Beauty Knowhow: We’re having an Aussie moment 

There’s currently a huge focus on Korean and Japanese beauty. And now we’re adding A-beauty to the K and J mix: Australian. Yes, there’s an influx of great Aussie beauty brands alongside their fellow citizens already leading the global wellness trends (see Kayla Itsines and Sweat, James Duigan and Bodyism, Elle Macpherson with her WelleCo). Not to mention the coolest bathroom brand Aesop, supermodel Miranda Kerr and her Kora Organics beauty line, and the excellent rebranding and packaging of Dr Roebuck’s, which is run by two sisters, Kim and Zoe. 

‘Part of the ever-growing trend of wellness is skin health, and Australian beauty really speaks to this, coming from a country that is incredibly skin conscious because of the climate and outdoor lifestyle,’ says Margaret Mitchell, buying director at Space NK. All that outdoor and health focus also means it’s a big market on the clean beauty front and Cult Beauty says it’s focusing ‘on a multitude’ of Australian brands for that reason. 

‘Australia is an ideal place to look for labels that address natural beauty and skin health,’ adds Margaret Mitchell. ‘Particularly because we are seeing many super-ingredients from Australia, such as eucalyptus, kakadu plum, papaw, quandong, lilly pilly, lemon myrtle and local clays from the rivers and outback.’

The brands to buy now

Nude by Nature is a mineral make-up range from down under. We rate its Highlighter Stick, £18, nudebynature.co.uk.

Jurlique herbal recovery Signature Serum, £55, jurlique.co.uk, available from 1 September, is intensely hydrating and contains organic botanic extracts including red clover flower, which boosts the efficacy of hyaluronic acid.

Dr Roebuck’s Nuddy Ultra Hydrating and Repair Creme, £35, and byron 2-in-1 mask and scrub, £25, both spacenk.com, are clean products that feel light on the skin.

We love the Good Vibes Only Candle, £50, spacenk.com, by Melbourne’s cool soy-based slogan candle brand Damselfly.

Frank Body is the Aussie coffee-based range – we love its Peppermint Coffee Scrub, £13.95, frankbody.com.

Most unusual fragrance note  

Gunpowder – yes, honestly. It’s part of Blazing Lily, one of eight in the new McQueen collection of luxury fragrances from Alexander McQueen. Under the guidance of the brand’s creative director of fashion, Sarah Burton (of Duchess of Cambridge wedding dress fame), this slightly sulphuric note brings an unusual and powerful element to the classic and delicate lily. See the full collection exclusively at Harrods, £175, harrods.com.

Our new lip lust

The California-based vegan brand Lime Crime has its first bricks-and- mortar counter at Selfridges, London, so you can try before you buy. There you’ll find its top-selling, long-lasting liquid lip Matte Velvetines, the new-generation Lip Plushies (both £18) – still matt but a sheerer effect which can be more flattering to the less youthful mouth, and (drum roll) its first Velvetines Lip Liner (£15), launched after much consumer demand. selfridges.com