"In order to attract that woman from a conventional skincare brand over to a natural brand, we really had to have efficacy and we had to have clear proof."
Elizabeth Barbalich started Antipodes in New Zealand in 2004, back when skincare was either natural or effective, never both. She set out to make it both.
She has the background for it. Elizabeth studied biology, then did an MBA and a diploma in natural therapy. Before Antipodes, she spent eight years working for a US surgical company, training surgeons in New Zealand and Australia on keyhole surgery equipment. Today Antipodes is sold in more than 40 countries, and in 2023 EY named her one of its Entrepreneurial Winning Women in Asia-Pacific.
Before I started stocking Antipodes, I'd walked past it in David Jones for years, back in the mid 2010s. It was everywhere, so I didn't think it needed me. But so many of my customers kept asking for it that I finally tried the range, and it was so much more than I thought it was. The first order sold out straight away.
Elizabeth told me Antipodes is "a labour of love. I have three adult children and it's like having another child."
Here are the 3 things I learned from my chat with Elizabeth
1. Natural skincare has to prove it works
When she started Antipodes, she knew natural skincare had to prove itself. "In order to attract that woman from a conventional skincare brand over to a natural brand, we really had to have efficacy and we had to have clear proof."
So every formula is first tested on human skin cells grown in a lab. Elizabeth explained that "human skin cells are cultured or grown in a laboratory," then exposed to an Antipodes formula, and they measure things like "the effects of stimulating type 1 collagen or type 3 collagen." She likes it because "it's not subjective, very objective." And "we're always testing against placebos." That stage alone "can take six months just in that lab phase."
Then come human clinical trials, looking at "moisture retention, hydration in the skin, sensitivities" and SPF.
This kind of scientific testing is "an area normally reserved for big brands with a lot of money." Elizabeth couldn't afford it on her own, so she took what Kiwis call a "number eight-wire approach", which means making do with what you've got. She went to the Ministry of Science and Innovation in Wellington, found grants, and got access to "big experts that I didn't even know were on my back doorstep."
She expected everyone to follow. "When we started doing in vitro investigations, I thought lots of brands were going to chase us and do the same thing. But we've kind of carved out a niche for ourselves."
2. Every product has to be natural and backed by science
Every new product starts with a look at the rest of the world. "We will look at what brands are doing it well, what ingredients are they using, what claims are they making, are they natural, are they pseudo-natural?" Then she asks if they can make "a New Zealand version of this product that is 100% natural, certified organic, certified vegan, has a strong science claim and also has a great fragrance."
The Antipodes Avocado Pear Collagen-Boosting Night Cream is "a devotee favourite globally." Elizabeth says it's "shown to boost and support collagen production." In an ingredient study published by Antipodes, one of its ingredients boosted Type I collagen in human skin cells by up to 92%.
Her own favourite is the Antipodes Hosanna Collagen-Plumping Water Serum, for "dry and dehydrated skin, which is myself, so I absolutely love that one."
And the Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream is "our number one seller across the whole company."
For Elizabeth, the science is the fun part. "I love science. I equate science with creativity and innovation." And she takes her time. "I've treated every one like a baby. So every single product, there's a lot of love that goes into the formulations."
3. Why volcanic mud is so good for your skin
I asked Elizabeth what volcanic mud does. New Zealand still has active volcanoes. "So the mud from that volcanic plateau is high in different magnesium and selenium so it has some great pH balancing properties."
"Also mud is known to be a great chelator so what that means is it will help draw impurities out of the skin." She says it "helps pull oil out of the skin and just balance pH."
That's the Antipodes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask. It has jojoba beads in it too, "so it has that gentle exfoliating effect." My favourite, the Antipodes Reincarnation Pure Facial Polish & Exfoliator, uses the same idea. Elizabeth says "you can basically use it every day, throw it in the shower."
How the range works
Elizabeth set the range up to make it easy to shop. "We have four categories at Antipodes, daily cleanse, daily ultra care, which is serums and eye creams, daily moisturise and daily body nurture." You can also shop by what your skin needs, like brightening, hydration or sensitive skin.
Just do it yesterday
Elizabeth told me she's "one of those women, which I'm sure you are, who says, just do it yesterday. There's no time like the present." Because "you've got to live life, don't you? You've only got one run at it."
About the Author
Irene Falcone is the founder of Clean Nectarine and co-host of The Lee & Irene Show. She started her first clean beauty business in 2011 with $100 in her garage and grew it to $20m in four years. She has spent over 15 years reading the backs of beauty and wellness labels, is a Telstra Business Women's Awards winner and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, and has been featured on A Current Affair, The Project, Sunrise, Channel Nine Mornings and Sky News.
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