These Australian skincare brands should be your summer beauty go-tos
Stand-out beauty brands from the land down under – available to shop in the UK
All products are chosen independently by our editors. Luxury London may earn commission on items purchased.
Australia has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to skincare that delivers real results. Home to some of the strongest UV rays in the world, sun protection is taken very seriously here. As a result, Australian skincare is expertly formulated to not only protect the skin from damage but actively improve skin health and strengthen its natural defences, all while enhancing a natural, radiant glow.
A-beauty (Australian beauty) champions high-performance formulas that prioritise skin health, sun protection, and sustainability. Often powered by clean, natural plant-based ingredients and botanical blends, the results-driven products are designed to be effective yet gentle, catering to a wide range of skin types while remaining kind to both the skin and environment.
As Cult Beauty’s Rina Teslica explains: “Australian skincare just hits differently, it’s all about levelling up your glow for an ‘I just got back from Byron Bay’ look even if you didn’t. Offering sun-smart formulas (because let’s face it, SPF is an Australian personality trait), botanical blends and clinical actives that work, Aussie skincare has always helped put your best face and body forward.”
From ultra lightweight but powerful SPFs to glow-boosting, moisture-replenishing treatments, below are some of our favourite Australian skincare brands — all available to buy in the UK.
Ultra Violette
The brainchild of two former beauty execs, Bec Jefferd and Ava Matthews, Ultra Violette launched in 2019 and is leading a new generation of sunscreen in Australia and beyond. “We wanted to design a wardrobe of facial sunscreen that looked good, felt nice to wear, and didn’t bore us to tears,” says Matthews. “Of all the anti-ageing products available on the market, sunscreen is the single most important one,” adds Jefferd. “It’s about future-proofing your face from the daily toll of UV rays, and having a suite of products that can be adapted for every occasion to do this.”
Turning SPF into the main character of your routine, the brand delivers “a ‘sunscreen wardrobe’ of skin-shielding formulas that not only offer a veil of protection but also play well under makeup, too,” explains Teslica. From the brand’s hydrating Supreme Screen to the illuminating Queen Screen, you’ll find a lightweight, silky formula to suit all your safe-in-the-sun needs.
Grown Alchemist
Founded in Melbourne in 2008, Grown Alchemist’s vision was to transform skincare from a routine into a ‘ritual of conscious luxury’. Every formula blends pioneering biotechnology with ethically sourced botanical ingredients to create products that deeply nourish the skin and leave it beautifully radiant.
“With clever biological, peptide and antioxidant formulas, this skincare brand creates complexion-caring must-haves that improve the health of skin cells impacted by modern life,” says Teslica. From body cleansers and serums to moisturisers and SPFs, everything at Grown Alchemist is designed to support long-term skin health, protecting and promoting youthful, glowing skin that will boost your confidence from the inside out.
Alpha-H
Launched in 2000 by Michelle Doherty, who was inspired by her own experience of teenage acne, Alpha-H has become something of a hero skincare brand over the past two decades. Teslica describes it as “the pioneer of the ‘facial in a bottle’” with an impressive range of acid-based formulas that work to balance your complexion, ramp up cell renewal and help prevent clogged pores.
From its bestselling Liquid Gold Exfoliating Treatment to its serums, moisturisers, exfoliants, cleansers and more, everything from Alpha-H is thoughtfully crafted to enhance your skin and boost its lit-from-within glow. Say hello to smooth, clear, brighter skin.
Lanolips
Lanolin, a natural oil that closely mimics the lipids found in human skin, is the main player at Lanolips. Since its launch in 2003, it has developed a range of skincare saviours to soothe and deeply nourish the skin using ultra-pure, cruelty-free Australian and New Zealand lanolin, sourced humanely from trusted sheep farmers. The results? Lip, hand and skincare essentials that repair, rejuvenate and hydrate. Teslica highlights the cult 101 ointment as a true multitasker: “It not only works as a hydrating lip balm and rescue salve but as a highlighter over makeup too.”
Aesop
Now an established global brand, it’s easy to forget that Aesop began life in Australia in 1987. You won’t, however, forget its luxurious range of spa-at-home products in a hurry, mixing beautiful botanical blends with advanced technologies. With buttery soft textures, distinctive aromas and science-backed formulas, Aesop proves that skincare can be both functional and indulgent.
As Teslica notes, it’s all about turning “a mundane, everyday routine into something sensorial and indulgent”. Be that with its best-selling hand wash or a nourishing balm, it doesn’t get much more effortlessly luxurious than Aesop.
Go-To Skincare
Set up by former beauty editor and author Zoe Foster Blake in 2014, Go-To Skincare is all about simplicity. Created with a fuss-free approach to great skin, each product is straightforward to use and easy to add to your routine, while being highly effective and achieving visible results. From its popular restorative superoils to a choice of luxe, deeply replenishing moisturisers, the range is designed to simplify skincare without compromising on quality and results.
Read more: The reef-safe sun creams protecting your skin and the environment
