Shahna Smith on creating Amplified Beauty

As one of only eight Indigenous-owned beauty brands in Australia, Shahna Smith is dedicated to championing equality within the beauty industry. Her passion for social change shines through in her products and marketing, as well as her choice to support national charity, Youth Off The Streets. Shahna will be exhibiting her brand, Amplified Beauty, at this weekend’s Beauty Expo in Sydney.

Retail Beauty chats more to the makeup artist turned entrepreneur from Adelaide.

How did Amplified Beauty begin?

I lost my Mum at 16 who had named Amplified Beauty Australia prior to passing. I registered the business name and had worked hard from that day onwards to make it happen. This actually took leaving school, working four jobs in my home town of Broken Hill, relocating to Melbourne and studying for my diploma in makeup. I ate two minute noodles most days to pay for it but I was lucky enough to score a job at Sephora shortly after graduating. During my time there my experience, confidence and knowledge broadly expanded and I decided to move to South Australia to begin my next chapter of building a business as a MUA.

What challenges did you overcome?

Unfortunately I experienced a relationship breakdown and ended up couch surfing during the time I was making phone calls to begin bringing my business plan to life for Amplified Beauty. Three years later, I received investment from Indigenous Business Australia to begin the preparation for my launch. As a makeup artist myself, I understood it was a very competitive industry and that I would need to stand out. I did this by creating an experience for our consumers that goes beyond our product. Meeting with mechanical engineers to create magical floating displays to which our products levitate in store, offering high tech virtual try on and a unique packaged product to attract attention. I was also heavily involved in our formulation process to fill a gap in the industry.

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What are you most passionate about in the beauty industry?

Identifying and filling gaps in the beauty industry. Still to this day, and from our largest brands, diversity and inclusivity is hit and miss. I endeavour to shift this by using models of all skin tones and genders. I want to use our platform to help make a difference.

Can you tell us about your brand growth within the industry?

Our brand growth has been impeccable being only six months old.

Launched our first two stockists both NSW and SA
Featured in Vogue Fashion Festival SA
Publication from Gritty Pretty Magazine as one of eight Indigenous owned beauty businesses
Publication in The Advertiser featuring levitating displays
Publication in The Sunday Mail
Feature in SA Life magazine
Conversations to expand in Japan

What are you most looking forward to during Beauty Expo Australia?

I am most looking forward to expanding our network and watching thousands of consumers interact with our brand. Regardless of the numbers we leave with, this will be an experience of major growth and something I can learn from.

If you could recommend one of your products to beauty lovers, what would it be?

The Tracey. The Tracey was named after my late Mum to which we provide 10% of sales to Youth Off The Streets charity. I like to think consumers are ”purchasing with a purpose” when buying The Tracey.

What makes your lip products so versatile?

I created a very thin formula that’s a little different to most mattes so that it can have a diverse use. Our products are almost a watery texture so that they can also be used as liquid eyeshadows, colour correctors and blush. They have a form of vitamin E infused so that the matte isn’t overpowering or drying for the consumer. Our lip applicators were also precisely made ultra thin so that you can use it to line your lips prior to application.