Few indie beauty brands have earned the accolades associated with Emma Lewisham.
The eponymous skincare brand, founded in New Zealand by a former tech executive, launched back in 2019 with exclusively clean formulations and a completely circular model (initially, the brand even took back empties). It's since announced carbon positive status, the world's highest B Corp score of any luxury skincare brand, and a personal endorsement from the late, great Jane Goodall.
Towards the end of last year, I caught up with Emma while she was in Sydney (while currently Auckland based, she's planning a move to London to facilitate brand growth in the UK). She mentioned that she'd been working closely with Dr Peter Agre, an American physician and molecular biologist best known for his discovery of aquaporins, or the mechanism by which cells facilitate the rapid transport of water throughout the body. This groundbreaking discovery actually earned Dr Agre the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
She also mentioned that Dr Agre had made the decision to personally and publicly endorse Emma Lewisham skincare – a first for him. Emma Lewisham formulas are known as skin-first, and focused on skin biology (as in, the brand makes products that will work harmoniously with the skin, or in tune with biological processes). While it sounds simple, it's actually not that common in skincare – many brands formulate based on trend, texture or with one singular ingredient in mind. Emma's commitment to science, as well as sustainability, is pretty pioneering in the context of the beauty industry – something Dr Agre also agrees with.
It's an incredible feat for Emma and her brand. I've watched the skincare go from relatively unheard of to world leader in the context of efficacy and sustainability. Beauty is one of the largest contributors to waste globally – Emma has proved this needn't be the case. She's also proved you can do so without compromising on luxury (anyone who's tried the products will know the user experience is incredible – my favourite formulas are the Oil Cleanser and Supernatural Face Creme Riche).
In Australia and New Zealand, you can shop Emma Lewisham exclusively via MECCA.
Images: Supplied by Emma Lewisham.
