Save Iridis Cosmetics: Help Us Rebuild &Keep Our Dream Alive

WE NEED YOU NOW - THIS IS OUR FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL

Hi, I’m Peta-Gai McLaughlin, Founder, CEO & Principal Hair & Makeup Artist of Iridis Cosmetics, and today, I’m not here to share a makeup tip or a confidence-boosting trick.

I’m here to ask for your help. Urgently. ⏰

For over 16 years, Iridis Cosmetics has been empowering women and the LGBTQIA+ community to feel beautiful, confident, and worthy. We've helped thousands of women —mums, career-driven powerhouses, (or both!) domestic violence survivors, trans women, and those who have ever felt invisible—learn to love their reflection again.

⚡️Iridis is in crisis. ⚡️

We’ve been shut down.

We’ve lost our core revenue overnight.

We’re fighting to survive.

We now have to move within the month to save the business and the brand.

Iridis Cosmetics is more than just a makeup brand—it’s a movement. A safe haven. A place where confidence is built, beauty is celebrated, and EVERYONE is welcome. But right now, we need YOUR help to keep our doors open.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

In an unexpected turn of events, we discovered that we needed to be registered by the local Council for makeup and beauty services. Hardly anyone in the makeup industry—myself included—knew this, even as a former lawyer! When we first created Iridis, makeup wasn’t included in the legislation – it came in after we’d started the business. And because there’s no makeup union or industry body, there was no way for the government to properly inform Artists that it's required. So we didn’t know we needed to register!

Nevertheless, we took steps to comply, but we hit another roadblock: first we had to cease beauty services to do major renovations to comply with the registration, but then we hit zoning restrictions. Our studio location in Hyde St Yarraville is not permitted for beauty retail services, despite our best efforts to meet every regulation. We have tried EVERYTHING.

Even after jumping through every hoop, spending thousands on compliance, and trying to do the right thing, we’ve been told:

This means we can no longer operate from our beloved space and must move within a month. It means our services— hair and makeups, makeup lessons, lash and brow treatments, facials, and our famous transformations—have been stripped away. (Online sales are permitted to continue!)

And it means we need YOUR HELP to save Iridis.

WHY IRIDIS MATTERS

Iridis is more than just makeup. We are a movement for confidence, empowerment, and inclusivity.

✨ We are a cruelty-free, independent makeup brand, born from Peta-Gai’s dream to teach women how to do their own makeup with confidence, skill, and joy.

✨ We’ve taught over 5,000 women how to do their makeup—helping them take up space, own their beauty, and step into their power.

✨ We’ve created a safe, loving space for trans women to explore their femininity and embrace their true selves.

✨ We’ve redefined brows as an art form—our signature Brow Whispering technique sculpts, balances, and perfects your brows in a way no one else does. The service gives you the best brows of your life.

✨ We’ve been a mirror for women who lost themselves in motherhood, burnout, or life’s endless demands—reminding them that they are still vibrant, worthy, and fabulous.

✨ We’ve helped domestic violence survivors rebuild confidence, supported women returning to work, and lifted up those who once felt invisible.

✨ We’ve been a beacon for LGBTQIA+ individuals, providing acceptance and celebration.

Makeup isn’t just about enhancing your gorgeousness —it’s about feeling unstoppable. It’s about reclaiming your power. And Iridis has been that place for so many people.

Now, we’re asking for your support so we can keep showing up for YOU.

WHAT WE NEED & HOW YOU CAN HELP

To relocate, rebuild, and keep the Iridis dream alive, we need to raise $40,000. Every single dollar will go toward:

✨ Securing a new studio space—a safe, welcoming haven where everyone can feel beautiful and celebrated.

✨ Fit-out costs to comply with the Council requirements for beauty —and because creating an appropriate, inclusive environment takes more than just a fresh coat of paint (but don’t worry, we’ll make it ‘Iridis fabulous’ with our current furniture). ‍♀️

✨ Covering relocation expenses— moving an entire small business that’s been in place for 10 years isn’t cheap, and every little bit helps.

✨ Keeping Iridis alive with ongoing fixed operational costs that don't change even if we aren't servicing clients —so we can continue empowering women, trans women, and everyone who needs to see themselves through a lens of love and confidence.

Right now, with no income from services, we’re fighting to survive. The bills keep rolling in, but with every passing day, our resources are draining—and with them, our chance to rebuild.

We’ve poured everything into Iridis, but now, we need our community to help us push through this storm. If Iridis has ever made you feel seen, confident, or just a little bit more YOU, please consider donating. Every dollar, every share, every bit of support makes a difference. ✨

‍WAYS TO SUPPORT:

✅ DONATE – Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal.

✅ SHARE – Spread the word! Tell your friends, family, and anyone who believes in beauty, confidence, and inclusivity.

✅ JOIN THE IRIDIS ARMY – Rally with us, fight for us, and help keep this incredible community alive.

THE FUTURE OF IRIDIS: "IRIDIS 3.0"

This isn’t just about keeping the doors open. This is about rebuilding, evolving, and creating something even greater. Before this happened, we were on the precipice of huge change at Iridis, what we called ‘Iridis 3.0’:

It’s all the things that Vanessa and I have been working on behind the scenes to take Iridis into the stratosphere.

But we won’t get there unless we survive now.

✨ THIS IS PERSONAL - HELP US KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE ✨

Iridis is my life’s work. My life PURPOSE work. It’s why I left a very successful 17-year career in financial services law. It’s why I pour my heart and soul into making women feel seen, heard, and beautiful.

It’s also the home and heart of Vanessa, my girlfriend, and our Studio Manager —the woman who keeps Iridis running and who embodies everything we stand for. ‍❤️‍

Vanessa first walked through our doors for a trans makeup lesson, looking for a little confidence and a little magic. She found not just that, but a family, a purpose, and a safe space where she could truly be herself. She also found me.

We cannot lose this. We cannot lose Iridis. And we don’t have to—if you stand with us.

If Iridis has ever made you feel confident, helped you find your glow, or given you a safe space—please help us now.

Donate now. Share our story.

Be part of the magic.

With endless gratitude and (slightly smudged but still fabulous) Iridis makeup,

Peta-Gai

Founder, CEO & Principal Hair & Makeup Artist

Iridis Cosmetics

ABOUT PETA-GAI MCLAUGHLIN: A LIFETIME OF EMPOWERING WOMEN (WITH A SIDE OF SPARKLE AND REBELLION)

Peta-Gai McLaughlin isn’t just the Founder of Iridis Cosmetics—she’s a force of nature. A fierce advocate. A game-changer in the beauty industry. With three decades of experience painting faces, boosting confidence, and calling out the outdated beauty standards that try to keep women small, she’s made it her mission to redefine what it means to feel beautiful.

Before she was the high priestess of perfectly blended foundation, Peta-Gai spent 17 years as a financial services lawyer—yep, she was a corporate powerhouse before she swapped the boardroom for the makeup chair.

But the call to do something more, something bigger, was too loud to ignore. She wanted to create a brand that wasn’t just about selling makeup but about changing lives. So, she did what any fearless, fabulous woman would do—she built Iridis Cosmetics, a brand that’s as bold, bright, and as unashamedly queer as she is.

And let’s talk about that name—Iridis. It’s Latin for rainbow, a perfect reflection of both the dazzling spectrum of beauty she champions and the unapologetically inclusive, LGBTQIA+ sanctuary she’s built.

Iridis isn’t just cruelty-free; it’s a rainbow-powered revolution. A brand that welcomes everyone—cis women, trans women, non-binary babes, and anyone who’s ever felt like the beauty industry wasn’t made for them.

Peta-Gai has personally taught over 5,000 women the skills to feel radiant every single day, whether they’re stepping onto a stage, heading into the office, or just wanting to look in the mirror and love what they see. She’s been a guest speaker, an advocate, a mentor, and a fierce warrior for inclusivity in beauty. She’s helped women reclaim their power, trans women embrace their femininity, and survivors of domestic violence rediscover their self-worth. Her celebrity clients have trusted her for over 15 years.

But now, after a lifetime of lifting others up, she needs us to lift her. Iridis is at a crossroads, and this isn’t just about saving a business—it’s about saving a safe space, a movement, and a place where beauty is for EVERYONE.

Let’s rally behind the rainbow and keep the magic alive. ✨️‍️‍⚧️✨

Please, donate today. THANK YOU .