Andrea NagelAcross industries as varied as labor, wellness, beauty, and entrepreneurship, women’s influence is both unmistakable and uneven.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than two million women exited the U.S. workforce, largely due to the collapse of childcare systems that forced many mothers to step away from paid work. Although women eventually regained — and briefly surpassed — pre-pandemic employment levels, their labor force participation continued to lag behind that of men.
By 2025, those hard-won gains began to erode. In just the first half of the year, approximately 212,000 women left the workforce. The decline was particularly sharp among working mothers: According to The Washington Post, employment among women ages 25 to 44 fell steadily from January through June, resulting in a nearly three-percentage-point drop — signaling renewed pressure on women balancing paid work and caregiving.
While data signals ongoing instability for working women in the U.S., other parts of the world are redefining well-being through culture, environment, and holistic living.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness in Malaysia is deeply rooted in both its natural environment and its multicultural heritage. Home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests — over 130 million years old — the country offers abundant opportunities for physical activity, restoration, and connection to nature, from highlands and waterfalls to tropical islands and mineral springs. Its cuisine emphasizes fresh seafood, local produce, and medicinal herbs and spices such as turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, and pandan. Even durian, the country’s polarizing “king of fruits,” is valued for its energy-boosting and mood-enhancing properties. This holistic approach is complemented by modern fitness, spa, beauty, and world-class healthcare offerings.
That blend of intuition, tradition, and modern innovation also defines the journeys of women entrepreneurs who turn personal healing into purpose-driven businesses.
NOLA Newswire reports that Beatrice Dixon, co-founder and CEO of The Honey Pot Company, chronicles her personal and professional transformation in her new book, The Soul InstINCT. Drawing on faith, intuition, and resilience, Dixon describes how trusting her inner guidance helped her overcome hardship and build a values-driven life and business. Dixon will discuss and sign the book at Baldwin & Co. in New Orleans on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. The Honey Pot Company began in 2014 after Dixon dreamed that her late grandmother shared an herbal remedy that ultimately inspired the brand. Today, the company is a nine-figure business sold in more than 33,000 stores nationwide.
As women founders continue to redefine success, beauty brands are also expanding their cultural reach — moving beyond retail shelves and into iconic public spaces.
Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. announced today a brand-new partnership with Saie, the clean beauty brand that focuses on high-performance formulas and sustainable packaging, naming the brand an Official Partner of the New York Knicks. According to Businesswire, the partnership brings Saie into one of the most visible sports arenas in the world, with brand placement across in-arena LED signage, GardenVision features, and the 7th Avenue marquee at Madison Square Garden. MSG executives emphasized the partnership’s role in expanding the Knicks’ audience through modern, values-driven brands. For Saie, the collaboration reflects its New York roots and performance-driven ethos. Founder and CEO Laney Crowell noted that the grit and longevity associated with the Knicks mirror Saie’s mission to create high-performing, long-lasting beauty products — such as its new 16-hour CitySet setting spray.
That same focus on performance and innovation is driving renewed growth across the global beauty and wellness e-commerce landscape.
THG, the Manchester-based e-commerce group behind Lookfantastic, Dermstore, Cult Beauty, and Myprotein, reported its strongest quarterly revenue growth since 2021 in Q4 2025. Overall sales rose approximately 7%, marking the company’s first full fiscal year of growth in several years, according to Prolific North. Second-half revenue increased 6.7% year over year, significantly exceeding guidance. Beauty led the rebound, with cosmetics and skincare gaining UK market share. Lookfantastic played a key role, bolstered by its partnership with Uber Eats, which enables same-day delivery for London customers. THG Beauty posted 5.5% revenue growth in the second half, outperforming expectations, while THG Nutrition delivered 9.2% growth overall—or 12.7% excluding Asia—underscoring renewed consumer demand across both beauty and wellness categories.
To read more about these stores, please click the below headlines:
This group of women is leaving the labor force—again
The Honey Pot Company Co-Founder Shares New Book at Baldwin & Co.
Saie Named an Official Partner of the New York Knicks
Lookfantastic leads the way as THG reports first FY growth since 2021
