AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK is not a natural habitat for clean skin. The schedule makes it almost impossible. Five-ish days of shows, dinners, parties, and early-morning call times and later nights and that’s just the journalists – models go through even more. Add the freight of a week’s worth of studio lighting, climate-controlled venues cycling between too hot and too cold, and the kind of social commitments that tend to end well after midnight. By the Thursday, most people are fighting a losing battle with their face.

Which is what made Farage’s Resort 27 show an interesting case study. Held at the brand’s Darlinghurst flagship with a male cast, the brief was skin – unique in the industry as they tend to front media with skin that reads as skin as opposed to a little help with old mate concealer. To keep them looking clear as crystal and ease any irritation that might have occurred during previous runways, Joe Farage turned to the experts at Rejuvaus to run the backstage protocol. 

Some quick background: Rejuvaus was founded by Dr Garry Cussell, who developed Rejuvaus from his background in skin medicine. His formulation philosophy is built around what he calls the i·Active™ system: up to 33 clinically tested actives in a single formula, encapsulated for slow release across eight to twelve hours. The idea is that the work happens in the formulation, not on top of the skin.

Plump & Glow triple ceramide moisture mask

$200 from Rejuvaus

The question of what actually damages skin during a high-pressure week is, according to Cussell, less complicated than most people assume. “Barrier damage that’s been mistaken for a skin type,” he says. “Most people assume their skin is just naturally sensitive or reactive. In most cases it’s responding to the products they’re using.” Fragrance, silicones, fillers and petrochemicals are the more common culprits. Get those out of the routine and the reactivity, says Cussell, in many cases improves.

Rejuvinate & Restore growth factor serum

$240 from Rejuvaus

For recovery after a week like AFW, Cussell’s approach is layered and overnight. Literally doing your best work in bed as you sleep. His recommendation: the Plump & Glow Triple Ceramide Mask left on overnight, with the Growth Factor Serum blended underneath with the AHA BHA Serum. “Apply the serums first, then layer the mask over the top and leave it,” he says. “By morning, the difference is visible.” The ceramides address barrier repair, the growth factors support renewal through sleep, and the encapsulated acids work to smooth and clear without active application.

Repair & Refine ABC serum

$240 from Rejuvaus

For anyone who wants to skip the high-performance recovery routine and simply maintain healthier skin day-to-day, Cussell distils it to three steps: a gentle AHA cleanser for daily exfoliation, the Repair and Refine ABC Serum blended with the Clarify and Renew AHA Serum, and i·Solar, a single product that covers UV protection, hydration, pigment control, and pore reduction, in the morning. He suggests most people notice a change within two weeks.

But also – drink two litres of water a day, ditch the alcohol and cut right back on sugar, get eight hours of sleep every night and add some light exercise to your routine and watch a minor miracle happen within weeks.

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