We are celebrating the Women who paved the way in the Beauty and Skincare Industry.
Helena Rubenstein
1870-1965
Helena Rubenstein was born in Poland, moved to Australia at 18, and opened her skincare shop. She returned to Europe to study dermatology, and her shop became so successful that she opened several other European shops. Her first salon opened in New York City. After much success, she opened up in several other cities in the United States. Then she began to spend more of her time in the U.S. During WWI, Helena moved to New York with her husband and continued her success in the United States.
Elizabeth Arden
1881-1966
Elizabeth Arden started her career working for a pharmaceutical company in accounting and studied formulas about skincare in her spare time. She studied under a beautician and gained more knowledge in the beauty industry. After developing a successful skincare line, she expanded into a makeup line and focused on teaching women how to apply makeup by demonstrating how to wear it. Her marketing made makeup more widely accepted and seen as something ladies everywhere should use to complete their looks. Elizabeth traveled to France to learn facial massage and returned to the United States with a plan to open beauty salons worldwide, which were eventually named Red Door Salon and Spas. The Red Door opened its first salon in New York in 1910.
Estee Lauder
1906-2004
Born with the name Josephine Esther she was raised in Queens, New York, and became known as Estee from her nickname esty. Estee became interested in creams by spending time with her uncle, who created different formulas in their family kitchen. After selling her skincare at beauty salons by demonstrating it to people, she started her company with her husband. She received her first significant order from Saks Fifth Avenue after her first year in business. Estee had a unique marketing philosophy: she knew you had to touch and demonstrate the product for people to see what it could do for your skin. Estee was the first company to create the marketing concept of “Gift With Purchase.” Estee Lauder became one of the most recognized names in the cosmetics industry. She was overjoyed when her family became involved in the family business, and her vision created one of the world’s most successful cosmetics and skincare companies.
Madame CJ. Walker
1867-1919
Born Sarah Breedlove in Louisana, on a cotton plantation, she was orphaned at seven and married at 14. Madame Walker started in hair growth products and sold her products door-to-door at church gatherings and ultimately invested in a mail-order catalog for her products. Walker was selective in her approach to marketing and placed ads in her target audience’s newspapers to get the word out. She invested in herself, incorporated in 1910, and opened The Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing co., a beauty school and laboratory in Indianapolis. Many consider Walker one of the first black woman millionaires, and she continued to give back to help lift the economic position of others in the community. Her manufacturing building is part of the historical architecture of Indianapolis today.
As you can see, some of these women faced many challenges on their path to success in the beauty industry. If you want to increase your profits, I offer one-on-one sales coaching and phone etiquette training to help reinforce your business strengths.
As a licensed esthetician, I can help you find the right products for your skin type!
Have questions? I’m here to help!
Teresa
