Living Legends
Does your list of idols include Toni Ko? No? Well, that’s okay. Not all heroes wear capes. This entrepreneur aimed to provide high quality and trendy colors of eyeliners and lip glosses sold at drugstore prices… and that’s exactly what she did! L’Oreal bought her business in 2015, paying around $500 million. Ko is now worth $270 million and ranks No. 57 among America’s most successful self-made women.
In 1995, Bobbi Brown, a former makeup artist, rose to the top as an entrepreneur, selling her company to Estee Lauder for a large sum. While the sale price was never publically disclosed, Estee Lauder reported that the $74.5 million invested that year was centered on the acquisition of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Imagine… you could follow in the footsteps of an industry giant (inc).
Self-Made Success
Forbes discovered that there are at least 40 beauty startups today that are not only dominating the industry, but founded by women. This makes the $445 billion (sales) industry one of the most lucrative fields for women to self-start their way to colossal success (forbes).
Here are a few other leading ladies who are shaking up the industry:
Dr. Macrene Alexiades, MD, PhD
During her time at Harvard, Dr. Alexiades studied dermatology before landing a position at L’Oreal. During her tenure there, Alexiades assisted in the launch of several products—all with a focus on “non-toxic, plant-derived alternatives to the array of harmful skin care ingredients on the market” (forbes). In 2010, she launched her first product: 37 Extreme Actives High Performance Anti-Aging Cream. Today, the patented formula comprises around 50 active ingredients, all of which are “liposomally-encapsulated” and potent for three years after manufacturing (forbes).
Susanne Kaufmann
After joining the family business, Hotel Post Bezau in Austria, in the 1990s, one of Susanne Kaufmann’s first tasks was to develop a spa with custom-made treatments. She soon understood that she’d have to create her own products to align with the hotel’s holistic and sustainable principles. In 2003, Kaufmann launched her namesake line. At first, it was offered only to hotel guests, but word spread and she quickly expanded to global distribution. This executive is devoted to her mission of proving that “natural skincare is as powerful as any other, and that a modern luxury brand can exist with a clean conscience” (forbes).
Rose-Marie Swift
To Rose-Marie Swift, simplicity and convenience are key. After working as a makeup artist, Swift wanted to create a cosmetics line that did not include the dangerous chemicals often found in products. That is why, in 2009, she created RMS Beauty. She shares “I realized that what women need is a cosmetics line that is as pure as possible, one that creates a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty” (forbes).
Taking the Plunge
Now, more than ever, women are taking measures into their own hands by creating solutions to the problems they find. Rose-Marie Swift did not wait for natural skincare products to turn up on the market… she created them herself! If you are reading this with the intent of starting something great and have the determination of someone like Bobbi Brown, then take the first step in building your legacy. You’ll need some manufacturing help along the way, so why not work with the best of the best? Makers Nutrition is not only a full-service provider, but we carry a line of stock cosmetic formulas that are here for your choosing. Give us a call today… tomorrow’s success awaits!
Sources:
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2017/05/18/self-made-women-wealth-beauty-gold-mine/#147d70a62a3a
- https://www.inc.com/magazine/20071101/how-i-did-it-bobbi-brown-founder-and-ceo-bobbi-brown.html
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiechang/2018/02/26/meet-4-female-beauty-entrepreneurs-shaking-up-the-beauty-industry/#730dabbe5b68