Qld mum’s “suffering” launches $20m Lust Minerals 2023

From an early age, Stacey Hollands wanted to be a beauty therapist, but when she started, she realized she didn’t want to perform “fluffy stuff” like massages.

As a 20-something with acne, she loved assisting others with skin issues.

The mother of two realized that “conventional” makeup was causing her problems, but mineral-based cosmetics cost $89 per foundation.

“I was treating women’s skin and it would get better and then they would clog their pores by wearing makeup and it was a vicious cycle,” she told news.com.au.

After her dad was diagnosed with cancer, the Sunshine Coast resident spent two and a half years researching and testing goods and formulas.

“Being so young I was determined to find a cure for dad and I went on a journey on how many chemicals we absorb in our bodies and for women it’s up to 2kg a year in the body with make-up and fake tan,” she said.

Ms. Hollands established Lust Minerals with $20,000 in savings in September 2014.

“Dad lost his battle after two and a half years, but they gave him a six-month prognosis. We removed chemicals from his life and he took up natural alternatives.

After chemo, he had hair on our wedding day. His path was more favorable. It was hard since the cancer was in three organs.

“We launched with a powder first, the formulation a bit different as we added vitamin E to combat drying, a stick cream foundation and matte foundation which is a slightly different formulation and those were the three main products and primer that we still have today,” she said.

She says the first two to three years were sluggish since she had her baby, but she got 82 stockists.

She sold Lust Minerals online in 2018 utilizing social media influencers.

Since then, the firm has added skincare and makeup hues to diversify.

Every two minutes, the 33-year-old’s Lust Minerals Pro Liquid Foundation sells globally.

AHA exfoliating lotion, body deodorant, and ingestible vegan beauty crystals are others.

She stated she had made $20 million since January 2019 and is on course to generate $10 million this financial year.

“I am one of those people who started a brand so young and was quite naive so of course I thought I could make a brand so big,” she added.

It helped me reach my aims. My limit is the sky.”

She now employs 20 people and cites a $150,000 brand revamp as her best success.

Ms. Holland wants to shop next.

“I am very protective of the brand but open to making it in arms reach for our community, so perhaps looking into Sephora and Mecca,” she said.