My Top Cruelty-Free AUSTRALIAN Beauty Buys

Happy Australia Day!

Living in the UK, this isn’t really a day I celebrate anymore; not with barbecues and beer, anyway. As I’ve recently been back in Sydney to visit the family, and I just happened to buy up big on beauty, I thought I’d mark this year with a celebration of cruelty-free Australian beauty brands.

There’s so many awesome Aussie brands offering cruelty-free and vegan make-up, and skin, body, and hair care now. I bought so much stuff (all in the name of research, of course) but here’s a rundown of my absolute faves:

Make-Up

Australis Cya Later Pores

FINALLY! I have found a cruelty-free and vegan dupe of Benefit’s POREfessional Face Primer. As someone with gigantic pores, I was crushed when I discovered that Benefit were not cruelty-free and have tried in vain to find a replacement for that primer. This. Is. It. Cya Later Pores makes my pores significantly less visible, mattifies my skin, and works well with BB cream and/or foundation. Obsessed.

Buy in Aus: Australis – $18.95
Buy in UK: N/A

Australis Banana Powder

I’m not gonna lie, I bought this because it had “banana” in the name. But it turns out that not only does it have an adorable name but it actually works really well too! It’s used mainly for contouring, hiding dark circles, and covering skin redness but you can also use it as a matte finishing powder. The colour is a bit too yellow-toned for me to use all over but I love it for under-eye shadows and skin redness.

Buy in Aus: Australis – $14.95
Buy in UK: N/A

Australis Don’t Sweat It Foundation

As someone with oily skin, I was really excited when I found this foundation, especially seeing as I was not used to hot Aussie weather. This liquid foundation gives medium to full coverage with a slightly dewy finish. Combined with a good primer and setting powder, it stood up to the heat better than expected. It also contains antioxidants and vitamins so your skin will love it!
Buy in Aus: Australis – $24.95
Buy in UK: N/A

Nude by Nature Natural Mineral Cover

For a lighter, buildable coverage I fell in love with the mineral foundation powder from Nude by Nature. It mattifies skin and minimises pores (two of my biggest skin concerns) without feeling too heavy. It also contains SPF15, which is so important to me in a foundation.

Buy in Aus: Nude By Nature – $39.95
Buy in UK: Nude by Nature UK– £25.00 (similar product)

Nude by Nature Flawless Concealer

This concealer stick is perfect for on-the-go top-ups and now lives permanently in my handbag. Made with natural ingredients including bamboo powder, boab fruit extract, and Australian native Kakadu Plum, it has a smooth consistency that blends well and resists creasing. The concealer (oddly) comes in five shades in Australia and eight in the UK. The lightest Aussie shade (Porcelein Beige) is still a teensy bit dark for me (I promise I am Australian!) so I’m on the lookout for the UK’s Ivory.

Buy in Aus: Nude by Nature – $24.95
Buy in UK: Nude by Nature UK – £20.00

Skin Care

Iora Naturals Spot Control

I’ve talked about my problem skin before and my daily struggles to combat adult acne. I’m always on the lookout for a new spot treatment and I fell head over heels for this one. It’s 100% natural with ingredients like tea tree, ylang ylang, aloe, white willow, bentonite clay and licorice. It’s not some miracle cure (is there such a thing?) but it’s the fastest treatment I’ve used in a long time and despite it’s super-strong tea tree smell, it’s gentle and non-drying on my skin. Swoon.

Buy in Aus: Iora Naturals – $24.99
Buy in UK: N/A

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Face Wash for Acne

Speaking of tea tree, this face wash is another great product I picked up. With pure tea tree oil and chamomile, the scent is strong but it really feels like it’s working! Free from parabens, petrochemicals, and common acne treatment Benzoyl Peroxide, it is gentle on the skin but still helps control oiliness and reduce breakouts.

Buy in Aus: Priceline – $12.99
Buy in UK: Nature’s Healthbox* – £6.89

The Jojoba Company Jojoba + Rosehip Oil

My sister got me onto to Jojoba Company and their range of oils. Jojoba helps the skin absorb oils like rosehip to deeper layers so is super hydrating. The jojoba and rosehip oil is high in antioxidants and contains vitamins A, D, and E. Not only does it nourish skin but it’s said to help fade scars and stretch-marks as well. Plus, how cute is the packaging?!

Buy in Aus: The Jojoba Company – $29.95
Buy in UK: The Jojoba Company UK – £16.95

Sukin Paw Paw Ointment

I’ve talked about my love of paw paw balm previously. Unfortunately, a lot of said balms contain beeswax meaning they’re not vegan-friendly, or they’re made with nasty petrochemicals. This balm from Sukin happily contains neither and smells amazing! It’s so versatile – I use it not only on chapped lips but also to soothe itchy skin, insect bites, or dry patches. It’s honestly a miracle ointment.

Buy in Aus: Sukin – $8.95
Buy in UK: Bodykind* – £6.99

Body Care

Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk with SPF15

I may be Australian but I do not tan. Not even a little. For the most part, it no longer bothers me but when I had to get my legs out in the stinking hot Aussie summer, I wanted them to be slightly less reflective. I found this gradual fake tan from Bondi Sands, which actually smelled delicious (a miracle!), contained SPF and built up gradually meaning no streaks or orange skin! It’s also really lightweight yet moisturising. Score!

Buy in Aus: Priceline – $17.00
Buy in UK: Bondi Sands – £10.99

Sukin Moisture Rich Body Creme

Again from Sukin, I fell for this super-rich, super-thick body crème. It’s perfect as an all-over body moisturiser but I used it mostly on my arms and legs. Made from Shea and cocoa butters, with Aloe Vera as well as rosehip, sesame, borage and primrose oils, this is an indulgent and super-hydrating body cream. Plus, it smells delicious.

Buy in Aus: Sukin – $15.95
Buy in UK: Amazon* – £19.95

Thankyou Botanical Geranium & Rosewood Hand Cream

Thankyou is a pretty amazing brand as 100% of their profits go to funding safe water, food, and sanitation services around the world. Wanting to support such an awesome brand, I picked up their geranium & rosewood hand cream. I’m not usually one for floral scents but I think this smells more like musk sticks so I was on board. Made with Shea and cocoa butters blended with essential oils, it’s a light cream that absorbs really well and leaves skin baby soft. Now they just need to come to the UK!

Buy in Aus: Thankyou – $6.95
Buy in UK: N/A

Hair Care

Sukin Protein Hair Treatment

My hair is generally in pretty decent condition but I do enjoy a weekly treatment; after exposing it to harsh Australian sun and chlorinated water, it needed a little more TLC than usual so I went for something that sounded extra rich. This hair treatment made with wheat protein, sesame oil, Aloe Vera, calendula and chamomile was just the thing as it is ultra-nourishing and hydrating.

Buy in Aus: Sukin – $13.95
Buy in UK: Nature’s Healthbox* – £9.89

What are your favourite home-grown beauty products from your country?

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