The future is female

Welcome to our Mother's Day campaign interview with Elizabeth Barbalich, Founder and CEO of Antipodes, a pioneering scientific green beauty company.
Elizabeth's personal quest for natural skincare using pure New Zealand ingredients has resulted in a brand that combines premium products with science and innovation to produce high-tech, certified organic and premium formulations.
Antipodes has won both global fans and awards for its all-natural and many certified organic skincare ranges, certified by BioGro New Zealand.

Read Elizabeth's story

Where did the idea for Antipodes come from? What was your main motivation for creating your brand?

When my three children were very young, I became interested in healthy eating. I started drinking raw juices each morning and realised how good they made me feel, so I revamped my diet and tried to create a toxin-free household. That got me thinking about what I was putting on my skin. I went looking for a premium skincare brand that was all-natural, but couldn’t find one, so the idea for Antipodes came from there.

Has your mother, or a woman close to you, played an important role in your projects, in your daily life? If so, in what way?

Can I choose my two daughters? Isabella and Florence inspire me every day. They’re both hardworking, innovative, self-driven young women. Isabella, my eldest, is a graduate engineer, and Florence, my youngest, is the face of some of my favourite Antipodes campaigns, such as for our Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream.

Have you perhaps encountered any obstacles in creating your brand?

Many. When I was launching Antipodes, it was just me, travelling up and down New Zealand, convincing retailers there was a market for sustainable skincare, and persuading them to stock my products. I even trained some store staff myself – teaching them about each product and hoping they would understand and support what I was trying to do. It was very hard work, but also very rewarding.

What advice would you give to women who want to start their own business and follow their dreams?

Stay positive. You need very strong self-belief to start a business in such a competitive industry as beauty. Running your own business tends to have a way of making you feel like a perpetual beginner – we are constantly evolving and innovating as a brand, so you’re always coming up against things that are new. You need to have the confidence to tackle many different roles – as a researcher, a salesperson, a marketer, an ambassador for your brand. It all comes down to you.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

I would have tried to be more patient! I’m not a patient person at all so that has been a big lesson to learn. I’ve also always trusted my gut instinct, which means that I don’t make decisions solely based on data or industry trends, which some people have disagreed with in the past. It’s resulted some spirited debates here at our Antipodes headquarters! But I feel like I know our target audience very well because I’m one of them, so overall I’ve learnt that I should trust my instincts.

Do you have a wellness habit that helps you juggle your life as a mother and businessowner?

I do some form of exercise every day. Moving my body brightens my mind – no product is ever going to do that for you. I’ll walk my bulldog Molly, or go for a run, or if the weather is bad, I’ll jump on my stationary bike first thing in the morning before I head into our headquarters in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city.

What are your 5 must-have (beauty) products for a busy day?

My own routine is really simple, actually. As I get older, my big focus is hydration and moisture – I have thirsty, dry, sensitive skin – and of course I use Antipodes products. Aura Manuka Honey Mask leaves my skin beautifully soft and glowing. I sometimes use it the shower, leaving it on while I wash my hair.

I never go anywhere without Ananda Antioxidant-Rich Gentle Toner. It’s always in my handbag, on my desk, on my bedside table, and in my bathroom cabinet. I spray it over cleansed skin, but it’s also great for a quick spritz through the day over makeup, to keep my skin calm and hydrated. Next I use a serum – at the moment I layer two: Hosanna H₂O Intensive Skin-Plumping Serum and Credo, which I mentioned earlier. Hosanna is ultra-light and water-based, so I press that into my skin and leave for a few moments before applying Credo, which has a thicker gel texture. I finish with our newest release, which I’m really excited about: Lime Caviar Collagen-Rich Firming Cream. It’s 100% natural-origin, vegan and organic, and contains AHAs to help reveal smoother, more radiant skin. It sits in our scientifically validated Anti-Ageing range, and has a wonderful pure plant fragrance of floral lime.

MOTHER'S DAY