Misson possible with Emma Lewisham

Back from London Fashion Week, and launching an innovative new product, Kiwi skincare queen Emma Lewisham continues her mission to become the global benchmark in beauty products. Metropol editor Lynda Papesch looks back on her journey.

Many women will be familiar with the beautiful purple and pink glass jars and bottles housing Emma Lewisham’s eponymous skincare line, although not necessarily with her story.

Since 2016, Emma’s mission has revolved around providing luxurious skincare that is scientifically proven and 100% natural, uplifting, educating, and empowering people, and in “planet positive” skincare through leading a movement towards a circular, climate positive, and transparent industry.

While it sounds like a large task, she is well on her way. Emma’s always thrived in a challenging environment, initially as the sole female, senior executive in a global technology company. The catalyst for change came in 2016, when she lost her beloved mother to cancer.

“I realised no-one is invincible,” she explains. “It was a period of pause for me, of deep introspection, of bringing me down to Earth. I’d prioritised work over wellness for 10 years, now it was time to look after my health.”

While visiting her doctor to discuss pregnancy, Emma was questioned about her skincare routine and, to her horror, discovered a product she was using to combat hyperpigmentation included the extremely controversial active ingredient hydroquinone.

Banned in the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan, the use and dangers of hydroquinone in beauty products became a lightbulb moment for Emma, and she began her own research into understanding every ingredient that she applied to her skin.

Used to using luxurious, high-tech products, and wanting the natural equivalents, she soon discovered 100% natural, scientifically proven skincare nowhere to be found.
“There needed to be a compromise between having natural formulations and having something that actually works.”

While she never set out to start a beauty brand, in 2019 Emma launched the first of the collection that bears her name; a world first carbon-positive beauty brand soon after that, thanks to the company’s unwavering sustainable ethos, refillable packaging, and landmark circular model that’s forging a new path for others to follow.
With glowing endorsements from celebrities such as Margot Robbie to one of Emma’s own personal heroes, iconic environmentalist Dr Jane Goodall, Emma sees herself as being in the business of making people look good, while doing good.

Using cutting edge skincare science, the formulas are engineered with up to 25 meticulously chosen ingredients that individually perform a function, but in synergy work to amplify each other.

“The most powerful way to interact with the skin is by harnessing nature, therefore we only use natural ingredients, harnessing both bio-identical ingredients found within the skin as well as the specialised, scientifically proven natural plant extracts. These bio-active ingredients work in harmony with the skin to trigger powerful cellular responses that deliver unparalleled results,” says Emma.

Creating each product takes patience and determination, especially when layering in Emma’s uncompromising promises around responsible sourcing, sustainable packaging and zero tolerance for animal testing (including on any singular ingredient – not just the finished product itself. She sees her role as setting a new benchmark in beauty, while at the same time creating a positive impact on your skin, your wellbeing and your planet.

Her message is getting out, evidenced by her involvement in the recent London Fashion Week. Partnering with designer Molly Goddard for her spring/summer 2024 show, Emma’s natural, science-backed products were used solely by Molly’s beauty team to create a skin-focused beauty look on their models. The skincare routine backstage stimulated blood flow and lifted the skin, leaving models looking fresh-faced, glowing from within and confident.

The London show was an important advancement for the brand, says Emma. “We are currently focused on championing our new Space NK partnership as the first and only New Zealand skincare brand to launch at the iconic United Kingdom retailer. We have a few exciting global retail launches in the near pipeline, too.”

In the meantime, the 3 October 2023 launch of Emma’s new Supernatural Blemish Serum will be the first and only new product for 2023, although she promises more next year. “We only bring to-market formulations that are supported by robust clinical data to prove performance.”