Tamila Purvis
On her morning skin routine:
“I use a Kiehl’s cleanser or their exfoliant scrub in the shower, along with a sea salt scrub if I haven’t had a swim in the ocean that day. I love Kiehl’s Crème de Corps even though it probably isn’t the most super natural option, it just feels so good and has enough good oils to pass. Then Dr Haushka’s Quince Day Cream on my face, which smells amazing and makes my skin feel juicy and nourished, and I always put sunscreen on my face when I go out in the sun.”
On her skin pick-me-up’s:
“If I’m feeling a little tired I use Kiehls Micro-Blur Skin Perfector which works like Photoshop for real life, it’s that good. I recently tried the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, which is nice too.”
On what beauty means to her:
“Glowing skin and a great smile.”
Pictured: vintage kimono from a collector’s archive in Yonkers, NYC.
On her travel essentials:
“I just take little travel versions of all my usuals, but it always seems to add up into a huge case anyway. Lots of moisturiser and back-ups of lip balm. Jurlique’s Hand Cream in Citrus is nice to use on the plane. An eye cream for puffiness and eye drops for dry eyes. I always have an eye mask and ear plugs near by, for noisy hotels and the plane. I hate jet lag!”
On her one skin saviour:
“Tea tree oil spray for a post-attack of blemishes.”
On her five minute beauty look:
“A light base and that Josie Maran colour stick. It goes on your cheeks and lips. You would have 4 minutes left with that!”
On maintaining her hair:
“I use Aveda Damage Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner and if my hair feel really tortured from too much salt water I’ll use Kerastase Chroma Riche. It’s full of chemicals but it works! If I remember I use Kevin Murphy’s Motion Lotion, it smells so good and it tames the frizzies.”
On her makeup routine:
“There’s this colour stick by Josie Maran that I slick over my cheeks, its quick and easy and its base is Argan oil with all sorts of other ingredients that are actually good for your skin. I always stock up at Sephora as it’s the only thing I consistently use. Then I’ll just brush my eyebrows into shape and that’s it.”
On her love of crystals:
“They’re just beautiful! The formations, the colours, the fact they’re created by the earth and each one holds its own vibration. I was given the amazonite by a friend to help with labour, and the smoky quartz point is to ward of negative energy. I love how they all have their own qualities.”
On her favourite beauty treatments:
“I have as many massages as I can sneak in, and sometimes I’ll get a pedicure. I am booked in to see Melanie Grant at the Double Bay Clinic though – I want to see what all the fuss is about.”
Products pictured:
Zimmermann dress. Shop similar styles here.
On her on-the-run beauty must-have:
“Eye drops. I like the ones in the separate little viles.”
Products pictured:
On her personal style:
“Relaxed and easy, a little on the vintage side, sometimes a 70’s influence, always a 90’s reference. I wear flats or trainers most of the time and leave the obvious trends for the models on set.”
On her signature scents:
“I’ve been really into essential oils lately, I love Aveda’s Stress Fix Concentrate and In Fiore’s solid perfume in Oud Amberi Attar but I still use, Balmain Amber Gris Eau du Parfum every now and then.”
On her earliest beauty memory:
“Olive oil in my hair and an egg mask on my face at 13 years old… and secretly shaving my legs.”
On her signature beauty look:
“Healthy skin. That’s it!”
Products pictured:
On her exercise routine:
“I don’t love doing the exercise but I do love how it makes me feel. I run the Bondi to Bronte, or if I need some motivation I’ll go to a spin class at Elixr. Pilates changes my body faster than anything, I don’t go to classes often enough although I do a little Yoga most mornings.”
On her ideal Sunday morning:
“Spending the morning with Campbell and Coda at home, making omelettes or pancakes then all going back to sleep for morning nap time.”
On where it all started with fashion:
“Pictures by Corinne Day and Mario Sorrenti from The Face all over my bedroom walls and kept filed as inspiration in a school diary. From there it was Visual Commmunications at University, assisting a few photographers, but wasn’t long before I realized it was the stylist that was creating the story I wanted to tell.”
“I’m obsessed with using Dr Bronner’s Lavender Hand Sanitising Spray.”
On her haircut go-to’s:
“When I can pin her down, Sophie Roberts cuts my hair. She knows how to layer the curls and make the hair cut last. It’s quite a task! If she’s overseas I go to the guys at Valonz.”
Tamila wears vintage white t-shirt and Acne jeans.
On what’s important to her:
“Many seemingly important things until I had Coda, now it’s all about our family. Balance, happiness, health, laughter, love, music, fresh air, the ocean, quality not quantity….”
Tamila wears vintage kimono, Alexander wang singlet (shop similar here), Acne jeans and Saint Laurent boots.
On her most treasured item of clothing:
“My old beaten up Chloe Suzanna boots, I’ve had them for so many years now I think they’re considered vintage.”
“I’m always stealing my boyfriend’s clothes or else I wear a vintage dress with jewellery.”
On her favourite Sydney hangouts:
“The Corner House in Bondi is a regular with my friends with kids – we do the 5pm sitting. On date night we’ll try a new restaurant like Ester or Pinbone or go to a gig, we saw Nick Cave at The State Theatre recently. If we go to the Enmore Theatre, then there’s Mary’s in Newtown for beers and the best version of a dirty cheeseburger.”
If art is an extension of its creator, it’s not surprising that an ethos of natural sensuality and feminine strength appears to inspire the coveted pieces of wearable art by Sydney jewellery label, ManiaMania.
One half of ManiaMania is Tamila Purvis, the inherently lovely jewellery designer and stylist who launched the label with close friend and former RUSSH magazine colleague, Melanie Kamsler, in 2009. Ever since, the distinctive crystal-accented adornments have gathered an unimpeachable flock of devoted brand advocates like Cara Delevingne, Alexa Chung, Devendra Banhart and Julia Restoin Roitfeld.
Tamila’s career in fashion has been an evolution that started with original aspirations of becoming a fashion photographer.
“Pictures by Corinne Day and Mario Sorrenti from The Face were all over my bedroom walls and filed as inspiration in a school diary,” she tells us. “From there it was studying Visual Communications at university and assisting a few photographers, but it wasn’t long before I realised it was the stylist that was creating the story I wanted to tell.”
From her jewellery creations and styling work to the incredible envy-inducing vinyl collection at the home she shares with partner Campbell Milligan and baby Coda, it’s clear that Tamila’s spiritual home lies somewhere in the heady New Age epoch and psychedelic rock and roll apogee of the 1960s and ‘70s.
This is also made plain in the seasonal muses-of-choice for ManiaMania’s collections; previous references include such influential touchstones of rock ‘n’ roll style as David Bowie, Stevie Nicks to Anita Pallenberg.
As for her approach to personal style, Tamila describes it as “relaxed and easy, a little on the vintage side, sometimes a 70s influence, always a 90s reference. I’m always stealing my boyfriend’s clothes or else I wear a vintage dress with jewellery.” And needless to say, she’s not short on killer accessory options.
Her love of crystals, for example, would come as no surprise to dedicated fans of ManiaMania. “They’re just beautiful!” she exclaims when we ask her about the appeal. “The formations, the colours, the fact they’re created by the earth and each one holds its own vibration… I love how they all have their own qualities.”
Generally, when it comes to beauty, make-up and health, Tamila is all about au naturel.
“I’ve always been into natural products because I have really sensitive skin,” she explains, “but I began to realise how important it was when I was pregnant… everything absorbs into your system. I also kiss and snuggle my baby boy so much and his skin is so delicate, it needs to be okay for him too.”
Her self-described signature beauty look is simply “healthy skin” and says any kind of set beauty routine “has become all about time and effectiveness! No indulgent time spent pampering in the bathroom these days.”
Tamila carries that serene, balanced tenor of someone who is doing exactly what they should be, so the quote she shared by American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, could not be more fitting: The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.
Photographed by Rudy Zverina.
Words by Susannah Tucker.
