14 best new and iconic beauty products from female-founded brands

14 Essential Beauty Products from Female-Founded Brands

To honor International Women’s Day and the pioneering women transforming the beauty industry, we’ve compiled a list of innovative and iconic beauty products from brands established by visionary female entrepreneurs. These products, ranging from luxury skincare serums to clean, vegan makeup, embody excellence, sustainability, and empowerment.

Skincare Essentials for Radiant, Healthy Skin

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum
Estée Lauder, founded in 1946 by Estée Lauder herself, remains a cornerstone of the beauty world. This popular anti-aging serum ($141) works overnight to repair visible signs of aging, boost hydration, and restore the skin’s natural resilience. It’s a true beauty sleep essential backed by decades of research.

Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique, born in 1968 from a collaboration between Carol Phillips (US Vogue editor) and Evelyn Lauder, revolutionized skincare with its dermatologist-developed, allergy-tested formulas. This enhanced hydration powerhouse ($79) now delivers double the moisture, locking in plump, supple skin for up to 72 hours.

The Edit Luminous Drops Day Cream
After 25 years as a global makeup artist, Michelle Devereux launched The Edit, a New Zealand-made eco-luxe skincare line. This dewy day cream ($95) blends sweet almond oil, shea butter, macadamia oil, and Kakadu plum to nourish, calm, and illuminate the complexion.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Jane Wurwand, who began her career at age 13 in a Dorset salon, built Dermalogica into a global skincare authority. This award-winning rice enzyme exfoliant ($112) gently polishes away dullness with papain and salicylic acid, revealing a brighter, smoother complexion.

RawKanvas Sol Hydrating Gel Moisturiser
Best friends Shannon and Simona created RawKanvas to redefine natural, vegan, and cruelty-free skincare with a playful twist. The lightweight gel moisturizer ($59) is ideal for breakout-prone skin, offering deep hydration without heaviness.

Caci The Retinol Booster
Jackie Smith, founder of Caci Clinics, extended her expertise into Skinsmiths, a skincare range designed to complement professional treatments. This retinol booster ($99) is perfect for retinol beginners, delivering anti-aging benefits without irritation.

Emma Lewisham Supernatural 72-Hour Night Crème with Collagen Peptides
Driven by a mission to create 100% natural, science-backed skincare, Emma Lewisham formulated this ultra-rich night cream ($141). Packed with 30 high-performance botanicals, it deeply hydrates and boosts collagen for a firmer, more youthful glow.

Makeup Innovations for Effortless Beauty

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation
Florence Nightingale Graham, better known as Elizabeth Arden, pioneered modern cosmetics with her 1910 Red Door Salon. This skin-loving foundation ($69) comes in 40 shades and infuses hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin E for a radiant, buildable finish.

Sophie Cooper Sweet Orange & Grapefruit Solid Moisturiser
While pregnant with her daughter, Sophie Cooper took over a soap factory and launched Ahhh, a brand celebrating handcrafted, sustainable bath and body care. This solid moisturizer bar ($12.99), equivalent to two 500ml lotions, comes in compostable packaging and bursts with citrusy freshness.

Hourglass Cosmetics Veil Translucent Setting Powder
Carisa Janes founded Hourglass Cosmetics in 2004, later selling it for a reported $300 million. The cult-loved setting powder ($74) is finely milled to blur pores and fine lines, delivering a soft-focus, lit-from-within glow.

Lulu Rose Cosmetics Lipstick in Clio
Inspired by old Hollywood glamour, Shelley Houston created Lulu Rose Cosmetics, a natural, organic, and vegan makeup line. The peachy-nude lipstick ($39.99) glides on creamily, enriched with castor seed oil, jojoba, and apricot kernel extract for hydrated, luscious lips.

Karen Murrell Blushing Rose Lipstick
New Zealand’s “lipstick queen,” Karen Murrell, drew inspiration from the vibrant pōhutukawa blossoms to craft her premium natural lipsticks. The subtle nude-pink shade ($32) is a universal flatterer, while the Nude Lip Palette ($50) offers five best-selling hues.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Fresh Melon
Legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown built an empire on effortless, natural beauty. This multi-use cream blush and lip tint ($58) in Fresh Melon delivers a sheer, buildable flush for a healthy, sun-kissed glow.

Aleph Cheek/Lip Tint in Ascend
Emma Peters, a sustainability-focused makeup artist, founded Aleph to offer high-performance, cruelty-free cosmetics. The versatile tint ($55) can be layered for a vibrant coral or sheered out for a soft peach, perfect for lips, cheeks, and eyes.

Why Support Female-Founded Beauty Brands?

Innovation & Expertise: Women founders bring unique perspectives and deep industry knowledge to product development.
Ethical & Sustainable Practices: Many prioritize clean ingredients, cruelty-free testing, and eco-conscious packaging.
Empowerment & Representation: Supporting these brands fosters gender equality in business and diverse beauty standards.

From iconic legacy brands to bold new innovators, these female-founded beauty products prove that passion, purpose, and performance go hand in hand. Elevate your routine while celebrating the women who made them possible.

For more information on women’s empowerment, visit UN Women.