The pursuit of flawless and radiant skin has been a beauty goal for generations. One look at the luminous and ethereal glow of pearl skin, and it’s easy to understand why so many desire this captivating complexion. If you’re longing to achieve pearl-like radiance, fear not – we’ve got you covered with these essential skincare tips and tricks. Get ready to unveil your skin’s true luminosity!

Daily Cleansing: The Foundation of Pearl Skin

Achieving pearl skin begins with a clean canvas. Make cleansing a non-negotiable part of your daily routine, both morning and night. Choose a gentle, cleanser that effectively removes dirt, impurities, and makeup without stripping your skin’s natural oils. Cleanse your face with lukewarm water to maintain your skin’s moisture balance. Try Black Pearl Gleaming Powder Cleanser in the morning and Aquagel Oil to Foam Cleanser in the evening.

Exfoliate Regularly for a Brighter Canvas

Exfoliation is a key step to achieve pearl-like radiance. By sloughing off dead skin cells and unclogging pores, you pave the way for better absorption of skincare products. Opt for a mild exfoliator with gentle exfoliating agents like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). Remember not to overdo it; exfoliating 2-3 times a week is sufficient for most skin types.

Embrace the Power of Serums

Serums are potent elixirs that can deliver a concentrated dose of active ingredients to target specific skin concerns. To achieve pearl skin, incorporate serums enriched with brightening ingredients such as vitamin C, garden cress, or black pearl extract. These powerful antioxidants work wonders in reducing hyperpigmentation and enhancing your skin’s overall radiance.

Hydration is Key

A well-hydrated complexion is fundamental for that pearl-like glow. Try Incorporating a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser into your skincare routine to lock in moisture without leaving a greasy residue. Look for moisturisers that contain hyaluronic acid, which can attract and retain water, keeping your skin plump and supple. Try Aqualight Moisture Gel Lotion, Aqua Intense Cream or Black Pearl Brightening Creme

Pamper Yourself with Face Masks

Treat yourself to a relaxing face mask session once or twice a week. Look for masks with brightening, hydrating or nourishing ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, algae or marine collagen to add an extra boost to your skin’s glow. Try Aqua Hydrating Masque

Beauty Sleep for Regeneration

They call it beauty sleep for a reason! When you’re well-rested, your skin has a chance to repair and rejuvenate. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night to give your skin the time it needs to heal and produce new, healthy cells.

Be Patient and Consistent

Lastly, achieving pearl skin doesn’t happen overnight. Consistency is key, so stick to your skincare routine diligently and be patient. Over time, with the right products and care, you’ll begin to see your skin transform into a radiant, pearl-like complexion.

Unveiling the Radiant Beauty of Syrene: Introducing our new Black Pearl Collection.

Beauty enthusiasts, brace yourselves for an extraordinary skincare experience as we proudly present our highly anticipated Black Pearl Collection. With meticulous attention to detail, this luxurious range is set to transform your skincare routine, revealing a luminous complexion that radiates timeless beauty.

Originally intended for release in 2019, the global landscape presented unforeseen challenges, leading us to prioritise our Aqua Range. However, the wait is finally over, and the Black Pearl Collection emerges as a pinnacle of sophistication and indulgence.

At the heart of this collection lies the mesmerising power of the Black Pearl—an exquisite gem renowned for its brightening and rejuvenating properties. Syrene’s expert team has harnessed the inherent beauty of the Black Pearl to curate a range that nurtures your skin, unveiling a radiant glow that transcends time.

The journey of the Black Pearl Collection began with the introduction of the luxurious Illuminating Serum in the Asian market. Lucky enough to make an appearance prior to the pandemic, this serum became an instant sensation, with over 100,000 bottles sold in 2019. Its success served as a testament to the efficacy and allure of the Black Pearl working in harmony with other marine and botanical extracts, setting the stage for the comprehensive collection we proudly present today.

What sets the Black Pearl Collection apart is its meticulous formulation, combining the finest ingredients to deliver transformative results. Each product has been carefully crafted to address common skincare concerns such as dullness, uneven skin tone, and dark spots, ensuring a complexion that exudes flawless luminosity.

Indulge in the sensory delight of the Black Pearl Gleaming Powder Cleanser, as it purifies your skin, removing impurities and leaving it refreshed and revitalised. Follow it up with the Black Pearl Illuminating Serum, a true game-changer infused with potent brightening agents that work tirelessly to diminish the appearance of dark spots, unveiling a more even-toned and radiant complexion. For a truly luxurious experience, embrace the Black Pearl Brightening Crème. Its rich formula nourishes and firms your skin, providing intense hydration while promoting a radiant glow.

Our Black Pearl Collection invites you to embark on a skincare journey of elegance and sophistication. The culmination of years of research and dedication, this collection offers a harmonious fusion of science and indulgence, elevating your skincare routine to new heights.

To celebrate its debut, the Black Pearl Collection is now available at Mecca and syreneskincare.com.

Syrene’s holiday collaboration with Australian artist Stevie Michaels takes inspiration from that ‘take a dip’ feeling, featuring hand painted motifs of rising suns, shells and fish, drawing on the active ingredients in each of our products. Initially painted on linen with oil, with hues of citrus yellow, rust and serene washes of blue. Keeping in line with the joyous, summery ethos that both brand’s naturally embody.

Stevie Michaels is an Australian artist and designer whose European heritage and love of entertaining and dining with loved ones inspire her creativity. She shares with us her place of tranquility and how she embodies that ‘take a dip’ feeling.

What first came to mind when briefed on our limited edition Take A Dip kit packaging? What was your creative process and how would you describe your version of a ‘take a dip’ feeling?

My initial thought was to capture that unique holiday feeling, the one where you are your most relaxed carefree, revitalised version of yourself.  To me this is quite simply by the ocean, my vision was to create something unique and playful that evoked that glorious feeling and captured the Syrene essence.

I started sketching the idea of setting suns, crashing waves and sea creature motifs, taking inspiration from the active marine ingredients and overall fresh feeling of the Syrene skincare range. From there, the Take a dip print was created, Initially painted by hand with oil on linen, to create texture and warmth and transformed into a digital print on the Syrene signature aqua blue background.

There is a beautiful collection you have called ‘Sapore Di Mare’, which means taste of the sea in Italian. How did this inspire you to create the ceramics?  

The ‘Sapore Di Mare’ collection is inspired by my love of summer on the Italian coast. Taking inspiration from days filled with long lunches on a clifftop, with freshly caught seafood, wine and good company. 

The rich food culture and emphasis on family is something that really has inspired my work, carving out time to ‘break bread with loved ones and to enjoy life’s simple pleasures through entertaining.

What would a ‘serene’ moment look like for you?

Recharging in nature always brings me back to a serene place.

What active ingredients do you incorporate into your skincare? And why? 

I’m really loving beautiful hydrating actives at the moment, hyaluronic acid and niacin-amide are my two on rotation, being pregnant brings lots of skin changes and focusing on hydration has really made all the difference.

How important is self-care to you? Is this something you incorporate into your daily routine, if so, how?

It is extremely important to me, I’m an early bird and love to try to fit in self-care my morning routine, whether it’s a yoga class or beach walk followed by a coffee. I always feel so much more connected and ready to take on my day.

 Available at MECCA and here

We talk with Louise from General Sleep, a Local female-led sleepwear brand, driven by a vision to create beautiful, versatile trans-seasonal sleep and loungewear that looks great, feels amazing and advocates rest and pause. For those who love the idea of an extended Sunday morning, General Sleep encourages you to indulge in that lazy, lounging feeling, all week long.

We were inspired by General Sleep’s ethos and the similar views that we have on how important it is to shift our focus to self care through sleep and taking care of our skin, perhaps choosing Sunday as your day to slow down and create this ritual for you, and only you. We asked Louise what her Sunday consists of and what she does to take a moment out of her busy life to shift her focus, to inspire a moment to herself.

What inspired you to take on the General Sleep brand?

I made the decision to take on the brand as I have always had a passion for sleepwear and love how putting on a beautiful pair of pyjamas can make you feel.  General Sleep ’s ethos also aligns with my own values – I believe it is important to feel a sense of connection with the brand/product that you work with. 

How do you spend your Sunday and what are some of your rituals that encourages you to take a moment for yourself?

We spend Sunday morning as a family with our 3 and 5 year old, and will usually fill our cups by spending time with friends or going on an adventure outdoors.

The afternoon is then spent relaxing and taking moments for ourselves.  I like to get organised for the week and put fresh linen on our beds – nothing beats an early Sunday night hopping into bed with crisp clean sheets and PJ’s. 

Snuggling up with tea and a book, baking or watching a family movie are all Sunday rituals I enjoy and allow myself to ‘switch off’.

Describe your slow beauty routine. What are your go to skincare products and ingredients you look out for to incorporate into your skin ritual?

I keep my skincare routine simple and tweak it according to the season or how my skin is feeling.  My typical routine for both morning and evening involves cleansing, followed by a serum or oil and moisturiser.  I wear sunscreen daily and like to use a face mask a couple of times a week for extra hydration. My skin is on the dryer side so I always look out for rich nourishing ingredients to help with this as well as active ingredients to address signs of ageing.

What does Slow Beauty mean to you?

To me slow beauty is about using fewer, better products that really work for my skin and routine.  It is also about the sensorial experience and slowing down to appreciate that side of it as part of a daily self-care practice.

I believe slow beauty also speaks to inner wellness and focusing on a combination of lifestyle factors that contribute to this such as diet and exercise.

In order to wind down before sleeping, what ritual would you recommend? Is there anything you do in particular that helps you relax and calm the mind?

I am a big fan of an evening bath, especially in the colder winter months – for me this is the perfect way to wind down before bed.  I keep my phone out of the room at night and find the ritual of my evening skincare routine followed by choosing a favourite pair of cosy PJ’s and reading a few pages of my book calms the mind and puts me into rest mode.

For more information on General Sleep, visit generalsleepstore.com

Syrene is officially the first New Zealand brand to be sitting on shelves in Australasian beauty giant Mecca stores this week and to celebrate we chatted with skincare lover, Jasmine Dowling about her at-home skincare shelfie.

How would you describe your skincare shelfie?
I would describe it as beautiful chaos! I have a whole shelf for fragrance, nearly half a shelf of serums because they are one of the products I switch between a lot depending on my skin, some of my go-to minimal makeup products (mainly creams), some of my favourite moisturisers to flick between and the bottom shelf is really for my masks, both sheet & tubes and my toners & exfoliators.

What does Jasmine’s at-home facial involve?
I start with a charcoal mask, then really go in with my longer skincare routine with a couple of serums, eye cream, lip mask, oil, then I do a facial massage with either a gua sha tool or another sculpting tool, then finish off with a hydrating mask.

Try Aqua Restore Eye Essence

Try Aqua Hydrating Masque

Try La Vie En Rose Face Roller

How do you practice self-care?
Self-care for me is all about being intentional in my activities. So whether it is my skincare routine, taking my time rather than slapping it on so I can get straight into my work for the day or whether it is watching reality tv. Letting myself just do that one thing and commit to it rather than rushing through or trying to multi-task.

Your go-to ingredients that you always make sure is present on your skincare shelfie?
For me I noticed a big difference when I started adding Vitamin C to my routine so that is now something I cannot live without. Oh and SPF of course!

Try Aqua Power Masque, formulated with Superox-C – a cocktail of antioxidants to help reduce skin damage induced by oxidative stress. Extracted from Australian Kakadu plum, the world’s highest source of Vitamin C.

Try Mecca To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen

What are your top-tips for building the ultimate skincare shelfie?
Pick a method of organisation that suits you. If you hardly grab your masks – don’t put them front and centre. Stack products that you aren’t likely to use everyday and find storage solutions like a letter holder for your masks or empty candles for your tubes!

Tip: Syrene bottles and jars make excellent storage containers. Use your empty jars to store cotton pads or cotton buds and your bottles for your makeup brushes. See inspo here.

Do you change up your beauty routine seasonally?
Yes but with that being said, Brisbane is hot & humid 80% of the year so I only really notice a change in that month or two where we get a bit cooler and the wind comes through.

What’s your favourite thing about Mecca?
My favourite thing about Mecca is that you’re able to discover amazing brands you may not have had access to otherwise.

You can now shop Syrene in selected Mecca stores and online at meccabeauty.co.nz and mecca.com.au.

The world is abuzz with mindfulness right now, claiming it’s the perfect antidote to the busyness, rush and stress of the modern world. But why exactly do our  21^st Century brains need mindfulness now more than ever?

Our brains are overwhelmed and overloaded
Our ‘always on’ digital connection is overloading and overwhelming our brains. The almost constant onslaught of such a large volume of information via our devices in modern times equates to about 34GB of information being uploaded each day!  A study, conducted by researchers at the University of California-San Diego, found that people are, every day inundated with the equivalent amount of information sufficient to overload a laptop within a week. No wonder we feel overwhelmed!

We don’t take brain breaks
Most of us go, go, go, work, work, work all day, getting through our never ending to do list without giving our brains a break.  We’re operating our brains like machines, thinking the harder and faster we work them, the more outputs we’ll get. In reality, our brains are the opposite – they need to be constantly switching between expending and then replenishing energy. Research shows we should use our cognition for no more than 90 mins without a mindful break for 10-20 minutes to recharge our mental, emotional and physical energy. Yet most of us work all day and then wonder why we are so fatigued.

We’ve lost the art of doing things mindfully
Most of us now outsource a lot of the activities that are naturally mindful. Activities that our ancestors would have done themselves, just a few generations ago. We don’t chop firewood; we get it delivered. Instead of cooking from scratch or growing our own fruit or vegetables, we buy ready-made meals and produce from the shops. Instead of gardening or moving the lawns we pay a gardener. And rather than knit a jumper we buy one ready-made. With the loss of these naturally mindful activities in our day-to-day routines, it’s more important than ever that we purposefully carve out mindful moments.

A cultural resistance to rest and relax
All of this coupled with our cultural resistance to ‘rest’ and the fact we’ve lost the ability to be bored (we plug every small gap with our smart phones …the lift, waiting in queues, for a friend to turn up) …our poor minds need a rest. Daily mindful moments are the perfect remedy. They give our busy minds and lives some much-needed time in the present moment, which offers rest and reprieve from information and past and future living. And it actually resets and recharges us, just like we recharge our phones when they go flat. 

What exactly is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is not so much a new skill we need to master, but a different way of doing things. Jon Kabat Zin defines it as, “paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judgement”. So, we are not trying to stop thoughts, instead, we simply need to start noticing them. And you can’t get it wrong, as you’re simply paying attention to what is, without trying to change it. One of the best ways to be mindful, is a mindful meditation (with a guide, a bell or your breath to hold your attention), or simply engaging your senses.

Ideas for mindful moments in your day
Mindfulness doesn’t need to take long, just a few minutes of putting your phone away and tuning into the present moment can make a big difference.

• Tech-free walk outside
• Meditation
• Mindful eating/tea/coffee break
• Mindful conversation
• Tidy workspace or do dishes mindfully
• Mindful colouring
• Mindful breathing
• Mindful beauty routine

Turning mindfulness into a habit
For most people, mindfulness itself is a simple concept, but we find it hard to do. Why? Because we are all so busy, we end up running on auto-pilot most of the day and forget to incorporate ‘mindful moments’. What we need is to identify parts of our daily routine and use those moments as our reminder to be mindful. 

Syrene senses meditation
We all feel the pressures of time and responsibility and this often means rushing through our beauty routine without really being present. But Syrene’s beautiful skincare range offers a lovely opportunity for daily mindfulness and to turn our beauty routine into a mindful ritual. Here, we can reconnect with ourselves and find a little space in our busy day, while looking after our mind, body and our skin. 

The Syrene senses meditation (can be practiced daily, morning and night)

Take 5 deep, belly breaths…

HEAR
Listen carefully to the sounds around you, the different layers of those sounds….what can you hear? Tune into the serenity of the space around you.

SMELL
Open your Syrene products, inhale deeply and enjoy the beautiful scents, what can you smell, what do the smells remind you of?

SEE
Notice the beautiful coloured packaging, the shapes of the bottles, the colour and texture of the gels and moisturisers, what else can you see around you in the room? The different objects, light, colours and shapes

FEEL
Take time to enjoy each product one by one, and the different sensations on your skin…

…the feel of the foam from the Aquagel Oil to Foam Cleanser, the sensation of the cool or warm water when you splash your face or the texture of your flannel on your skin.

…the cool sensation and texture of the Aquagel Refreshing Toner on your skin and how cool, refreshed and clean your skin feels afterwards.

…the softness of the Aqua Restore Eye Essence and the firm yet soft feeling of the delicate skin around your eyes as you apply it.

…the creamy, thick texture of the Aqua Intense Cream and the glow of your skin after you’ve applied it…perhaps take an extra 30-60 seconds to give yourself a beautiful facial massage or use a jade roller and really feel into each part of your face and neck.

Lastly check in with yourself
How do you feel right now? What do you need to take care of yourself today/tonight? What are three things you are grateful for?

Some extra ideas to enhance the experience (all of these ideas will further calm the nervous system): 

• Turn off distractions
• Dim the lights and light a candle – try the Aqua Glow.
• Focus on slow deep, belly breathing while you are being mindful
• Give yourself a facial or jade roller massage
• Play some relaxing music 
• Incorporate essential oils via a diffuser or roller on your pulse points
• Go slowly

For more science based strategies to reduce stress so you can enhance health, happiness and performance, visit the  Mind Bright website or follow Mind Bright on Instagram.