Estée Lauder

Hello! My name is Estée Lauder. I want to tell you my story. I was born on July 1st, 1908, in a busy part of New York City called Queens. My parents came all the way from a country called Hungary to start a new life. Growing up, I didn't just want to be in the world—I wanted to make it more beautiful. I loved seeing my mother take care of her skin, and I dreamed of creating wonderful lotions and creams that would make everyone feel special.

My biggest inspiration was my uncle, John Schotz. He was a chemist, which is like a scientist who mixes things to create something new. He had a laboratory in a little building behind our house, and I loved to watch him work. He taught me how to create wonderful skin creams right there in our kitchen. I learned how to mix oils and other ingredients to make them feel silky and smooth. I would practice on my family and friends, and they loved how the creams made their skin feel soft and glowing. This was when I knew I had found my passion.

In 1946, my husband Joseph and I decided to start our own company. At first, we only had four products. I would go to beauty salons and show women how to use my creams. I even started giving away free samples, which was a new idea back then. I wanted everyone to have a chance to try my products. In 1947, a big, fancy store called Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City agreed to sell my creams. I was so excited. A few years later, in 1953, I created a bath oil called Youth-Dew that smelled so lovely, it became famous all around the world. My little company started to grow and grow.

I believed that every woman could be beautiful, and I spent my life creating products to help them feel that way. My company grew bigger than I ever imagined, with stores in countries all over the globe. I lived to be 95 years old, and I was so proud of what I had built. Today, the company that has my name on it is still one of the most famous beauty companies in the world. I hope my story shows you that if you have a dream and you work hard, you can make beautiful things happen.