Dr. PAWPAW, Rodial, NEOM Organics, Balance Me, Floral Street, Emma Hardie - these are names that any beauty addict will already be familiar with.
However, did you know that these iconic brands were all founded by inspiring and incredible women?
Well, OK! Beauty Box has teamed up with 12 inspiring female founders in the beauty business for its latest limited edition box, The Female Founders Edit.
These awe-inspiring women have helped to curate the 12-piece collection by sharing their favourite hero products - and shared some of their mantras and words of wisdom along the way.
But that's not all. The Female Founders Edit is worth over £275 but you can buy yours here for just £55 - and 10% of sales will be going to charity Refuge*.
In the meantime, check out these 12 amazing women's tips and product choices below...
1. Michele Scott-Lynch, Bouclème founder
Michele Scott-Lynch founded haircare superstar, Bouclème, after having "hated my hair for a large part of my life".
She explained: "There were very few curly role models in the media when I was growing up and I could never find products that would define or hold my curls so I opted for relaxing them instead."
At 30 years old, she "decided to embrace my natural curls" but struggled to find plant based products - which inspired her to create Bouclème.
"I wanted to create naturally powerful products that benefited curls and would improve hair health long term," she explained.
Hero product: Hydrating Hair Cleanser. Michele recommended: "When you wash your hair, focus on cleansing your scalp where all the sebum builds up. Apply some cleanser to your fingertips and gently massage into your scalp. The length of your hair will be cleansed as you rinse, less stripping and more hydrating."
2. Clare Anderson, Sensory Retreats founder
Clare first began her foray in the beauty industry in 2009 when she launched the world's first eco-friendly, portable self-heating massage tool Lava Shells, training over 10,000 beauty therapists in the treatments over a decade.
But in 2020, Covid hit and the spa industry was brought to a grinding halt.
In March that year, Clare launched Sensory Retreats. She explained: "I wanted to showcase our luxury oils and candles to the consumer market while at the same time launching our newest product, Divine Eyes Self-Heating Eye Mask." Since then, the Divine Eyes and Divine Glow Face mask have been a hit with both beauty professionals and consumers.
Hero product: Divine Eyes and Divine Glow Face mask. Clare explained: "Since their launch, they’ve consistently been one of our best-selling and most loved products, and they’re a fantastic and cost-effective introduction to our range. They’re also incredibly versatile and deliver lots of wellbeing benefits."
3. Pauline Paterson, Dr. PAWPAW founder
Pauline co-founded Dr. PAWPAW after searching on the market for a product to help aid her young daughter's eczema, without success. "The superfruit natural pawpaw ingredient that I had grown up using in Australia worked its magic but availability of it was scarce in the UK so Dr.PAWPAW was created to fill that gap," she explained.
Hero product: Dr.PAWPAW Overnight Lip Mask. "[The mask] was created by myself in close collaboration with our chemist," Pauline said. "I knew I wanted a plumping formula but what I didn’t want to create was something that tingles on the lips."
4. Susan Gerrard, Mii Cosmetics founder
Susan brought the nailcare brand Jessica to the UK over 30 years ago, explaining that "training thousands of manicurists in the Jessica technique was the first of its kind for natural nail care in this country".
However, she "wanted to give women of all ages confidence by developing a new range of makeup that is high quality yet affordable and easy to understand and easy to use". In 2011, she created Mii Cosmetics, a make-up range that also included brows and tanning for spas and salons. "Inspired by real women, I wanted to celebrate every woman's true beauty," she said.
Hero product: Length Lash Lover mascara. "Feature Length Lash Lover is our number one best-selling mascara, so I wanted to share my secret with everybody!" she admitted.
5. Michelle Feeney, Floral Street founder
Michelle boasts a seriously impressive CV including MAC Cosmetics, Crème de la Mer, and St Tropez, but at 51 she decided to take a gap year to be "in the moment" and "reset". She wanted to create a brand that "had to be meaningful, and I wanted it to be a beacon for change".
Five years ago, Floral Street launched as an independent, sustainable British fragrance brand, ‘powered by flowers’ and inspired by the vibrant streets of London. She explained: "We tell our story through ethical fragrance products that help empower and motivate others to have confidence in themselves."
Hero product: Sunflower Pop Fragrance. Michelle added: "I often give this perfume in the 10ml size as a gift to my friends, so they can just pop it in their bag to always have it with them. It’s such an uplifting, vibrant fragrance and I tell them that if they spritz it before they walk into a room, it will turn heads with its positive scent vibe!"
6&7. Clare and Rebecca Hopkins, Balance Me co-founders
The incredible sister-duo created a natural skincare brand to "bring a moment of balance to everyone we touch, whilst being mindful of our planet". It's been a successful venture - and they're even an official B Corporation now too.
When they're not hard at work, you'll find them enjoying a spot of wild swimming early in the morning - even on days when the UK weather isn't playing ball!
Hero product: BHA Exfoliating Concentrate. "It’s a product we both use religiously and remains one of our bestsellers! We always have such a phenomenal response when women try this product, so we wanted to give OK! Beauty box customers the chance to try it and fall in love with it too," the sisters revealed.
8. Jane Foulston, Emma Hardie skincare brand director and ambassador
The Emma Hardie brand was founded by the holistic facialist of the same name, in 1996. The non-invasive, natural lift and sculpting facial had rave reviews, but Emma wanted to empower her clients to treat their skin at home, so in 2009 she launched a capsule 'Amazing Face' range including the 'spa in a jar' Moringa Cleansing Balm.
Hero product: Moringa Cleansing Balm. "I’d say this product is not just about taking care of your skin," said Jane. "It’s about creating a skincare ritual, taking time out of your day for yourself and enjoying the routine of cleansing. It’s about removing not only makeup, but also the stresses of the day. As our lives get busier it’s important to set time aside for regular self-care."
9. Nicola Elliott, NEOM Organics founder
Nicola was working 60-hour weeks in a job that she admits was "affecting my wellbeing", when she made the decision to train as an aromatherapist.
She explained: "I saw a lack of sleep, energy and low mood, not just in myself, but also in my friends and family. I wanted to help us!"
She began working on effective pure blends of essential oils including Perfect Night's Sleep Pillow Mist, Real Luxury and Feel Refreshed, before NEOM was born.
Hero product: Perfect Night's Sleep Pillow Mist. Nicola revealed that this pillow mist was created after her sister was having truble sleeping. She added: "It was actually the first ever official NEOM blend and is one of our most popular to this day - so many of us have trouble sleeping that it’s no wonder."
10. Joanna Jensen, Childs Farm founder
Childs Farm was founded after Joanna couldn't find soothing solutions for her daughter Bella's Atopic Eczema. After trying a whole host of different products, none of which helped, she decided to take it upon herself to create everything from bubble bath to skincare that would help her daughter.
She added: "I packaged these up in bottles with vignettes from our own farm, featuring my own daughters, their cousins and all of our animals."
Hero product: Calming Massage Lotion. Joanna says that this can be hugely helpful for new mothers and babies: "With the fragrance of lavender and Moonmilk, which has been scientifically proven to aid a restful sleep, everyone can look forward to drifting into the land of nod in no time."
11. Erin Graybill, Niré Beauty founder
Back in 2015, Erin was an economics research student with an interest in cruelty-free makeup brushes that were suitable for sensitive skin. Unfortunately she could not find affordable options, "so Niré Beauty was founded with a desire to create cosmetic accessories that are beautiful, clever and thoughtfully priced". She worked with makeup artists and aestheticians to develop the brand's first product ‘The Artistry Set’.
Hero product: 211 Insta-Brow Brush. According to Erin the double sided brush has been designed to "save our customers time creating gorgeous ‘Instagram- ready’ brows - hence the clever name ‘Insta-brows'".
12. Maria Hatzistefanis, Rodial founder
The former beauty editor spotted a gap in the market for "a results driven, ingredient-led brand to target specific concerns".
She launched Rodial with products spanning skin freezing Snake Serum and plumping Dragons Blood Sculpting Gel, which became instant hits. The brand also has a capsule makeup collection inspired by their Banana Lowlighter, a product that they cannot keep in stock!
Hero product: Pink Diamond Lifting Serum. "It’s a product that works well for everyone as it helps to combine anti-ageing with illumination," said Maria. "There is something in there for everyone."
OK! Beauty Box - Female Founders Edit
The limited edition Female Founders Edit is an exclusive curation of products founded by these incredible, inspiring women.
Featuring a 12 piece collection worth over £275, the box is designed to enhance your beauty routine and leave you feeling empowered and enriched from top-to-toe with skin, hair, body, makeup and wellbeing products founded by incredible women.
You can already get yours at okbeautybox.co.uk.
What's included?
- Rodial, Pink Diamond Lifting Serum, 30ml full size RRP £125.00. Founder: Maria Hatzistefanis
- Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, 30ml travel size £20.00 Founder Emma Hardie
- NEOM Perfect Night's Sleep Pillow Mist, full size, 30ml RRP £20.00. Founder: Nicola Elliott
- Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate supersized travel size, 50ml RRP £13.00. Founders: Clare Hopkins & Rebecca Hopkins
- Floral Street Sunflower Pop travel size 10ml RRP £28.00. Founder: Michelle Feeney
- Bouclème Hydrating Hair Cleanser, full size 100ml RRP £10.00. Founder: Michele Scott-Lynch
- Niré Beauty 211 Insta-brows Brush full size brush RRP £12.00. Founder: Erin Graybill
- Mii Cosmetics Feature Length Lash Lover Mascara, full size £15.50. Founder: Susan Gerrard
- Dr.PAWPAW Overnight Lip Mask 10ml travel size RRP £4.75. Founder: Pauline Paterson
- Childs Farm SlumberTime™ Calming Massage Lotion, full size 150ml RRP £7.50. Founder: Joanna Jensen
- Sensory Retreats Divine self heating face mask, RRP £5.00
- Sensory Retreats Divine self heating eye mask, RRP £3.95
- Plus a voucher to redeem four copies of OK! magazine, RRP £12.80
For every box sold, 10% of sales will be donated to the charity Refuge*. This organisation works tirelessly to empower women to live without violence and fear.
*OK! Beauty Box will donate 10% of the sale of every Female Founders Edit Beauty Box to Refuge (registered charity number 277424). The total donation is expected to be a minimum of £7,800.
