The beauty industry boasts many a success story when it comes to producing powerful businesswomen. To take a closer look at just who these women are, WWD Beauty Inc put together a definitive list of the most powerful women in the US beauty industry.
To run alongside the impressive list, Women’s Wear Daily also revealed its line-up of Beauty’s Most Powerful Women: The Legends - those women responsible for creating the modern-day beauty industry. Some of the ladies who made the cut were Estée Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Mary Kay Ash, Helena Rubinstein, Eunice Johnson, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Below is the full list of today’s most powerful women in the US beauty industry, listed alphabetically.
1. Jen Atkin, hairstylist
2. Pamela Baxter, president and chief executive officer, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics and Christian Dior Couture
3. Marla Malcolm Beck, co-founder + chief executive officer, Bluemercury inc.
4. Leslie Blodgett, executive chairman, Bare Escentuals
5. Julie Bornstein, executive vice president + chief marketing + digital officer, Sephora USA Inc.
6. Gina Boswell, executive vice president, personal care, North America, Unilever
7. Thia Breen, group president, North America, The Estée Lauder Cos.
8. Bobbi Brown, founder + chief creative officer, Bobbi Brown + editor-in-chief, Yahoo Beauty
9. Shannon Curtin, group vice president + general merchandise manager, beauty and personal care, Walgreens Boots Alliance
10. Christine Dagousset, global president, fragrance and beauté, Chanel
11. Mary Dillon, chief executive officer, Ulta Beauty
12. Karen Fondu, president, L’Oréal Paris
13. Maren Giuliano, executive global whole body co-ordinator, Whole Foods Market
14. Muriel Gonzalez, executive vice president, Omni general merchandise manager, cosmetics, fragrances and shoes, Macy’s Inc.
15. Ann Gottlieb, founder, Ann Gottlieb Associates
16. Karen Grant, senior global beauty industry analyst, The NPD Group Inc.
17. Lynne Greene, group president, The Estée Lauder Cos.
18. Mindy Grossman, chief executive officer and director, HSN Inc.
19. Carol Hamilton, president, L’Oréal Luxe U.S.A.
20. Christina Hennington, senior vice president, health and beauty, Target Corp.
21. Vennette Ho, managing director, Financo
22. Jane Hertzmark Hudis, global brand president, Estée Lauder
23. Iman, founder + chief executive officer, Iman Cosmetics, Skincare and Fragrances
24. Ingrid Jackel, president, Physicians Formula
25. Carlotta Jacobson, president, Cosmetic Executive Women
26. Sonia Kashuk, founder, Sonia Kashuk Beauty
27. Karen Katz, president + chief executive officer, Neiman Marcus Group
28. R. Alexandra Keith, president, global skin and personal care, The Procter & Gamble Co.
29. Lyn Kirby, chief executive officer, Beauty Brands
30. Jane Lauder, global brand president, Clinique
31. Wendy Liebmann, founder, chief executive officer + chief shopper, WSL Strategic Retail
32. Jamie Kern Lima, co-founder and chief executive officer, It Cosmetics
33. Gemma Lionello, executive vice president and general merchandise manager, Cosmetics
Nordstrom Inc.
34. Heidi Manheimer, chief executive officer, Shiseido Cosmetics America
35. Josie Maran, founder and chief empowerment officer, Josie Maran Cosmetics
36. Sheri McCoy, chief executive officer, Avon Products Inc.
37. Camille McDonald, president, brand development and merchandising, Bath & Body Works
38. Marigay McKee, president, Saks Fifth Avenue
39. Kelly McPhIlliamy, managing director, Wells Fargo Securities
40. Hadley Mullin, senior managing director, TSG Consumer Partners
41. Jane Park, founder and chief executive officer, Julep
42. Claudia Poccia, influential veteran of Lauder, Avon and Gurwitch products
43. Lisa Price, founder + creative director, Carol’s Daughter
44. Maria Renz, chief executive officer, Quidsi Inc.
45. Jill Scalamandre, chief marketing officer, skincare, Coty + senior vice president, Philosophy
46. Alicia Sontag, global president, beauty, Johnson & Johnson
47. Charlotte Tilbury, make-up artist and founder, CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beauty Inc.
48. Tracey T. Travis, executive vice president + chief financial officer, The Estée Lauder Cos.
49. Karen Buglisi Weiler, global brand president, MAC Cosmetics
50. Wende Zomnir, founding partner + chief creative officer, Urban Decay
