The Jewellery Designer Very Into Skincare And Scuba Diving

We might all be finding working from home – often alongside our partners, no less – a little challenging just now, but Sarah Gittoes makes it look as effortless as her jewellery designs. Co-founder of jewellery label Sarah & Sebastian, she works from her sun-drenched Coogee apartment where she lives with her fiancé, and draws inspiration for her organic designs (now stocked by the likes of Net-A-Porter) from their beach-focused lifestyle. Beautiful as it is, the sea can of course play havoc with skin and hair, but this lifelong water baby is committed to keeping both in good condition, and shared exactly how she does.

Confetti Armchair by GibsonKarlo, available from DesignByThem

“Being something of a perfectionist, I’m ritualistic with my daily routine and primarily use Dermalogica skincare. I’ve experimented with other brands in the past, but have found I always return to it as I can’t go wrong with their products.

In the morning I remove the excess oil from my skin with their oil-based cleanser, then deep cleanse with Special Cleansing Gel, using my Foreo Luna Mini. I exfoliate every morning with Daily Microfoliant, tone with Multi-Active Toner then apply my favourite Biolumin-C Serum and finish with Active Moist, a lightweight lotion.

Beauty to me means being fresh-faced, often with a hint of sand and salt. I grew up on the coast, so a nonchalant attitude to how you look came with the territory.

Unfortunately, I’m facing the consequences of all my sun-drenched afternoons, and am seeing a smattering of freckles and pigmentation. I try to combat this in the evenings by applying Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair and an ultra-rich eye cream, Intensive Eye Repair.

I’m accepting of the ageing process, though I still want to look after my skin and overall health.

I swear by my treatments with Lisa Rush in Woollahra in Sydney. Once a month I usually have a Healite II treatment and a HydraFacial Elite MD, and then once a year I’ll have an Ultraformer III treatment.

I love learning new makeup techniques, especially how to accentuate my favourite features, but I loathe the feeling of thick, heavy makeup. I always err on the side of natural beauty.

I’m influenced by the women closest to me and love garnering their tips for new products and treatments. It’s a lot easier to trust recommendations when I can see the results with my own eyes. I tend not to use application tools when applying makeup and prefer to use my fingers – maybe that’s the jeweller in me. I warm my foundation in my hands before patting it gently onto my skin so that it soaks in evenly, and then throughout the day I’ll spritz a hydrating mist on my face to freshen it up.

I’m a creature of habit when it comes to beauty and clear, glowing skin is my main priority.

I’m definitely far more into skincare than makeup. Often I can spend up to twenty minutes on my skincare regime, then run out the door with just a fine layer each of primer and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, and a lick of Ilia mascara. For a night out I’ll add a dusting of NARS bronzer and a lip, usually a shade of dark nude by Giorgio Armani. I tend to experiment with my fashion more at night, so to balance my outfit and jewellery I’ll still generally keep my makeup low-key.

My hair is naturally very curly, which when I was younger I tried to tame by straightening every day. Nowadays I embrace a natural texture and choose products that enhance my curls.

I like Kevin Murphy’s Motion Lotion, which keeps my hair frizz-free and soft, and my GHD Creative Curl Wand for more definition. As a blonde who spends a lot of time in salt water, I prioritise hydration and follicle strength, and swear by Olaplex shampoo and conditioner. Luckily, I don’t have to stray too far from home to get to my favourite salon, THP Hair in Coogee. They are blonde specialists, so I’ll have my highlights done by them a few times a year and a blunt chop every so often.

I’ve always been drawn to the creative industries and the scale and story-telling nature of jewellery.

Co-founding Sarah & Sebastian wasn’t part of my life plan, but it’s been an incredible journey and one which I’m thankful for on a daily basis. I love that the work I do is diverse and includes design, marketing and business development. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with an amazing team of people and it’s always a pleasure to be in the studio.

My style is tailored and understated with a touch of the unexpected, whether that be a pop of colour, a statement accessory or my weakness for souvenir t-shirts!

For work, I love Margiela’s tailoring mixed in with Bassike and Dion Lee. When choosing dresses I usually opt for an exposed décolletage – it’s such a feminine part of the body and the perfect backdrop for layers of gold chains. As my spare time is spent by the ocean, I’m drawn to resort perennials like Matteau, and my favourite recent purchase is a wide-brimmed straw hat I purchased in London. It’s super malleable, so you can twist and fold it and it bounces back into shape, making it perfect for traveling.

I’m a firm believer that beauty starts within, and encompasses diet, hydration and lifestyle.

I take The Beauty Chef’s Antioxidant Inner Beauty Boost every morning before I head to work, then halfway through the morning sprinkle some of their Glow Inner Beauty Powder into a glass of water as an extra nutrition boost. I’ve always been conscious of my diet, only eating fast food in moderation and choosing fresh produce where possible. For environmental reasons I’ve reduced my consumption of meat, so my diet consists primarily of vegetables and sustainably caught fish.

I think it’s important to listen to your body, to not deny yourself all the time and generally live a healthy lifestyle.

I find it a little tedious sticking to a standard exercise regime or going to a gym, but love walking along the coast from Coogee to Bondi. Scuba diving is one of my greatest passions – I started a couple of years ago and now dive with my fiancé most weekends. We’re lucky enough to live at the beach near the most amazing sites abundant with marine life and coral.

As busy as we all are, it’s good to take the time to wind down. It doesn’t hurt that I feel my most beautiful when I’m relaxed, either.

Every Sunday afternoon I light a Cire Trudon candle, play something by Philip Glass and treat myself to a bath and charcoal face mask for a thorough skin detox. And it’s not only Sundays that should feel like that – my fiancé and I love to end each day together playing music and chatting over a glass of wine as we watch the sun set.”