Women-Owned Beauty Brands to Support During International Women’s History Month

By Hannah Muehlberger

This month is International Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to honor and commend the women who help make us all feel beautiful and confident in our own skin! This list could be extended to over one hundred brands, but to keep it brief we thought we would highlight just a handful of beauty brands that were created and are run by powerful, innovative women.

 

Tower 28

Tower 28 Beauty gets its name from the place where two iconic LA worlds come together. It sits at the crossroads of the Santa Monica pier and gritty Venice Beach. A meeting place for locals, Tower 28 symbolizes everything we believe in – community, healthy fun, and clean living. The owner, Amy had sensitive skin her entire adult life. Sensitive skin can take so many forms, but for me it means eczema. After 15+ years working as a beauty executive, she was frustrated that my sensitive, problem skin meant I was limited to serious brands that felt clinical (like someone in a lab coat was selling to her!). If you have sensitive skin, you’ve heard the terms: hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free, and dermatologist-tested. It’s a start but that doesn’t mean the product is good for you! At Tower 28, they know that what goes on your skin also goes into your bloodstream. They also know that beauty doesn’t have to be so serious, which is why their products are non-toxic, free of sensitizing irritants, full of calming, nourishing ingredients, plus a healthy dose of FUN. Not to mention vegan + cruelty-free. Proving #ItsOkayToBeSensitive. Their most popular products include their ShineOn Lip Jelly, which comes in thirteen beautiful and shiny colors. The product in the form of a “jelly”, means it has the shine of a gloss, the comfort of a balm

, plus a pop of color. For never-sticky, always-shiny lips! Traditional lip gloss coats lips with a layer of shine, but can end up leaving lips dry underneath. Pass on that, thanks. ShineOn is a moisturizing lip treatment formulated with a unique blend of 5 nourishing oils to soothe and protect lips. ShineOn and on and on! Just swipe and smile. Another popular product of Tower 28 is their MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara. A safe for sensitive eyes vegan mascara that visibly volumizes lengthens, and defines, the most amped-up, natural-looking lashes. The breakthrough Triple-Wave Wand has three flexible suspended bands that lengthen and define every single lash + build boldness. The clean formula is lightweight + endlessly buildable without getting crunchy or clumpy and is easy to wash off keeping irritation and breakage at bay. These products are available on Sephora or the company’s website.

 

Glow Recipe

Founders and co-CEOs  Christine Chang and Sarah Lee created a skincare brand that helps you glow every day! They’re your go-to brand for efficacious skincare innovations that deliver clinical results & sensorial self-care moments. They make fruit-forward, clean formulas for glowing skin. They believe we glow even brighter together & that’s why they’re so excited to welcome you to our community that believes in inclusivity, individuality & sustainability. Glow Recipe is built on the philosophy of taking it day by day, skin by skin. They know that skin changes daily & want to empower you to love and treat your skin based on its ever-changing needs. (Because that’s life!). Some of their most popular products i

nclude their Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops that reveal a dewy glow instantly and over time with this niacinamide-infused highlighting serum, formulated without mica, glitter, or pearls. This first-of-its-kind highlighting skincare + makeup hybrid helps visibly brighten skin and deliver an effortless glow instantly and over time while helping to reduce hyperpigmentation without leaving a gray cast. This emulsion creates a lightweight, buildable texture that quickly absorbs, making it suitable for all skin types including oily or acne-prone. Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops can be used as a hydrating highlighting serum before moisturizer or as the last step of your routine to add an instant glossy finish. Their Avacado Melt Retinol Eye Cream is potent, yet gentle encapsulated retinol gently time-releases for hours to effectively smooth fine lines and firm the delicate eye area. Paired with avocado extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and coffeeberry, this creamy yet lightweight formula helps to nourish, brighten, and depuff by morning. All of their products are Free of Mineral Oil, Sulfates, Silicones, Phthalates, Drying Alcohols, Synthetic Dyes, and Synthetic Fragrance. Leaping Bunny Certified Cruelty-free.

 

Jones Road

Jones Road was founded by makeup artist Bobbi Brown on the philosophy that the world doesn’t need more beauty products. It needs better beauty products. Clean, strategic, high-grade formulations that work on every skin type and tone—and that are as simple to use as they are to master. Jones Road is a lifetime of beauty knowledge, distilled. No phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, PEGs, cyclic silicones, EDTA, or BPA. (Among many others.) They follow guidelines even more stringent than those of the E.U. to eliminate over 2,700 potentially harmful ingredients from our formulas. Because clean beauty is a no-brainer. According to Brown herself, “Jones Road was born from a search for something that didn’t yet exist. Because it didn’t exist, I had to create it. What I wanted was the makeup equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife: easy, cool, multi-purpose products that could be used to nail any look, whether it be no-makeup makeup or something with more drama. It began with the need to create formulas for my own kit. And then it became something much bigger. Jones Road is a growing collection of simple, smart products for all ages, skin

types and skin tones that help women achieve the no-makeup makeup look naturally- and an evolution of how good makeup can actually feel (as well as look)”. Their most popular products include What The Foundation, a tinted moisture balm that meets the traditional foundation. Blends seamlessly into the skin—leaving you with an even, fresh complexion that looks like your skin on its best day. WTF includes skin-nourishing ingredients like Jojoba Oil and Sodium Hyaluronate; works flawlessly with the Face Pencil; and offers buildable, light-medium coverage. Choose from one of 12 shades, created to blend across all skin tones.  WTF is a first-of-its-kind innovation in the clean beauty space. Another best seller is their Miracle Balm, the secret of no-makeup makeup: a wash of soft-focus moisture to perfect and enhances the skin. A light-reflecting super product that’s as versatile as it is simple to use. Wear Miracle Balm alone or layer it on top of the foundation for an instant refresh.

 

Lilly Lashes

 

Lilly Lashes is owned by a one-of-a-kind woman Lilly Ghalichi. She wears many hats, as an attorney, entrepreneur, cosmetic creator, fashion designer, and blogger. As an Attorney, Lilly understands the extreme importance of education as a tool of empowerment. She attended the Red McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. She furthered her formal education at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where she received her Juris Doctor with honors (gr

aduating Cum Laude / Order of the Coif), and became a licensed Attorney in the State of California. Makeup, Glamour, Fashion, and design have always been passions of Lilly’s, so it is no surprise she owns many different beauty and fashion companies under the “Ghalichi Glam” powerhouse label. These include Hollywood’s Favorite Luxury Lash Line, Lilly Lashes, online fashion-house WantMyLook.com, her own line of luxe Hair Extensions, Lilly Hair, and a Hair Nourishing Vitamin, HAIRtamin, that helps your hair grow longer, stronger, and faster. However, focusing solely on her line of luxury lashes, her most popular lashes are the Miami 3D Mink Lashes. Miami is an ultra-wispy, 3D Mink lash that can give you the classic, photo-ready glam that you love. These rounded false lashes add length and volume for the ultimate seductive look without weighing your lids down for comfortable, long wear. Enjoy the fluttery, full-body look of Miami, their most popular style, in a lasting set of wispy lashes that can be reused for up to 25 wears. Another great style is the Luxury Synthetic Drama in Flashy. Get the attention you deserve with the ultra-dramatic Flashy lash. This exaggerated round lash enhances the eye with bold volume and long, fluttery layers for your most camera-ready looks.

Dezi Skin

Created by the beautiful YouTube beauty influencer Desi Perkins, her mission for her skincare line is to put importance on what comes before makeup, your skin! According to Desi herself “Even though I entered into the beauty world with makeup, I have always understo

od the importance of skincare. As my career started to grow, it became increasingly important to be transparent and show you more of my authentic self. This meant showing you my face without makeup and also exposing you to my everyday life (not just the glamorous parts). The more I started to show my authentic self, the more I realized we all crave something more real. While I do love makeup, there is strength in loving myself without it and I want you to experience the same love for your skin”. Some of their best sellers include the Claro Que C and their Masque On. Claro Que C is a vitamin C glow serum perfect to brighten your skin, and your day! Potent forms of vitamin C are infused into the water and oil phases of this serum, allowing skin absorption on two levels: the water-loving and oil-loving parts of the skin. As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps fight the effects of free radicals and reduces the appearance of

fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps reduce the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tone to give the skin a more youthful glow. The Masque On is an overnight moisture sleep mask that works to hydrate, tighten and revitalize the skin for a plumper-looking, radiant complexion the next morning. It not only delivers intense hydration but can also make skin appear firmer and tighter with AHAs and microalgae. The algae nourish the skin with essential amino acids, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Plus, three molecular weights of hyaluronic acid target different layers of the skin to bring moisture beyond the surface level. 

 

Ouai 

Founder Jen Atkin, a celebrity hairstylist gets it and says that “(she is) an overstimulated consumer myself. I’ve used every hair product on the market and spent years talking to my clients and social followers about their hair. I’ve struggled to find a haircare brand that my friends and I could relate to. It was my goal to take these conversations

and create the first socially-connected haircare brand.” However, her brand has now expanded to not just hair, but skin, fragrance, and more. One of their top-selling products includes their Heat Protectant Oil For Hair. Fight your frizz, achieve a sleek, high-gloss finish, and protect your hair from heat damage and color fading with our best-selling Hair Oil, infused with a blend of African galanga, ama, and Asian borage oils. Perfect for locks that are damaged, have split ends, or easily break. Another one of their top-selling products is the Sugar Scalp and Body Scrub. Scrub the drama out of your life (and scalp). This blend of sugar and coconut oil cuts thru to cleanse your hair & body while calming the crazy. Need a holiday? Let this scrub whisk you away with the limited edition St. Barts scent that has notes of dragonfruit, orange blossom, tuberose & musk. This exotic blend of sugar, hibiscus, and coconut oil exfoliates & nourishes your scalp & body so you can enjoy paradise all year long.

 

SuperGoop

A brand that you have surely seen browsing Sephora and Ulta (and for good reason!). Supergoop!’s first home wasn’t a store shelf, it was a classroom. Our founder, Holly Thaggard, started the company by getting SPF pumps into schools in Texas to better protect our youth in a place where play happens every day. Since then, their belief in pioneering change on the playground has never left them: Through our Ounce by Ounce® program, they continue donating SPF pumps to schools across America. One of their bestselling products is their Unseen Sunscreen, the original 100% invisible, weightless, scentless sunscreen with broad spectrum SPF protection,

skincare benefits & a natural finish. This cult favorite is the original invisible sunscreen! With an oil-free formula & a natural finish, this innovative, antioxidant-rich essential glides onto the skin to provide broad spectrum UVA/UVB & infrared protection while helping to filter blue light. Bonus: It doubles as a makeup-gripping primer! Another one of their best sellers, is their Glowscreen, a glowy tinted sunscreen that hydrates skin & primes for makeup with a dewy finish available in four flexible shades! This multitasking primer with SPF gives skin an instant glow-up — and now it comes in four radiant shades! Formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin B5 to hydrate and perfect, this cult beauty fave creates a dewy, glowy base without any visible glitz or glitter. Plus it provides broad spectrum protection from UV rays and infrared radiation, and it helps filter blue light from tech! Wear on its own, or layer under makeup as a glowy primer to give skin a naturally supple, lit-from-within look.

 

Kristen Ess

 

Kristen Ess Hair is another company started by a celebrity hairstylist and social influencer. Kristin Ess Hair began with a simple idea: create an affordable collection of luxury haircare and styling products that would give everyone the chance to create modern, perfectly-imperfect hair. Who better to make all of our #hairgoals come true than Kristin Ess? With twenty-two years of expertise as a top hairstylist and colorist, along with her intimate insight into what products were truly needed to create the most beautiful hairstyles, Kristin developed a range of cleansers, conditioners, dry + wet stylers, glosses, styling to

ols, styling accessories, and hair accessories that we’ve all been waiting for. Each product in the Kristin Ess Hair collection has been designed to either be used alone and integrated into your current haircare routine or can be paired with other products in the line, which is made possible thanks to lightweight, buildable formulas. Versatile, easy-to-use, and incredibly high-performing, each Kristin Ess Hair product is formulated with Zip-Up Technology™, a strengthening complex designed to ‘zip up’ split ends and smooth the appearance of damaged cuticles while helping to protect hair from environmental stressors and color fade. A best-seller includes their Extra Gentle Shampoo for  Sensitive Skin + Scalp, which gently removes impurities without stripping the hair of its natural oils. Perfect for those with sensitive skin + scalp, who need an extra gentle formula and a more subtle fragrance. Formulated with no Parabens, Phthalates, Sulfates, or Silicone. Another popular product is their Ultra Light Curl Defining Cream – Frizz Taming + Curl Hydrating. For fine to medium curl types, the Ultra Light Curl Defining Cream from Kristin Ess Hair adds subtle weight and shine to give curls more definition. A dream cream for waves and curls that adds subtle weight and shine, and enhances natural curl patterns, and creates clean coils.

Juvia’s Place

Juvia’s Place is a brand with deep roots in African culture, celebrating those with darker hues and in search of vibrant color pallets. Necessity and inspiration spawned the creation of Juvia’s Place. Founder Chichi Eburu struggled to find makeup suited for her deep skin tone. What was available were

muted colors and products that didn’t enhance the true richness of her skin tone. She searched for years to find cosmetics that would enhance the dark hues of her skin tone without making her look lighter or grayer, makeup that offered colors that weren’t muted against her rich skin color. Their customers have skin tones in the fairest fairs to the deepest darks. The Juvia’s Tribe is where we celebrate our customers that come to us from all walks of life. Created to celebrate the rebels, rulers, and queens of the African kingdoms who honored beauty through their innovative and soulful techniques that we still use today. Their I Am Magic Concealer for Dark to Light Tones is sweat-proof, waterproof, and weightless full-coverage concealer, available across 24 unique shades. We formulated it to be the best full-coverage concealer, great for all skin types and skin tones. Another great product is their Culture Duochrome Liquid Eyeshadow. This duo chrome liquid eyeshadow combines glitters and pearls to give a bold, intense sparkling effect to the eyelids. Dress your eyes in a hydrating, multi-chrome eyeshadow that shifts color with every angle of light. Every Angle is reflective of a pearl. Fula is a Fluorescent white mixed with Blue and aquamarine shift. 

Then I Met You

Founded by Charlotte Cho, Then I Met You is sensorial skincare born from Korean innovation and time-honored rituals. Embracing this contemporary Korean sensibility, our formulations celebrate heritage ingredients like persimmon, ginseng, and fermented rice that have been passed down from generation to generation. We apply innovative science to these ingredients to deliver a clinically effective and evocatively potent skincare experience. Charlotte was inspired by the Korean cultural value of Jeong: a meaningful connection that one can develop with people, places, and things. After nurturing Jeong in all aspects of her life, she created Then I Met You to cultivate more substantial connections between people and their skincare rituals. When you enjoy the experience of applying a product, you’ll make time to use it consistently—and the benefits will amplify over time. Their cult favorite is their Living Cleansing Balm. As the first step of your double cleanse, massage this luxurious, sorbet-soft oil cleanser into the skin to melt away oil-based impurities such as sunscreen, makeup, and excess sebum while nourishing the skin with antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and vitamin E. Free of polyethylene, mineral oil, alcohol, silicone, parabens,

artificial coloring, and synthetic fragrance. This oil cleanser combines a blend of lightweight grape seed, olive, and seaberry oils. Hints of rosemary, persimmon, and grapefruit make this a sensorial, aromatic experience designed to delight your senses and leave your skin soft and clean. They also just introduced a new product; their Living Sea Cleansing Tonic. This refreshing multi-tasking cleansing toner hydrates while it cleanses, micro-emulsifies makeup, and removes impurities with nourishing ingredients that won’t strip away your skin’s natural moisture. Powered by 86% Deep Sea Water sourced from Gangwon, Korea, and formulated with a blend of papaya enzymes, licorice root, seaberry, and persimmon extract, Living Sea Cleansing Tonic helps revitalize and rehydrate for a daily cleansing and toning ritual that leaves skin pristine, soft and plump. Can be used in the morning as a toner to create the perfect hydrated canvas, midday as a refresher, and at night as part of a two-step routine after oil-cleansing to whisk away any remaining impurities.