The women behind your beauty cabinet
From the serial skincare entrepreneur to the hair aficionado who shot to fame on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, meet the inspiring women kicking the beauty industry firmly into the future…
THE A-LIST HAIR HERO
Hairstylist to the stars (including the Kardashians) and founder of Ouai, Jen Atkin proves that hard work and determination pay off. on her career journey ‘I’ve always been obsessed with hair. After high school, I drove to California in my Honda Civic hatchback with pennies in the bank. I got my first job in Beverly Hills and worked my ass off. It was a time of hustling. My big break was getting a job at Chris Mcmillan’s salon. It was the gift of a lifetime. Soon after, I assisted on Guido Palau’s team at Paris Fashion Week, which was a dream come true.’ on launching ouai
‘All my clients wanted healthier hair fast. I launched Ouai to cut down styling time, nourish hair and look good in a shower shelfie. My two favourite products are the Volume Spray [2], £22, and our Super Dry
Shampoo [1], £20, which is the best on the market in my opinion – maybe I’m biased!’ on her beauty heroes
‘I love Kylie Cosmetics, Huda Beauty, Pat Mcgrath, Byredo, the list goes on. Diorshow Mascara [3], £28, is a favourite and I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz [4], £23.’ on self-care
‘Last year, I went on a week-long immersive retreat in California for a major detox. It was a total game-changer. Since then I’ve stopped drinking, saying yes to everything and have started to prioritise myself. It’s difficult to ground down like that, but I’m so much happier for it.’
THE MAKE-UP MAVEN
Manchester-born Zanna Rassi started her beauty career in magazines, before creating a make-up range that now features in them.
ON BEAUTY BEGINNINGS
‘I used to model in my teens and fell in love with the workings behind the scenes of shoots. I got a magazine internship in London and worked my way up to senior beauty editor, before moving to NYC to work in fashion, where I became a style correspondent for E!. My second home was Milk Studios and, inspired by the creatives there, we began building Milk Makeup.’
ON OVERCOMING OBSTACLES ‘I’ve been very lucky and had a wonderful journey so far but, mark my words, nothing was given to me. I worked really hard. I sacrificed a lot when it came to friends, family and fun! I learned the hard way that falling down is all part of it, and I faced fear head on.’
ON HERO PRODUCTS
‘I love Milk Makeup’s award-winning KUSH Mascara [1], £20.50. I’m a big fan of Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Satin Kajal Liner in Bordeaux [2], £20, too, it’s the coolest colour. As for Amanda Harrington’s Tan – I’m obsessed! And I rely on Christophe Robin’s Shade Variation Mask in Baby Blonde [3], £39, to rescue my overly bleached hair.’
THE CREATIVE CURL MASTER
Charlotte Mensah has been spearheading change in the beauty industry for over two decades, and her continuing commitment to do so goes far beyond her namesake haircare range.
ON HER CAREER JOURNEY
‘After attending the London College of Fashion, I honed my hairdressing skills under the watchful eye of Winston Isaac (the godfather of British Afro hairdressing). In 1999, I opened my salon Hair Lounge and, 17 years later, launched the Charlotte Mensah product range.’
ON CHANGING THE HAIRCARE
LANDSCAPE
‘For a long time there were such low standards when it came to Afro and curly hair products. There was definitely a lack of representation and a massive gap in the market. I truly believed I had the drive and vision to fill it.’
ON HER HERO PRODUCTS
‘My Manketti Hair Oil [3], £48, has exceeded my expectations by a long way. For my body, I mix raw shea butter with Tata Harper’s Revitalising Body Oil [1], £100, to form a thick cream. I love using oils on my face too. I’m a big fan of Chantecaille Rose de Mai Face Oil [2], £150.’
ON GIVING BACK
‘I set up The Charlotte Mensah Academy to give young people in Ghana the opportunity to learn hairstyling skills, so they can develop a form of income for themselves and their families.
I also set up L.O.V.E. (Ladies Of Visionary Empowerment), aimed at furthering education opportunities for young women in Africa.’
THE WELLNESS WARRIOR
Co-founder of Victoria Health, Gill Sinclair is one of the best brains in the business, and passionate about hunting down health and wellness buys backed by science.
on the passion behind the brand
‘Long before co-founding Victoria Health, I would always look out for niche products and brands when I was travelling. It was hugely satisfying to discover the next big thing. The fascination and urge to discover still burn within me.’
on not judging a book by its cover
‘There are so many brands we stock that are fantastic, but aesthetically their packaging isn’t beautiful. That doesn’t mean we won’t list them. We embrace them and love them for what they are. Take Seven Wonders Miracle Lotion [1], £16, for example. The packaging is so dire it could be kitsch, but never mind that. It lives up to its name.’
on her biggest stresser
‘Managing wait lists is a big obstacle. We have had quite a few product “famines” over the years. The GOW Prickly Pear Seed Oil [2], £20, wait list ran from August to November last year after Nigella Lawson declared her love for it.’
on her hero product
‘Towards the end of 2019 we launched Fulvic Face Cream [3], £30. I asked Victoria Health’s Shabir Daya to formulate me a moisturiser and load it with all the ingredients I adore. I was tempted to call it Gill’s Dream Cream! I love Trinny London, too – her range is phenomenal.’
THE SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR
Marcia Kilgore is one of the biggest names in the beauty business, and the founder of more big brands than you can shake a lipstick at.
ON HER CAREER STORY
‘I started out as a personal trainer at college and, in 1991, enrolled on a crash skincare course. I opened Bliss Spa in New York’s Soho in 1996. Word spread, and I was soon giving facials to models and celebrities. In 2006, I launched Soap & Glory, and sold it to Boots in 2014. In 2007 came Fitflop, and 2016 saw my biggest launch yet, Beauty Pie.’
ON REVOLUTIONISING BEAUTY ‘At Beauty Pie we’re revealing the truth of what it really costs to buy quality products. With our memberships, we offer up to 80% off typical retail prices. People can shop the best beauty formulations from the best manufacturers, without the ridiculous mark-ups.’
ON LESSONS LEARNED ALONG
THE WAY
‘I learned about the importance of working like a dog. I learned about the value of focus, sacrifice, staying humble, doing my homework, being open, driving progress and not being defensive, of having a sense of humour and keeping it real.’
ON BEAUTY FAVOURITES
‘When it comes to Beauty Pie, everything Jeju [Rehydration Mist, 1, £30; members pay £9.40], Super Retinol [Hand Treatment, 2, £40; members pay £6.50] and Japanfusion. I also love the This
THE BEAUTY BOSS
Founder of Rodial, Nip + Fab, Nip + Man and author of two books, Maria Hatzistefanis is a fiery force to be reckoned with. Not afraid to break rules, she took the skincare world by storm with her hi-tech, targeted approach.
on her career story
‘I started as a beauty writer at Seventeen magazine, then studied business. Perhaps one of the most monumental moments of my life was getting fired from my job in banking. It forced me to look at myself and discover my true passion – starting my own business. Just like that, Rodial was born.’
on her passion for beauty
‘I was always experimenting with new products, using lipstick and Vaseline Lip Therapy [1], £1.95, to make blush alternatives, giving my girlfriends beauty tips. I thought the beauty out there at the time was really boring – I wanted to put my own spin on things.’
on never giving up
‘I emailed and hassled everyone about getting Rodial into stores – my first “Yes” was a small shelf in Fenwick.
I had to man it myself every day. Now we are in over 35 countries and sell one Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel [2], £85, per minute globally. So, never take “No” for an answer.’
THE TV STAR TURNED TAN EXPERT
Vogue Williams might be best known for lighting up our TV screens, but her fake tan know-how knows no bounds.
on her career journey
‘I’ve worked every job under the sun, from waitressing in my teens to clocking hours on a construction site in London (I have degrees in quantity surveying and construction). I modelled on the side and starred on reality TV in Ireland. This led to appearances on UK TV and my big break was on Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.’
on the tan factor
‘I’ve used fake tan since I was a teenager. I was due to be the face of a tanning brand when my business partner suggested launching one. We went back and forth with formulations until it was perfect.’
on the tv factor
‘The only hindrance of being well-known is that people question your motives. I try to be super honest – I’m incredibly proud of Bare by Vogue [Self Tan Lotion, 3, £21.25].’
on her best buys
‘I love Neo Strata’s Tri-therapy Lifting Serum [2], £75, and I’m obsessed with Nuxe Sun Refreshing After-sun Lotion [1], £16.50.’
THE RINGER OF BEAUTY CHANGE
When Oxford-educated financier Ozohu Adoh tried and failed to tackle her own skin concerns with buys already on the market, she set about providing the skin solutions that were lacking for women of colour. Cue the launch of Epara Skincare.
on her career journey
‘I started out in finance before moving into planning and strategy, and finally business development. I left the industry entirely in 2015, to work full time on Epara.’
on hitting on the idea
‘In 2007, I developed recurring skin flare-ups. It was down to follicular eczema but it took years to diagnose. I decided to strip back my skincare to what I could trace to African origins. I felt the rich and vast botanical solutions in plants there had been hugely unexplored. I wanted to research the skin solutions my forebears had used in a modern and scientific context. This was the impetus for launching Epara.’
on providing a new concept
‘I felt that the industry hadn’t researched enough how skin concerns manifested in darker skin tones and that the existing players perhaps hadn’t truly realised the rationale to cater to a more diverse market. I am certainly seeing changes. The advent of Fenty underscored the urgency for more inclusive offerings.’
on her beauty heroes
‘I have a soft spot for Epara’s Hydrating Face Mist [1], £40, and love Lauren Napier, Bobbi Brown, Fenty and NARS [Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Promiscuous, 2, £22].’
THE GREEN MACHINE
Hailed as the queen of natural skincare, Tata Harper created her eponymous plant-based skincare line to serve up serious results.
ON HER CAREER JOURNEY
‘I used to work in real estate development and construction in Miami. My husband and I started our own company, but when we moved to New York and got our farm in Vermont, I was still searching for something to do that
I was passionate about. That’s when the idea for Tata Harper Skincare started to take shape.’
ON LAUNCHING TATA HARPER
‘I was shocked to find a lot of the skincare products I used contained industrial chemicals. At the time natural skincare wasn’t made for a serious skincare client like me. I was used to high-tech, hardworking products and I wanted to see results without damaging my health. I couldn’t find an option like that, so I decided to create my own.’
ON HER HERO PRODUCTS
‘Tata Harper Elixir Vitae [1], £391, is my desert island product. Tata Harper Crème Riche [3], £170, is another must-have for me. I use it every night as the last step of my routine. When it comes to make-up for special occasions, I like a light, natural look. I use Kjaer Weis products. I especially love their Eye Shadow [2], £32.’
THE INFLUENCERS TURNED INNOVATORS
When Instagram sensations Mariana Hewitt and Lauren Gores turned their attention to skincare, we sat up and listened.
on tuning into skincare
Mariana: ‘For years we were influencers. Lauren focused on motherhood, wellness and clean beauty, and my expertise was in prestige and luxury beauty. We wanted to take these things and merge them together in skincare. When our skin looks good we feel more confident inside and out.’
on hitting on the name summer fridays
Lauren: ‘It’s a feeling! You know the bliss of a summer Friday. There’s this freeness to the name, and a joy attached to those words.’
on their favourite beauty buys
Lauren: ‘Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask [1], £22.50, will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s what we launched with, and is at the core of who we are as a brand. I love brands like Glossier, too – they feel like you’re part of something that goes beyond a product.’ Mariana: ‘Aside from Summer Fridays, two of my favourite brands are Honest Beauty and Ouai by Jen Atkin.’