about essie®: Essie's Bio
Essie Weingarten, founder and president of Essie Cosmetics, Ltd., is a modern-day beauty icon. She began her career by developing 12 innovative nail polish shades in 1981, and has since launched a brand that extends to 250,000 salons and spas in 95 counties.
Armed with her chic fashion sense and knack for color, the savvy businesswoman saw a lack of creativity in nail polish. “Your hands make such a statement about who you want to be,” she says. “Years ago, the polish choices at the salon didn’t reflect that; they were so limiting, so I took a risk and made shades that were new and exciting.” And the risk paid off. Twenty-eight years and over 200 polish shades later, Essie is still committed to the innovation of her brand, releasing new colors every season.
Her life story echoes both the exuberance she feels for nail care, and the savoir-fare she calls upon daily to run her global operation. “As a little girl, getting my nails done was the biggest treat I could imagine,” she says. “I so loved the whole experience of it, and that enthusiasm has helped drive the brand.” Raised by a strong mother, who held both the family and the family business together, Essie saw early on the ins and outs of running a business. She began her career as a buyer for Henri Bendel, but held tightly to many of her own passions, (fashion, color, and nail care), and dreamed of incorporating them into her own business. Equipped only with a dozen shades of chip-resistant polish and a spirited determination, she set out for Las Vegas, peddling the shades to every hotel salon she could. Vegas was hooked on the idea, and soon enough so was the rest of the country.
Essie's wardrobe of color embodies a classic elegance and is an interpretation of very personal interests. Take the cult-favorite Ballet Slippers: “I always wanted to be the prima ballerina,” she says. “I was very serious about ballet, and this shade was how I channeled that.” Additionally, Essie pays close attention to the runways, timing her color launches to coincide seamlessly with the fashion trends of the season.
Even with her globe-trotting schedule and Hollywood clientele, Essie still maintains a very hands-on approach to her brand. She runs the day-to-day business operations, visits salons worldwide and makes time to check in with her customers about their ever-changing needs. And it’s that attention to detail and passion for her brand that has solidified her spot in the beauty hall of fame.
Essie has garnered awards from countless magazines and was the recipient of the Achiever Award from Cosmetic Executive Women, which honors women who have had a major impact on the industry. She is also regularly featured in publications like Vogue, Allure, In Style, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Lucky, Town & Country, Cosmopolitan, O The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, W, Real Simple, Modern Bride, Brides, Glamour, ELLE, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and many more, and has appeared on many TV programs, including CNN and The Today Show.
For press information on Essie Cosmetics, please contact:
Public Relations
718.726.5000, pr@essie.com
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