‘NZ beauty’ is the secret to the glowiest skin of your life – and Margot Robbie is a fan
Picture New Zealand and you're likely to conjure up otherworldly forests and towering mountains from Lord of the Rings. But thanks to celebrities including Margot Robbie, ‘NZ Beauty’ could be about to topple K Beauty off its throne.
Up until now NZ Beauty has been an insider secret. But, if you dream of glowing skin, fit for a Tolkien elf, you’d do well to turn your attention to skincare from Aotearoa (the indigenous name for New Zealand).
With international stockists snapping up Kiwi brands such as Emma Lewisham, Antipodes and Syrene, you needn’t take the 26-hour flight to experience it. New Zealand, after all, is just about as far away as you can get. And for skincare, therein lies its power.
The distant islands are home to some of the planet’s most potent botanicals and ocean nutrients, as well as precious ancestral knowledge to enrich every beauty routine. What’s new on the skincare scene there has ancient roots, so it's no wonder there’s growing ‘aroha’ (love) for skincare from the region.
Margot, who hails from neighbouring Australia, is reportedly a fan of Emma Lewisham, and Katie Holmes – known for her fresh skin and relaxed attitude to make-up – uses home-grown skincare brand Antipodes. Given many of us are consciously curating our beauty cabinets and seeking more minimal skincare routines, it’s a place Kiwi brands fit naturally.
I’m fortunate to now call New Zealand home and was introduced to native skincare when I was pregnant and looking to reduce the amount of chemicals I used on my skin. A friend gave me a pot of Aotea’s Kawakawa Balm and explained that the indigenous Māori community have traditionally used the plant as a potent skin soother. Simply apply to dry skin, lips, nappy rash – anywhere irritated and thirsty.
This palm-sized pot did the job of fistfuls of products I’d been using and contains just three ingredients. Simply put, NZ Beauty is the polar opposite of multi-step regimes and endless ingredients – something your skin may actually thank you for. “Here we encourage simple skincare routines”, says New Zealand dermatology registrar Dr Amrit Singh. “The more ingredients our skin is exposed to, the higher the risk of contact allergic reactions. Keeping it simple, keeps it safer.”
The landscape is an active ingredient in NZ Beauty. “New Zealand has some of the world’s most unpolluted nature,” says Elizabeth Barbalich, Antipodes CEO & Founder. The country is also abundant with bio actives found nowhere else.
This includes the Mānuka flower, the honey from which is so potently antimicrobial it’s been approved for use in wound treatment in US hospitals. Mamaku fern extract is packed with skin-plumping polysaccharides, and (my beloved) Kawakawa is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Skincare brand Syrene is guided by the pristine oceans surrounding the islands. Their new Black Pearl collection uses native Red Seaweed for its potent antioxidants, which protect the skin from environmental stressors.
The climate, in turn, provides the ultimate testing ground for a product’s performance, “New Zealand has naturally high UV levels and an outdoors-orientated culture," notes Dr Singh. "The diverse climate means our skin is exposed to a host of elements, so products which deliver protection are fundamental.”
There is a Māori saying, which translates to ‘I am the land and the land is me’. Here, the spiritual connection to the environment means nutrients are harvested, and in return, the land is nurtured for the next generation. It’s an ethos which echoes across NZ Beauty's approach to sustainability.
At Kaeā, 100% of profits go directly to restoring native ecosystems and so far the brand has planted nearly half a million trees into dying areas.
When launching her eponymous brand, the environment was pivotal for Emma Lewisham. “Growing up always in close proximity to nature profoundly impacted both my deep appreciation for nature’s intelligence, as well as my desire to protect and preserve it”, she says, adding that becoming the world’s first certified Climate Positive, 100% circular beauty brand, which has been endorsed by esteemed conservationist, Dr Jane Goodall, was “career-defining”.
With all of the brand’s collection available in refillable options, it inspires use to the bottom of the jar and a lifelong relationship with a favourite product - which is the most sustainable relationship to have.
Introducing a New Zealand brand into your beauty regime goes beyond great skin. As Tama Toki founder and CEO of Aotea notes, for the Māori people, “the notion of health is approached holistically, encompassing the wellbeing of the body, mind, and spirit. Consequently, skincare and beauty practices are not merely superficial concerns; rather, they are perceived as integral components that contribute to an individual's overall sense of wellbeing.”
The quiet ritual of caring for oneself with thoughtful products matters here. Perhaps that’s the greatest lesson to take home.
Best NZ Beauty Brands To Try Now
Say ‘kia ora’ (hello) to these Kiwi beauty brands:
“Nature’s ingredients hold all the answers if we can simply unlock their intelligence”, says Emma. Her skincare line partners natural ingredients with an advanced understanding of the skin’s physiology, with each product undergoing years of development. The cult favourite Skin Reset Serum has 24 high-performing actives in one – refillable – bottle. Use for a glow à la Margot's.
Inspired by the restorative powers of the Pacific Ocean, Syrene marries sea nutrients with native flora in its signature powerhouse blends, all housed in recycled Ocean Waste Plastics packaging. For a sea-kissed glow, the Aqua Hydrating Masque (which has sold over a quarter of a million jars to date), uses the highest potency of the brand's macro-algae, which creates a deep reservoir of hydration in the skin.
Founded in New Zealand's cool capital, Antipodes was born with the purpose of achieving the performance of prestigious skincare brands using organic and native ingredients. Given the brand is used by Billie Eilish and Katie Holmes, and has become an international icon of NZ Beauty, consider that job done. The vegan Lime Caviar Collagen-Rich Firming Cream, “features lime caviar extract, a natural source of AHAs, to smooth, brighten and plump, and Sepilift DPHP, a powerful peptide”, says founder Elizabeth Barbalich.
Inspired by mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), Aotea’s therapeutic skincare is extracted, formulated and bottled by hand on the wild and remote Great Barrier Island (‘Aotea’). Native and sustainably grown flora define the range, including mānuka honey, which is a humectant meaning it draws moisture to the skin. In line with the brand’s environmental ethos, it gently harvests in order to leave enough honey in the hives for the bees for winter. Flying with Air New Zealand? You’ll find Aotea products in the new onboard amenity kits.
Trilogy Pioneers and experts in pure, natural plant oils, Trilogy’s Certified Organic Rosehip Oil has been a favourite with NZ beauty editors since the brand launched in 2002. The golden wild-harvested, organic rosehip seed oil delivers intense all-over nourishment, thanks to being rich in antioxidants and omega 3, 6 and 9.
With all profits channelled into conservation initiatives, Kaeā’s performance-led botanical skincare restores your skin as well as the environment. At the heart of the collection is the brand’s homegrown mānuka honey, its potency verified with a high UMF 15+ rating (the mānuka grading system). The Rejuvenator is a waterless solid moisturiser that melts on application, like honey on hot toast.
The brand’s solid beauty bars are made of only plant-based and vegan ingredients like coconut oil, essential oils and Fair Trade brown sugar. To date, it has stopped over 6 million plastic bottles from being made and disposed of.
Mānuka honey is a sweet supplement to any skincare routine. Its high levels of antioxidants and vitamins help to defend the skin against free radical damage and it can be applied in its pure form, straight from the jar. Do as the Kiwis do: spread a thin layer to the skin after cleansing, leave for 20 minutes and then rinse.
Founded by New Zealander Frances Shoemack in collaboration with Isaac Sinclair, the region's only Master Perfumer, Abel set out to achieve in scent what had been done in skincare: a natural, plant-derived perfume that stands alongside luxurious brands. Far from smelling like incense, the intelligent, layered ingredients evolve on your skin, working with your natural body chemistry to create a unique scent. Cyan Nori, a sweet, salty musk is inspired by the country’s ‘ocean backyard’ - with 1% of revenue going to support non-profit Sustainable Coastlines New Zealand.
