as minimal packaging where possible and what does get used is always recyclable and compostable.”
The Wildflower oils are so luxe the experience borders on surreal: the face and body options offer up a matte finish (so as not to attract every speck of fuzz in your atmosphere), and each emits its own ultra-subtle, ultra-polished, ultra-magnetic scent. The kind of feather-light fragrance that lulls in best friends and significant others with the “what’s that? (searching the air a step closer) That’s nice…” reaction. For the artist, it was all part of the design: “I wanted something that was natural, vegan, not housed in plastic, smelt amazing (but without synthetic fragrances) and I wanted something that just felt ‘special’, like a little treat for myself,” Blyth says. When she couldn’t find it on the market, she figured out how to make it herself – every part. “Each and every product you receive has been formulated over many months by me, handmade in small batches by me, even the graphic design on the product packaging and website has been done by me!” she enthuses happily. “I’ve never found anything else like it!”
And as you may have guessed, she’s hyper-aware of how even a small brand like hers can serve her community in Australia, where there are still dozens of fires burning. “Communities we only just visited a couple of years ago have been completed wiped out, so many people’s lives will never be the same again. I wanted to contribute in any way possible,” Blyth shares, adding that her own family was affected. “We gave 100% of all sales made from the first 3 weeks of January to the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund. And as soon as we feel the communities are ready, we are going to visit the small townships and spend money with their local businesses to help support them as much as possible.” In the meantime, Blyth is sharing a message of slowing down and taking small steps in the right direction. “Even if it is just starting a kitchen compost and getting a recycling bin, slowly changing old habits, building self-awareness and replacing outdated rituals with new ones, little by little – we can make a difference.”