Every so often a certain type of beauty crosses your path that mesmerises for more than its physical features. Take actress Isabel Lucas. Yes, she’s striking. Disarmingly so, with an etherealness that seems almost out of place in an age that feels like we have no secrets left. But, her beauty goes further than the makeup bag. She’s evolved from the Home and Away star we first met in 2004 to take on Hollywood in blockbusters like Transformers and the critically acclaimed The Water Diviner alongside Russell Crowe. Softly spoken and slight in size, she could easily be passed off as shrinking violet, but the girl’s got gumption, and compassion for the environment and its inhabitants that is her true passion. It’s not just lip service, she walks the walk: from wading out into a Japanese dolphin killing cove to protest the ‘hunting season’, to aligning only with brands who join her environmental vision, like Santé by ENJO. We spoke with the actress slash activist at the gorgeous Halcyon House, where she brought along her most prized treasures, to talk about her connection to nature in her Byron home, her innovative cleansing routine and what really makes her heart sing.
“I’m going to India for a month to do an Ayurvedic treatment…
…and to do a writing project. The treatment is with a family run business, it’s tiny and very basic. Just simple, like they bring you hot water to shower with and it’s very modest. I’ve been before and it’s really beautiful.

I love living in Byron, it feels like I’m right with nature.
The other day I went to the Minyon Falls, and to see the waterfall up there is really nice. There are so many birds where I’m living, all around the house I’m surrounded by trees and really close to the ocean. So it feels like there’re animals all around, like a healthy little ecosystem.

My sister and I once bought a horse with our pocket money.
It was expensive, but we saved up and I was working at a vegetarian Thai restaurant. Dad set that initiative for us, to have a goal and work toward it. Her name is Tiki and she’s 32, living in Melbourne at my mum and dad’s place. I can’t ride her because of her age, but I go out to the paddock and sit on her bare back. I just feed her and brush her. My sister and I are very close, so being horse crazy was just one of our similar interests. She’s only 16 months older than me and she’s an environmental lawyer.

For me, it’s more important than ever to be aware of our impact on the planet…
…that’s why I am partnering with [skincare and beauty range] Santé by ENJO. They just make sense and it’s an important step – one little humble step so I can walk the talk. For me, being environmentally aware has always been a passion of mine. I think growing up in a household where we always had quite a green farm and aware of the fact that we’re citizens on the planet, I feel very blessed to have lived in such beautiful parts of Australia like Kakadu and falling in love with nature. So conservation and supporting organisations that share that passion is something I’ve enjoyed taking part in.

My favourite product is the Santé by ENJO Face Glove…
I tried it for about three months before we collaborated so I could get a sense of the product. To be honest I was quite surprised by how well it worked. The technology of this very fine fibre essentially gets right into all the pores and it lifts everything, gets to all the impurities and oils, and it really only needs water. It’s all reusable too, just throw it in the washing machine. It means I don’t have to use a cleanser, so no plastic and extra chemicals going into the drains and into the oceans. I just use this.

I love Vanessa Megan’s products, she’s actually a friend of mine.
She’s cool and beautiful. I’m using her Hand and Body Cream and the Rose and Chamomile Face Cream. All the perfumes are really nice, too. I’m also using a sunscreen that’s very cool, it’s called Greenfoot Hammer. At the moment I’m using Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream.

A few of my favourite things are these beautiful feathers that I wear in my hair…
…and love the Hourglass Voyeur Liquid liner and I wear Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation if I’m wearing makeup.

I use Argan Oil in my hair…
…and I also love Moroccan Oil and use Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancing Hairspray. I have a colourist in Melbourne, Lauren, and one in Byron, Brianna.

This article in Dumbo Feather about Archie Roach made me cry…
…last night, and my AngelMy angel, it’s from Topanga in LA. Do you know Palo Santo, it’s ceremonial, you burn it, to clear spaces, it’s similar to sage.

I like going on the Lighthouse Trail. It’s very refreshing.
It’s so beautiful. I also like to swim, just dip in and out, I don’t swim laps so much. I can surf… well, I can stand up but I’m not a confident surfer. I just don’t spend enough time practicing.

The way I relax really varies every day.
I spend a lot of time reading, scripts mostly. But right now I’m reading a great book by Joseph Campbell, he’s a brilliant writer. It’s called Letting Go. It’s all about how we hold pain in our bodies, and how to release it. I don’t read much fiction. I love delving into other things that I’d like to learn about. It’s all very psychological and philosophical at times. Like the Eckhart Tolle, I feel like if the whole world read [his book] A New Earth, it’d be a big step [forward].

Story by Rikki Hodge-Smith; Interview by Sigourney Cantelo; Photography by Raegan Glazner