THE AUSSIE glow-up

Move over K-beauty... A-beauty is the latest global obsession redefining the beauty map

- REPORT: CASSIE STEER. PHOTO: STOCKSY

For our travel special, we've gone as far afield as possible for beauty inspiration and landed in a destination whose beauty exports are fast becoming as covetable as avo on toast. While its coordinates sit south of what's now considered the global epicentre of beauty, Australia is carving out its own reputation for innovation.

"Australia is fast emerging as a global hub for wellness innovation, thanks to a unique blend of factors including a culture deeply connected to nature, world-class scientific research and a consumer base that embraces holistic wellness early," says Katie Mant, the co-founder of science-backed wellness tech brand Bon Charge.

It’s a sentiment shared by Rachel Vasdekys, vice-president of beauty at the brand-building agency Raven. “We identified that Australia is an incredible incubator of beauty brands. Mecca has the monopoly over the market, which has spawned an amazing array of high-performance brands that are Australian born and bred.”