Female-Founded Beauty brands founded by women flood our pages on a regular basis, but each March we like to champion a curated selection.
Emolyne has long been on my radar for their excellent nail and lip colours, each named after an African country, city or landmark in homage to founder Emolyne Ramlov’s birthplace. The range has recently been extended to include pencil and liquid liners and these glorious pots of shimmering metallics. The Eyeshade Creams smudge onto the lid to create a buildable layers of reflective shimmer or mirror-like gleam according to your preference.
£24 emolyne.com
Algerian-born Spanish cosmetologist Carmen Vidal, founder of Germaine de Capuccini, joins Estee Lauder, Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden in the ranks of the great beauty brands of the twentieth century. All of which are still going strong today, which only speaks to their quality. I’ve been sending prayers of thanks for the Xcel Retinage Filler, a gentle (no retinol itch!) but super-effective serum which has mastered the art of slow-release retinol to boost collagen, helping to plump out the skin and tackle deepening lines. Billed as ‘botox in a bottle’ which is a hefty promise but this does deliver impressive results.
£120.25 germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk
Katherine Power launched Merit in 2021 and I can’t get enough. Ludicrously simple to apply, luxurious in look and feel, the range consists of grownup makeup, designed to make anyone look better in mere minutes. The Minimalist complexion stick makes short work of creating the perfect base and the Flush Balms melt into the skin. I’ve been wearing the latest colour, Rouge (a sheer red) on my cheeks and my lips for that perfect ‘just-done-enough’ day look.
£32 meritbeauty.com
Jo Malone is rightly revered for her mastery in perfume. Having sold her eponymous brand, she continues to create deliciously more-ish fragrance, inspired by her own memories, under the name Jo Loves. The latest, Love from Positano (out on 7 March), pays homage to the carefree elegance of the Amalfi coast. It starts with zesty citrus in the form of sweet orange and sunny bergamot, and infuses these with the spicy warmth of star anise. The addition of thyme helps evoke a profusion of wild herbs lending their fragrance to the panoply of mingling summertime scents.
£115 JoLoves.com
Jenni Retourné had 20 years working as a beauty editor under her belt when she launched Willowberry and she uses this expertise in her range of ‘skincare for grownups’. The latest launch, the Vitamin C Night Cream, was developed in response to overwhelming demand from her avid customer base and it is everything you want for your overnight skin renewal. It’s rich and thick yet sinks into the skin; it smells serene and spa-like, lulling you to sleep; it is filled with natural actives including vitamins C and E to brighten and protect, plus marine algae for elasticity and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. Wake up feeling and looking better.
£34.99 willowberry.co.uk