Top twelve Aotearoa beauty brands we love
Aotearoa is home to an impressive line-up of beauty entrepreneurs. Some started in their kitchens, mixing up potions in trial and error. Others were inspired by native plants and ingredients, or Māori traditions brought to the forefront of their brands. Then you have the trail-blazers who found new, sustainable business models and challenged others to do the same. Each of these homegrown brands offer something unique, but what they share in common is a knack for making beauty more considered, paired-back and socially conscious.
In our top ten list we revisit the homegrown classics as well as new and noteworthy brands that deserve a spot in our makeup bags and bathroom shelves.
Aotea
Aotea, the Māori name for Great Barrier Island, is where local Tama Toki found inspiration to start his skincare company by the same name. Rooted in mātauranga māori, Aotea incorporates knowledge of traditional herbal remedies into their considered range of skincare.
Sauce fave -
Handmade in small batches on the island, their Kūmarahou and Mānuka Honey cream cleanser is a dream formula for sensitive or irritated skin.
Emma Lewisham
A trail-blazer in sustainable beauty, Emma Lewisham has been advocating for luxury brands to confront their environmental impact, offering a leaf from her book - literally, she published her company’s circular-model IP for others to copy. A luxurious must-haves range for that luminous glow we all love.
Sauce fave -
Supernatural Vitamin A Face Oil is our hero product for that youthful glow and even complexation. It is super lightweight, and not to mention supernatural (packed with bioactive botanicals).
Botaniq
With hair care staples specifically designed to empower you to love your authentic, natural hair (the curls, cowlicks, frizz and flyaways) the New Zealand entrepreneur behind Botaniq, Adelle Rodda is simplifying wash day and ending the war against frizz. Adelle was frustrated by the greenwashing and misleading claims that are rife in the beauty industry so she began formulating hair products for her clients with natural and effective, research-backed ingredients. Now, known as botaniq. Another close-loop beauty brand with packaging made with amber glass and aluminium for easy refills and infinitely recycled.
Sauce fave -
The refresh cleaner is as the name suggests all about deeply refreshing the scalp with stripping the hair of its natural oils. Also it contains zero fragrances.
Sphaera
Known for their understated square soap bars, Sphaera started in Wellington by visual artist and health practitioner Ali Johnson, who was inspired by the everyday rituals of bathing. Sphaera’s recent foray into hair care is impressive. Like their soaps, the shampoo and conditioner bars smell like a spa, botanical and delicate.
Sauce fave -
I haven’t found a solid conditioner for my dry hair that’s as good as their Nourished + Restore bar - it’s as hydrating as a rich hair mask, without the wasteful packaging.
Maryse
Facialist Maryse O'Donnell is the visionary behind local skincare and beauty brand Maryse. Purposeful and holistic in her approach to skincare, it’s fitting that she took nearly two years to formulate one of her first makeup products, Mineral Tints.
Sauce fave -
These lip and cheek balms are the perfect cheat for glowing skin like you just spent a day at the beach. They come in two shades - Hyacinth is a pinky rose and Apricots is a warmer hue. Made with coconut oil, they go on sheerer than traditional lip/cheek stains, making them much easier to blend and build up as you like.
Aleph Beauty
Aleph Beauty is another local brand nailing the skincare/makeup hybrid. It was created by makeup artist Emma Peters, an industry veteran who wanted a high-performing, professional makeup that was healthier for the skin.
Sauce fave -
Used sparingly, Aleph's creamy, high-coverage foundation/concealer pots look natural and keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. The shade range is really inclusive and if you mix a little dab into your face cream or oil, it makes a gorgeous tinted moisturiser.
Indigo & Iris
Started by two friends on a philanthropic mission, Indigo & Iris launched their hero product, Levitate mascara back in 2018 with a goal to donate 50% of their profits to the Fred Hollows Foundation, helping to end preventable blindness in the Pacific Islands.
Sauce fave -
If you love volume, this mascara is a great buildable option that passes the no-clump, no-flake test while putting your money towards a good cause.
Kumo
Kumo was founded towards the end of 2021 by the wonderful celebrity facialist and dermal specialist Kate Michelmore. So it’s very new in the beauty space. But, Kate’s career spans across two decade in the industry not only as a facialist but also as a skincare expert and expert formulator. Kumo’s microbiome supportive range protects and supports the integral hydro-lipidic film and bolsters against intrinsic ageing due to inflammation. Batch-made locally in New Zealand which means there is very little waste involved in manufacturing process.
Sauce fave -
Our top pick from the range is the Bioactive+ Face & Body Cleansing Oil, great for deep cleansing while maintaining the natural PH.
Antipodes
A pioneer in natural skincare, Antipodes has created many beauty-shelf staples and helped put organic New Zealand skincare on the world stage since 2006. Founded by ex-biologist Elizabeth Banks (who is still the company’s CEO), Antipodes products continue to be made here in Aotearoa despite being sold in 40 markets worldwide.
Sauce fave -
If your skin is in need of a little TLC, their Halo skin-brightening mask is insanely good - it uses geothermal mud to purify, plus jojoba oil and glycerine to make your skin baby-soft.
The Wellington Apothecary
Hailing from the Capital, The Wellington Apothecary is a treasure trove of natural health and beauty finds, such as bespoke tea blends, hand-rolled Palo Santo incense and skincare made fresh in their on-site studio.
Sauce fave -
The Sun, Wind & Sea Serum is always sold out at their Cuba St store for good reason. Made with soothing aloe vera, kawakawa and sea buckthorn, this golden serum is an instant hydration fix for skin post-swim. If you’re ever visiting, book a massage with one of the lovely therapists here, you won’t regret it.
Sans (ceuticals)
The latin word for “without”, Sans (ceuticals) was one of the first Kiwi-owned companies to clearly communicate what they don’t use, rather than what they do. Sans was created by industry maven Lucy Vincent (co-founder of Stephen Marr salons), whose minimal and fresh approach to beauty is mirrored in her range of clean, considered products.
Sauce fave -
I won’t bore you with a long list of their ingredient no-gos, but if you haven’t tried their hero Activator 7, you’re missing out. It’s a powerhouse of vitamin-rich oils perfect for nourishing the hair, body and face. Plus, it smells delicious like licorice allsorts!
Chloe Zara Hair
Founded by expert hair stylist Chloe Zara, her eponymous hair care range is a tight edit of luxurious, effective products that focus on protecting hair health void of parabens, sulphates and silicones.
Sauce fave -
We love and use all of CZH products but one that stands out the most is the hair & body perfume oil. Lightweight, packed with nutrients, luxurious—it not only protects the hair from styling tools but also UV rays and pollution. A little bit of luxury in a bottle.
Oh, and did we mention it smells ABSOLUTELY divine?
