Glowing skin is always in and a staple in our beauty routine is Sunset Daze Liquid Rays. These iconic drops of sunshine can be mixed with your sunscreen, moisturiser, foundation or any other base product to add the perfect amount of radiance to your complexion - genius!
We needed to know more and who better to chat to than the Sunset Daze founders themselves, Alessia and Marco. In this interview we discover the inspiration behind the brand, their favourite sunset spots and their ultimate summer playlists inspired by their Liquid Rays shades.
W&CF: Hi Alessia and Marco, thanks so much for catching up with us! Let’s go back to the beginning - what inspired the creation of Sunset Daze and when did you officially launch?
A: We’ve always been huge skincare and makeup lovers, not so much because of the way it makes us look, but more because of the way it makes us feel. We wholeheartedly believe that beauty is a carefree, illuminated feeling so we really wanted to create a space that evoked this sense of self. And the image that we kept tying back to that feeling was a dazzling sunset on a summer holiday by the beach. Hence the birth of Sunset Daze. We officially launched in December 2022 but it was a real labour of love, we had actually been working on the brand for about 6 years prior to launch. We were so unbelievably excited to finally bring it to the world.
As a sister/brother duo what strengths do you each bring to the brand?
M: We’re a great team! We spent a lot of time together as kids and as a result we think in synch and love creating things together - from quirky short films, to wildly OTT birthday party decorations, we’ve always worked to be innovative and creative. As we grew up, our professional skillsets became incredibly complementary - I’m a lawyer and Alessia’s background is in marketing, so we cover off both the analytical and creative side of things quite neatly. Don’t get us wrong, we bicker from time to time but ultimately that’s what makes our ideas even better. Pressure test, workshop, evolve and don’t take things too seriously.
Liquid Rays is the perfect skincare/makeup hybrid that has worked its way effortlessly into our routine. Can you share the inspiration behind this genius multi-purpose product?
A: We’re real makeup minimalists and big skincare fanatics so we were keen to create the best of both words, à la Hannah Montana (shout out to all our millennial girlies). We wanted something super easy to use, that could be added effortlessly to any beauty routine. Something that was lightweight because we love letting our natural skin be the centrepiece of any look. And of course, it needed to make you feel like you’d just been on a damn good holiday. It’s a true nod to our affinity for shimmering summer days and dewy, sun-kissed skin. We also wanted to create a product that made you feel good about what you’re putting on your skin. That’s why we crafted Liquid Rays with natural ingredients and ensured the formula was vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance-free and paraben free.
What are your favourite ways to use Liquid Rays?
M: Oh man that’s a tough one because we literally use it in so many ways. My go-to is definitely as a part of my daily morning skincare ritual, mixed into a rich moisturiser for a super effortless glow. It’s my secret weapon for those 7am Zooms, when I’m running late and feeling less than radiant – “yes I’ve just woken up, no I have haven’t been to Pilates, but thank you for asking”. Alessia’s also been using 7pm Tulum (currently our darkest shade) as a liquid bronzer/contour. That takes the holidaze vibe up a whole new level. And our mum loves mixing it into her foundation if the shade’s too light!
We love that your formulas are Vegan, Cruelty Free and made in Australia. How did you find the formulation process? Did you have any challenges perfecting Liquid Rays?
A: The formulation process came quite naturally, mainly because this was a product we actually wanted to use ourselves on a daily basis. We knew exactly where we wanted to take this product and with some council from a couple of trusted product experts, it came out perfectly… even if we do say so ourselves. Like every good story, there were a couple of hiccups but we took our time, ensured we partnered with the right suppliers and worked through any challenges as a team. We also did a bunch of testing on friends, family and future consumers before officially hitting go. This allowed us to make a couple of extra tweaks to get it at the 110% perfection mark *chef’s kiss*. Creating new products is one of my passions and something I’ve done a fair bit of throughout my career, so it felt super special to finally develop a product for our own brand.
Your branding is the epitome of summer, we love the vibes! What tunes are on your endless summer playlist?
A: Well, we’ve actually curated the MOST perfect summer playlists for you to sip a spritz to. They’re inspired by our 3 Liquid Rays shades and are beaming with the most dazed tropical house tunes. Have a listen to them on Spotify for a micro holiday.
The most magical sunset we ever saw was in Ibiza sipping cocktails at Cafe del Mar. Where was the most amazing sunset you have seen?
M: Hands down has to be on our family trip to Puglia, Italy. We were staying with some distant-yet-close relatives in this tiny town where our Nonno is originally from called Lecce. It didn’t matter who you were or what you did for a living, everyone made the daily pilgrimage to the beach for golden hour. Eating, drinking, and just living. It was a real movie – Dolce Vita come to life.
If you could describe your brand values in 3 words what would they be?
M: Effortless, carefree and conscious. We keep things simple and easy because life’s too short to be worrying about lengthy routines or slaving over a mirror. You can also trust that we’ll support you with quality, ethical, conscious products so you can live your best carefree, sunset dazed life.
Do you have any plans for more Sunset Daze products in the future? If you do, can we have a hint?
A: Hell yeah we do. We have a couple of dazed goodies that we’re actually working on as we speak. They’re going to be just as dreamy as Liquid Rays. Think colour, think glossy, think whimsical. That’s all we can say for now… watch this space!
FAST FIVE
1. Favourite place in the world…
A: Nonna and Nonno’s house, for sure.
M: Absolutely aligned on that one.
2. The beauty product you can't live without…
A: Other than Liquid Rays, it has to be The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid serum. She’s cheap yet powerful.
M: Don’t judge… but sometimes I need to seriously chill out and for some reason a Lush bath bomb does it every time. I suspect it’s the glitter. It’s definitely the glitter.
3. You never leave home without…
A: A rich, silky lip oil - I can’t stand chapped lips and I feel like a good swipe takes my quick morning glam up a notch.
M: My many keyrings, all souvenirs from recent holidays – reminders that another one is just around the corner and to also to not forget my keys.
4. A life changing event or experience…
A: Probably the day we launched Sunset Daze, as cliché as that sounds.
M: That’s what I was going to say!
5. What lights you up?
A: Spending time with friends and family, that always gives me energy and inspiration. Especially cooking with Nonna, she’s my favourite human ever and I’ve learnt a lot from her.
M: I love throwing a party – I live for hospitality and celebration, layered with an elaborate theme and food worth leaving home for.
Shop the Sunset Daze range here.
Thanks so much for chatting to us Less and Marco, we have loved learning more about everything Sunset Daze x