From Fashion Model to Skincare Storyteller

From Fashion Model to Skincare Storyteller

Zeja began in New Zealand with Nicqui KurZeja, who poured her heart, creativity, and belief in the power of botanicals into every formula. She built something beautiful—a brand rooted in Mānuka, nature, and real results.

Now that story continues with someone who’s been an integral part of Nicqui’s life since childhood: Craig Roberts.

Craig and Nicqui grew up together, so bringing Zeja to the USA, EU, and UK feels less like a corporate expansion and more like carrying a lifelong friend's legacy forward. Before stepping into the world of skincare, Craig spent years working as a fashion model with major international agencies, learning firsthand what skin endures under harsh studio lights, long production days, and constant makeup application.

That experience eventually pulled him behind the camera as a photographer, studying real skin, real faces, and what makes someone look genuinely healthy and confident. It gave him an uncompromising eye for detail—and a deep appreciation for products that actually deliver on their promises.

Now, he has taken Zeja overseas, bringing that rich creative background and lived experience with him to global audiences.

For Craig, growing Zeja internationally is about honouring the brand's pristine roots while introducing a fresh, modern energy. It is about keeping Nicqui's original vision of clinically backed botanicals and pure New Zealand ingredients alive, while sharing skincare that delivers real results with a wider world.

About Zeja

Born in Aotearoa, crafted with intention.

Zeja began over a decade ago in New Zealand with a simple belief: skincare should work with your skin, not against it. We create products that lean entirely on the power of nature—completely free from unnecessary chemicals—using botanicals that have supported skin health for generations.

Our formulations are made in New Zealand, where we source high-quality native ingredients known for their exceptional purity and potency. Every product is crafted with care, intention, and profound respect for the land it comes from.

We believe in doing more with less. Skincare shouldn’t be complicated; it should be effective, honest, and made for people who care deeply about what they put on their body. That’s why we focus on multi-benefit products that work hard, deliver visible results, and fit effortlessly into daily life.

After building a loyal following in New Zealand for over ten years, Zeja has launched in the USA, EU, and UK—bringing our botanical-led, results-driven approach to a global community of people who value clean, thoughtful skincare.

Pure ingredients. Purposeful formulas. Products made with intention.

At Zeja, nature isn’t a trend—it’s our foundation. And we’re here to show that natural skincare can be powerful, effective, and beautifully simple.

Zeja Founder Story

Zeja Botanicals was created in Aotearoa by Nicqui KurZeja, whose personal journey through resilience, healing, and a deep respect for nature continues to shape our brand today.

Her background in psychology, combined with a lifelong connection to botanicals, led her to question why so many mainstream skincare products relied heavily on fillers, synthetic chemicals, and up to 90% water. A personal shift toward clean, natural living in 2006—during a challenging time trying to conceive—strengthened her belief that what we put on our skin truly matters.

A serious accident in 2013 became the ultimate turning point. While recovering from a severe facial injury, Nicqui began formulating her own natural remedies in her New Zealand lab. What started as a search for a gentle, effective anti-scar cream evolved into our first hero product, Intense Face Plant, followed closely by Kawakawa Skin Salvation, which she created to soothe her daughter’s eczema.

From these organic beginnings, Zeja has grown into a range of intentional, 100% natural skincare made with the finest New Zealand botanicals. We honour Nicqui’s father—a gifted chef—in the way we craft every single formula: thoughtfully, creatively, and with heart.

Today, Zeja continues to champion simplicity, purity, and the vital connection between inner and outer wellbeing. Our products are proudly made in New Zealand using ethically sourced ingredients, with absolutely no fillers, emulsifiers, synthetic chemicals, or preservatives.

Zeja exists to show how powerful natural skincare can be—beautifully simple, simply beautiful.