Estée Lauder (businesswoman)

Estée Lauder
Estée Lauder
Born	Josephine Esther Mentzer; Template:Birth date; Corona, Queens, New York City, U.S.
Died	April 24, 2004 (aged 95); Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, businesswoman
Known for	Co-founder of Estée Lauder Companies

Estée Lauder ( ; originally named Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1908 – April 24, 2004) was an American entrepreneur and co-founder of the Estée Lauder Companies alongside her spouse, Joseph Lauder. Notably, she was the sole female included in Time magazine's 1998 compilation of the 20 most impactful business visionaries of the 20th century.

Early life and education

Born in Corona, Queens, New York City, Lauder was the second child of Hungarian Jewish immigrants Rose Schotz and Max Mentzer. Her maternal lineage traced back to Hungary and Slovakia, while her father descended from Czech-Jewish roots. Despite some assertions of noble ancestry, biographical accounts and obituaries confirm she was a native New Yorker without aristocratic heritage. Although named Josephine Esther at birth, she was known as "Estee" during her youth—a name she later adapted with an accent to suggest a French flair for her brand identity.

Growing up in a working-class household, Lauder acquired early commercial experience by assisting in her family's hardware store with her eight siblings. While she initially dreamed of pursuing acting, after completing high school she redirected her ambitions toward business. She began collaborating with her uncle, Dr. John Schotz, a chemist who operated New Way Laboratories, which manufactured creams, lotions, rouge, and perfumes. This involvement ignited her passion for cosmetics and entrepreneurship, setting the stage for her future business endeavors.

Career

Lauder branded one of her uncle’s formulations as Super Rich All-Purpose Cream and started distributing it among friends. She promoted products such as Six-In-One cold cream and Dr. Schotz's Viennese Cream to beauty salons, beach clubs, and resorts. After gaining the approval of Florence Morris, proprietor of the House of Ash Blondes salon, Lauder secured an agreement to retail her products there.

In 1953, she introduced Youth-Dew, her inaugural fragrance—a bath oil that also served as a perfume. Unlike conventional French perfumes that were applied sparingly, Youth-Dew was designed to be used liberally in bathwater. It sold 50,000 units during its first year and had reached sales of 150 million bottles by 1984.

Lauder appeared in the 1985 film Estée Lauder: The Sweet Smell of Success, where she credited her achievements to persistent selling: "If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard."

Awards and honors

In 1978, Lauder became the first woman to receive France’s Chevalier (Knight) class distinction within the Legion of Honour. She was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1988 and honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004.

Personal life

Estée met Joseph Lauter in her early twenties; they married on January 15, 1930, subsequently changing their last name to Lauder. Their first son, Leonard, was born in 1933. Following a separation and divorce in 1939, they remarried in 1942. Their second son, Ronald, arrived in 1944. Estée and Joseph remained married until his passing in 1983.

Leonard went on to serve as CEO and later chairman of Estée Lauder Companies. Ronald held positions including Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Reagan and U.S. Ambassador to Austria (1986–87). As of 2021, he serves as president of the World Jewish Congress.

Death

Lauder passed away due to cardiopulmonary arrest on April 24, 2004, at the age of 95, in her residence located in Manhattan.

External links

Biography page for Estee Lauder at IMDb