Meet the three sisters behind Newcastle natural skin company Banksia Cosmetics

Banksia Cosmetics is a family-owned skincare company. We are 100% Australian and all our extracts are ethically sourced. Our passion is to create products that nurture our skin with high quality products that are native to our Australian landscape. Banksia came about for a few reasons. My mother and grandmother instilled in us the value of taking care of our skin. Face masks, cleansers, creams, serums - you name it and you'll find us with it on our faces most nights of the week. We've all grown up to value that type of self care but over time our desire for good quality products also grew. This year the conversation just began to focus on that and my mother, long passionate about skincare, began researching products and their true benefits. We all have particular skin and some of us have skin conditions, a huge part of her consideration. When she was not satisfied with what she found, and after much discussion at the table about the type of products we could offer, Banksia Cosmetics was born.

What personal experience drives Banksia?

My sister Emily received severe burns to her face and neck, leaving scars and delicate raw skin. In the same period, I fell ill and was diagnosed with Addison disease, causing my skin to have marks and pigmentation. We tried various products but none were effective. My grandmother, June, was taught by her mother to take care of her skin and she wanted to educate others to do the same. Meanwhile my mother Meaghan studied radiation therapy and learnt the effects of chemicals and metals on the skin, plus seeing the effect of hormonal changes on her body, wanted to help her children and others have a pure and healthy skin. Aging is unpreventable but there is no harm in slowing the signs down whilst keeping your skin at its healthiest. My sister, Julia, has very sensitive skin and found that products for her skin type were either ineffective or harsh. Banksia was a gentle solution.

The skincare market is rife with "natural" products. Where does Banksia fit?

In the ethical, luxury, natural skincare market. True transparency, the highest quality ingredients and packaging and eco-friendly. We know the market is not short of natural products but we struggled to find ones that were truly Australian and represented it in a visual sense. Our products are sourced locally, sustaining Australian farmers and using entirely our native plants. There's a huge focus on Australia and its beauty on our social media as well.

Its point of difference?

Our products are suited to all skin types, unisex, ages, colours and climates. All-inclusive, simplified skincare. Basically, buy a better product and use fewer products. Banksia also sees commerce as a great opportunity to make people aware of social issues. We donate to the Indigenous community and take pride in learning from their wisdom.

Banksia uses "100% active" ingredients. What does that mean?

It means proven to alter the skin at a cellular level scientifically. To be effective, a plant extract must be fully active and pure. The groundbreaking extraction method we use harnesses the powerful components of the plant, without the need for chemical manipulation, and allows for the transportation of the powerful phytonutrients in the plant extract to each cell. Not all extraction methods do this. Our producer is ACO Certified Organic. We only source their vegan ingredients for our products. We are very excited that we can make our own researched blends. We researched for months to find producers who are award-winning scientists.

Who are Banksia products designed for?

Everyone from adolescence onwards, including those with sensitive skin, pigmentation and wrinkles, seeking to diminish their issues.

Banksia has released two serums. What are they?

Kakadu Plum and Banksia Serum; and Davidson plum, green finger lime caviar and red quandong serum. These are pure blends of plant extracts. The power of Australian botanical plants is amazing and the two blends were formulated to act well together, not to compromise the effects of each ingredient. Kakadu Plum is the new hype in skincare and rightly so - it has the highest level of natural (not synthetic!) Vitamin C content globally and a higher anti-oxidant capability than the renowned worldwide 'health-promoting fruits'. It's a powerhouse for hydration, anti-aging, full of antioxidants protecting against free radical damage caused by the sun, pollution and environmental toxins. Our serums can be applied morning and at night. We are now looking to formulate SPF products and cleansers.

You describe Banksia as "genuine" skincare. How?

Our purpose is to learn, love and respect all things. We live in a world full of resources and knowledge, we know where things are sourced, we know when people cut corners or use bad ingredients to do things cheap. We aim to produce something that is transparent, uses quality ingredients and helps the community. True to nature, true to you is our undergirding policy.

Your business goals?

Overseas growth. To push the Indigenous Literacy Foundation donation program. To travel to Kakadu to learn from the Indigenous community, hear their stories, admire their art and help it with arising issues.