For the first time, skincare joined meat and dairy as a priority on a New Zealand trade mission to China, signalling a new era of opportunity for Aotearoa’s thriving natural beauty industry. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon placed the spotlight on the country’s premium, science-led skincare during high-level trade talks, acknowledging its growing role in New Zealand’s export economy and brand reputation abroad.

This move reflects a shift in the global perception of beauty: one that favours sustainability, innovation and conscious consumption. And few countries are better positioned than New Zealand to deliver on this promise.

From world-first, science-backed formulations to refillable packaging and regenerative business models, these are the homegrown beauty brands leading the charge right now.

RAAIE

Founded by Katey Mandy, RAAIE marries chronobiology with native New Zealand botanicals, creating products designed to work in sync with your skin’s circadian rhythms. The brand’s sun-care and anti-aging formulas leverage antioxidant-rich plants like mānuka and kawakawa, housed in refillable, sculptural glass vessels. RAAIE has been globally recognised for its brand and packaging design, winning at the NZSCC Awards and reaching finalist status at the NEXT Beauty Awards in Los Angeles.

Emma Lewisham

Emma Lewisham’s namesake brand disrupted the luxury skincare market by proving that natural, high-performance products can also be planet-positive. Formulated by scientists with over 100 years’ combined expertise, each product features meticulously selected bio-actives designed for maximum efficacy. In just two years, the brand pioneered 100% circular, refillable packaging—earning praise from none other than Dr Jane Goodall. Lewisham was recently named Spark Innovator of the Year and recognised at the Vogue Codes Visionary Women’s Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Innovation.

Aleph

Pro makeup artist Emma Peters founded Aleph to challenge the compromises in so-called ‘clean’ beauty. Aleph’s small but mighty range includes multipurpose tints, balms and powders in elegant glass pots—designed to simplify routines and reduce waste. The brand’s commitment to performance and sustainability is redefining beauty routines, proving that less really can be more.

Tronque

Tanné Snowden was recovering from surgery when she investigated what was in her own skincare, and decided to create a science-backed body care brand filled with nourishing botanicals, minerals and oils. The brand’s mission? To elevate body care to the same prestige as facial skincare—without compromising on ingredients or results. Tronque’s Scar Concentrate, Vitamin C Body Oil and soufflé-like Firming Butter have earned global fans and landed in top retailers like Neiman Marcus and Blue Mercury. They’ve picked up a slew of awards, most recently being named in BeautyMatter’s NEXT50 list, celebrating startups showing exceptional promise and disruptive potential.

CZE Hair

Launched by hairstylist Chloe Zara Munro in 2020, CZE Hair focuses on scalp health as the foundation for great hair. Bestsellers like the Glossifying Hair Mist and Silk Balm combine natural actives with sleek, glass-packaged design. It’s a new frontier in clean haircare—effective, ethical, and beautiful on the bathroom shelf.

Aotea

Rooted in mātauranga Māori, Aotea was founded by Tama Toki (Ngāti Rehua, Ngā Puhi) and is designed and produced on ancestral land on Great Barrier Island. Ingredients like kawakawa and kūmarahou are grown, extracted and formulated onsite, using solar-powered facilities and zero-waste processes. The brand also invests in R&D to validate the therapeutic benefits of native flora. Cementing its global appeal, in 2023, Aotea partnered with Air New Zealand, bringing its products to long-haul flights.

Sans [ceuticals] 

Founded in 2007 by former hairstylist Lucy Vincent, sans [ceuticals] has been quietly leading the clean beauty movement long before it was mainstream. Defined as much by what it leaves out as what it puts in, the brand uses only pure, sustainable ingredients – no harmful additives, no unnecessary extras. Its minimalist, multi-use formulas have earned a loyal following, with the cult-favourite Activator 7 Oil serving as the perfect entry point for the uninitiated.

Anihana

Anihana is the bold New Zealand body and haircare brand turning heads worldwide. Known for its vibrant, solid-format bars and bombs, Anihana is now stocked in over 8,000 stores across Australia, New Zealand and the U.S., including retail giants like Target and Walmart. Founded by Sophie Cooper in 2016, the brand champions joyful, eco-friendly self-care with natural ingredients and compostable packaging. Anihana was crowned the country’s fastest-growing exporter in Deloitte’s 2024 Fast 50 and spotlighted in BeautyMatter’s 2025 NEXT50 list of global beauty game-changers.

Linden Leaves

One of New Zealand’s original natural beauty brands, Linden Leaves was founded in a Christchurch kitchen in 1995 by Brigit Blair, who set out to create gentle, effective products for her children’s eczema-prone skin. What began as a labour of love has grown into an iconic NATRUE-certified Kiwi brand known for its handmade, ethically produced skincare. For hard-to-buy-for loved ones, the sensorial Memories Body Oil is a timeless go-to. On Luxon’s recent China trade mission, CEO Juliet Blair said: “It’s fantastic to have our New Zealand owned and operated premium natural brand part of a mission where natural, science-led beauty is on the agenda. The potential uplift from regulatory improvements in China is huge for the Natural Skincare sector, even though every opportunity brings its own set of challenges!”