Women’s History Month might have come to a close, but we celebrate inspiring female founders and their innovative launches all year round. While there isn’t a shortage of female-founded brands I love, here’s a handful of ladies changing the industry that have inspired me, and their top products to have on your radar.
U Beauty founder Tina Craig, fashion blogger turned media mogul, made headlines for her award-winning cream, The Resurfacing Compound (starting at $88), which is designed to replace up to six products and deliver results in as little as three to six days thanks to its mix of hyaluronic acid, retinol, peptides, antioxidants and AHAs. The best part: it delivers! You can also catch this iconic product in this month’s NewBeauty TestTube, which features $200+ worth of products for $29.95.
Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, recently launched her new book, Believe It: How to Go From Underestimated to Unstoppable ($17). While it would appear everything Jamie touches turns to gold—she sold her company to L’Oréal for $1.2 Billion, landing her the title of America’s Richest Self-Made Woman by Forbes and her new book is already a number-one best-seller on Barnes & Noble and Amazon—her book tells a different story. She peels back the curtain on years of rejection, body shaming, and almost losing it all before the legendary QVC moment, where she chose to show how her product covered her rosacea live on air by removing her makeup, and then it immediately sold out. For anyone looking for some inspiration and a lesson in perseverance, this is the book for you. As for the product on my vanity, IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Full-Coverage Concealer ($34) hides any sign of acne while treating it, too.
NUDESTIX—founded by mother-daughters trio, Jenny, Ally and Taylor Frankel—changed the game of natural makeup by understanding the needs of millennial and Gen-Z audiences. This year, the brand introduced NUDESKIN, a clean, vegan-powered skin-care range that aims to be eco-conscious and comes in recyclable tubes and biodegradable secondary packaging. While I’ve extensively enjoyed the entire range, the Gentle Hydra-Gel Face Cleanser ($18) is a knockout for me in the morning, as I’m not especially active these days and want something gentle on my skin.
Sylwia Wiesenberg, founder of Bawdy Beauty, the self-proclaimed butt-obsessed entrepreneur, created a new category in beauty when launching her award-winning sheet masks for the butt. She recently launched The Bawdy Wash ($30), which knocked my socks off. I’ve used a lot of just-add-water powder face washes, but this is a first for me in the form of a body wash. The nutrient-rich powder-to-foam cleanser left my skin so smooth and hydrated, plus it smells amazing.
Actress Danielle Fishel will forever be my original hair crush. Like many, I swooned over her locks as she played Topanga on the hit TV show Boy Meets World. A few months before the pandemic she launched the vegan, cruelty-free hair-care line Be Free by Danielle Fishel, and I’ve been addicted to the Scalp Refresh ($30) ever since. Apply it with a dropper and massage the nutrient-rich formula into your scalp. It clarifies and hydrates while giving a soft lift, which my thin hair greatly appreciates.
Makeup artist Danessa Myricks has long been one of my favorite Instagram follows. The artistry on her page is so visually stimulating and nothing short of art. Her cult-favorite beauty product from her line, Colorfix Eye, Cheek & Lip Cream Pigment ($18) makes a regular appearance on the page, where she mixes shades to create iconic, high-pigment eye and face looks. Now that it’s spring, I’m trading my range of brown metallics for bright pops of color!
Bloomeffects is a more recent discovery for me. The brand launched a few years ago and piqued my curiosity over Instagram when its best-selling Royal Tulip Nectar ($65) was making the shelfies of some of my most trusted beauty entrepreneurs and friends. Coined a moisturizing serum or overnight sleep mask, this unique ointment-to-serum hydrator nourishes skin while helping to repair its barrier thanks to its rich blend of antioxidants and amino acids. The Nectar is my go-to on days when I need some added moisture and glow. Founders Kim van Haaster and Monica Aurigemma were former beauty-industry coworkers who founded the company together after Kim moved from NYC to the Netherlands to be with her partner, a fourth-generation Dutch tulip founder. After being introduced to his award-winning flowers, they are now a breakthrough beauty ingredient powering her skin-care line.
Rea Ann Silva changed the game when she launched the famous egg-shaped beautyblender. The iconic pink makeup sponge got a recent green makeover with the launch of the brand’s Biopure Sustainable Green Makeup Sponge ($20), the same price and texture as the original, except this innovative sponge boosts a 60-percent plant-based composition. I also joined forces with beautyblender to create the limited-edition BB x Pretty Connected mask + chain set ($27), with $1 from every purchase going to Black Girl Ventures to create access to capital and resources for budding entrepreneurs.
I can’t keep up with Drew Barrymore’s does-it-all resume, and that inspires me! This iconic woman is a personal reminder to try new things and shoot for the stars. In my case, her Flower By Drew Miracle Matte Liquid Lip ($10) in shade Melon Pop is my power red that offers unparalleled pigment and staying power without drying out my lips the way most matte lips do.
