In partnership with RAAIE
Beneath the sharp sun and elemental wilds of Aotearoa, skincare brand RAAIE emerged from a clear, compelling premise: if the sun is responsible for up to 80 per cent of visible skin ageing, then skincare should be built to meet it. The brainchild of New Zealander Katey Mandy, the brand was founded on a deceptively simple yet radical idea: to care for skin in rhythm with nature, guided by the daily cycles of light and dark. The result is a minimalist, science-led range that blends cosmeceutical efficacy with the untamed resilience of New Zealand botanicals.
After years immersed in the fast-paced beauty and fashion scenes of London and New York, Mandy returned home to find inspiration not in trends, but in terrain. New Zealand’s native plants, she observed, flourish under some of the highest UV levels on Earth. To survive, they’ve evolved potent self-protective systems – producing unusually high concentrations of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. “It’s like they’ve created their own plant sunblock,” Mandy explains. “That resilience was something I knew could be translated into skincare – intelligent, biologically attuned, and grounded in our natural environment.”
“New Zealand’s botanicals aren’t just natural,” she continues. “They’re active. They’ve developed high levels of antioxidants to defend themselves under intense solar conditions. That capacity to protect and regenerate became the starting point.”
Since launching in 2022, RAAIE has quietly built a loyal following, drawn to its sculptural packaging, high-performance formulas and reverent approach to nature. Its botanicals – Mamaku black fern, Mānuka, Kawakawa and more – are not only potent but carry deep cultural significance within Aotearoa. Paired with next-generation actives, they create a synergy between ancient wisdom and modern science.
RAAIE’s two essential products, Morning Dew Vitamin C Serum and Yellow Moonbeam Retinal Elixir, are designed to align with the body’s circadian rhythm – supporting the skin’s natural cycle of defence in the morning and repair in the evening. Morning Dew brightens and shields with a dual form of vitamin C, alpine rosehip, blackcurrant and marine algae. In contrast, Yellow Moonbeam works while you rest, harnessing encapsulated retinal, bakuchiol, vitamin E, niacinamide and native Harakeke to smooth, refine and restore. Together, they offer a pared-back ritual that’s both intuitive and deeply potent.
“RAAIE is the antithesis of trend-driven beauty,” Mandy notes. “It’s about returning to ritual, about letting the skin lead.” And that ethos extends beyond the bottle. Earlier this year, RAAIE led a national campaign urging the New Zealand government to remove GST from sunscreen, advocating for better access to sun protection in a region with a disproportionately high rate of UV-related skin damage.
RAAIE’s system is pared back by design. It doesn’t call for ten steps or complex layering. Instead, it distills skincare into two calibrated moments: defence and restoration. “We’re not interested in fleeting trends,” Mandy says. “RAAIE is about long-term skin health. It’s about using what already works – from both science and nature – and applying it with precision.”
Now, the brand enters a bold new chapter. This month, it becomes the first New Zealand skincare brand to launch with global beauty giant Sephora – arriving across all stores in Australia and New Zealand, as well as online. It’s a defining moment, one that places Aotearoa’s botanical intelligence firmly on the global stage and affirms RAAIE’s growing resonance within the luxury skincare space.
And with growing recognition and expanded availability, RAAIE’s influence is quietly scaling – but its heart remains anchored in its origins. It is skincare designed not just to treat, but to listen. To follow the body’s innate rhythms. To honour the land it comes from. And in doing so, to offer skin that is not only visibly radiant, but innately resilient.
You can shop the full skincare range on the RAAIE website.
