As we celebrate International Women's Day, we are honoured to spotlight the incredible women who make up our dedicated H&Z team. Behind every exceptional product and every glowing recommendation lies a team of passionate individuals committed to the art and science of skincare. Join us as we introduce you to the faces behind the brand, sharing their roles, favourite products, and the unique passions that drive them both inside and outside the world of skincare. Today, we celebrate not just their contributions to our brand, but their unwavering commitment to empowering and uplifting women everywhere through the gift of self-care!
Kirsty
Kirsty is our incredible founder and CEO here at Hark & Zander, and we love working with her.
She does a fantastic job leading the team, building us all up to meet our collective goals, asking for (and listening to) our insights, and overall growing the company. She has an infectious passion and energy, and the office is a fun, thriving place to be.
Kirsty is in charge of our product development and designs, then creates all of the fabulous products in the H&Z range with a lab right here in Auckland.
She has sought out the top skincare in the world for inspiration and topped it by producing these highly effective natural products right here in New Zealand. Having won 15 international awards in the past 2 years, she has proved that nature knows how to give you your best skin when blended correctly.
She is (and us, therefore, with her) at the forefront of sustainable and ethical skincare in New Zealand (and the world, in our view), and it’s at the top of our mission statement to make sure we do it better for our planet and for future generations. Some great examples of this are the extra mile we went to use cardboard that had no glue, was sustainable (PEFC), fully recyclable, and even used natural ink. She is moving us on to less packaging, and we have these gorgeous organic cotton bags coming through now that can be used over and over.
She has spent time introducing new and innovative ways to procure natural ingredients, including organically growing Hempheart oil herself here in New Zealand, plus supporting other New Zealand organic ingredient growers and harvesting pure ingredients from nature. We work with local companies to ensure that our formulations and packaging all portray our vision of clean and sustainable skincare. And the results of these magical blends speak for themselves!
She puts the customer centre stage with product development, asking them for input, showing value, VIP events, loyalty points, and much more. Generosity just oozes from our company. She believes showing people value, great skin and making this a better place comes well before profits.
When we ask her what she does in her free time she laughs and says “I love all of this! None of what I do is going to work”.
But we do know that she grows a lot of grapes for New Zealand’s top premium wine brands, has a beautiful 2 year old girl, is doing her Masters part-time through Adelaide University, and talks about how well the small orchard she planted during ‘lockdown’ is producing this year (another of her “projects”). AND she’s looking forward to learning to bottle fruit this year! So I don’t think that watching TV is on her “free time” list.
Favourite Product: HempTonic Face Oil & HempRestore Night Cream & MiracleFirm Serum (when asked, she started reeling off all the products. When pressured to choose one, she reckons she’s allowed 3 at least)
Kirsty's go-to product is our incredible HempTonic Face Oil. It was the product that started this amazing company and has become a beloved product for many! It has all of the incredible properties of Hempheart Oil, which can smooth and soothe skin, help elasticity and collagen production, and alleviate redness and sensitivity! She had dermatitis, redness and large pores on her face, and this was the blend that changed her skin for the better. She also says that at night, she can’t live without the lavender goodness of our Restoring night cream and she’s got a total crush on our new serum (our latest product release) which makes her skin so smooth and soft. And considering she’s in her late 40’s, you would never guess it looking at her skin! She wanted me to tell you too that she’s currently working on a game changing eye cream so watch this space.
“My skin has never looked so good! I am honestly so thankful to our Hark & Zander products. My best skin, naturally xx”
Cushla
In the whirlwind role of Marketing & Comms, Cushla loves juggling the creative aspects of her role while organising and steering our team towards our collective goals. She enjoys navigating the bustling landscape of the many exciting projects we have on the go.
Cushla finds inspiration in the beauty of diverse cultures and landscapes and her adventures have fuelled her passion for storytelling and photography. When at home, she enjoys curling up with a good book, binge-watching the latest must-watch drama, tending to her veggie garden and spending time with family and pets. “I find balance in these simple pleasures – they recharge my energy after a busy week.”
Favourite Product: HempPurify Cleansing Oil
When it comes to skincare, her go-to product is our Oil Cleanser. With its ability to effortlessly remove sunscreen and makeup, including stubborn eye makeup, she swears by its transformative power.
Not only does it leave her skin feeling soft, hydrated, and glowing, but it also simplifies her nightly routine, allowing her more time to indulge in her other passions.
“Our Oil Cleanser is a game-changer. It removes everything with ease and I love that it is 100% natural and super concentrated. When I travel, I pump a small amount into a travel bottle. No more eye makeup remover wipes and dry irritated skin from cleansing!”
Keegan
Keegan is our incredible front of house who takes care of customer relations, packing orders, and a plethora of behind-the-scenes tasks that make up the foundation of H&Z. An amazing ‘jill of all trades,’ she enjoys the variety and fast-paced nature of our company. She also does an incredible job managing our stock and distribution processes. When asked, one of her favourite tasks within H&Z is getting to pack everyone's orders. She said that she loves to make sure that everything is packed beautifully and neatly, so that when a customer opens their order everything looks amazing for them!
During her time away from work, Keegan loves traveling, either to new places or heading to Australia to spend time with her friends and family that live there!
Favourite Product: HempRestore Goodnight Crème
Keegan's immediate response to her favourite product had to be HempRestore! Its incredible nourishing power, active botanicals, anti-ageing superstars, and smoothing ingredients make it the absolute powerhouse of a night cream everyone needs. HempRestore has also won multiple international awards, so we know it really is the best!
"It's my favourite part of my night routine! I love the smell of the lavender and going to bed with it on, knowing that in the morning, my face has been fully hydrated with the amazing formula of HempRestore."
Charlie
Charlie is our digital and social media assistant and loves the varied nature of her job, helping the team to meet deadlines and produce exciting content. She has a passion for skincare and has loved H&Z since its founding, so it only made sense she joined the team!
In the weekend, Charlie can be found reading the latest booktok romantasy or doting on her baby bengal, Mousie!
Favourite Product: HempHydrate Refreshing Gel Toner
Charlotte's favourite product is the H&Z HempHydrate Refreshing Gel Toner. With its incredible texture and soothing ingredients, it is the perfect addition to both morning and nighttime skincare routines. It's also super refreshing and can be kept in the fridge for an extra boost!
"Our Gel Toner is amazing! I absolutely love its smoothing and soothing properties and its light clean fragrance. Plus, the addition of aloe vera makes it perfect for all over after some time in the sun!"
We hope you enjoyed our special entry about our incredible team members! If you would like to read more about current H&Z news, check out our latest award-winners!
