With travel and creativity always being a way of life for Salty Luxe creator Sarah, 8 months ago saw her step away from the 9-5 job to turn full-time influencer β a decision she says has her now βliving my dream full timeβ. Living in Byron Bay with her engineering partner of 8 years, when sheβs not at home in Australia β Sarah can often be found visiting tropical destinations such as Bora Bora, the Maldives, and Tulum in Mexico.
Having followed @saltyluxe for a long time now, we decided it was high time we got her into Husskie and onto the Fast 50 chair. Here, we chat to the travel influencer about everything from travelling for 24 hours for a shot to shooting weddings at the age of 15…
Missed the last articles in the 50 Questions series? Click the links to read interviews with Fiona Barron,Β Karina Anne Hunt, andΒ Sanne Vloet.
1. Best beauty product of all time? Lucas Paw Paw
2. Five beauty products you canβt live without? Feel Good Inc Coconut Sunscreen, Axilla Natural Deodorant, Christophe Robin Salt Scrub (shampoo), Aspect Skin Care Everyday Cleanser & B & C Oils
3. Hair βdoneβ or messy? Salty hair donβt care
4. Favourite fragrance? Gypsy Water by BYREDO
5. Favourite item of clothing? I have a vintage SPELL skirt that has been to almost every country I have been β so that & a good kini (always recycled econyl nylon)
6. Favourite fashion brand? Thatβs easy β SPELL & The Gypsy Collective, forever fave from my home town of Byron Bay
7. Gym or exercising outdoors? You couldnβt get me in a gym if you paid me (haha!) β I find it so boring! Definitely the outdoors & definitely when I feel like it (I feel really strongly about enjoying exercise so I actually do it long term)
8. Healthy eating or treating yourself? Healthy eating is treating yourself
9. Can you cook? Tacos, yes!
10. Favourite food to indulge in? Tacos, anything Mexican & Sashimi!
11. First thing you pick from the mini-bar? Gin & Soda
12. Best place to eat out? Treehouse in Byron Bay is my fave β always has local bands playing, wood fired pizzas & a stroll-off-the-beach-no-shoes kinda feel
13. Happiest moment? I went through a really tough time that I thought I was very, very sick. Grateful every day that I got to live another one. When I received this good news, this was the happiest day of my life β I have so much I want to do!
14. Saddest moment? I have had a few friends take their own life after suffering from mental health. They are forever in my mind & I cherish the moments I had with them. Side note, always reach out to people you love & make sure they are doing okay β be the person people can confide in & advocate for mental health, it’s such an important thing.
15. Blog or YouTube? Right now blog, but soon to be Youtube as Iβm really into creating video now!
16. iPhone or camera? Camera for that quality you just canβt get from an iPhone / iPhone for the memories!
17. Type of camera? I use a Sony a7R with 24mm lens mostly
18. Facetune or untouched? Genuinely, what is Facetune??
19. Lightroom or VSCO? I use my own Lightroom phone filters (theyβll actually be available for sale soon!)
20. Favourite filter? Ooooh I just got back from Bora Bora & spent a lot of time working on a new drop of presets. I am actually in love!
21. Favourite way to edit pics? Iβm actually all about a smooth & buttery curve. I always liked a bit more of a contrast look, but my look & feel has really progressed a lot in the last year!
22. 9-5 job or full-time influencer? Full-time… thank you @saltyluxe tribe, love you guys so damn much!
23. How did you first get your start in Instablogging? Iβve always been really into photography as a little side hustle (bless the family friends who let me shoot their weddings at age 15) & I have always loved travel. It just naturally happened…
24. How much time goes into a normal picture found on your Instagram account? Depending on shoot location & travel time etc, it could take anywhere from 1 min to 15 mins to get a shot & then editing can take up to 30 mins. Lets keep in mind Iβll sometimes travel 24 hours to get to a location though, haha!
25. What’s your top Instagram tip? This is a question I get asked all the time. My answer is βbe you β undeniably & unconditionally YOU! There ainβt no-one like you & that is your magic!β Also, seriously ask yourself what value YOU can bring to your tribe: are you there to inspire, educate, raise awareness about a cause you care about? Find what it is that makes you tick & showing up for that every day will not be a problem (because showing up EVERY day is what it takes!)
26. Who takes your pics? It use to be my trusty tripod or drone, but recently itβs been my PIC Chesh, friends or even family members (thanks mum!)
27. Career highlight since being an influencer? Genuinely β daily messages of love & inspiration, people changing their life in many forms due to our influence, people reaching out to me to say I have supported them through something hard in their life, or simply that we have inspired them to travel is a privilege beyond privileges
28. Career lowlight since being an influencer? Look Iβm probably on my phone much more than I should be. My neck & thumb will never be the same!
29. Best campaign youβve ever worked on? I just got home from Bora Bora after working with Four Seasons. This was one of the best experiences & creative content opportunities of my life, wow. I am still waiting on the best campaign day of my life, which would be something like working with PETA, David Sheldrick Wildlife Conservation, or Animal Welfare Institute though! Iβm here when they need me, haha!
30. Worst thing thatβs happened to you on a photo shoot? Iβve been pretty lucky. Nothing but a nip slip (can I say that!?) [Ed: Course you can. We love keeping it real here at Husskie!]
31. The best gift youβve ever received as an influencer? Probably my stay & recent experience with four Seasons Bora Bora #mindblown
32. Last thing you googled?Β ‘Flight time from Mauritius to Peru’
33. Favourite film? βRemember the Titansβ & βLove Actuallyβ (itβs nearly Christmas β?!)
34. Favourite book? Hands down forever, βThe Alchemistβ
35. Favourite song? Right now βGroceriesβ by Mallarat otherwise it would have to be a Paul Kelly song (please donβt make me choose!)
36. Living in the city or living by the beach? BEACH
37. Favourite travel destination? Belize & French Polynesia
38. Most Instagram-worthy spot? Swimming with rays in Bora Bora or sharks in Belize
39. Top three essentials to pack when traveling? Camera β of course, mosquito repellent, bikini
40. Going out clubbing or quiet dinner with friends? Dinner & drinks absolutely!
41. Partner or single? 8 years & counting
42. Siblings? 2 pretty epic brothers
43. What city are you currently living in? Byron Bay, Australia
44. Celebrity/influencer crush? Will Smith makes me LOL every damn day or Garry V⦠because DAMN that VIBE!!
45. Pets? 11-year-old cocker spaniel x beagle named βScarleyβ
46. What is your best asset? Enthusiasm & possibly that I just cannot give up (also possibly a bad thing in excess like I have, haha?!)
47. Biggest misconception about you and your job? That I must have heaps of money & travel with professional photographers. Neither are trueβ¦*
*Cheshy, you are pro, but you not a pro pro you know β donβt be angry when you read this, haha!
48. Top five Instagram accounts to follow? Right now I am loving @Chelseakuai for female adventurers, @earthyandy for good food & good vibes, @nikita_gill soulful poems & life goals, @garyvee that get up & go vibe that I love to surround myself with every day, and @mvandersluis what is not to love
Also loving @tezza (just so cool!!), @travel_inhershoes (always in amazing places), @gypsea_lust (queen), @elsas_wholesomelife (food queen), @haylsa (fellow Aussie & amazing content), @hbgoodie (Hawaii vibes), @samkolder (amazing videos), @petermckinnon (endless photography knowledge!), and @mariefeandjakesnow (awesome couple vibes)… Sorry I know you said 5 but the creative community is just so amazing
49. Favourite quote you live by? βThose who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselvesβ
50. Top career tip? Fall down 100 times, get up 101
All images: Salty Luxe
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