“Today we celebrate something incredible: 50 years of honoring women’s achievements,” said CEW President Carlotta Jacobson, when she addressed more than 900 attendees at the 2025 CEW Achiever Awards last week. “Since 1975, CEW has recognized 185 women.” CEW celebrates this milestone event with more than a dozen photos from the event. “The event recognized 11 female beauty leaders and highlighted the collective progress of women in beauty, emphasizing innovation, leadership, and the ongoing pursuit of excellence in the industry,” writes CEW’s Andrea Nagel.

Looking ahead to the CEW 2025 Visionaries awards ceremony, taking place in LA on May 13, we sat down with three of the female founders redefining beauty, who will be celebrated: Hillary Peterson, founder of True Botanicals, DIME’s co-founder Baylee Relf, and Cynthia Sakai, the pioneering founder of evolvetogether.

Also at CEW, we report on Estée Lauder’s outlook during the company’s third quarter earnings call with Stéphane de La Faverie, Estée Lauder’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The company noted that despite the decline in net sales, adjusted gross margin expanded by 310 basis points to 75%, primarily driven by its Profit Recovery and Growth Plan (PRGP),” writes CEW reporter, Faye Brookman. In other Estée Lauder news, the brand has partnered with Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica to launch its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas.

Last week, the first Black Hair Show took place in New York, hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross and Echelon Noir Productions. The event, called “Black Hair Reimagined: The New Era of Beauty,” showcased five Black hairstylists, and “celebrated the history and future of Black art through hair,” according to WWD. Meanwhile, the beauty looks from last night’s Met Gala, presenting the exhibit “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” are making headlines.

In other news, Unilever has announced the shuttering of REN Clean Skincare, after 25 years. And in executive updates, Helen of Troy — the company whose portfolio includes licensed and owned brands including Revlon (licensed), Drybar, and Olive & June — has announced that Noel Geoffroy, its Chief Executive Officer, has left the company, and its Chief Financial Officer Brian Grass has been made interim CEO. Tracy Scheuerman has been tapped as interim CFO. 

Clarins hosted a Sweetheart Saloon Pop-Up in SoHo, New York City, over the weekend. It was styled to look like a “Texas-meets-Parisian saloon”. Meanwhile, Beauty Matter has a report on Clarins’ expansion into Africa.

Read more about these and other news stories by clicking on the links below. 

Celebrating 50 Years Of The CEW Achiever Awards. Don’t miss our special photo album from the milestone event. (CEW)

Estée Lauder’s Outlook, Sales Drop. A report on the company’s third quarter earnings call with Stéphane de La Faverie, Estée Lauder’s President and Chief Executive Officer. (CEW)

Estée Lauder X Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica. The company has partnered with the resort to open its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas. (BEAUTY NEWS DAILY)

Cynthia Sakai On Pioneering With evolvetogether. Sakai sat down with CEW to discuss the brand she founded at the onset of the pandemic. (CEW)

DIME’s Baylee Relf On Clean Beauty Trailblazing. The popular clean beauty brand is sold in Ulta Beauty stores nationwide. (CEW)

True Botanicals’ Hillary Peterson On Her Visionary Approach. Peterson sat down with CEW for a special interview, in advance of the CEW 2025 Visionaries awards ceremony. (CEW)

First Black Hair Show Takes Place In New York. It was hosted on Friday night by Tracee Ellis Ross and Echelon Noir Productions, showcasing the creations of five Black hairstylists. (WWD)

REN Clean Skincare Shutters. Unilever announced it is closing the clean skin care brand after 25 years. (COSMETICS BUSINESS)

Helen Of Troy’s CEO Departs. Chief Executive Officer Noel Geoffroy has left the company, and Chief Financial Officer Brian Grass has been appointed interim CEO. Tracy Scheuerman has tapped as its interim CFO. (GLOBAL COSMETICS NEWS) 

Clarins Hosts Sweetheart Pop-Up In SoHo. The event showcased the brand’s 10th Anniversary Lip Oil. (BEAUTY PACKAGING)

Clarins’ African Expansion. Beauty Matter reports on the company’s move into Africa. (BEAUTY MATTER)

The 2025 Met Gala Beauty Scoop. Elle reports on some of the headline-making hair and makeup looks from last night. (ELLE)