It’s an honor to announce that this year CEW is celebrating 65 years of empowering and recognizing women.

What began in 1954 by a small circle of female beauty executives has blossomed into the largest global organization of women and men in the industry. Originally known as Cosmetic Career Women, CEW (now operating as Cosmetic Executive Women), has become the preeminent resource for connecting, educating, developing and inspiring the future of beauty. Today there are 10,000-plus members worldwide receiving unparalleled access to experts and influencers via the organization’s year-round calendar of speakers, webinars and networking events featuring industry experts that share thought-leadership and inspiration.

“CEW was founded to help women in the beauty industry achieve, advance and inspire,” said CEW President, Carlotta Jacobson. “We have grown into the leading professional organization for our industry and we remain committed to our mission of fueling the potential of all of our members.”

Some of CEW’s key events include:

  • State of the Beauty Industry Report, which provides actionable insights on the evolution of the beauty industry by leading data providers
  • The Connected Consumer Conference, a half-day event dedicated to delivering the latest marketing strategies to today’s tech-savvy consumer
  • The Achiever Awards, an annual event honoring outstanding female leaders in beauty
  • Top Talent Awards, an awards program created in 2014 to recognize up-and-coming executives at mid-career.
  • Beauty Awards, the only awards honoring innovative new products chosen by beauty industry insiders

To kick off a year of celebrating CEW at 65 years, beauty and fashion industry publication, WWD, will be publishing a Milestone Edition focusing on how the organization has positioned itself for the future. The Milestone is slated to publish January 30.

CEW began as a social organization for women working in beauty careers. In 1975, CEW re-launched as a non-profit dedicated to promoting the contributions of women in the cosmetics industry. That mission expanded over time to include education, philanthropy and industry development.

CEW established a philanthropic arm, the Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation, in 1993 to help women better their lives. In 2001, the Foundation launched Cancer and Careers, a groundbreaking program dedicated to empowering and educating people with cancer to thrive in their workplaces by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events.

To view a timeline of CEW milestones over the years, please click here.