From reality TV to radio, Married At First Sight New Zealand alum Samuel Levi has been pretty busy over the past five years. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram and two businesses to his name, he is now following his passion with his new skincare endeavour, LuxeSticks.
Carving out a corner in the over-saturated beauty sphere is no easy feat in this day and age, but Levi is no stranger to the grind. Since gracing our screens in 2018, the 29-year-old has worked hard to forge a career with longevity in the notoriously fickle influencer industry, where reality stars - if they fail to secure a deal with a fast fashion brand, that is - can be quickly plunged back into the depths of mere mortal obscurity.
"I certainly have done a fair bit in the past five years. From reality TV - which seems like a lifetime ago - to having my own radio show, and now working around the clock on my beauty brand," Levi told Newshub.
"It's one of the hardest things to date, but also rewarding at the same time. Your mind is constantly switched on, you never take a break and, if you're like me, you certainly want to be across everything all the time."
But unlike many of the TikTok stars and trending influencers churning out products in a bid to capitalise on their 15 minutes, Levi is genuinely passionate about his business, which has already appeared in the pages of InStyle and Women's Weekly, as well as on the feeds of Nicola 'Nix' Adams, The Block star El'ise Bothe and several beauty and wellness influencers. Since its inception, Levi said he has been working on LuxeStick's expansion around the clock with limited outsourcing, with the line quickly becoming his passion project and primary focus.
"Although it can be hard and frustrating at times, I really do enjoy what I do and the vision that I have. My goal is to certainly keep expanding it throughout Australia and New Zealand; this will and is my main priority over the next 12 to 18 months," he said.
"If someone ever says running your own business is smooth sailing, [they're] 100 percent not doing it right. It's the complete opposite... I don't like palming my workload off. This is my brand, my passion, my commitment."
As the name would suggest, LuxeSticks' flagship products are its stick clay masks. Formulated with plant-derived ingredients, the masks - which are also cruelty-free - are designed to be incredibly easy to apply; a welcome departure from the days of scooping a sticky clay-based mask from a pottle before scrubbing its clumpy remnants off the sink.
The formulas themselves also live up to their 'natural' tagline. While many products tend to tout the word 'clean' like a badge of honour, a quick look at the ingredients can still reveal some hidden nasties. The messaging around 'clean' beauty products currently isn't regulated, giving brands creative licence to use buzzwords to target consumers without any real fact-checking. LuxeSticks' clay sticks, however, are made with fruit extracts, collagen peptides, kaolin clay, vitamins and oils, ingredients designed to brighten, purify and hydrate the skin.
Meanwhile, the premise behind the roll-on design and unique packaging is simple: no mess, no stress. Like a lipstick or chapstick, the product is solid and comes in a twist-up tube, allowing it to be rolled onto the skin in the vein of a deodorant. It's easy to control how much product you want to apply, and a little goes a long way. For those who love a clay mask for detoxifying and combatting pesky oils - but can't stand the mess - LuxeSticks could be a game-changer.
"To put it simply, I absolutely hate mess when it comes to anything beauty-related. Many are in my shoes also. I wanted to create something that was designed for a no mess, no fuss, easy application," Levi said.
"It was my mission to invent something that was accessible - eliminating the mess - as well as being suitable for those who have super sensitive skin, like my own."
And accessibility really is the ethos of the brand. From the sleek, ergonomic and easy-to-use design (which is perfect for travel) to the formulas designed with all skin types in mind, Levi wanted his skincare to be suitable for everyone - even the price point is accessible.
"I wanted to create something unique, easy and affordable for all at home wanting to keep on top of their beauty regime. I have always had very sensitive skin, and actually avoided using many skincare products out on the market growing up, and to this day. I always thought many brands out there are the same, and a lot out there just have a fancy label placed on it. Why couldn't someone create something for everyone, that was affordable and actually worked?" he said.
Currently, the most expensive standalone product in the range is the collagen and watermelon clay stick at AU$34.99, while the five other sticks currently available - avocado, charcoal, eggplant, orange and pink mineral clay - are all priced at AU$25.99. Meanwhile, the newly added collagen eye masks, including a 24K Gold and Collagen Crystal variety, retail for AU$29.99 for five per pack; comparatively, the popular Lonvitalite 24K Gold and Collagen Eye Masks are NZ$55 for six from Mecca at the time of writing.
"Everyone deserves to feel their best. There is no need at all to be spending hundreds of dollars on one basic product. We all have other priorities to focus on, so creating a brand that is clean and affordable for every single person, and making it super easy to use, was my goal."
For 2023, Levi hopes to expand LuxeSticks further by introducing new products to the range. Since his stint on the small screen, he has found love with Married At First Sight Australia groom Liam Cooper and the couple - who reside across the Tasman - hope to spend more time in Aotearoa this year.
"I would absolutely love to spend more time back in New Zealand," he said. "I'm hoping some great projects and opportunities do open up soon."
