5 female-founded beauty brands to be inspired by

Monday 8th March marks International Women's Day and with it the perfect opportunity to celebrate some of the iconic women who shape the world of beauty. Worth over £500 billion, the beauty industry creates thousands of jobs across the world and at the helm of some of the biggest brands are some truly inspirational women. Here are five female founders who changed the beauty world forever. 

Shop Beauty


Charlotte Tilbury

From A-list makeup artist to MBE and Global Brand Founder, Charlotte launched her eponymous beauty brand in 2013 and to this day nothing creates a buzz quite like her launches. Growing up she was surrounded by creatives. She spent her early years in bohemian Ibiza, discovered mascara aged 13 and the rest is history. Using her knowledge of red carpets, runways and real women, she’s created iconic products like her Magic Cream, Luxury Palettes and the entire sell-out Pillow Talk range.

Your wish list is full
Remove items from your list to add new ones
View wish list
/wishlist/temporary
Item deleted from your Wish List
Item added to your bag

 

Laura Mercier

Originally from Provence in France, Laura moved to Paris at the age of 17 to study painting. She went on to specialise in makeup application at the Carita Beauty Institute, impressing Carla so much that she was asked to represent her as a makeup artist. Later, she moved to the US to work on editorial shoots for Vogue, ELLE and Vanity Fair (to name just a few). Laura launched her own long-awaited cosmetics line in 1996 and her complexion products particularly are internationally adored.

Elizabeth Arden

Elizabeth opened her first beauty salon on New York’s Fifth Avenue in 1910. Two years later she supplied red lipsticks to the suffragettes which became part of their rally uniform and a symbol of female emancipation. A true pioneer, she was the first to introduce eye makeup to American women in 1914 and introduced travel-sized products in 1917. Despite The Depression that followed, the brand continued to grow and over 100 years later remains an international success.

Your wish list is full
Remove items from your list to add new ones
View wish list
/wishlist/temporary
Item deleted from your Wish List
Item added to your bag

 

Benefit

Benefit Cosmetics began as a small boutique in San Francisco in the ‘70s. Launched by identical twins, Jean and Jane Ford, it’s always been kitsch and quirky with the ethos ‘who says make-up has to be serious to be good?' The business is still in the family with the help of Jean’s daughters, Maggie and Annie, and continues to dominate the brow and mascara market.

Your wish list is full
Remove items from your list to add new ones
View wish list
/wishlist/temporary
Item deleted from your Wish List
Item added to your bag

Estée Lauder

Estée's love of beauty started with watching her mother apply her products, but it was her chemist uncle who showed her how to turn it into something tangible. As a teenager she sold her own home-made creams at hair salons, calling them 'jars of hope'. In 1946 she launched the Estée Lauder company with her husband Joseph and their big break came with an $800 order from Saks Fifth Avenue. At one point she was the richest self-made woman in the world and the company is now worth billions of dollars.

Your wish list is full
Remove items from your list to add new ones
View wish list
/wishlist/temporary
Item deleted from your Wish List
Item added to your bag