When Emma Lewisham founded her eponymous skincare brand in 2019, her ambition was not simply to create another beauty line but to truly rethink what high-performance skincare could look like. Built on natural, evidence-based formulations, and a commitment to circularity, the New Zealand brand has since become internationally recognised for its multi-targeted approach to skin health and sustainability.
Now, that philosophy has received an extraordinary acknowledgement from Dr Peter Agre, the professor and scientist awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research into the understanding of how water moves through living cells.
Dr Agre has officially recognised Emma Lewisham’s leadership in the industry for the future-thinking brand’s genuine approach to scientific formulation development and unwavering dedication to ethical and sustainable innovation.
We spoke to Emma Lewisham about this incredible recognition, and where she thinks the beauty industry is heading.
What is the significance of Dr Peter Agre’s recognition to you as a founder and the Emma Lewisham brand?
The Nobel Prize represents the highest recognition of scientific achievement in the world. Dr Agre didn’t discover something incremental, he unveiled something so fundamental it redefined an entire field of science. To be recognised by someone of that calibre speaks to the uniqueness of our approach and the way we think. It validates what we have built in a way that is extremely rare in beauty.
In a beauty world so often shaped by trends, Dr Agre offers something of real weight and gravitas — a recognition of our work, rooted purely in merit by the highest honour in science.
Its significance also lies in the fact that it represents a world first in beauty, delivering genuine cut-through in an exceptionally competitive category. For us, this level of recognition builds a different kind of global awareness and credibility.
What made you want to rethink skincare?
When a doctor advised me to stop using hydroquinone for my hyperpigmentation as it wasn’t safe for my pregnancy, it was the first time I truly considered natural skincare.
None of the brands I looked at had natural, efficacious products with robust, independent testing and science. What was being offered was entirely ingredient-led. I found myself questioning why skincare wasn’t formulated around how the skin actually works. And, at the time, almost no one was talking about refills or circularity as a meaningful way to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
Why did you think to move beyond the idea of the one hero ingredient?
The skin is incredibly complex, with multiple pathways each consisting of numerous steps creating a dynamic, interconnected web of activity.
I could see that a one or two ingredient-based approach was limiting what skincare could achieve, as this is not how the skin works.
That philosophy came to life in Skin Reset Serum, which remains the purest expression of this approach for me.
Rather than targeting a single point in the pigmentation pathway, we designed it to engage multiple stages of the process, creating a coordinated response within the skin.
What does Dr Agre’s recognition reinforce about the future of beauty?
To be recognised by Professor Peter Agre, a scientist whose groundbreaking work reshaped how we understand the natural world, is incredibly meaningful.
He embodies the kind of purpose-driven innovation we aspire to, and his acknowledgement reinforces our mission to lead with both scientific excellence and ethical responsibility.
Ultimately, it reinforces that there is still space, even in an industry as established as beauty, for a brand to do things genuinely differently.
Emma Lewisham is turning the page, if only for a weekend. The Reading Room, a collaboration with Lamplight Books and Blue Tāmaki, brings her special edition publication, Emma Lewisham World, to life through a curated library of the books that inspired it. The pop-up arrives on the back of recognition from Nobel Laureate Dr Peter Agre, adding to Dr Jane Goodall’s earlier acknowledgment of the brand’s sustainability leadership. Part beauty, part science, part curiosity, The Reading Room invites visitors to explore the ideas behind the brand.
Open to the public at Blue Tāmaki, Ponsonby:
Thursday 20 from 11am – 3pm
Friday 21 August 9am – 3pm
The first 100 people will receive a complimentary coffee and Emma Lewisham mini gift.
This article originally appeared in the spring ’26 issue of Fashion Quarterly.
Imagery: Supplied.
As told to: Lucy Slight.
