Being a mom is what forced Rawinia Rimene to look for natural ingredients, as her daughter had various allergic reactions to many products. Therefore, she returned to what she knew and learnt, Rongoa Māori.
“I made natural skin products for her using Rongoa in the backyard, and her skin, rashes and nappy rash disappeared almost immediately. That was the pivotal moment I created Minimi Collection, a skincare and clothing children’s brand,” said Rimene.
“In 2019, we rebranded to Girl Native and created a new range of products to celebrate māori women.”
Before skincare, Rimene worked in the e-commerce and hospitality industries and studied fashion interior design and business management. This has allowed her to become the multi-faceted business owner and entrepreneur she is today.
“Being Māori is my superpower and motivates me to continue to break down the stereotypical views of Māori in Aotearoa, also my drive to build generational wealth for my children and the generations after them.”
Rimene’s biggest inspirations have been Rihanna and New Zealand’s own Kiri Nathan. She encourages others never to give up and believe in themselves by facing every challenge with fearlessness, compassion, discipline and drive.
Girl Native has seen various accomplishments, including the coffee body scrub placed runner-up in the best natural skincare category at the Pure Beauty Awards in London in 2019.
The brand was recognised as the best inclusive beauty product at the Global Pure Beauty Awards Amsterdam and included in gift bags for the Emmy Awards. It was also featured in the British Vogue Magazine beauty section for editors’ top picks and Glamour UK.
This year, Rimene will reopen the Girl Native flagship store in Porirua.
