Estee Lauder

Estée Lauder is a global leader in the beauty industry, known for its high-end skincare, makeup, and fragrance products. The company was founded in 1946 by Estée Lauder and her husband Joseph Lauder.

Estée Lauder was born in Queens, New York in 1908, and had an interest in beauty from a young age. She began experimenting with skincare formulas in her kitchen, and eventually developed a line of skincare products that she began selling to friends and family. With the help of her husband, she began to expand her business, and in 1946, they officially launched Estée Lauder, Inc.

The company started with a small line of four products: Cleansing Oil, Skin Lotion, Super Rich All-Purpose Creme, and Creme Pack. Estée Lauder was a master at self-promotion and marketed her products with a “try before you buy” approach. She would personally demonstrate her products in department stores, encouraging women to try them on their own skin. This approach proved to be successful, and the company's sales began to grow.

In 1953, Estée Lauder introduced its first fragrance, Youth Dew, which quickly became a best-seller. The company continued to expand its product line, introducing new skincare and makeup products, as well as additional fragrances. In 1960, Estée Lauder went public, becoming the first company owned by a woman to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Estée Lauder continued to expand, both in terms of product offerings and geographic reach. The company opened its first international subsidiary in London in 1967, and by the 1970s, it was operating in countries around the world. In the 1980s, the company acquired several other beauty brands, including Clinique, Aveda, and MAC.

Today, Estée Lauder is a global leader in the beauty industry, with a wide range of popular brands and products. The company operates in over 150 countries and has a portfolio of more than 25 brands, including Estée Lauder, Clinique, MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Aveda. Estée Lauder continues to be a family-owned and operated company, with William P. Lauder, the grandson of Estée Lauder and Joseph Lauder, serving as the Executive Chairman.