International Women's Day places the spotlight on women, celebrating our achievements, offering support for one another and raising awareness for the challenges we face. With that in mind, we're sharing some of our favourite female-founded beauty brands that we reach for on a daily basis.
When it comes to beauty brands, we typically place focus on the products they produce, meaning we can often forget about the creatives behind it all. That's why we're taking the opportunity this International Women's Day to share our favourite female-founded beauty brands, that have created some of our favourite products - from the best long-lasting perfumes and best-smelling body lotions to some of the best foundations and mascaras on the market.
From a natural skincare brand rooted in family values to a luxurious fragrance brand with scents inspired by the founder's life events, these are the four woman-founded beauty brands that you need to have on your radar this International Women's Day and beyond.
Our team's favourite woman-founded beauty brands
Supporting and celebrating women's achievements, innovation and business endeavours is more important than ever before. While International Women's Day is a great opportunity to do all the above, it's also important to recognise these brands all year round, not just on a single dedicated day in the calendar. These 12 female-founded beauty brands are the ones we recognise every day.
After working with Estée Lauder in 2016, Victoria got a taste for the world of beauty. And so in 2019 she launched her eponymous brand, Victoria Beckham Beauty, which made almost £2 million in its first three months. "I have always been beauty obsessed, and I want to create beauty solutions that address my customers," Victoria said at the time.
She added, "It is all about making my community feel like the very best versions of themselves." Almost seven years down the line she has a number of cult products - including her Satin Kajal Liner and a foundation collaboration with high-end skincare brand Augustinus Bader - which have become make-up bag staples.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ VB Beauty Satin Kajal Liner
⭐️ VB Beauty Portofino '97 Eau de Parfum
⭐️ VB Beauty Posh Balm
Debuting onto the market with her nourishing Body Smooth scrub, Tropic Skincare was founded by Susie Ma at age 15 to help her mum pay the bills. 21 years on, and now a mother herself, Ma has received various accolades including Forbes 30 Under 30 and EY Young Entrepreneur thanks to her brand's stellar offering of skincare, bodycare and makeup must-haves, each formulated to feed the skin with natural nutritious ingredients that are sustainably sourced from the world's tropical regions.
Not only does Tropic excel with their lineup of products, whether that be their hydrating Rainforest Dew Serum or delicately toning Morning Mist, but they also donate 10% of their profits to support global causes, such as The King's Trust Women Supporting Women and funding education for children in remote parts of the world.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Tropic Skincare Youth Potion Enriched Retinal Complex
⭐️ Tropic Skincare Hydrogel Face Mask Ultra-Hydrating Skin Treatment
⭐️ Tropic Skincare Body Smooth Refreshing Polish
Founded by globally-renowned oculoplastic surgeon Dr Maryam Zamani, who has worked in the industry for over 20 years, MZ Skin is all about innovative formulas aimed at skin longevity that are rooted in clinical research and experience. Born in 2016, the brand was based on Dr Maryam's personal skincare experiences.
"The inspiration for MZ SKIN was deeply personal," she says. "After the birth of my second child in 2014, I developed melasma, which became a defining skin concern for me. I tried countless products and gravitated towards doctor-led brands — but they were often male-founded and, while potentially effective, lacked the sensory experience that keeps you coming back. The packaging was clinical, the steps complicated, and I didn’t feel emotionally connected. So I created MZ SKIN for myself — and women like me. Women who want skincare that works, but also feels beautiful, feminine, and considered. Skincare as self-care."
Our top product picks:
⭐️ MZ Skin LED 2.0 LightMAX Supercharged LED Mask
⭐️ MZ Skin Bio-Placenta Hyaluronic Acid Serum
⭐️ MZ Skin Hydra-Lift Gold Face Mask
Rooted in Korean skincare philosophies, Glow Recipe was founded by Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, who, with years of joint experience working for L'Oréal, launched the brand as a beauty retail platform back in 2014, before creating their first Glow Recipe skincare line in 2017.
With products that are all about unveiling healthy and glowing skin with vegan and cruelty-free formulas, the brand uses robust but deliciously-scented fruit-forward formulas and colourful packaging to cement their place as one of the most female-empowering brands in our skincare rotations.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Glow Recipe PDRN+ Repair + Soothe Toner Pads
⭐️ Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops
⭐️ Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment
During her 30 years as a celebrity make-up artist, Charlotte aided product development for brands like MAC, served as make-up director for numerous designer fashion shows, and created looks for more than 100 Vogue covers. In 2013, she put all her knowledge and expertise into practice by launching her own brand.
Over a decade down the line, it is arguably one of Britain's biggest beauty brands - with Charlotte having topped the UK rich list for beauty entrepreneurs in 2025. The brand is said to be worth £1 billion, while she alone has a net worth of £350 million. As for why she started the company, Charlotte revealed, "I was frustrated by the standard of beauty products... I knew I had to bottle that celebrity DNA and share all my tips, tricks and secrets with the world."
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick
⭐️ Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
⭐️ Charlotte Tilbury The Hollywood Contour Duo
She made her name in the early noughties as a fashion expert, but these days Trinny is best known for her brand, Trinny London. Founded from her kitchen table in 2017, the star sold her 'dream' £5 million Notting Hill home to start the business, which is now estimated to be worth £180 million. "I sold my previous house to start Trinny London, which I grappled with for a long time," she previously admitted.
So, why did she trade life as she knew it and enter the risky world of business? "I felt there was a gap in the market for a brand that gave women information, advice and confidence - and didn't just try to sell them a product," Trinny explained. "I wanted Trinny London to be the brand that simplified the concept of make-up and skincare, but never compromised on quality."
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Trinny London The Elevator Neck/Décolleté Concentrate
⭐️ Trinny London Take Back Time Eye Treatment
⭐️ Trinny London Overnight Sensation Retinal⁺ Serum
An industry favourite among makeup artists, Pat McGrath Labs was founded by the trailblazing makeup artist herself. An award-winning makeup expert and creative, Pat McGrath has been voted as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and in 2021 was awarded D.B.E. Dame of the British Empire by the late Queen for her services to the Fashion and Beauty industry and Diversity - making history as the first makeup artist to achieve this accolade.
As a working makeup artist who has created looks for countless Fashion Week shows over the years, McGrath knew exactly what she wanted to put into her products and that experience shows in her diverse, high quality collections. From her iconic Sublime Perfection foundation to the wide assortment of eye palettes and the robust lip options, the brand offers diverse products that offer a perfectly-finished, long-lasting finish to everyone.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation
⭐️ Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star Mascara
⭐️ Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick
Boasting an array of chic and uncomplicated fragrances, along with luxurious bath and bodycare buys, Jo Loves is a brand I've really been gravitating towards lately. Founded by Jo Malone CBE, following her departure as Creative Director at the eponymous Jo Malone London in 2006, Jo Loves feels fresh and modern - combining both Malone's renowned taste and experience in the world of perfume.
Her passion and well, love for fragrance is clear in every uncomplicated, sparkling blend, be it Pomelo or Amber, Bergamot and Lime. Each scent is inspired by memories in Malone's life and offers distinctive but minimalistic signatures for very accessible prices. It's a creative triumph and again feels fresh, which is no easy feat in such a saturated market.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Jo Loves Amber Lime & Bergamot Eau De Parfum
⭐️ Jo Loves Red Truffle 21 A Fragrance Paintbrush™ Duo
⭐️ Jo Loves Black Cashmeran & Tonka Fragrance
Dubbed the 'Queen of Skincare' and 'most powerful voice in the British beauty industry'. former beauty therapist and consultant Caroline started her blog in 2010. She paved the way for beauty influencers as we know them today. recommending what's hot and endearing fans with her no-nonsense approach.
So it came as no surprise when in 2022 - having previously released her Sunday Times Bestseller, Skincare - Caroline launched her own line. She said, "I decided to launch my own line because, being frank, I'd made a lot of brands a lot of money. And I thought to myself, 'What's my legacy? That I was a really good consultant?'" As for what sets Skin Rocks apart from other brands, Caroline added, "We're at the cutting edge of using the latest ingredients."
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Skin Rocks The Cleansing Balm
⭐️ Skin Rocks The Moisturiser
⭐️ Skin Rocks The Gentle Acid
Founded in 2019 by makeup artist Jamie Genevieve, VIEVE is all about professional-quality, vegan, and cruelty-free products that make an expert makeup look feel achievable and even effortless. "From the first time I saw my mum do her face in the car mirror, I’ve been obsessed with the way makeup can transform people – inside and out," says Jamie. "It’s one of the reasons I trained as a professional makeup artist and worked on luxury beauty counters, then decided to start sharing and teaching online. And it’s why I created VIEVE.
"I could tell you all about the incredible formulas, and I can promise you our products perform in a way that’s super easy and intuitive – whether you’re a total makeup novice or a professional artist yourself. But, most of all, my hope is that VIEVE feels like a home to you. A place where you can come to for advice. A place to find products that feel like small acts of self–love. And finally, a place where you can belong to a family dedicated to helping you feel like the very best version of you each day."
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Vieve Skin Nova Instant Radiance Primer
⭐️ Vieve Modern Bronzer
⭐️ Vieve Lip Dew
I’ve admired Soapsmith and its founder, Samantha Jameson, for years because this is a brand that’s been built from scratch and still feels completely itself (not easy to do when everyone’s looking around on social media) Production began - and remains - in London's Walthamstow, by Samantha and a small team of craftspeople, with excess soap made into mini bars and donated to Beauty Banks charity.
Oh - and the products are gorgeous. There are aromatic bath soaks, body butters and of course, soaps made with natural and cruelty-free ingredients in beautifully designed, highly giftable packaging. New scents get launched when the time is right, so it’s always exciting when a new one comes along. I love that they’re all inspired by London neighbourhoods - and not the usual ones you might expect - herby, summery Hackney, incense-filled Camden and spiced Brick Lane are particularly evocative and well worth a sniff.
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Soapsmith Bloomsbury Body Butter Melt
⭐️ Soapsmith Hackney Handmade Soap
⭐️ Soapsmith Camden Town Bath Soak
Parisian nail care brand, Manucurist, came to fruition back in 1996 as a mother-daughter collaboration that was dedicated to creating beautifully manicured hands. Now, 30 years on, the female-run business is led by CEO and co-founder, Gaëlle Lebrat-Personnaz.
Since taking over the brand from her mother in 2016, Gaëlle and Manucurist have gone on to make waves in the nail care world, placing a major focus on health and sustainability by developing the first green and clean gel polish alternative: ”I took over Manucurist 100% to develop a new type of polish and treatments aimed at all women. I wanted the formulas to be as clean and natural as possible without compromising their effectiveness.”
Our top product picks:
⭐️ Manucurist Active Glow Blueberry
⭐️ Manucurist Nourishing Cuticle Oil
⭐️ Manucurist Green Natural Nail Polish
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