A skincare range formulated with seaweed botanicals has made waves as the first Kiwi brand to be stocked in Australasian beauty retail giant Mecca.
From Monday, Syrene Skincare will sit alongside some of the best brands in global beauty including La Mer, Drunk Elephant and Eve Lom.
Mecca's creative director Marita Burke says her team "fell in love" with the Kiwi skincare range.
"First and foremost, they loved that they were supporting a homegrown brand from New Zealand! And then, of course, the product is beautiful. It's packed with powerful ingredients, it's light, it gently melts into the skin and the natural fragrance is very refreshing and uplifting," she says.
The range, which first launched in 2016, is derived from seaweed extracts which are said to help with skin elasticity and contributing to the protection of skin, slowing the formation of free radicals responsible for ageing.
Marketing manager Nadia Els says it was their goal to be on Mecca shelves from the beginning.
"Mecca stocks the best in global beauty brands and as with any brand, you always want yours to be the best," she told Newshub.
"We wanted to grow Syrene to a point where if anyone asked what New Zealand's national skincare brand is, without hesitation they'd say Syrene. Just like how everyone knows our national rugby team and airline, we feel there is a gap for beauty to be recognised like this globally too."
Els says the company hopes its distinctive look will set it apart.
"When you turn the beauty pages of a magazine, you always see pink products. So I think our aquamarine packaging definitely sets us apart," she says.
"Syrene is an oceanic brand, the inspiration started from the book Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. You'll see a different seashell shape on each Syrene product, which resembles the different phases of a woman's life."
And Els' go-to, can't live without product?
"I had to choose just one, it'd have to be the Aqua Hydrating Masque. I love lathering my skin with the gel. It honestly absorbs it so easily and I can always feel and see such a difference to the texture of my skin."
"It's super cooling which wakes my skin up a bit, so I love popping it on before dinnertime to allow it to really sink in before I go to sleep. It really is a delicious aqua skin cocktail."
She also says she hopes the move from Mecca will pave the way for more Kiwi beauty businesses in the future.
"Kiwis are super creative, talented and modern thinking and global markets are always looking out to see what New Zealand businesses and products are available for them to get their hands on."
