Here are my favorite beauty brands founded by trailblazing women who are paving the way in the beauty industry.
Lan Belinksy
First on the list is BOSCIA, founded by Lan Belinky, whose passion for beauty and skincare was inspired by her grandmother’s mesmerizing beauty ritual and her aunt’s unique application techniques. After moving to the US with her family, Lan’s bicultural identity and love for good-for-you ingredients led her to create Boscia, a brand grounded in the power of botanical science. Its first collection featured Tsubaki, Sake, and Charcoal, with the brand’s cult-favorite Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask launching in Summer of 2011 – which continues to be a fan-favorite over a decade later. To mark this special occasion, Boscia will be donating 10% of all Cherry Blossom Blotting Linens sales to Laura’s House throughout March.
Dara Levy
Next up is DERMAFLASH, founded by Dara Levy, the pioneer of professional-grade at-home dermaplaning and an innovator in the beauty industry. Dara’s journey to where she and her company are today exemplifies women’s empowerment and perseverance through the challenges of life. After losing her husband in 1997, she decided to change the direction of her career and opened her first MedSpa, where she trademarked her bespoke DERMAFLASH treatments. Now, DERMAFLASH is the #1 leader in professional-grade sonic skincare devices, leveraging cutting-edge technology to offer instant dermaplaning results (at home!) for smooth, radiant, fuzz-free complexions and effortless glowing skin. Dara is reinventing the category and pushing innovation to the next level at DERMAFLASH, most recently introducing skincare formulated to enhance DERMAFLASH treatments. At-home dermaplaning is now one of the hottest beauty trends!
dermaflash.com
April Gargiulo
Vintner’s Daughter is another female-founded beauty brand that I love, founded by April Gargiulo, an industry leader in creating category-defining products. April is the woman behind the world’s winningest face oil, Active Botanical Serum, and the newly launched Active Renewal Cleanser, and has been committed to building a lasting impact on the community since launching her brand in 2013. Vintner’s Daughter has committed 2% of all revenue to charities benefiting women, children, and the environment. Through its philanthropic efforts, Vintner’s Daughter has supported over 280,000 pregnant mothers, babies, and children with life-changing vitamins through its support of Vitamin Angels and has provided over 2,700 homeless children with books, blankets, and plush toys in partnership with Project Night Night. These initiatives are just two of the female-focused causes that April and Vintner’s Daughter continue to champion.
vintnersdaughter.com
Janet Hayward
Finally, is IPSUM SKINCARE, a luxury beauty brand created by former beauty journalist and author, Janet Hayward. IPSUM offers a unique self-care experience, where the minute you open the products, you are enveloped by a bouquet of Australian native plants. The oils and balms melt into the skin seamlessly as your senses welcome the calming aromas of each product. IPSUM’s Best Skin Cleansing Oil Balm is my favorite and doubles as an overnight face mask. There are also three face oils to choose from, a Lip Oil Balm, which is a global favorite, and two delicious Body Oils. Janet’s more than 25 years of experience writing about the best in beauty in the UK and in Australia, interviewing some of the world’s specialists in dermatology, aromatherapy, botanicals, and green chemistry, inspired her to create IPSUM.
ipsumskin.com
By Mary Zavaglia
