Spotlighting these Incredible Women and their Brands
Behind so many of our beloved beauty brands are incredible women who had a dream and the desire to change the beauty industry. Some of the cult beauty products you can't live without would not even exist if it wasn't for the hard work and determination of these women. These beauty brands have become household names worldwide. Similarly, they have gained their cult status for a reason! This International Women’s Day, we decided to get to know just a few of the women who build these amazing beauty brands from the ground up.
asap
Carley Stewart is the Managing Director of well-renowned cosmeceutical brand asap, who set out to start the brand as she saw a gap in the Australian skincare market. Not only is Carley business-minded, but she also is a formulating chemist! Her goal is to deliver affordable, simple and effective skincare to the everyday Australian beauty lover. Asap is now used by over 1000 skincare professionals across the country. This well-renowned beauty brand was able to tap into Australians' desire for skincare that addressed their specific skin concerns. After all, we live in one of the harshest climates on Earth! Due to popular demand, asap is now sold on a global scale, so everyone can enjoy some exceptional Australian beauty.
Shop This
Dermalogica
Founded by Jane Wurwand in 1986, Dermalogica has become an iconic skincare brand that is known and loved worldwide. As the visionary of everything Dermalogica could become, Jane set out to create a range of products that skin therapists could know and trust. Under her guidance, Dermalogica is now used by over 100,000 skin therapists across more than 100 countries. As an expert in her field, she truly understands the importance of having customised skincare routines for each individual. This is because everyone's concerns and goals are so different. The customised regimens you can create with Dermalogica is just one of the reasons why this brand has seen so much success.
Shop This
Jane Iredale
The founder of Jane Iredale is, you guessed it, the wonderful Jane Iredale! As the president and founder of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Jane was the first person to give us a range of makeup with skin-loving ingredients. Her previous experience in the entertainment industry led her to uncover the multiple skin issues faced by actresses and models from wearing makeup all day long. She saw first hand how your skin can impact your self-confidence and a person's sense of self. This feeling clearly resonated with women worldwide, as Jane Iredale products can now be found in over 50 countries, helping people of all ages feeling comfortable in their own skin.
Shop This
The Beauty Chef
Carla Oates’ journey to starting The Beauty Chef came after many discoveries in her own life. Having previously worked in fashion, her career took a turn towards the beauty industry. So when her daughter started to experience eczema and allergies very similar to those she herself experienced as a child, Carla's family adopted a gut-healing lifestyle. They all noticed a vast improvement in their overall wellbeing! As well as their skin and so after some experimentation, GLOW was born! This was the Beauty Chef's original inner beauty powder and since then their range of products has multiplied to include immunity support, collagen and hydration boosters that stay true to her original gut-loving philosophy.
Shop This
iKOU
The philosophy behind iKOU is that a person’s skin is a reflection of their health and emotional wellbeing. This is why Naomi along with her husband Paul decided to start iKOU, to treat your mind and body as a whole with their range of skincare and wellness products. What started in their Blue Mountains kitchen has now become an international brand! Their focus it to encourage people to incorporate restorative rituals into their everyday lives.
Shop This
Pelactiv
Pelactiv was started by its founder and CEO Kerry-Anne Raiola, to meet the needs of Australian skin. Understanding the power of Lactic Acid, this entire beauty brand is built around this multifaceted active ingredient. Their main goal is to help rebuild and restore stressed skin. With the brands products developed by Australian Skincare Therapists and Biochemists, each product has been developed to suit every skin type. This was important to Kerry-Anne so that no one has to compromise on their skin health.
Shop This
Vanessa Megan
It all started when one of Vanessa Megan Gray Lyndon's friends said "you should never put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat". With this simple comment, Vanessa Megan the brand was started! The idea was to develop a range of natural skincare that does not compromise on their ingredients. As a founder, it was important for Vanessa to look forward when developing her products. She believes that high-quality skincare shouldn't have a negative impact on the natural environment. These award-winning products have paved the way for Vanessa Megan to gain its iconic status.
Shop This
Vida Glow
Having first discovered Marine Collagen during a trip to Japan, Vida Glow founder Anna Lahey first thought the supplement seemed too good to be true. After much research and her own personal hair, skin and nails transformation at the hands of Marine Collagen, she started Vida Glow to share these incredible benefits with the beauty community. Anna is involved in every part of the brand, ensuring that each product they conceptualise and produce is functional. Moreover, also that it provides the best results to help people change their lifestyles for the better.
Shop This
WelleCo
Together, WelleCo co-founder Elle Macpherson and Dr Simone Laubscher PhD created a super-formula of greens. This would go on to become the foundation for WelleCo's famous Super Elixir Greens. It was her own wellness journey that led Elle to discover the power of nutrition in healing your mind, body and skin. Wanting to share this, WelleCo was designed to provide everyone with simple supplements for their everyday routine, with each plant-based formula packed full of goodness.
Shop This
endota spa
At the turn of the century, Melanie Gleeson started endota spa to inspire people to reconnect with themselves. The first endota spa location has since grown to include over 100 spas across the country and a range of skincare and wellness products to inspire people to take care of their skin on both a surface and deeper level. Endota is a company founded by 100% women and with a 95% female team. Therefore, this beauty brand really understands what it means to be a woman in the modern world!
Shop This
Retreatment Botanics
After Olivia Newton-John and her friends founded the Gaia Retreat & Spa in 2005, their thoughts then turned to create a range of skincare that would perfectly match the nurturing and healing nature of their retreat. Retreatment Botanics comes as a result of multiple years of research by skin experts and scientists, all set on creating products that would showcase the healing nature of Australian natural extracts. To tie in with the stunning natural beauty of Gaia's home in Byron Bay, Olivia knew that Retreatment Botanics had to be completely vegan and cruelty-free. Wanting people to be able to clarify their body and mind at home, Retreatment Botanics is the epitome of Olivia's restorative mentality.
Shop This
KORA Organics
Having grown up on her family farmland, Kora Organics founder and CEO Miranda Kerr has always had a passion for all things natural and organic. So it makes sense that KORA Organics was first started right here in Australia back in 2009. Miranda oversees everything from the brands’ day-to-day operations to their continuing global expansion. The brand is currently available in 30 different regions!! Miranda has made sure that her business is at the forefront of the 'clean beauty' movement. Therefore, she wants to inspire people to lead ethically conscious and beautiful lives.
Shop This
Alpha-H
Having experienced chronic cystic acne herself, Michelle Doherty was introduced to Alpha-H skincare and was blown away by the results she saw. Not long after that Michelle quit her job and bought the company! As the founder of the Alpha-H we know and love today, Michelle has led the company to huge success, with Alpha-H now found in over 25 countries. After starting out with only four products, there are now over 60 incredible Alpha-H products to help treat and nurture your skin.
Shop ThisUnderstanding the stories and inspiration behind these brands only makes us love them even more! This incredible group of women have helped shape the beauty industry into what it is today! We have no doubt that they and many others will continue paving the way for the industry. We can't wait to see what these beauty brands do next!