Beauty Shelf: An Aussie Fashion Founder’s Winter Skincare Picks, Including an Underrated Local Label

Winter skin needs a little extra TLC. Cold air outside and dry, heated air inside can weaken the skin’s natural barrier, leaving your skin feeling tight, flaky and rough. It’s a skincare challenge Emma Petterwood knows better than most, living in Hobart’s chilly climate and contending with icy Antarctic winds. The founder of Australian fashion label Romy relies on rich, deeply hydrating products – including a few favourites from a local Tasmanian skincare label – to help keep her skin nourished through the colder months.

Here, she opens up the bathroom cabinets in her Sandy Bay home, designed by Flack Studio, to reveal the lush face oil she applies for extra moisture, a long-lasting tallow cream and her holy-grail SPF.

Plus, read on for the scent she’s worn on repeat for nearly a decade, the best complexion drops for glowy, natural-looking skin and the newest purchase on her shelf.

What are the non-negotiables in your daily skincare routine?

Feeling well-rested is my number one beauty essential. Sleep really is the best skincare, alongside SPF 50+ every single day.

I’m big on a thorough cleanse morning and night. In the evenings, I use the Elemis Pro-Collagen Black Cherry cleansing balm, and in the mornings, I cleanse with La Roche-Posay before applying the Elemis Pro-Collagen Future Restore serum, Sircle Gloss argan oil, Sircle Antiox Firm moisturiser and finish with Sircle’s Shield SPF50+ in the bronze tint.

Living in Tasmania, the Antarctic cold fronts that blow through in winter mean that having a rich moisturiser is essential. At night, I’ll alternate between Naked Tallow’s cream (if you know, you know) and Sircle After Dark.

I was a yoga teacher in a past life and fell in love with Ayurvedic rituals, so tongue scraping is another thing I never skip. It’s the first thing I do each morning after brushing my teeth.

The one product you’d replace immediately if it ran out?

Sircle’s Shield SPF50+ in Bronze, without question. I genuinely can’t imagine my routine without it. It’s created by a Tasmanian medical-grade skincare brand, offers incredible sun protection and has just enough tint that I can wear it on its own without foundation. It’s one of those rare products that makes your skin look healthier while also doing the hard work.

What is your approach to beauty and skincare?

I like to keep things simple and consistent. I’ve found the products that work for me and tend to rotate the same handful rather than constantly chasing the next trend.

Every few months, I’ll book a Laser Genesis treatment and a deep-cleansing facial to keep my skin feeling fresh and glowy. Because I travel frequently and live in Tasmania’s cooler climate, I also like having a routine that’s easy to pack and maintain. I use the same products whether I’m at home or travelling.

Beyond skincare, I really believe beauty starts with the basics: movement, hydration, nourishing food, quality sleep and managing stress. Those things make the biggest difference.

What fragrance are you wearing at the moment?

Le Labo Santal 33. It’s been my signature scent since Le Labo first arrived in Australia and I honestly don’t think I’ve worn anything else since. Every now and then, I’ll sample something new, but I always come back to Santal 33 – it feels like me.

The best beauty tip, hack or advice you’ve received?

Beauty comes from within. Kindness, authenticity and genuinely enjoying your life will always make you more beautiful than any product ever could.

What’s the newest purchase on your shelf?

The Rhode Barrier butter and Glazing Mist hydrating face spray. I heard Hailey Bieber speak at Forces of Fashion in Sydney earlier this year, which coincided with Rhode’s launch in Australia. Listening to her talk about building the brand and seeing her incredible skin in person was enough to convince me. I bought both products almost immediately.

What make-up products are in your regular rotation?

Westman Atelier can do no wrong in my eyes. My skin seems to love every product I’ve tried, from the complexion drops through to the blush sticks. I much prefer cream formulas over powders – they give my skin a fresher, more natural finish. I mix two shades of the Westman complexion drops with my Sircle Shield to create the perfect lightweight base.

What’s your relationship with skincare and make-up like? Are you a beauty obsessive, minimalist or somewhere in between?

If you looked at my bathroom shelf, you’d probably think I was a beauty obsessive. But when it comes to actually getting ready, I’m surprisingly minimalist. Whether it’s day or night, I wear pretty much the same products and can be out the door in 10 minutes.