In honour of International Women’s Day, Gemma shares her Top 5 Women-led skincare brands. 

Back in 2001, Vanessa Megan Gray, the founder and formulator of this exceptional skincare brand was inspired by a friends comment that,
"You should never put anything on your skin that you wouldn't eat". Vanessa Megan lives by this philosophy and effectively creating a skincare line based off her extensive research into biochemistry, studying the power of natural extracts, oils and organic ingredients.  

Vanessa began making skincare products for her friends and family as a hobby with the goal of creating chemical-free skin care products that could also regenerate and heal the skin. Today, she is known for her unwavering dedication to clean (chemical free), synthetic-free skin care that is effective and results-driven. 

The incredible skin care line stands by her motto and does not contain any chemicals, mineral oils, parabens, PEGs, artificial preservatives, colours, or fragrances. What's more, all products made with Certified Organic and Natural ingredients come in 100% recyclable packaging. Vanessa Megan products are cruelty-free and handcrafted in Australia.

Felicity Evans founded IMBIBE in her kitchen ten years ago, with her daughter strapped to her chest and another at her heels. She was suffering from severe digestive issues at the time, which later developed into an autoimmune diagnosis, affecting all aspects of her health. Her skin was easily irritated and itchy. Knowing she needed to feel more energised and healthy, she decided to take action, and IMIBE was born. She discovered that she needed to improve her gut health through research and began making multi strain probiotic drinkers in her kitchen. Through trial and error, she now has complete control and management of her symptoms through diet and lifestyle.

‘’We believe that when we’re lit up, filled up, loved up, we will truly change the world. And it all starts one day at a time, with one clear intention - to make every day matter. To show up with the energy and stamina required to not only keep up, but to thrive among the pressures of daily modern life. Our mission is to inspire every woman to know her beauty inside and out. To curate clinically formulated products that do more with less, proving that high-performance products don't have to harm you or the planet. To re-define the everyday - not just for health - but for strength, energy and luminosity. Because beauty that radiates on the outside always starts on the inside.’’

After struggling to find bathroom and kitchen styling products that complemented their finished projects, Alisa and Lysandra Fraser created the Al.ive Body range. They discovered that the personal care market was flooded with brands that prioritised either design aesthetics or product purity, but rarely did one brand achieve both. After a year and a half of hard work and exploration, the result is a personal care line aimed at the discerning consumer who appreciates high-end design and expects product integrity. The twins' passion for environmental causes that help keep our planet 'alive' inspired the name Al.ive Body, which incorporates their first initials. Alisa and Lysandra, as designers and entrepreneurs, are dedicated to positively influencing the personal care landscape, as well as raising awareness and giving back to the planet.

Janine Tait, Bestow Beauty's founder, created the brand by combining her two superpowers as a dermo-nutritionist and skin-health expert to create the Bestow product line and holistic skincare philosophy. Bestow's philosophy is based on the idea that your skin reflects your life, reflecting the quality of your diet, lifestyle, and overall well-being. While topical skincare is important, the skin also requires a variety of nutrients to thrive, heal, and resist premature ageing.

Bestow's nourishing super-food blends nourish skin from the inside out and support it on a cellular level.
"Bestow Beauty was born out of my desire to support clients to care for their skin from within.’’ — Janine Tait 

During her 20-year career in the industry, Stephanie Milla, the founder of Dermalist, has gathered Australia's leading cosmeceutical formulators, doctors, dermal clinicians, and health experts.

She discovered that it was difficult to find skincare that was appropriate for her clients, particularly skin care that provided superior clinical-grade results while also being simple to use, ethical, and luxurious. Dermalist was born in 2011 after many years of planning and perfecting the range. Dermalist first appeared on the market in 2019.

"I wanted to create the most effective, most luxurious, most conscious cosmeceutical skincare available anywhere in the world & to make it accessible because everyone deserves to have beautiful skin." - Stefanie Milla, Founder & CEO