Natural Skin Care that’s Kind to the Earth

It is wonderful that taking good care of our health and skin has become such a priority. However, taking care of ourselves shouldn’t be at the detriment of our beautiful earth - the very thing that sustains us. Lowana’s Skincare is the newest arrival to the Yarn platform. They are an Indigenous owned brand that focuses on creating natural skin care utilizing Indigenous knowledge and native botanicals. Lowanna Skincare is founded and owned by proud Narungga woman, Sinead. She embraces her people's knowledge of land and sea to create beautiful natural products. Below, we talk further with Sinead about Lowanna Skincares mission and use of native Australian ingredients. 

Lowanna skincare products. Courtesy of Lowanna, 2021.

When was Lowanna Skincare first launched?

“Lowanna was officially launched in May 2020, so we're almost one!”


Why did you begin Lowanna Skincare?

“I began working on Lowanna during the peak of COVID isolation. I had left my job in the corporate hotel world, and with the tourism industry at an all time low, I was out of work and had all the time in the world to pursue my business goals. I wanted to work on something that mattered – something that would help people and something that I was passionate about.

“I’m really interested in native plants and their traditional healing uses in Aboriginal culture, so a big part of starting Lowanna stemmed from my desire to expand my knowledge in this area. Then to be able to share this knowledge, as well as sharing other areas of Aboriginal culture through something that a lot of people can relate to – that’s what really excites me about my business.”

What is Lowanna Skincare’s mission?

“The word Lowanna has two meanings: ‘an object of exquisite beauty’ and ‘girl’ or ‘woman.’ I understand this as indicating ‘exquisite beauty’ and ‘girl’ are synonymous. Every girl is exquisitely beautiful, and our mission is to help every one of our customers feel this way about themselves.

“For a lot of young people, including myself, problematic skin can have a huge impact on our self-esteem. By promoting our mission, I hope our customers feel more confident in their own skin.

“We also want to encourage more people to try natural beauty products, especially native Australian plants. There are so many countless benefits, which is why Aboriginal people have been using these plants for since time immemorial.”

Lowanna Green Clay Exfoliating Mask. Courtesy of Lowanna, 2021.

Tell us more about Lowanna Skincare’s use of bush medicine and connection to Indigenous knowledge and culture.

“Using native Australian plants in all our products is really important – it's what Lowanna is all about: promoting the benefits of traditional and natural healing methods that have been used in Aboriginal culture for centuries.

“At the moment we have seven different natives that we use: desert lime, lemon myrtle, lemon aspen, quandong, kakadu plum, ylang ylang and Australian green clay. We do plan on expanding this range, but we’re taking our time to make sure each native we select can be sourced ethically and is of the highest quality.

“It’s also really important that Lowanna customers have access to information about these ingredients, so our website has a dedicated page explaining the benefits of each. Not only is this so our customers can have confidence that they’re using safe and non-toxic products, but also so they can learn about and connect further to Aboriginal culture. Being able to share my culture and foster greater cultural understanding through something that a lot of people can relate to is really rewarding.”

What are some of your favorite native botanicals to use in Lowanna products?

“Each native we use has their own really unique benefits, so it’s hard to pick my favourites! One that definitely stands out though is ylang ylang. It’s a bright yellow flower that grows mostly on Yirrganydji land (Northern Queensland). Ylang ylang extract is a natural anti-inflammatory, so it’s really soothing and great for sensitive skin. Not only that, it actually regulates oil production in the skin, which is how we’ve formulated our cleanser and moisturiser suit all skin types.”

Lowanna Everyday Cleanser. Courtesy of Lowanna, 2021.

Is Lowanna Skincare excited to be a part of the Yarn Platform?

“Definitely! We're so excited to be part of the Yarn family, and for Lowanna products to be stocked by a marketplace & business that is so dedicated to showcasing Indigenous culture. The work that Yarn does with Indigenous not-for-profit and Indigenous employment initiatives, and the general celebration of Aboriginal culture, is really empowering. We're so happy to be involved.”

What are your future plans for the brand?

“Honestly it’s hard to say exactly! We’re still a young brand, so we’re finding our place in the industry. But we have plans to expand our range in the near future and utilize an even wider range of plant based ingredients.

“I also really value the community connections I’ve made since launching Lowanna – I've formed some great relationships with other young business women and I hope to continue supporting one another in bigger ways.”

Lowanna Skincare is now available on Yarn. Shop now!