It’s a standout year for indie beauty and Aotearoa is firmly on the map. In its inaugural NEXT50 list, influential industry platform BeautyMatter has spotlighted two homegrown brands, TRONQUE and Anihana, as part of its 2025 cohort of emerging beauty powerhouses.

Following the success of its FUTURE50, BeautyMatter launched NEXT50 to celebrate startups showing exceptional promise and disruptive potential in the beauty and wellness space. Selection was based on editorial insight and industry intelligence rather than financial metrics alone.

“There is no set playbook for building a great start-up,” says BeautyMatter founder and CEO Kelly Kovack. “For some, it happens quickly while others gain traction slowly and methodically. The list provides the opportunity to highlight businesses with the potential to define what’s next in beauty and wellness.”

TRONQUE, founded by Tanné Snowden in 2022, continues to redefine body care with its science-backed, luxury-led approach. Known for its uncompromising focus on safety and efficacy, the brand has observed rapid global expansion – now stocked in leading US retailers including Blue Mercury, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. TRONQUE has been racking up awards and global attention. This year alone, it took home Who What Wear’s 100 Beauty Award for Best Body Butter and an Oprah Daily Bath-O Award.

“This recognition reaffirms our belief that innovation, integrity and science-backed care are redefining what luxury means in beauty,” says Snowden. “At Tronque, we’re not just creating products – we’re building a movement toward conscious, elevated and radically effective body care.”

“Being named in BeautyMatter’s NEXT50 is both an incredible honour and a powerful catalyst for our continued momentum. To be recognised alongside such pioneering brands is deeply meaningful,” she added.

Also joining the NEXT50 list is Anihana, the sustainability-led brand founded by Sophie Cooper. With a focus on fun, accessible solid-format beauty products, Anihana has carved out a strong presence both locally and abroad. In December, it was crowned New Zealand’s fastest-growing exporter at the Deloitte Fast50 Awards – a remarkable feat for a business just over four years old.

“Being named on the BeautyMatter NEXT50 list is incredibly meaningful – for me personally and for Anihana as a brand,” says Cooper. “I’ve followed the FUTURE50 list for years and dreamed of being part of it one day, so this feels like a first step toward that vision. It’s also exciting to see a sustainable brand like ours celebrated because it reinforces our belief that conscious, accessible beauty can also lead the future of our industry.”

Two inspiring Kiwi brands on the rise – and they’re only just getting started. Congratulations TRONQUE and Anihana!

See the full BeautyMatter 2025 NEXT50 list here.

Main image: TRONQUE