You may follow Edna Swart on social media or have seen her featured on some of New Zealand’s most loved reality TV shows. Lately, she’s on our radar for her beauty brand and a new anti-ageing serum designed for your face and body. Read more about the skincare brand ed&i Body.
By editor Trudi Brewer.
Image ed&i
Influencer Edna Swart has graced our TV screens on shows like Boss Babes, Celebrity Treasure Island and The Great Kiwi Bake Off while running a successful swimwear brand. Body care was a natural progression within her business. Now, with nine products made in New Zealand, the brand has a new retail partner, the Chemist Warehouse, for an ambitious Australian distribution.
Swart describes ed&i as the tortoise in the race against the hare, focused on slowly growing a sustainable business with additions to the anti-ageing category as her focus for 2024.
Here she shares the beauty boss values and the benefits of her latest innovation, SKIN COAT.
Career
Where did the idea of Skin Coat come from?
The desire to extend the same level of care to the body as I currently do to my face. With so many anti-ageing products, it is remarkable how we often emphasise maintaining our facial appearance as we age. Still, we often forget that our bodies undergo the same ageing process. SKIN COAT is a full-body collagen protection serum designed to fight signs of ageing and hydrate the skin.
How did you choose the ingredients?
I am fortunate to have an incredibly talented team supporting ed&i, including our manufacturing team. As the creator, I conceptualised the product to deliver to customers. Then, we collaborate to formulate and combine the right ingredients to achieve the desired outcomes. Together, we work hand-in-hand to ensure that the final product delivers the results I envision.
What makes this Full Body Collagen Serum Special?
When we age, our bodies lose the ability to produce the same amount of collagen we did when we were younger. Our hero ingredient, red maple leaf, helps to support the production of collagen and elasticity in our skin, restoring firmness and reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of ageing. It’s rare to find a collagen serum formulated explicitly for the body and the face. It’s also vegan, pregnancy and breastfeeding safe. It brings that magic to your skin.
Images Instagram @edni.body
What has been your business low and high so far?
To be honest, I could write a book about my experiences. There have been more challenges than triumphs, but the moments of success have been so extraordinary that they overshadow the difficult times. One of the toughest hurdles I faced was the task of turning the business around after a prolonged absence of five weeks. It served as a stark wake-up call, prompting me to reassess and revamp the framework and foundation of the business. Today my company reflects a solid infrastructure and proper processes that have been established due to that valuable lesson. The most significant high for me so far has been witnessing the growth of the business to a point where I can live out my dreams. It has allowed me to become the architect of my time and support my family.
Who is your business mentor?
I don't have a mentor; I am open to having one. However, I am fortunate to have some incredible role models who wholeheartedly support my vision and serve as invaluable sounding boards. Their guidance and perspective have been instrumental in shaping my journey so far.
What are you most surprised about working in the beauty industry?
When I entered the beauty industry, I was unaware that many well-established brands often prioritise marketing and financial resources over the quality of their products. Or profit margins over product quality. We focus on creating high-quality offerings that our customers can trust and rely on. Our community is the backbone of our brand, and we are driven by the goal of acquiring loyal, returning customers. This can only be achieved by consistently delivering exceptional quality products. Our impressive 78 percent return customer rate is a testament to that ethos.
Tell us something that would surprise us about you
There are so many things I could say. I am a high school dropout. I left school at 15, but I also have a degree in finance. I’m an introvert, despite my public profile. I learnt to step out of my comfort zone by playing sports and doing drama.
Beauty
Image ed&i
What's the first thing you do in the morning and the last before you sleep?
I reach for a glass of water every morning to take my essential supplements. And as part of my nightly routine, after completing my skincare regimen, I check my phone for urgent messages or emails before powering it off. Then, I settle down with my husband to enjoy a TV series together. It's a soothing way to end the day and unwind together.
What are your secrets to staying healthy and looking great?
Maintaining a holistic approach to my well-being, I exercise, whether in a workout session or simply moving my body, and I make no excuses to ensure consistency. Exercise plays a significant role in supporting my mental health and overall well-being. Additionally, journaling is in my daily routine to support mindfulness. Rather than following a specific diet, I have chosen a lifestyle that avoids or limits certain foods while maintaining a balanced approach. This allows me to make mindful choices. Much education is still needed to fully comprehend the connection between gut health, skin health, and mental wellness. Understanding this correlation is essential, and I want to expand my knowledge.
When you're tired or rundown, what is your best beauty hack?
It has required practice and training to embrace taking a day off, especially since I tend to be constantly on the go. However, I have reached a point where I am now comfortable allowing myself a well-deserved break. On those days, I purposefully disconnect from social media and work and instead dedicate time to self-care, typically a soothing bath, walking, watching my favourite chick flick, and enjoying cosy snuggles on the couch. I have come to realise that it’s perfectly acceptable and necessary to take a day off. Like batteries, we need to recharge ourselves to function at our best. It’s a valuable practice that allows me to prioritise my overall health and happiness.
What are your favourite beauty buys besides the brand you use daily and love?
I use PCA Skin Collagen Hydrator, which helps to nourish my skin. As a base, I apply PCA Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45, providing sun protection and a sheer tint for a natural-looking finish. I refresh and enhance my sun protection throughout the day with The Quick Screen SPF 50 Facial Mist. Recently I have added Laura Mercier Weightless Perfecting Foundation to my makeup routine. It feels weightless, like a ribbon gliding across my face when I apply it; I am genuinely impressed.
PCA Skin Collagen Hydrator, $109. PCA Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45, 110. The Quick Screen SPF 50+ SET FINISHING SPRAY with Blue Light Defence, $51. Laura Mercier Weightless Perfecting Foundation, $87.
What’s the best Beauty advice you've received?
I cherish my father's advice; he consistently emphasised the importance of maintaining natural beauty, encouraging me to embrace and appreciate my unique features. He would say, "Don't let your man feel like he's dating one person during the day and another when he wakes up next to you.” This reminder to be authentic and genuine in my relationships holds great significance. It emphasises the value of being consistent and true to yourself. His words of wisdom have shaped my perspective on beauty, relationships, and self-acceptance, guiding me to embrace my natural self and nurture genuine connections with others.
What is the one non-negotiable in your beauty routine?
Sleep. Ideally, I aim to get a full eight hours each night. To ensure I achieve this, I consciously try to schedule my morning and evening commitments accordingly, prioritising sleep.
What would we find in your beauty bag?
The amazing thing about having your own beauty brand is my beauty bag is consistently topped up with my favourites, including the Morning Coffee French Green Clay Caffeinated Face Scrub and Mask, Gut From Within supplements and the new SKIN COAT Full Body Collagen Protection.
What's your favourite fragrance?
I have been wearing Louis Vuitton Les Sables Roses for the past year.
ed&I SKIN COAT FULL BODY COLLAGEN PROTECTion, $89.
Made in New Zealand, SKIN COAT was created using clean science, with a range of plant-based natural ingredients to support collagen production in the skin. Along with the red maple bark extract, it contains tremella mushroom, which protects the skin from free radical damage. While the antioxidant Kakadu plum helps boost collagen production, and ocean DerMX, from native New Zealand red seaweed extract with brilliant moisture-binding properties, together blends some antioxidants. SKIN COAT is free from fragrance, alcohol, silicones, parabens, sulphates, PEGs, synthetic colours and chemical UV filters, as well as being vegan and cruelty-free.
To use: This fragrance-free, silky, almost gel-like formula is designed to use at night on clean, dry skin. It gives the skin an instantly tightening-firming effect and is ideal as a base for any moisturiser.
And discover her French beauty brand that has just launched in NZ.