Emma Lewisham, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Emma Lewisham, has been named Spark Innovator of the Year Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau at the 2025 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, recog-nising her innovations in scientific skincare and the circular beauty movement. It is the first time a beauty brand has won in this category which further signals the immense innovation Emma Lewisham is achieving in the beauty industry.
Since its launch in 2019, Emma Lewisham has redefined skincare formulations and sustainability in beauty and earned global recognition for pioneering genuinely revolutionary natural skincare and world-first circular beauty solutions.
In reflecting on her award, Emma said: “Problem-solving and curiosity have been constants in my life since childhood and have allowed me to identify hard problems that haven’t been solved before and find solutions for them. At Emma Lewisham, we do this every day and I’m immensely proud of what we continue to achieve with our genuinely revolutionary approach to science and sustainability in beauty.”
“To me, this isn’t an individual award, it belongs to the entire Emma Lewisham team. Solving challenges, bringing world-first patented products to market, and proving circular models are viable, these are achievements even the largest beauty houses haven’t accomplished and required extraordinary collective effort. This award is a testament to our team’s vision, persistence, and unwavering commitment to transforming industry standards for the better.”
Emma also acknowledged the other finalists in her category, celebrating their shared commitment to meaningful innovation: “To stand alongside such inspiring innovators is truly a privilege. Congratulations to the other finalists, your remarkable work is a testament to the power of innovation in shaping meaningful change. And thank you to Spark and Kiwibank for championing innovation that challenges the status quo to shape a better future.”
Emma Lewisham’s commitment to innovation is recognised internationally and best evidenced in Emma Lewisham Supernatural Vitale Elixir, a genuinely revolutionary topical alternative to anti-wrinkle injections that launched last year. With proven results that show a reduction in the frequency of muscle contractions responsible for fine lines and wrinkles within 24 hours, the natural formulation has become a best-seller in iconic global retailers including MECCA, Space NK and Harrods and is outperforming major brands within the same category.
Additionally, Emma Lewisham Supernatural Blemish Serum, a patented live skin-strain probiotic which delivers more than 350 million live probiotic cells to help to diminish the appearance of blemishes by balancing the skin’s microbiome and inhibiting the bacteria associated with their formation, is celebrated globally as a first-of-its-kind innovation in the treatment of blemishes.
2025 has seen Emma Lewisham continue to push the boundaries of innovation with the launch of Emma Lewisham Sunceutical Mineral SPF 50, a breakthrough SPF range for the face and body which was more than eight years in the making and one of the brand’s most innovative formulas yet. Marrying invisible mineral Zinc Oxide SPF 50 protection with a luxurious skin feel and advanced skincare benefits, the Emma Lewisham Sunceutical range is both TGA and FDA approved and is testament to the brand’s relentless pursuit of innovation and setting new benchmarks in the beauty industry.
Emma Lewisham is also the world’s first beauty brand to have a complete range of circular-designed and certified Climate Positive skincare, a sustainability innovation and achievement that garnered a personal endorsement by iconic ethologist and United Nations Messenger of Peace, Dr Jane Goodall. Through its circularity programme Beauty Circle, Emma Lewisham welcomes back empty packaging to be refilled or recycled which has resulted in the brand reducing its carbon emissions by up to 75% and has saved over 100 tonnes of carbon since launch.
The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards celebrate individuals and organisations making a significant impact across Aotearoa. The Spark Innovator of the Year category honours those redefining industries through groundbreaking ideas, products, and solutions.
