That well-travelled friend with a wardrobe full of amazing dresses, bags and jewellery, a bathroom cabinet full of intriguing potions from around the world, and a chilled out, centred outlook on life? Most likely she’ll be into Girl Undiscovered, a thoughtful new brand with an enlightened international outlook.
Devised in New Zealand by three friends — a photographer, a fashion label founder and a well-connected investor, Girl Undiscovered puts an emphasis on traceability, sustainability and on the importance of self-care.
“It’s about how you feel, not only how you look,” says co-founder and creative director, Sara Orme. “We don’t talk about anti-ageing. We’ve decided not to bring this down to a demographic. It’s about a feeling or an idea.
“And we’re reclaiming the word ‘girl’. If you ask people about their ‘inner girl’, no matter what their age, everyone responds with the idea of being free.”
In stark contrast to the sexed-up, heavily contoured, caked-on-concealer look that’s increasingly popular, Girl Undiscovered’s imagery evokes sensual experiences like weekend sleep-ins, fresh sheets and warm breezes.
All products are sold online and all business decisions have been based on sustainability. Packaging, which is timelessly feminine, all pink, peach and gold tones, is made from recyclable glass or cardboard, or is designed to be reusable — a gold neoprene sleeve can be repurposed into a make-up bag or a kindle holder.
The hero product is the Stumbled Across Paradise Face Mask, a delicately fragrant, caramel coloured mask that uses thanaka, a tree bark that’s been ground into a paste by women in Myanmar for centuries, and often worn in decorative circular patterns on the cheeks. Like tā moko in New Zealand’s Māori culture, it’s one of very few ancient traditions still visible today.
“Thanaka has a natural SPF and it’s said the Burmese have the best skin,” says product developer Charlotte Devereux. “In every household, they grind the thanaka bark to create a paste for their daily skincare rituals.”
Girl Undiscovered’s slightly more luxurious version is formulated with honey made from the New Zealand kānuka (a native tea tree, which is not as well known as mānuka, but has better antimicrobial properties) sourced from Kawau Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, and coconut oil foraged by communities in the foothills of Bali, where co-founder and executive director, Philippa Gebbie has family connections.
Other star products include a face oil elixir with calendula flowers floating in the bottom and a micellar water cleanser that uses artesian water sourced from a 160 metre depth in Matakana that has pH levels perfect for alkalinity, augmented by crystals that tinkle in the bottom.
Part of the luxury of Girl Undiscovered is knowing that you’re using cosmetics that are natural and organic wherever possible, and what Girl Undiscovered terms “100% wild”, made from ingredients sourced through ongoing partnerships, rather than from plantations.
Girl Undiscovered | Interview, Rose Hoare | Photography, Sara Orme
