The beginnings. Born in 1908 to Hungarian Jewish immigrant parents, young Josephine Esther Mentzer became interested in the composition of beauty creams thanks to her chemist uncle, who had come from Vienna to live with her and her family in Queens, New York. Estée (a variation of her childhood nickname, Etsy—with an added accent for a chic, French touch!) had a knack for business. In the city’s beauty salons, where she was quickly noticed for her exquisite complexion, she demonstrated her products, often concocted in her kitchen. In 1946, she launched her brand with her husband, Joseph Lauter (they changed the “t” to a “d”). A year later, the couple signed their first contract with the Saks Fifth Avenue department store—an $800 order for products. The business was launched.
The empire. Estée Lauder has the soul of an entrepreneur, and above all, a remarkable gift of gab. She says: “In a perfect world, we should all be judged on the beauty of our souls, but in our less-than-perfect world, the beautiful woman has a definite advantage, and often the last word.” In nearly seventy years, the brand has become a beauty behemoth, notably under the leadership of one of Estée’s sons, Leonard Lauder, who passed away in 2025.
The secret formula. In her shops, which she visits assiduously, the boss repeats her mantra, the three Ts: “Telephone, Telegraph, Tell a woman ” – “Telephone, telegraph, tell a woman,” which basically means that word-of-mouth remains the best form of advertising.
The anecdote. One of the founder’s key ideas? To offer each customer a free sample of one of the brand’s products. Unheard of at the time.
The legacy. The group that bears his name, and also owns the brands Clinique, La Mer, Tom Ford Beauty or MAC makeup, is today in the world’s top 3 in cosmetics, after L’Oréal.
Story by Madame Figaro
