In Conversation with MOTHER SPF: Recreation Beauty

Introducing our Female Founders Series in Conversation with MOTHER, where we spotlight the remarkable women shaping Australian brands. Today, we delve into the journey of Nedahl Stelio, the visionary behind Recreation Beauty.

Nedahl's passion for beauty began early on, nurtured through years as a journalist specializing in the field. Despite her background, the idea of her own brand was once unimaginable.

Inspiration struck when she faced challenges conceiving and discovered the importance of clean beauty. Determined to fill a gap in the market, Recreation Beauty was born in 2019, offering clean fragrances that captivate.

Her journey was one of meticulous steps, spanning two years of research, collaboration with perfumers, and crafting the brand's identity. Despite hurdles, Nedahl's dedication led Recreation Beauty from concept to reality, a testament to her vision and perseverance.

Tell us about Recreation Beauty, what was the catalyst to starting it?

I struggled for years to get pregnant so I started researching and one of the first things you read is that people who've ditched chemicals in their beauty products and home products have more luck conceiving. Once you start researching what is actually in beauty products, it's very difficult to use them again. I redid my whole beauty cabinet with clean beauty - It's not what got me pregnant (I was doing so many other things at the same time), but I've never gone back to using products with nasty ingredients. 

Fragrance is one of the worst offenders - there are up to 3000 chemicals that can be classified as ‘parfum’ on the ingredients label -  but it was the one product that I couldn't find a beautiful, clean substitute for. I would spray it in my hair and on my clothes so it wouldn't get on my skin which just took away the whole luxury of using perfume. And I really thought there should be a beautiful, natural fragrance brand out there. So I started investigating the idea of creating one. 

What’s been the most rewarding aspect of moving to clean beauty?

Feeling good while applying products on my skin and knowing it’s not doing me any harm! Our skin absorbs ingredients and it’s a relief to know that I’m not adding to my toxic load at all while taking care of myself. There’s no point in keeping your outside looking good if it’s harming you on the inside, you know? 

What personal care items would you recommend going clean with first and why?

I went with body products first, purely because of the surface area of skin you’re covering! It’s a lot of product to slather all over your skin. Anything with fragrance in it is next - which is pretty much everything! So deodorant, body wash, cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen etc. 

What ingredients do you really make sure are not in your clean beauty routine? 

Everything. The only non-clean thing I will use, and only on nights out, is mascara. I have found a good everyday mascara but not one that really works when I want to glam up. We’ve come such a long way since I first went clean with products (15 years ago) that there’s now an incredible clean substitute for every product out there. Clean science has come a long way and often these products have better, more expensive ingredients! 

Do you have any tips on deciphering a skincare or fragrance label or knowing what to look out for?

There are a number of ingredients that we should be avoiding - parabens, phthalates, sulphates, petroleums and a bunch more. I have done so much research and am in the industry so it’s a lot easier for me, but there are apps you can get that tell you what’s safe in the product you’re about to buy. 

What do you look for in an SPF? Do you prefer a mineral SPF or chemical? If so, why?

I prefer a mineral SPF just because it feels more natural to me to use a physical blocker rather than a chemical blocker. My fave Mother SPF is Face Barrier - there is no white cast left on your face! 

Your favourite scent from Recreation Beauty is?

It always changes but my fave scent at the moment is our new one UNDONE. It’s a gorgeous creamy amber with top notes of fig and is delicious.