Estée Lauder, (1908 - 2004), was an American co-founder of Estée Lauder, Inc., a large fragrance and cosmetics company.
Drawn to fashion and beauty at an early age, she learned the secrets of making lotions and skin creams from an uncle, a European skin specialist who came to stay with her family at the outbreak of World War I. She apprenticed herself to her uncle, who worked with natural ingredients, and helped him to develop new products.
She married Joseph Lauter (last name later changed to Lauder) and together they founded Estée Lauder, Inc., in 1946. Their first six beauty products included skin treatments, a rouge, and a makeup base. When no agency would handle their small $50,000 advertising budget, the Lauders spent the money on samples, which they gave away at fashion shows and in mailings. Their strategy succeeded. From a company employing five persons and grossing $850,000 in sales in 1958, Estée Lauder, Inc., grew to employ 1,000 people and earn $100,000,000 in sales by 1973. Estée Lauder, Inc., began selling cosmetics and fragrances internationally in the 1960s.
In 1978 Estée Lauder was honored by the French government for her contributions to restoring the Palace of Versailles. In 1985 she published an autobiography, Estée: A Success Story. It described some of her basic strategies: opening the Estée Lauder counter at each new store in person, offering free promotional items, and remaining personally involved with the company.
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