EMMA LEWISHAM 'Being different is a great thing!'

The Kiwi skincare queen opens up about her humble beginnings, her determination to break the mould and her struggles with infertility.

- JUDY BAILEY

Emma Lewisham has a personal endorsement from legendary conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, and her self-named skincare products have been snapped up by Hollywood glitterati like Margot Robbie and Julianne Moore. Gwyneth Paltrow has added the Emma Lewisham brand to her Goop website and she’s been featured in Vogue magazine.

Hers is the world’s first certified carbon-positive and circular-designed beauty brand. Her products are natural and the packaging is completely refillable. Emma Lewisham is one of Australasia’s fastest-growing beauty brands.

It’s surprising, then, that she launched just under four years ago, without a traditional background in the beauty business. And she achieved it all right here in New Zealand.

“We underestimate the knowledge we have,” the 38-year-old insists.

It’s been quite a journey for the farm girl from Morrinsville, another high achiever from that small Waikato town. Morrinsville’s other famous scion is former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, which delights Emma. “It’s great that we’re both from there.”

Emma didn’t come from a privileged background. Her parents were “incredibly hard-working”, she says. “Dad was a livestock manager for MAF [Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry] and he was also a sharemilker. He would get up at 4.30am and milk the cows. Mum stayed at home with us kids during the day and worked at night. I’d go with her to her cleaning job at the local bank. Nothing was below her. That instilled a sense of humility in me.