Yasmin Suteja
On her skin:
“I could talk about skin for days (and often do). Here’s my long story in short: I started getting acne after a trip to Bali when I was 21. Prior to that, I’d only ever had the occasional pre-menstrual breakout. At 21, my skin suddenly became really oily, and I started to get painful cystic clusters of acne on my cheeks and forehead. They just wouldn’t go away. First I went to a naturopath, and she said it was a parasite in my gut. She put me on a course of natural medication for 8 weeks and it cleared it up. Then it came back. I’ve done pretty much everything to fix my skin, but only recently have I managed to get it to a point where I’m super happy with it — touch wood it stays this way.”
“Prior to a recent trip to Bali, I went to my GP and asked for a full blood test to check for any allergies and intolerances. I also asked for a script a birth control pill called Yasmin. When I went back to get my results, my doctor found that I was allergic to wheat. She advised I cut out wheat and all wheat products before starting on the pill. So I put the pill to the side, cut out bread, and researched the difference between wheat and gluten.”
Yasmin wears UNIF sweater, Guess jeans, and vintage belt.
“I used to eat a lot of bread, so this was a big dietary change for me. Now, instead of toast, I have porridge every morning, with Manuka honey. For lunch or dinner I have quinoa as my base, with tofu, spinach, and whatever other veggies I have in the fridge. I think this dietary change was the biggest factor in curing my acne. So, my first piece of advice is to ask your GP to run a full blood test for any allergies and intolerances.”
“My next step was to watch Sarah’s Day YouTube video on how she combated hormonal acne the natural way. I booked in to see the naturopath she recommends in her video, and purchased the brush she recommends — the Vanity Planet Skin Spa brush. I use it to gently exfoliate and cleanse my face morning and night, and it’s totally changed the texture of my skin. I always thought that over-exfoliating your skin caused breakouts, but this little rotating brush is doing wonders for my skin — I think because it clears off any dead skin before my pores have the opportunity to clog.”
“After I cleanse my face, I spray it all over with Colloidal Silver. You can buy this at any health store — it’s a natural antibiotic, and you’re supposed to drink it, but I spray it on my face. It kind of dries it out a bit, but I feel like it’s keeping the surface of my skin clear of bacteria. I let the Colloidal Silver dry and then moisturise my face with this beautiful nourishing cream I got in Bali from Cantika. It’s an all-natural cucumber moisturiser, and it feel soooo good.”
Yasmin wears UNIF sweater, Guess jeans, and vintage belt.
“I wait for the moisturiser to fully absorb, and apply the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Radiance-Boosting Primer on my cheeks, nose, and cupid’s bow. I follow this with the Stroke Of Genius Liquid Cashmere Foundation with SPF 20 by Napoleon Perdis. I use two different brushes for this — I try not to touch my face at all with my hands. I use the Too Faced Cocoa Contour palette to define my cheekbones, or as a bronzer if I haven’t been in the sun.”
“I then curl my lashes, which I follow with the Maybelline Colossal mascara. This sounds weird, and I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, but I use the residue from my mascara brush to fill in my brows. I have really dark brows, so the colour matches. I follow this with the Garbo & Kelly clear brow gel to set them in place. I looove brushing up my brows — I feel like it makes me look more awake. I love to finish with Yves Saint Laurent’s Touché Eclat Glow Shot to add highlights to my cheeks and just under my brow arch.”
Yasmin wears UNIF sweater, Guess jeans, and vintage belt.
“I was once told, ‘Anything you put on your face, you should be able to find in the kitchen,’ which basically means, ‘Try as much as you can to use natural products.’ I’ve made face masks out of avocado, Manuka honey, oats, and lots more of my kitchen essentials. Those are the best! The skin is the largest organ of the body, so you have to think about the fact that whatever you’re putting on the outside is being absorbed on the inside.”
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
On advice she would give to her younger self:
“Moisturise!!! I was always afraid of moisturising, especially during my acne stage. I thought that it would intensify the already oily texture of my skin, but this is where we often go wrong. Drying out your skin can actually cause/worsen acne. Dry skin results in loose dead skin cells, which can clog your pores. Also, if you dry your skin out, your body will begin to naturally produce more oil to compensate. I now moisturise religiously morning and night, and it’s helped to combat acne and improve the overall texture of my skin.”
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
“I don’t prioritise exercise as much as I should, or taking time out for myself. I find this is the biggest struggle. I’m so work-oriented that often I forget about what my actual hobbies are! Turning my vocation (photography) into a career made it difficult to distinguish work from play, and I have a tendency to get totally consumed by work.”
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
“Up until this year, I had the longest mane of jet black hair, until I decided to chop it all off. [In doing so] I’ve eliminated a lot of the hair products I used to use. Short hair is much easier to maintain, and I prefer the look of my hair when it’s tied back in a tight bun. I love the Neon & Co range — particularly the Treatment Oil. It leaves my hair feeling so silky after a wash. When I did have really long hair, one thing I was always told was to brush it 100 times each night before bed. I totally used to do this! I think it’s supposed to stimulate hair growth. I’ve heard the same about massaging your scalp.”
“I don’t get very sentimental with clothing — my style changes like the wind. [Laughs] I’m much more attached to shoes and jewellery. I have a beautiful gold signet ring that I bought at a market in London, which has a lot of sentimental value. I wear it every day. I’m also obsessed with my Dr. Martens.”
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
On what influences her:
“My mum for sure. She’s an absolute powerhouse, and she introduced me to the arts in all forms from a very young age. Mum enrolled me in ballet, violin, painting, photography, singing, theatre — pretty much every extracurricular activity you could think of — so that I could explore and decide what I enjoyed most. I’m really grateful for this. She’s always encouraged me to do what I love, and she raised me with a great sense of optimism and a can-do attitude. She’s also an incredible businesswoman, and the hardest worker I know. See Crate Cafe and Pretty Poison.”
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
Yasmin wears Calvin Klein bra and A.brand jeans.
On what makes a person beautiful:
“Their presence. I really believe in energy and aura. Some people just emanate a really warm, welcoming aura. These are my favourite people.”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
“I’m not a big morning person, so exercise is usually the first thing I’ll ditch from my schedule if I can see a big day ahead of me. I’m also not a big fan of high intensity cardio, so it’s taken me a while to find an exercise routine that I can get up for in the morning. I started doing barre class a few months ago and found it was really good for toning and strengthening, as well as blanching my moods and clearing my mind.”
“I’ve been fortunate to have spent the last eighteen months living with the people who inspire me the most. The house has been a hub for creativity. It’s buzzing with energy, and there’s always something going on. There’ll be someone playing an incredible album on the speakers downstairs, another setting up a photo studio in the backyard, and another will walk in wearing a killer thrifted outfit. There’s always something going on, and I’m absorbing it all. My closest girlfriend, Claudia, is also a vessel of knowledge and inspiration. She’s constantly taking me to see films and plays, and showing me interesting articles. This keeps me on my toes.”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
“Some days I just can’t be bothered wearing makeup (usually when I haven’t washed my hair and I’m feeling a bit sluggish). Most days, when I know I’ll be running around to meetings and interacting with lots of people, I’ll wear foundation and mascara etc. Wearing makeup makes me feel good. I still have scars from my acne, so foundation covers these nicely. I have dark circles under my eyes, too, which are hereditary. These are probably my least favourite features. Concealer and foundation cover them up, which makes me feel good.”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
“I looove face masks! And love how I introduced them to the boys in the house, too. We have group sessions with tea and bickies. [Laughs] It’s very cute. One of my friends gave me this Korean face mask that has the eyes and mouth cut out — it looks ridiculous, but it feels sooo good. You can feel your skin absorbing all the moisture, and when you take it off, your skin is baby soft.”
“The Balinese are incredible with natural remedies and beauty products. As I mentioned earlier, my absolute favourite range of beauty products is from a local Balinese company called Cantika. I don’t think you can buy it anywhere outside of Bali, so I always make sure to ask anyone coming over to bring some back for me. Mum bought five tubs of their cucumber moisturiser over last time, and I’ve rationed them out over the next five months.”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
“If you are fortunate enough to actually visit the Cantika Zest spa in Ubud, make sure to treat yourself to their five-hour complete pampering package. It starts with a body exfoliation and flower bath, moves on to a hair treatment, facial, and then mani pedi. The whole process uses completely natural products. The best part is when they massage the oil from a real aloe vera plant into your hair.”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
On her signature scent:
“LE LABO! Gaiac 10. This scent is incredible, and I love the way the label says my name, the day it was compounded, and by whom, in Paris!”
Yasmin wears vintage dress.
Some people make it hard for us to believe that everyone abides by the same clock. Their schedules so jam-packed, their skillsets so diversified, their aptitude to squeeze in extracurricular activities so impressive, it’s improbable to imagine they also exist within a 24/7 timeframe.
Yasmin Suteja is one of those people. The founder, photographer, and creative director of Culture Machine Agency also moonlights as the marketing head for her parents’ two Balinese businesses, and acts as her comedian brother’s manager. And, as if that wasn’t enough, after spending three years in Bali multi-tasking to the max, she then expanded Culture Machine to include a model scouting, development, and talent division. See? Super human. We’re convinced she must have got her hands on a time-turner to fit it all in.
We asked her how she managed to do it all, to which she credits her “absolute powerhouse” mum for always encouraging her to do what she loves, and instilling a great sense of optimism and can-do attitude in her from a young age. Having enrolled her in every extracurricular activity under the sun (ballet, violin, painting, photography, singing, theatre), her mum gave her the freedom to explore her creative side and to ultimately decide what captured her heart the most: photography. And while she does a stellar job behind the lens, we’re equally as enamoured by what happens when she jumps in front of one.
Yasmin is here to light up Sydney’s muted fashion landscape with her perf ensembles that largely comprise of bright thrift finds, Nike TNs, and streetwear brands like Stussy and UNIF. She’s also been around the beauty and skincare block, especially after her run-in with acne in her early 20s. In other words, she’s the ideal candidate for a TF home invasion.
Get to know the talented honey by clicking through her file. Thanks, Yasmin!
Words, Madeleine Woon. Photography, Hannah Roche.
