Estée Lauder founded this company in 1946 armed with four products and an unshakeable belief:
that every woman can be beautiful. Today, more than 60 years later, that simple notion has literally
changed the face of the beauty business.
BEGINNINGS
Born Josephine Esther Mentzer, Estée Lauder was raised in Corona, Queens, by her Hungarian
mother, Rose, and Czech father, Max. The name Estée was a variation on her family nickname,
Esty. Always interested in beauty, she was mentored by her uncle, chemist John Schotz, and began
her business by selling skin care products to beauty salons and hotels.
THE POWER OF TOUCH
Perhaps Mrs. Lauder's most important legacy was her belief that in order to make a sale, you must
touch the customer. She spent a great deal of time advising customers and teaching Beauty
Advisors. "I didn't get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it," she often
reminded her sales force.
A GREAT LEADER
Mrs. Lauder's leadership inspired thousands of people. She received scores of honors,
including the United States' Presidential Medal of Freedom and France's Legion of Honor.
However, Mrs. Lauder was happiest advising women during her in-store appearances. One
of her favorite quotes was "Telephone, Telegraph, Tell-A-Woman," because she knew that
once a woman tried an Estée Lauder product, she would love it and share it with her friends.
APPROACHABLE BEAUTY
When the company began to advertise, Mrs. Lauder insisted that its images portray beauty that
was both inspirational and approachable. Over the years, supermodels Karen Graham, Willow Bay,
Paulina Porizkova, Liya Kebede—and now Elizabeth Hurley, Carolyn Murphy, Hillary Rhoda and
Gwyneth Paltrow—have represented Estée Lauder.
ELEGANT STYLE
Mrs. Lauder was also deeply involved with the package design of her products. Among her many
contributions was the choice of Estée Lauder's signature blue, which she believed would
coordinate with the décor of most bathrooms and bedrooms.