Biography of Estée Lauder
Beautician and business executive Estée Lauder, born in Queens, New York, in 1908 (though there is some speculation that she was actually born two years earlier, in 1906), started a beauty company with a skin cream developed by her chemist uncle. After years of selling products on her own, she officially formed Estée Lauder Cosmetics Inc. in 1946. In 1953, her Youth Dew beauty oil took her company to a new level of success. Lauder was as innovative with her marketing strategies as her cosmetic products, eventually making her the richest self-made woman in the world. Early Life Cosmetics pioneer Estée Lauder was born Josephine Esther Mentzer in Queens, New York. Her birth date usually given as July 1, 1908, but there has been some speculation that she was actually born two years earlier in 1906. She came from a family of Jewish immigrants—her mother was Hungarian and her father was Czech. Lauder showed her interest in beauty at an early age. She loved to brush her mot...