EBS’ Tribute to Women’s History Month:
Five Beauty Pros We’re Proud to Celebrate
Of all the months in the year, March is consistently our absolute fave.
No, it’s not because we’re on the cusp of spring flowers and, no, it’s not because the winter weather is starting to melt away—it’s actually got nothing at all to do with seasons and everything to do with women.
That’s right, y’all, March is undeniably the best month of the year because it’s Women’s History Month—a month-long celebration of the absolutely badass women that have changed—and continue to change—the world in impactful, trailblazing, and earth-shattering ways.
This year, we wanted to take the month of March to reflect on some of the astonishing women in the cosmetology industry (c’mon, you must have known this was going to take a beauty industry turn, right?).
As a disclaimer, we’re only name-dropping 5 amazing women, but we want you to know that, to us, that’s the very tip of the iceberg. Since the beginning of time, women have made powerful societal impacts that altered our history, our past, and have changed our present for the better—without women in the world (and in our industry), it’s safe to say things would look a lot different (and like, not the good kind of different, OK).
So, join us in lifting up some incredible, inspirational women who took the cosmetology world by storm with their phenomenal tributes to the beauty pro world! And don’t forget to honor and celebrate the powerful women in your life each and every day.
Jenny Strebe
In our opinion, it’s literally impossible to talk about powerful women in the beauty industry without immediately dropping the name Jenny Strebe. Founder and CEO of AIIR, an incomparable master in her profession, and an unmatched educator, Strebe has spent years taking the beauty world by storm with her books, tutorials, and expertise.
One of her most amazing ventures? Founding the leading blog and YouTube channel, The Confessions of a Hairstylist. This groundbreaking blog did several things for the industry—it ushered in a new era of education (for stylists and non-stylists), it changed the way people looked at tutorial videos and blogs, and it revolutionized how Strebe could reach audiences.
What do we love most about Strebe? Her savvy, her diversity, and her passion—without her contributions to the industry, cosmetology would look very (very!) different.
Pat McGrath
When we hear the name Pat McGrath, four very specific words come to mind—badass self-made beauty billionaire. If this is the first time you’ve ever read McGrath’s name, know that we’re about to do you a serious favor by introducing you to one of the most influential people in the makeup world.
And that’s not just our opinion, British MUA McGrath has been repeatedly called the fashion world’s most important makeup artist. Since the early 90s, she’s been on a hot streak—and that hot streak (thanks to her tireless pursuit of excellence and cutting-edge innovation) has never stopped.
Over the last few decades, McGrath has seamlessly transformed the beauty industry but her latest venture into the multi-billion dollar global beauty industry—Pat McGrath Labs—was an absolute blockbuster success. Her influence—whether you’re aware of it or not—is absolutely everywhere.
Alli Webb
Best known as the founder of beauty industry staple Drybar (which was worth nearly $100 million in 2018), Alli Webb is an undeniable badass in the beauty industry—and someone we could not skip over when talking about amazing women we admire beyond belief.
Webb spent 15 years as a professional stylist before pursuing a different kind of cosmetology vision—creating the perfect (affordable) blowout and revolutionizing the salon industry as we knew it.
Her business was named one of the top “100 Brilliant Ideas of 2010 by Entrepreneur Magazine and New York Magazine’s Boom Brands of 2013. By 2018, Drybar had over 100 locations and 3,000 employees— the Drybar growing product line is sold pretty much everywhere, too.
Alexis Thurston
An award-winning stylist and the founder and Vice President of the Pulp Riot color line, Alexis Thurston is undeniably a giant in the cosmetology industry. Though she sold Pulp Riot to L’Oreal in 2018 (can you think of a more badass business move?), she stayed on as the VP to oversee all product development.
In addition to that incredible accomplishment, Thurston owns Butterfly Loft Salon in Los Angeles, one of the most well-respected and well-known salons in California, the U.S., and the world.
The greatest thing about Thurston (in our opinion, anyway)? She didn’t just stop at becoming a powerhouse in the industry—she’s now a mentor, advocate, and role model to thousands of stylists who are striving to build careers that echo hers.
Bobbi Brown
You simply can’t talk about cosmetology without dropping the name Bobbi Brown—we’ll go to our grave on that fight. Bobbi Brown is a professional makeup artist who’s been rocking the cosmetology world for literal decades.
When Brown began her career as a makeup artist, she moved her way up the ranks, making huge breakthroughs in the industry, partnering with big-name photographers, and creating looks for top magazines and models.
During her time as an MUA, she noticed that most products weren’t up to her standards—so she created ten, simple lipsticks in 1991 that would be simple, flattering, and wearable.
Those 10 lipsticks evolved into a global beauty empire. Now a bestselling author, entrepreneur, public speaker, and educator, she’s still found on set as one of the most celebrated and admired makeup artists in the world.
But the list of names doesn’t end there—if we were to write an article about all the badass women we love, respect, and admire, this blog post would be never-ending.
Have a lady in your life that you’re endlessly proud to know? Drop her name in the comments! Share the love for badass women everywhere—right here!
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