We are in the business of celebrating women, and while we may be biased here, we have a lot of leading ladies that we admire!
We’ve created this list to honor the women who have shaped the beauty industry.
Estee Lauder
In 1948, Saks Fifth Avenue offered Estee Lauder a space in their department store. Lauder’s business acumen backed up her rooted-in-science approach to beauty. She popularised the practice that involved slipping samples of products to celebrities to gain celebrity endorsements.
Elizabeth Arden
Elizabeth Arden created Montezuma Red to match the uniforms of women who fought in World War II in the 1940s. Elizabeth Arden was also an advocate of holistic beauty. She encouraged yoga and avoided the sun.
Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel, the legendary and unbeatable Coco Chanel, brought Chanel No. The iconic Chanel No. 5 is one of the world’s most popular and iconic fragrances. Coco was known as a stylish fashionista with short hair and flawless makeup.
Mary Kay
Mary Kay Ash founded her iconic cosmetics line after she was passed over for a promotion at a company that sold home products. Mary Kay Cosmetics was known for rewarding women who helped their team succeed.
Joan Bove
Joan Bove, inventor of the home hair coloring system Clairol, created it in the 1930s. It was the first of its kind and made hair coloring more accessible to women around the world.
Bobbi Brown
Bobbi Brown is credited with returning beauty to its roots. She launched her makeup range in 1991, with ten lip colors based on brown for a natural look. Brown’s makeup has remained a symbol of enhancing natural beauty. Brown is an advocate for this.
Helena Rubinstein
Helena Rubinstein, who was recently honored by The Jewish Museum of New York City for her contribution to the beauty industry, has helped to challenge this status quo. She was born in Poland and built a cosmetics business that spanned four continents. The Jewish Museum describes Rubinstein as “a woman who challenged the myth that beauty and taste were inborn or something only the rich could enjoy.” Rubinstein encouraged women to be self-expressive by enabling them to identify as such.
Sylvie Hennessy
She was the first to combine scientific skin care with the medical profession, benefiting patients and promoting a symbiotic relationship between these two fields. Medicalia Skin Care and Pevonia are our leading spa brands.
