A tongue-in-cheek dossier circulating in industry circles claims to map the pecking order of Australia’s $16 billion beauty sector, dividing players into three tiers and suggesting influence often outweighs revenue in determining status. The so-called beauty burn book frames prestige not merely in store footprints or brand sales but in who drives campaigns, sets trends, and commands conversations across influencers, editors and consumers. At the center of the discourse is a carefully curated A-list that insiders say helps define the culture and direction of the market.
Topping the A-list is Jo Horgan, the founder and co-CEO of Mecca. Horgan opened her first boutique in Melbourne’s South Yarra at the age of 29, building a curated, high-end shopping experience that blends product knowledge with personalized service. Today Mecca operates more than 110 stores across Australia and New Zealand, stocks upwards of 200 brands, and reported about 1.2 billion dollars in revenue in 2023. Close behind is Shelley Sullivan, who reshaped the market with her luxury-for-less model via MCoBeauty after ModelCo. In February 2025 Sullivan stepped down as CEO of MCoBeauty, selling her remaining stake in the company to DBG Health in a deal described by insiders as among the most valuable female-led mergers in the Australian beauty scene. Also joining the A-list are Kevin Murphy, the king of the coif whose KEVIN.MURPHY line is a global salon staple, and Carla Oates, the Beauty Chef founder who popularized ingestible skincare and the idea that beauty begins in the belly. Samantha Appel, the former skin-needling pioneer behind The Skin Bar, is named among the elite for building Australia’s fastest-growing skin clinics, expanding from Cronulla into Victoria and Queensland with a pipeline of ten new clinics planned. Amy Jean Linnehan, known as the eyebrow queen, is celebrated for her feather touch technique and a brand footprint that stretches from Sydney to London and Paris, with tools and cosmetics stocked in leading retailers.
The B-list, insiders say, remains formidable but is defined by a mix of long-running names and newer power players whose star power translates into influence rather than sheer revenue. Joh Bailey, the veteran hairstylist and salon owner, anchors the B-list after years of shaping high-profile looks for outsiders and fashion icons across Australia. Zoe Foster Blake, founder of the cult Go-To brand, also sits here, with her mass-market appeal and internet-era reach helping her maintain a broad but intimate following; her Go-To line has drawn both praise and critics as it straddles prestige-like appeal with more accessible price points. Miranda Kerr’s brand KORA Organics is cited as a case study in how a celebrity’s presence can outpace the brand’s mass-market traction, keeping Kerr’s name adjacent to the A-list even as the business sits in the B tier.
Melanie Grant, a globally recognized skin specialist and author, appears on the B-list for her clinics in Double Bay, Melbourne, Los Angeles, New York and London, where her influence extends beyond her own brand into broader skincare culture. Katelin Gregg and Ella James, co-founders of the Bondi Junction–born members-only clinic Fayshell, are noted for a recent high-profile split that saw a rebranding as a solo venture and a publicized clash that insiders say has tempered their ascent. The dynamics around Fayshell highlight how personal partnerships can influence standing within Australia’s tight-knit beauty community. In the mix is Natasha Nicolao, the 33-year-old biochemist behind Conserving Beauty, a climate-conscious skincare brand that has attracted impact funding and a board that features industry heavyweights, signaling a shift toward sustainability as a driver of status.
The C-list adds a broader, more eclectic mix of up-and-comers, influencers, and former power players facing renewed scrutiny or market pressure. Max May, a makeup artist who has worked with Lara Worthington and Jackie O, sits in the C-list as a rising talent whose reach remains primarily within Sydney circles. Influencer Elle Ferguson, founder of ELEFFECT, represents the branded influencer-entrepreneur tier, where a strong online presence meets a curated product range. Bianca and Bridgett Roccisano, the socialite sisters behind Booby Tape, helped pioneer the world’s first breast-lift-in-a-box and now count retail channels in the tens of thousands of stores globally, but their positioning reflects how even legacy products can drift in status depending on market shifts.
Mia Plecic, whose Slick Stick hair-styling tool rode a viral TikTok moment into rapid growth, is another C-list example of how digital virality can translate into serious commercial momentum even if the traditional beauty hierarchy would place such brands below the line. Napoleon Perdis, once described as the godfather of Aussie glam, has fallen from the early-era prestige space to the C-list after his brand faced restructuring and the challenges of expansion. Georgia Geminder, heiress and founder of Gem Oral Care, brings a different flavor to the list with a toothpaste brand emphasizing hydroxyapatite and sustainability, distributed across Mecca and other retailers. Kristin Fisher, the Double Bay eyebrow specialist who built a boutique into a broader beauty brand, sits at the edge of the C-list due to ongoing personal and financial controversies that have tempered her public profile. Natassia Nicolao, the Conserving Beauty founder, closes the C-list with her status as a climate-focused innovator whose brand continues to expand internationally, backed by impact funds and notable industry connections.
The list, as described by insiders and compiled with input from influencers, beauty editors and industry watchers, is not an official ranking but a reflection of how power in Australian beauty is wielded. It highlights that influence can arise from a range of sources: retailer relationships, product innovation, media reach, celebrity associations, and the ability to mobilize sustainability narratives that resonate with a growing cohort of eco-conscious consumers. The burn book also underscores how volatile the industry can be; A-list status can be as much about perception and timing as it is about yearly revenue, while even celebrated brands can slip into the lower tiers if their narrative loses momentum or if leadership faces public scrutiny.
In a market where campaigns, collaborations and endorsements increasingly cross into cultural discourse, the line between prestige and accessibility continues to shift. The Australian beauty scene remains dynamic, with entrants like Conserving Beauty signaling a future where climate-conscious products and governance are part of a brand’s identity as much as its sales figures. The burn book, whether viewed as commentary or a candid snapshot of a social ecosystem, offers a lens into how insiders navigate a complex landscape where influence, not just dollars, shapes the industry’s culture.