In the Ruby boutique family, beauty isn’t just about how you look — it’s about how you live, how you care for yourself, and the quiet rituals that connect generations. Owner Christine Sharma and her daughters, Emily Miller-Sharma and Anna-Lise Sharma Lawson, work on their fashion empire alongside one another, but their most enduring collaboration might just be in the realm of shared wisdom, not only when it comes to fashion but skincare too. “The way to mum’s heart is to buy a new skincare product,” Anna-Lise laughs.
Skincare, for Christine, has always been about hydration, protection, and embracing change. “As the skin ages, it needs different types of product,” she says, noting her commitment to high-quality formulas and regular facials. That deep respect for skin — and for the life it reflects — was quietly passed down. Emily remembers “playing with all of mum’s things as a kid” and watching the way Christine applied her creams “down the neck and on the face.” Anna-Lise’s earliest skincare lessons were just as tactile: “The natural exfoliant from using an everyday flannel we learnt [from Christine]. That, and to keep things simple.”
These rituals became daily anchors. For Anna-Lise, applying make-up marks the start of the day; removing it becomes the reset. Holidays together at their bach in Whiritoa often evolve into impromptu beauty exchanges — new serums and masks traded back and forth, each one tried with curiosity and delight. But perhaps the deepest legacy is perspective — a sense of ease and normalcy around ageing. Emily recalls watching Christine acknowledge new lines on her face without a hint of regret.
“I remember as mum was ageing and noticing her skin changing, she would notice a new wrinkle. And she would always name it. She would be like, ‘Oh, this is a new wrinkle.’ And she wasn’t excited, but she celebrated it. She made it seem like that was just the most normal thing in the world, of course, which it is,” says Emily. “But it created a sense of reality, which I think is really important. So for me, thinking about my son and also my nieces and nephews, I want them to know that [how] their skin appears will change over time.”
Anna-Lise echoes this: “It’s a privilege to grow old… accept the changes as they happen.” It’s a philosophy the Sharmas embody — celebrating the skin you’re in while elevating it with the best care available — and one that aligns effortlessly with Lancôme’s Rénergie C.R.x. Triple Serum Retinol. Just as each Sharma woman brings her own expertise to Ruby, the serum’s three distinct chambers hold powerful active ingredients — retinol, vitamin C, and peptide-infused ceramides — kept separate until the moment they’re dispensed.
Once combined, they deliver a targeted blend designed to hydrate, firm, and refine tone. It’s a triple threat built on synergy, science, and a shared belief in rituals that work as beautifully as they feel. In business and in beauty, it’s clear that this Ruby trio live by the same code: mutual respect, trust, and joy in each other’s strengths. Whether it’s running a fashion brand or sharing a serum, the connection is the same — a passing down of care, confidence, and love that will endure for generations to come.
This article originally appeared in Fashion Quarterly’s Spring 2025 issue.
Words: Sarah Murray
Photography: Greta Van Der Star
