A Little Chat with LTCO Founder, Stace Burt.
Having trained extensively in skin nutrition, beauty therapy and Reiki energy healing, Stace started her living skin journey at the award-winning geothermal Polynesian Spa in her New Zealand hometown.
Following this, Stace migrated to Australia and developed her first salon space, Made Beauty in Hawthorn, Melbourne, before opening the first Little Company space in Richmond, and most recently her second space in Byron Bay, NSW.
Stace embodies living skin, believing in healing and feeding the skin from the inside out, building a community that supports and nourishes their clients with the highest quality natural and organic products.
With two spaces now up and running and two beautiful daughters to tend to, we were interested to see how Stace makes it all work, while staying true to LTCO’s living skin philosophy. Read on for our little chat with Stace.
Images by Bobby Clark
Being surrounded by the best quality natural products, what favourites are currently on your bathroom shelf?
I’ve been travelling back and forth between Melbourne, Byron and New Zealand and my skin tends to get a little dry. Right now, I’m loving the Josh Rosebrook Vital Balm Cream. It’s been amazing for adding moisture and shielding my skin from the changing conditions and constant flying.
Connection and intuition are one of the fundamental ingredients of a Little Company facial, how do you carry those techniques into your own skin care routine at home?
It’s important to set the scene and create a slow, mindful practice. Regardless of what I have going on, I’m conscious of coming back to this. Making skincare a non-negotiable daily ritual, instead of a routine, is key. Applying products to my face is a mindful activity and I make sure I take the time to stop and reconnect with myself at the mirror before doing this. Most of the time, this is done when the children are in the bath. Incorporating Gua Sha Massage is a step I like to include in this daily ritual. It’s a great addition to help you really slow down and apply products with purpose and care.
As a mother of two young girls, Lexie and Stevi, did you notice a change in your skin after having children?
Food and sleep are two key contributors to skin health. Both are also key parts of your normal routine that can change significantly after having children.
As a family, we try to share meals together, and with children this sometimes means compromising on what we would typically eat to satisfy the children’s more limited preferences. Naturally some of the less skin-friendly foods create inflammation. To counteract this and cater for the lack of micronutrients in my meals, I make sure I increase some of my skin supplements accordingly. This helps keep my gut healthy while balancing my skin. Having a healthy gut is part of our healthy skin strategy and it's something I’m really conscious of with this shift in diet.
I've found that my skin has aged with my lack of sleep with young ones. Regular LED light sessions have been a great solution for this! These sessions have not only assisted in strengthening and repairing my skin but also have provided much needed mental support. When I commit to an LED light, I’m also committing to a 20-minute meditation session.
Can you share with us any other rituals of self-care?
Rituals of self-care are such a vital part of my everyday. The beauty of rituals is that anything can be turned into a ritual, no matter how big or small, simple or complex. Currently, my self-care rituals include:
Lighting a fire
Mindfully making and sipping tea
Taking time out of my day for a sauna and/or yoga
Walking Ziz (our much-loved Staffy) on the beach
I have just started experimenting with a brain entrainment light
LED light room sessions and performing facials are both meditative experiences
Unplugging from technology
What do you do before bed to feel grounded and restful?
I find that staring at the sunset or listening to podcasts are great ways to unwind. I also like to burn essential oils and make a warm medicinal mushroom drink. Reading really helps too. I read either stories to my children, or a chapter of my own book.
What do you currently incorporate into your daily diet that has made a significant change in your skin health?
At the moment I find intermittent fasting really beneficial. I also like eating plant based foods while limiting meat consumption and animal products. Vitamin C is vital to my diet and I’m really enjoying medicinal mushrooms and smoothies. Both have so many benefits and can be consumed in so many different ways.
Self-care is a process of discovery, a learning by trial and error of what works for you. Can you share a valuable lesson you have learned so far?
Turn everything off and dive into nature. It is the most consistent practice that creates a very rewarding and consistent outcome. Regardless of my day or state of mind, I always benefit immensely from doing this.
What practices or self-care wisdom will you pass on to your daughters? What do you do for a little calm with your two girls to promote well-being?
Creating. I was never a big creator in my younger years and this quality is something I wish for my children. From collecting sticks and creating a fire to painting or making a sandcastle. This is an easy way to cultivate fulfilment and a sense of connection with self.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Comparison is suffering. Don't compare yourself to others, and in turn, be yourself.
