Adorable Story #59: Estée Lauder

A life filled with Beauty and Ambition

“Every woman can be beautiful.”

— Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder mixing fragrances at home — Photo © John Peden

With a life as rich as the creams she created, Estée Lauder’s legacy is a blend of relentless ambition, innovative marketing, and an unwavering belief in the allure of beauty.

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Early Flourishes (1908-1930)

Estée Lauder was born Josephine Esther Mentzer on July 1, 1908, in Queens, New York: she was the daughter of Rose Schotz Rosenthal and Max Mentzer.

Her father, Max Mentzer, was a Czechoslovakian immigrant and owned a hardware store in Corona, Queens, New York, where Estée grew up.

Her mother, Rose, was a Hungarian immigrant who came to the United States to join her husband. She occasionally helped her husband in his businesses.

Estée Lauder was inspired by her uncle, John Schotz, who was a chemist. He created skin care products, including velvety creams in his laboratory. Estée would watch her uncle create these creams and became interested in beauty and skincare.

Uncle John’s influence was pivotal, as he taught her how to mix creams and the rudiments of skincare, which laid the foundation for what would become the Estée Lauder empire.

The Birth of a Brand (1930-1946)

In her early 20s, Estée started by selling these creams to her friends and family, demonstrating her natural flair for personal selling and marketing.

Estée Lauder’s initial offerings included a range of skin creams and a four-product skincare line, which she developed with the help of her uncle. These products were based on a family recipe for a facial skin cream that promised a youthful skin texture.

The name “Estée” is a variation of her nickname: Esther, her middle name, was often shortened to “Esty” by her family. When she started her cosmetics business, she decided to adopt a more glamorous version of her nickname by changing “Esty” to “Estée,” which not only sounded French but also had a sophisticated and elegant ring to it, aligning well with the luxury image she wanted for her brand.