A Day In The Life With Luxury Skincare Entrepreneur Emma Lewisham

Beauty entrepreneur and mother Emma Lewisham shares a day in her life, from hosting international meetings for her eponymous skincare brand, her go-to coffee spot and the night-time rituals for unwinding.

Five years ago, motivated by her personal mission to find natural yet effective skincare that was safe enough to use during pregnancy with her daughter, Emma Lewisham launched her own.

What started as a tight edit of products, including its perennially popular Skin Reset Serum and its since-reformulated SPF, the circular beauty brand quickly expanded to a dozen products and a raft of refills, amassing stockists across the motu and garnering international attention for its evidence-backed formulations.

It’s an impressive feat for a brand that’s technically still in its infancy and, after building a legion of fans in Aotearoa, Emma set her sights on going global by securing retail partnerships in the UK, US, Hong Kong and Italy, with the likes of Harrods, Net-A-Porter, SpaceNK, Goop and more.

Below, Emma shares her daily diary with us – from how she continues to build a brand that resonates with audiences the world over, to her favourite breakfast recipe to start her work day on a high note.

6am

My day starts early, usually between 5-6am (we are early risers in our house). Having this time in the morning before meetings and phone calls start is cherished, and it gives me the opportunity to have family time and get anchored before I take on the day ahead.

For breakfast, I have muesli with whole grains (I love Little Bird muesli), berries, and Greek protein yoghurt and make a smoothie using Two Islands Protein Powder. I try and get as many fruits, vegetables and healthy fats into my day as I have recently read and loved a book by Dr Mark Hyman which talks about the power of eating lots of colourful, phytochemically-rich vegetables; nuts and seeds; and protein.

7am

I love exercise and incorporate some form daily. Lately, I have been really loving the new Chroma class at Sala, which is inspired by the impact of colour on the body’s energy fields. I feel so energised and empowered after the class and being a part of the energy and community (founder) Sarah Lindsay has built.

Some early mornings, I schedule calls with our Emma Lewisham team in the UK or the French laboratory that works with us on scientific testing and developments.

8am

Once home, I shower and invest time in my skincare routine. Using the Emma Lewisham range, I start with our Illuminating Oil Cleanser, followed by our Skin Reset Serum (which is 5 years old now and my favourite product). I follow this with the Supernatural Day Crème and most importantly our Skin Shield SPF.

My makeup routine consists of a light, dewy base, blush, mascara, and a tinted lip balm.

8.30am

I pick up a coffee from Chur Bae in City Works Depot, which is owned by such wonderful people we love to support (and they make the best coffee).

10am

This is when meetings usually begin, and where I will be covering updates with our scientists and teams on new product development, research, sustainability initiatives, finance, operations and marketing. Every day is very different.

11.15am

I meet with the creative team – we’re working on some very innovative new projects set to come out in 2026.

12.15pm

By lunchtime, I’m ready to recharge. I’m a regular at Toss, my favourite local salad bar (I really like the team in there and the beautiful produce). I always go for a fresh, seasonal salad that consists of either tofu or chicken with some leafy greens, capsicum, egg, Brussels sprouts and olive oil.

After I’ve eaten, I usually take a walk around the park to clear my head and re-energise for the afternoon.

1.15pm

More meetings follow or I catch up on emails.

3.15pm

Some days, I will head into Mecca to see the teams travelling from Australia, to engage with the retail teams (who do such an exceptional job supporting their customers) and to speak directly with our customers individually.

5.30pm

I wrap up the work day and head home to have dinner with my husband and daughter, Milla.

6.15pm

My usual dinner consists of seasonal vegetables with fresh fish. Afterwards, I love the handmade, sugar-free bars by Breakfast Babes from the Mount, they’re delicious as a treat with a cup of tea.

7.30pm

Putting my daughter down for bed. I love this time and it’s important to me that I put my daughter to bed and read our favourite books together. We are reading a lot of Roald Dahl books at the moment, which Milla absolutely loves.

8pm

Once my daughter is asleep, I take calls with our international PR teams or partners from scientific R&D labs or retailers.

I finish the night with my skincare routine. I cleanse with our Illuminating Oil Cleanser and then apply our Supernatural Blemish Serum, which contains more than 20 years of research and is incredible for general skin health. I follow it with our latest innovation, the Supernatural Vitale Elixir – nature’s Botox in a bottle. I finish with the Supernatural Face Crème Riche, which locks in hydration overnight.

9pm

My husband and I enjoy catching up over a tea, reflecting on the day and winding down.

9.30pm

I like to read for at least 30 minutes. I am reading Sorrow And Bliss by Meg Mason at the moment and loving it. It’s heartfelt, tender and intelligent and I’m very absorbed by it. I like to get to bed early so I can do it all over again the next day.

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