Beauty entrepreneur Jaimee Lupton on a journey to parenthood – and the birth of Gingernut’s Angels.
Jaimee Lupton knows all too well the complexities and emotions involved when having a child doesn’t come easily, experiencing firsthand the immense joys and depths of heartbreak throughout her own fertility journey over several years.
Then in 2021, Jaimee and her partner, Nick Mowbray, conceived a much-tried-for pregnancy after multiple rounds of IVF both here and in the US. Sadly, their first daughter – named Gingernut in a nod to her father’s flaming red tresses and her mother’s pregnancy craving – would be born perfect, but still, in March 2022. Jaimee describes the grief of losing a child as uniquely devastating, “like a club no one wants to be part of”. In the wake of Gingernut’s passing, Jaimee connected with countless people across New Zealand and beyond who were on their own, often incredibly difficult, fertility journeys. The common sentiment was one of struggle: not just with the emotional and physical effects of treatments, but also the financial stress as the costs of medical interventions piled up.
“It breaks my heart to think that finances would be the reason someone doesn’t get to be a parent,” says Lupton, so she and Nick, co-founder of ZURU, created Gingernut’s Angels, an organisation providing financial support for those in New Zealand whose fertility journey is less than straightforward. With one in four people experiencing infertility and one in eight requiring some form of medical assistance to achieve a pregnancy, with Gingernut’s Angels, Jaimee hopes to help alleviate some of this burden for people – with financial grants toward their own unique fertility journey. “My wish for Gingernut’s Angels is there to be little angels born all over New Zealand, and that will be my daughter’s legacy.”
Despite her success as the founder of the hugely successful MONDAY Haircare and with several new brands recently hitting the shelves, being a parent was something Jaimee wanted, “more than anything”. With her second daughter, Noa, being born in April 2024, Jaimee knows how crucial it is to keep the hope up for those who are still on their journey.
This year alone, Gingernut’s Angels raised $180,000 from the community, which will go directly to fertility grants which will be announced later in the year. “New Zealanders especially are such kind, empathetic and generous people,” says Jaimee, “total strangers’ receptiveness to Gingernut’s Angels is a testament to the power of that collective support.”
She says that the birth of her second daughter “has really doubled down on the importance of Gingernut’s Angels to me. My daughter, Noa, is the sweetest gift. My hope is that as many people as possible get their wish for a family”. The beauty industry powerhouse is relishing her role as mum to Noa, saying: “With all of the launches our team has had lately (Ch.lon Paris and Osāna Naturals are just two on the roster) I’ve had to go back to work and take calls and meetings from home, but I always make time to ensure I’m there to wake her up from her naps. It’s such a sweet moment.”
Finally, what would she tell a couple wanting to apply for assistance through the work of Gingernut’s Angels, who are experiencing the heartbreaking journey of infertility?
“Hope is not lost. That was something that guided me through my own very difficult fertility journey, which included the loss of our first daughter, Gingernut. Hope is the thing you hold onto more than anything, and with Gingernut’s Angels, I want to help keep that hope for people.”
