This week we welcome another Byron Bay brand to the team, Sienna Byron Bay is quality, health and environment driven and now available at Flora & Fauna.
Sienna is fast becoming a natural beauty kit necessity thanks to their extensive and divine nail colour palette; their sustainable packaging with locally sourced timber handles; and a formula that is regarded as the cleanest on the market, say goodbye to those chemical induced headaches! Each bottle is lovingly hand-poured and contains non-toxic ingredients that are both cruelty free and vegan. We chatted with founder Danielle to learn more about the inspiration for the brand; how the stunning Byron beaches, hinterland and locals influence her collection; and ask her to reveal the must-have nail colour for this spring.
What sparked the idea to create Sienna and is there a story behind the name?
I was looking for a polish to use in my mobile nail salon. Being based in Byron I knew my customers would want something clean and eco but there was absolutely nothing on the market. I did some research and enlisted the help of a colour chemist and formulated my own! The polish was so popular that I didn’t end up doing a manicure!
Naming your product is like naming your child. I had to feel her essence and get it right! Sienna is actually a raw pigment that is drawn from the earth. It is rich and organic toned like ochre, it’s very organic. And Sienna is such a sweet, soft, feminine name I couldn’t think of anything more perfect.
How does the range differ from other nail brands on the market?
It’s always been my personal ethos to do better, always. From the first baby idea of Sienna I knew I needed to create a company that puts the health of the community and our planet first;
- We have the cleanest formula on the market without the use of Benzophenone-1, it’s a known endocrine disruptor and has links to cancers. Its purpose is as UV inhibitor to slow the fading of nail polish but if you keep it out of direct sunlight this is not needed. There’s not many brands worldwide that have adopted this in their formulas even today.
- We use a weed timber for our cap as an alternative to the traditional plastic cap. It’s cut down in droves here as it stops the native rainforest from growing and it’s super beautiful. (More about that in the next question!)
- We’re the only company worldwide that has dropped the use of the terrible micro-plastic, glitter, from their range. Unfortunately bio-glitters disintegrate in nail polish so we’ve scrapped it altogether. We now use a crushed crystal to get the same effect which is equally beautiful but better for the planet!
- We have recently added glass nail files to our range. They never go blunt, meaning there’s no waste from disposable nail files, these last forever!
- Our nail polish remover wipes come in a reusable glass jar, the list goes on! We also aim to truly show diversity and inclusion in our branding so everyone feels represented.
Based in the beautiful Byron Bay, does your environment influence what you create/colour palette?
Did you know that Byron Bay is called the ‘Rainbow region’? Everything about it is colourful; from the green rolling hills to the soft blue hues and sandy tones of our beaches. The people of the shire are also incredibly colourful. There’s many characters known for their dress, a local hitch-hiker that wears brightly coloured suits, ‘Feather’ who is known for her dancing and purple dresses at the markets and everyone wears an array of rainbow just like it was in the 60’s. From brights to neutrals to white everything, I’m inspired at every turn.
We love the natural design of your packaging – can you please share the story of the design and how you source the material for the handle?
The timber! Our beautiful timber. Not only does this little timber handle add to our stunning aesthetic but it’s also helping the world. When designing the packaging I didn’t want to add to the excessive plastic consumption so I had the bright idea to use timber instead! I did up a few drawings and then knocked on every local wood turners door until I found someone willing to make them for me. The timber we use is a weed tree that grows prolifically here and it is heavily impacting on the native rainforest. Land owners are required to remove these from their property which means there’s quite a lot laying around! We use the offcuts from what can’t be turned into bread boards or furniture meaning there’s no waste. It’s a win/win for us and our environment.
What is it about the clean beauty industry that keeps you motivated and excited to work in it?
It’s unbelievable to see the way society has adopted clean beauty in the last few years. It’s so exciting! I feel a part of a global movement for change and every step we take is important. Every day I feel thankful to be living my dream and I’m continuously spurred on by what we’re contributing. I also get messages daily from our customers to say thanks for what we’re doing, that definitely gets me up in the morning.
And as we’ve just welcomed spring, which nail colours are your favourite for the new season?
I just loovveeee soft florals. They’re so classically Spring and they make me feel really excited that the flowers are out and the warmth is coming back. My absolute fave would be Muse, it’s a soft, dusty rosebud crème. It’s the perfect shade of rose and suits all skin tones. Definitely my go to!
You can find Sienna Byron Bay at Flora & Fauna.
