Skincare entrepreneur sets sights on Southeast Asia

When Melitta Adam set herself a goal of launching a skincare product by the age of 30, she had no idea it would lead her back to Southeast Asia, where she spent much of her childhood.

Now 27, the founder of Melitta Skin has launched her first product and is exploring international markets, following a recent trip to Malaysia through the Asia New Zealand Foundation's ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative.

The programme supported New Zealand health and beauty entrepreneurs to meet local businesses, explore potential partnerships and attend Cosmobeauté Malaysia, a major beauty industry event.

For Adam, who moved to New Zealand at 18, it was an opportunity to understand the realities of entering a market she knows personally, but is still learning about commercially.

“It was interesting to see what's available there, what people are picking up, and what interests them, but then, it's also about understanding the barriers to opening businesses as a foreigner.”

From frustrated consumer to founder

Adam's entrepreneurial journey began while she was studying Global Studies and Commerce at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, and working at beauty retailer Mecca.

Conversations with customers sparked her interest in sunscreen, particularly the gap between how important sun protection is and how people use it.

She began researching consumer frustrations and discovered widespread confusion about application and reapplication. Some customers were surprised to learn that sunscreen generally needs to be reapplied every two hours.

That research shaped GLOWGUARD, an SPF 50+ sunscreen designed with everyday use in mind, including a measured-dose pipette to help users apply the intended amount.

Adam won the 2021 Velocity $100k Challenge run through the University's Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). She subsequently developed the business through CIE's Venture Lab programme, before launching GLOWGUARD in 2025.

“The real mahi started when we got into Velocity,” she says.

The programme required Adam to develop a business plan, validate her market and pitch her idea. She says that groundwork proved valuable when applying for further funding and navigating the challenges of product development.

Learning what it takes to grow

Launching a sunscreen brand has brought challenges beyond developing the product. Adam has had to navigate a competitive market, invest in customer education and contend with online misinformation about sun protection.

Her experience working directly with customers has remained central to her approach, informing everything from product design to how the business communicates with consumers.

International expansion presents a different set of questions.

Malaysia offers an opportunity to explore demand beyond New Zealand's seasonal sunscreen market, but entering a new country also means understanding local purchasing behaviour, retail networks and regulatory requirements.

Through the Asia New Zealand Foundation initiative, Adam met businesses with experience entering the Malaysian market and heard firsthand about the challenges they encountered.

“It's been really great to connect with the Asia New Zealand Foundation because they've opened up doors to talk to different businesses that have successfully launched there.”

The trip has given Adam insights to inform her next steps.

Back in New Zealand, Melitta Skin is also developing a second product, with plans for a launch next year.

For Adam, success in business, whether at home or overseas, starts with understanding customers.

“Clearly understand who is buying your product, why they're buying your product, and then what you can do to improve. That's what everything comes back to.”