Emma Lewisham
on redefining beauty
“Nature is the world’s most powerful bio-engineer.” This is Emma’s motto, the words that led her to understand that sustainability isn’t just a business strategy. It’s a lifestyle.
Growing up in New Zealand, Emma was raised with the values of kaitiakitanga, and a deep appreciation for living systems: “Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future is our deep-rooted connection to nature. It’s what drives us to innovate in ways that align with the planet.”
Her father equipped her with a strong ethical compass a willingness to take on any challenge. “Inquisitive, analytical and forever searching to prove the impossible, possible”, she was the curious child who became an innovator who questioned the status quo: “I’ve always loved solving problems. I was a little bit of a misfit, a rebellious kid at times, always challenging things.” But it wasn’t until a deeply personal loss and a shocking revelation about the skincare industry that she found her true purpose.
Her world came to a sudden halt when her fast-paced life as a senior executive in a global technology firm felt meaningless in the wake of losing her mother to cancer. Grief made its way into Emma’s life. “No one is invincible,” she realized the depth of introspection. She paused and reconsidered everything: her health, her priorities, and the legacy she wanted to leave behind.
It was during this period of change that another conversation shifted her trajectory. As she discussed the possibility of starting a family, her doctor asked about her skincare routine. “He urged me to stop using a particular product for pigmentation as it was toxic and carcinogenic, and actually banned in many countries,” she recalls. “I think we assume that things on the shelf that we are being sold are just going to be safe, but some toxic ingredients are an atomic bomb to our health.”
Setting out to create a beauty empire was never her intention. Determined to find an alternative, she dove deep into research, poring over ingredient lists and scientific studies. What she found shocked her. The beauty industry, she discovered, was full of compromises. You could have luxury, science-backed efficacy, or clean ingredients, but not all three. This moment was the seed for what would become Emma Lewisham Skincare: “We flipped the industry standard on its head. I took on the challenge to build a brand that was as effective, if not more effective, than high-end skincare brands.”
Her breakthrough? Activating the innate intelligence of the skin. Emma knew that if she was going to do this, she had to do it right. She partnered with pioneering scientists and labs, developing formulations that harnessed up to 25 active ingredients, far more than the industry standard. “We flipped the industry on its head. Our concentrations are up to four times higher and all 100% natural.”
Clean ingredients were only one part of the puzzle. The beauty industry had another huge issue: waste. “The reality of beauty products is that despite our best efforts to recycle them, often they don’t go anywhere but landfill. When I found out that would be the journey of our products, I couldn’t turn a blind eye to it.”
Determined to prove that sustainability and luxury could coexist, she launched a refill and reuse model for her brand. Customers would send back empty glass bottles, which were sterilized, refilled, and returned. A partnership with recycling giant TerraCycle, creating the Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle, is a program designed to ensure no product packaging ended up in landfill. “The planet shouldn’t be compromised for beauty because to me, that’s not beauty. The current model is broken. Refill is the future of beauty.”
“I’m at the heart of the brand and it really comes back to having a personal connection with the customers. They’re talking to a person, not just a brand. This innate generosity is reflected in her relationships, and beyond one’s own brand. Emma wasn’t interested in keeping her sustainability breakthroughs a secret - she wanted to change the entire industry. That’s why she wrote an open letter to the beauty world, offering her Sustainability Blueprint, a step-by-step guide detailing everything her company had done to become the world’s first certified Climate-Positive and 100% circular skincare brand.
A firm believer in collaboration over competition, Emma made her intellectual property available to competitors. “The biggest challenge is transforming a deeply entrenched, linear model of ‘take, make, waste’ into one of true circularity. But the world needs scale and pace if we are to meet global climate goals.” Legendary Dr. Jane Goodall praised her for transforming what it means to be a truly sustainable business: “Emma is showing her peers that this approach is not just possible, but paramount if we are to make a meaningful difference.”
Beauty doesn’t have to come at the cost of health or the planet, and Emma’s journey is the living proof. She has completely redefined what it means to be a luxury brand: “I could see that sustainability was in itself a problem, and I didn’t want a brand that was contributing to it. I wanted to do it differently, in a way that aligned with my personal values. We can do this better—so why wouldn’t we?”
Emma guides us towards embracing Hauora, a holistic Māori approach to well-being, emphasizing the interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit, and environment: When you take care of yourself from the inside out - through regular exercise, quality sleep, and nourishing whole foods, when you prioritize Hauora, it radiates outward.”
BLOOMING Sustainability Questionnaire
Name: Emma Lewisham
Company & Title: Skincare Entrepreneur; Speaker; Sustainability Pioneer; Founder & CEO, Emma Lewisham
Website & LinkedIn Profile: https://emmalewisham.com/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-lewisham-82b876194/
* Guiding Values | Kaupapa
If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?
Sustainability would be a native wildflower: resilient, regenerative, and deeply connected to enriching its environment. It would have deep roots that anchor it in purpose.
A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” (Jane Goodall)
If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?
Know your purpose and hold yourself to this through your business journey.
When I take a step back to what our purpose truly is, it always comes back to people and wanting to provide something fundamentally better which means they don’t have to compromise. My North Star is to deliver products that work, and are good for us and the world around us. I am relentless in wanting to develop the very best products in the world but am determined to do so without compromising on our values.
When we started, so many people told us that it couldn’t be done. That it wasn’t possible to produce luxurious, natural, high-performing, circular skincare and that we could never compete with the well-established skincare giants. Yet, fast-forward to today, and in many instances, our formulations have been proven to outperform these brands and are top-selling in retailers such as MECCA, Harrods, Liberty and Credo USA.
* Leading Change | Arataki
A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:
In 2016, I had lost my mother to cancer and was simultaneously navigating the challenges of falling pregnant. I became passionate about all aspects of my health and wellbeing, leading to a conversation with my doctor, which planted the seeds for Emma Lewisham. He advised me against using a skincare product during my conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding journey that I had been using to combat my hyperpigmentation containing an active ingredient, hydroquinone. However, he couldn’t recommend a natural alternative that worked.
I had a real desire to now use natural products on my skin, but searching globally, I found that natural skincare came at a compromise to innovation, luxury, and scientifically backed results. My research led me to discover the work of Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry, Frances Arnold, who through her ground-breaking work is proving that nature is the most powerful bioengineer.
Since I was young, I have always been drawn to the challenge of doing or building something that’s both incredibly difficult and truly meaningful: solving problems that I deeply believe need to be addressed but have yet to be conquered. The opportunity to build something groundbreaking and impactful is what drove me to create Emma Lewisham.
Having simultaneously discovered the unprecedented level of waste the beauty industry is responsible for, I knew that from inception Emma Lewisham would take responsibility for everything we produce, both offering refills for every product as well as bringing back empty packaging to be refilled.
I founded Emma Lewisham to create skincare that are not only pure and good for people but are luxurious and scientifically advanced. I knew that if we were able to create exceptional products, we had the ability to bring about change in the beauty industry.
What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?
The biggest challenge is transforming a deeply entrenched, linear model of 'take, make, waste’ into one of true circularity. Believing in collaboration over competition, we have shared our IP with beauty companies globally to try to enable other beauty brands to do the same. We see these challenges as opportunities to inspire others and create a new standard for what sustainability in beauty should look like as the world needs scale and pace if we are to meet global climate goals.
An area you need more support with:
Shifting consumer mindsets toward actively participating in our circular packaging model. For our system to be truly effective, we rely on customers returning their empties to Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle drop-off points like MECCA so we can sterilize, refill, and reuse our packaging materials, giving them a second life and closing the loop to reduce waste.
An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:
One perspective that I genuinely embrace in my everyday life and want people to be mindful of is Hauora, a Māori philosophy that encapsulates the meaning of holistic well-being. It reflects the interconnectedness of all aspects of health and the way they influence one another - embracing the balance of mind, body, spirit, and the environment. That’s why I always feel my best in my skin when I take care of myself from the inside out - through regular exercise, quality sleep, and nourishing whole foods. I truly believe when I prioritize Hauora elements in my life, it radiates outward.
Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:
At Emma Lewisham, we lead through action, and a core part of engaging our stakeholders is our Supplier Principles. These standards ensure ethical and sustainable practices across our supply chain, guiding us to collaborate with partners who share our commitment to environmental responsibility, fair labour practices, and innovation in sustainability. By holding ourselves and our suppliers to these high standards, we create a ripple effect of positive change, uplifting our partners and taking them on a journey of growth and improvement with us.
What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?
Our superpower in creating a sustainable future is our deep-rooted connection to nature and the values of kaitiakitanga - guardianship and care for the environment. This relationship with land, water, and resources is woven into the fabric of our culture and informs how we think about long-term health and sustainability of our environment. It’s what drives us to innovate in ways that are in alignment with the planet, honouring the systems that sustain us.
* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki
Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:
One book that really influenced my approach to sustainability is "The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. This book opened my eyes to the impact a circular economy can have on reducing waste and making the most of our resources. It helped me think beyond the traditional linear model of "take, make, waste" and inspired me to think of ways to close the loop in the beauty industry.
Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:
One must-attend event for both environmental advocates and those passionate about sustainability is the Dr. Jane Goodall “Reasons for Hope” tour. An iconic ethologist and United Nations Messenger of Peace, Dr. Goodall's talks are incredibly inspiring as she shares her lifelong work in conservation and environmental stewardship. I had the incredible privilege of joining her during the Auckland leg of her global tour - a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. She shared memories from her extraordinary journey and offered wisdom on creating a life of work that future generations can be inspired and proud of.
A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:
The NZFN (New Zealand Food Network) address food waste by rescuing surplus food and redirecting it to communities in need. Our team had the privilege of volunteering with NZFN last year, where we helped pack 266 boxes, amounting to 3,990kg of food, enough to provide more than 8,866 meals to those who need it most.
If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?
The seed of change would be a global movement where sustainability is no longer seen as a niche or trend, but as a non-negotiable part of how we operate in every industry. It would cultivate a future where consumers demand transparency, brands embrace responsibility, and the environment thrives because we’re all taking collective action.
The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:
Maggie Marilyn
One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:
Embrace a circular mindset by making one small swap today - something as simple as bringing a reusable cup for your coffee, choosing a refillable product, or walking instead of driving. Small changes can create a lasting impact.