From her tranquil inner-city haven, Emma Lewisham is on a mission. To clean up our beauty routines and create a circular, carbon positive industry where refills, recycling and regeneration should also be the responsibility of every beauty brand. By editor Trudi Brewer.
Emma Lewisham at home in her classic, kitchen in her tranquil Auckland home.
Most mornings, Emma Lewisham starts her day sitting in her elegant kitchen window seat, responding to emails while her delightful two-year-old daughter is playing by her side. Work-life balance is better for Lewisham these days; her husband recently joined the business, and her team, like her eponymously named skincare line, is growing as fast as her toddler. She is one to watch, not only for her luxury natural skincare brand but also for her commitment to change the transparency in cosmetic regulations. Yes, she wants women to have better 'clean' beauty routines but, most notably, to leave her footprint on a positive planet future for her daughter to grow. While the beauty business was not where Lewisham thought she would end up, studying chemistry has put her in good stead to develop a skincare line. Her career was gearing toward a role in economics and international business; after eight years of climbing the corporate ladder working for a Japanese tech company, Lewisham made a u-turn and followed her passion to an industry geared around women's health. Today she is on a mission to improve the lax and unregulated beauty industry by not only creating 100 per cent naturally-derived skincare, free from fillers, artificial fragrance, colour, and synthetic preservations. She is leading a movement towards a circular, carbon positive industry where refills, recycling and regeneration should be the responsibility of every business. Made in New Zealand, in small batches to be as fresh as possible when you purchase, there are currently six Emma Lewisham products with refillable pouches. Emma Lewisham is stocked at selected David Jones stores across New Zealand and Australia, as well as selected luxury spas and speciality stores, stockists can be found here. Read on to discover her business values, beauty philosophy and classically curated inner-city home in Auckland.
Lewisham’s dining room.
CAREER
What's been your career high to date?
Taking that leap of faith and launching Emma Lewisham skincare.
What made you want to create a skincare line?
The brand's seeds were sown when I discovered a product I had used on my brown spots (hyperpigmentation) contained a known carcinogen. Further research led me to uncover how unregulated the beauty industry is, despite the credible study and research proving the impacts of skincare on our health. I went looking to replace my skincare with genuinely natural and safe alternatives that work with scientifically-backed results – only to find they didn't exist. I was used to investing in high-performance, premium skin creams and serums; suddenly, I found myself browsing in organic health shops to find a natural equivalent. I realised these products were not going to deliver the results I wanted. Natural products came at the compromise to science-backed efficacy. I decided Emma Lewisham skincare would be the change I wanted to see in the beauty industry. I wanted to prove it was possible to create a product that was not only 100 per cent natural but also backed by scientifically proven results, and it needed to feel luxurious as any premium brand. Today, we have developed a reputation in the market for delivering scientifically validated results, independently verified results to rival iconic luxury cosmetic brands. Our skincare is also planet positive – we're leading a movement towards a circular, carbon positive and transparent beauty industry.
What has been the most challenging product to make?
The Emma Lewisham Skin Reset Serum. It's unique, and it's an industry first. A 100 percent natural skin serum with scientifically proven results to reverse the signs of hyperpigmentation, dullness, age spots, and an uneven skin tone. Made to restore radiance and an even tone to the skin, the results are from five years of research, independently tested by a biomedical research laboratory and proven to outperform traditional luxury brightening brands, including cosmeceuticals. It inhibits the production of hyperpigmentation but won't harm the growth or health of 'good skin cells'. It took over 50 iterations to get this product right, and I'm so proud of what we've achieved.
What's a typical working day for you?
The best thing about my job is that no day is ever the same. I'm often up very early with our two-year-old daughter Milla, juggling checking emails while getting her ready for the day. I'm often with the scientists at the laboratory to discuss and problem-solve new formulations. I spend a significant amount of time working on the sustainability in the supply chain of our business – I believe we need to take ownership of the people in the entire supply chain to take care of the planet. Then it could be at media interviews to visiting our retailers and connecting with our customers. I put aside time every day to personally answer customer questions and feedback.
What have you been most surprised by working in the beauty industry?
The regulations of the skincare industry surprised me. The primary responsibility of cosmetic laws here in New Zealand and Australia fall on importers and manufacturers to police. New Zealand is reactive rather than proactive when it comes to the cosmetic industry. Consumers need to know the formulas of the products they buy and use, as there's no governing body looking at that. We have written an open letter to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) asking them to update their list of banned ingredients to align with best international practice and the latest scientific research. We will continue to follow up.
What advice would you give other women starting a business or launching a brand?
I love the expression: always go that extra mile; it's never crowded. I believe that when you go the extra mile, that's where you find magic in your work. We have achieved many things that haven't been achieved in the skincare space before, and this is because we never give up and always go the extra mile.
What would you say is the #1 key to success in your business?
There is not one thing. All of the little things add up when making skincare. First, to be efficacious, make high-quality products, problem-solve and offer solutions to sustainability issues. Be responsive to customers, and take on board their feedback, thanks to the great team working behind the scenes. Collectively these are the values that make a difference.
What's one lesson you have learned you would pass onto others?
Tenacity is my most significant learning. When you launch a business (actually, years before you even get to the launch!), you need to go with your gut instinct and stick to your vision. We challenge our suppliers on everything – from ingredient transparency. For instance, we develop a world-first 100 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) sunscreen tube. It was a first, and we knew this would take plastic out of circulation and divert it from landfills while having a quantifiable positive impact on the environment. Challenging the status quo is never easy, and you need to pick your partners carefully and find ones that share your vision and values.
Fresh flowers add the pops of colour to Lewisham’s nature-inspired interior style.
BEAUTY
Who is your beauty icon?
Amal Clooney.
What are your secrets to staying healthy and looking great?
I have a daily routine of meditation, 20-minutes twice a day. I eat plant-based food and do 30 minutes of exercise a day. I think it's the things we do each day that make a difference in our lives.
What's your best beauty hack?
Curl your lashes. I push my lashes slightly to the outside before clamping down to create a doe-eyed wide-awake effect. Then, for the second curl, go closer to the end of the lash, creating another upwards curl, further lengthening the lash. Also, I use a bronzer to warm up and brighten my skin; I use bareMinerals Endless Hightliger applied all over the contours of the face, on the apples of your cheeks, and even across the eyelids.
The natural products in Lewisham’s beauty routine including Emma Lewisham Skin Reset Serum, $148. The new Emma Lewisham Illuminating Brighten Your Day Creme, $107. Emma Lewisham Skin Shield SPF30, $92.
What's your favourite beauty buys?
sans [ceuticals] Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face Oil, $59. Innersense Organic Beauty Hydrating Cream Hair Bath, $17 and ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation, $92.
What is the best advice on beauty you've received?
Wear sun protection every day - a minimum of an SPF30. I was surprised to learn that the sun's UV rays cause 80 per cent of skin ageing, which affects the skin 365 days of the year, even when it's cloudy. I'm passionate about the importance of this as a core part of our customers' skincare routines.
What is the one non-negotiable in your beauty routine?
Lipstick. It's associated with self-confidence for me. It says to the world, I am putting in the effort. My go-to lipstick is Karen Murrell in Scarlet Blaze, $32.
What would we find in your makeup bag?
Emma Lewisham Skin Shield SPF30 as a primer, lipstick, Ilia foundation, eyelash curler, and bronzer.
Favourite fragrance?
AYU Souq Scented Perfume Oil from $68 – it's a natural scent without compromising on luxury.
Emma Lewisham Skincare. Lewisham’s grandmother’s chest of drawers in the master bedroom.
HOME
How would you describe your home?
Classic. We live in a 1960s bungalow that we renovated and refurbished a few years ago, upgrading the kitchen and putting in central heating, which has been fantastic in winter. It's in a quiet street, so it has been a wonderful place to recharge from our hectic working life. Currently, it's child-proof; Milla gets into everything!
What do you think makes a great interior?
A reflection of your personality, a room that creates the feeling you want to be there.
Are you a neutral or colour girl when it comes to interior style?
Both. I love neutral tones and nature-inspired colours for the paint, carpet and core furniture pieces. But then I like to add colour with paintings, soft furnishing fresh flowers - I love to have flowers in my home. I think that is a been reflection of my skincare brand; those pops of bright colour reflect my brand.
What's your most treasured possession?
The beautiful antique furniture given to me by my late grandmother; I always admired her sense of style, and two Sir William Russell Flint paintings are hanging in our kitchen.
What's your favourite room in your home?
Our kitchen. We have a built-in window seat, which looks out to the most beautiful trees and greenery. It's very private, calming and a lovely aspect to the house.
What do you collect?
Books.
What makes a house a home?
The people that live in it. Also, the feelings of joy, peace, comfort and contentment.
