In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re showcasing inspiring women in the beauty industry who use their influence to empower others. They share their experiences and inspirations to help us all learn and grow.
Alchimie Forever: Ada Polla, CEO
What inspires you to continue innovating the definition of clean beauty in this industry?
“I love making a difference in how people feel about themselves, about their level of self-confidence. Healthy skin is not about vanity, it is about being our best selves and feeling that way.”
Check out Alchimie Forever’s products here.
Codex Labs: Barbara Paldus, CEO and Founder
What is the biggest confidence lesson you feel you’ve learned?
“Focus less on yourself or money and more on the goals ahead of you. Set these goals to genuinely help others because there is no better feeling than improving their lives.”
Check out Codex Labs’ products here.
Gaia Bare Care: Chrystina Morteo-Bowman, CEO
How do you empower your team when facing an issue?
“I encourage my team to participate in brainstorming sessions. I allow them to take the lead on projects that incorporate their strengths and/or passions. I never put down an idea, only allow it to evolve.”
Check out Gaia Bare Care’s products here.
Force of Nature: Melissa Lush, Co-Founder
How would you like to see policy change to support women?
“High-quality, affordable daycare for every Mom who needs it would be transformative. Every day counts for our kiddos’ development, and we have got to support that truth with the right care.”
Check out Force of Nature’s products here.
MÉRV Skincare: Melissa Bayanzadeh, Founder
What do you believe about beauty now that you didn’t before?
“I have come to believe that true beauty comes from within and is reflected in our overall health and well-being. I now see beauty as a holistic concept that includes not only our physical appearance, but also our values, beliefs, and the impact we have on the world around us.”
Check out MÉRV Skincare’s products here.
Ekhambee: Naeemah Abdur Rauf, Owner
What inspires you to continue innovating the definition of clean beauty in this industry?
“Most products available in the market are incredibly chemical-heavy, which are harmful to women of colour who have the highest cancer death rates. I am dedicated to bringing awareness to this issue.”
Check out Ekhambee’s products here.
Kind Laundry: Angie Tran, Co-Founder
What do you believe about beauty now that you didn’t before?
“Our category is laundry, and we believe that everyone has the right to know the ingredients in their laundry detergent. Household cleaning product companies should be transparent with the ingredients they use just as food and beauty industries are.”
Check out Kind Laundry’s products here.
Serene Body Health: Nina Hargrave, Founder
How would you like to see policy change to support women?
“The role of caregiving still predominantly falls onto women. Caregiving of both young and old. I would like to see much more support for women regarding this.”
Check out Serene Body Health’s products here.
Healthy Body Investment: Dale Ann Malone, Founder
What is the biggest confidence lesson you feel you’ve learned?
“The biggest confidence lesson I have learned from my biz is to chill and trust your gut. It will never steer you wrong.”
Check out Health Body Investment’s products here.
LULAAV: Shira Tabib, Founder
How do you empower your team when facing an issue?
“We empower through positive reinforcement, understanding that at the end of the day, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and that through hard work and dedication, a potential issue can usually be solved with team spirit.”
Check out LULAAV’s products here.
Eyetitude: Tricia Morris, Founder
What is the biggest confidence lesson you feel you’ve learned?
“I’ve learned that it’s impossible to know everything about anything. To learn and grow is to be open to learning more every day.”
Check out Eyetitude’s products here.
Erin’s Faces: Erin Williams, Founder
What do you believe about beauty now that you didn’t before?
“Growing up I believed that beauty had limitations — based on what you looked like and what size pants you wore — because that’s what I was told by every magazine and movie. Now I believe that everybody, every age, and every face is beautiful.”
Check out Erin’s Face’s products here.
OLITA: Laurie O’Hara, Founder & CEO
How do you empower your team when facing an issue?
“I empower my team by giving them the autonomy, trust, and authority to get it done. We face new issues all the time and they know they have my trust and confidence to move forward with a solution. I am always here to work it out with them too.”
Check out OLITA’s products here.
Plaine Products: Lindsey McCoy, Co-Founder & CEO
How would you like to see policy change to support women?
“Women’s issues are human issues and need to be taken seriously. More women need to have a seat at the table where decisions are made.”
Check out Plaine Products’ here.
INNERSOUL®: Nasreen P. Bhatt, Founder & CEO
What inspires you to continue innovating the definition of clean beauty in this industry?
“It means never compromising health for results. It’s all about enchanting what you use every day for when you want to look and feel your best while educating others to nourish and value their skin because it is the largest organ and deserves the same respect.”
Check out INNERSOUL®’s products here.
Therapy Clean: Anne Ruozzi, Founder & CEO
How do you empower your team when facing an issue?
“We begin by thoroughly understanding the issue at hand and how it impacts the business. Next, we make sure all team members feel supported so that all ideas and opinions are shared. Lastly, we celebrate our successes (large or small).”
Check out Therapy Clean’s products here.
Grown Alchemist: Kelly McDonnell, SVP, Marketing + Digital
What do you believe about beauty now that you didn’t before?
“That biology and genetics are uniquely yours, which makes up your beauty. True beauty is in accepting that and striving to support it the healthy way for longevity, not radically changing it for short-term gains.”
Check out Grown Alchemist’s products here.
Bio-First: Dr. Jude Lenart, Co-Founder/Director
What inspires you to continue innovating the definition of clean beauty in this industry?
“My strongest motivation is helping people — the best way is to create, not criticize. That involves a partnership with nature and a friendship with science. This beautiful relationship delivers genuine value.”
Check out Bio-First’s products here.
Mad Hippie: Dana Stewart, Co-Founder
What is the biggest confidence lesson you feel you’ve learned?
“Entering an industry with fierce competition, it was easy to feel as though creating a skincare company that would stand out was an insurmountable challenge, but we took it one step at a time- crossing each obstacle as it presented itself.”
Check out Mad Hippie’s products here.
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Empowering Women in Leadership: International Women’s Day 2023 was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.