Women-Owned Brands for | Accessories | Beauty | Clothing + Fashion | Home | Shapewear | Wellness |
Since 2013, women have been outnumbering their male counterparts with approximately 51.1% of the population, according to Statista. And a lot of these ambitious women started their own business because the industry was lacking a particular product or there was a need for more inclusivity in a specific area. But whatever their reasons, we can’t imagine a world without these powerful female-led brands.
Started by women, their products and services run the gamut and include everything from beauty and skincare to feminine hygiene products and sustainable fashion. So whether you’re celebrating yourself, your girl squad, family members or other strong women in your life, send a little love to the ladies by shopping these women-empowered brands.
We’ve also sprinkled in the favorite women-owned brands and products from our RetailMeNot Women+ Employee Resource Group, along with the reasons they choose to shop and support these businesses. Plus, they share tips for supporting your favorites, too.
Keep checking back as we continue to update this list.
Women-Owned Accessory Brand
String Ting
Founded by Rachel Steed-Middleton, String Ting began as a fundraising initiative for frontline workers during the pandemic. Based in South East London, these adorable bling-y accessories are made from acrylic, glass and resin beads that are strung on resistant satin cord. It girls like Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Miley Cyrus are big fans of String Ting bling.
Best Known for: The cutest, most playful pieces of phone jewellery you’ll ever see.
Women-Owned Beauty Brands
Beautycounter
Gregg Renfrew, one founder of The Wedding List, launched this chemical-free beauty brand in 2013. The entrepreneur helped establish a list of 1,500 potentially harmful ingredients the company avoids putting in its personal care products — known as the “The Never List” — and actively advocates for stricter guidelines and regulations in the cosmetics industry.
Best Known for: The All Bright C Serum ($90) instantly brightens skin, evens skin tone and defends skin from the damaging effects of the environmental for a more youthful complexion.
Briogeo
Nancy Twine founded this natural hair care company that has quickly become a favorite among women. Taking it back to the basics, Briogeo nurtures hair with ingredients that detoxify, hydrate and protect all types of hair — from curls to damaged strands. You’ll find Briogeo line at major beauty retailers like Ulta and Sephora. Use the hair quiz to build your own custom routine.
Best Known for: The Don’t Despair, Repair! line featuring the Apple Honey Deep Conditioning Hair Mask ($40) that comes in the cutest teddy bear container.
Glossier
Starting her career as an intern at Teen Vogue, Emily Weiss was first known for her popular blog, Into the Gloss. In 2014, she turned her beauty website into Glossier, a beauty and skincare company creating products for what women really want.
Weiss says, “As I interviewed hundreds of women, I became more and more aware of how flawed the traditional beauty paradigm is. It has historically been an industry based on experts telling you, the customer, what you should or shouldn’t be using on your face.”
Best Known for: The top-rated Boy Brow ($17) that instantly thickens and shapes to create a fluffy, groomed brow.
Hero Cosmetics
Favorite women-owned business: “Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch is the BEST breakout/pimple patch I have ever used. Not only does it work great, but it helps stop me from messing with my skin while it’s doing its thing.”
Lauren Wendorf, Manager, Customer Success at Ziff Media Group
Since 2017, Hero Cosmetics has been a pimple’s worst nightmare. Co-founder Ju Rhyu started the company with the now-famous Mighty Patch and now, five years and over 30 products later, the brand has a cult-like following. The skincare company offers a variety of clean products to help your skin looks and feel its best.
Best Known for: The award-winning Mighty Patch ($12.99) that flattens and pulls icky gunk out of pimples overnight for clearer skin by morning.
Moroccanoil
Co-founder, Carmen Tal, was inspired to launch Moroccanoil over 10 years ago after experiencing the magic of the Moroccanoil treatment herself. Her goal was to create haircare and hairstyling products that provided long-lasting smoothness, hydration, and shine — and she succeeded. The line has grown from one one product to a range of collections for your hair, skin and body.
Best Known for: The bestselling Moroccanoil Treatment Original ($48) is rich in fatty acids to coat your hair in moisture while improving the overall health.
Proven Skincare
Frustrated with finding products for her “difficult” skin, founder Ming Zhao teamed up with Dr. Amy Yuan to develop a personalized line of skincare that’s backed by scientific data. Together, they created The Skin Genome Project, the world’s largest skincare database for analyzing the effectiveness of skincare ingredients to select the best ones for your skin.
Best Known for: The custom 3-Step Skincare Routine ($129.99 for a 2-month subscription) comes with a night cream, daytime SPF moisturizer and cleanser. Find your perfect formula by taking the 3-Minute Skin Genome Quiz for your personalized products.
Prados Beauty
Cece Meadows blends the many aspects of her Native American culture into every Prados Beauty product. The vibrant colors reflect “her gente and cultura” in everything the beauty line produces. From skin care to lashes, Prados is adding brightness to the world — one palette at a time.
Best Known for: Allure’s 2022 Best in Beauty Award Winner The Matriarch Palette ($48) mixes mattes and shimmers with deep, vibrant pigments.
Tarte Cosmetics
Favorite women-owned business: “One of the reasons I love tarte Cosmetics is despite achieving a “cult” status with their Shape Tape line of products, they never stop innovating. Their “high performance naturals” are made with fruit and plant extracts and are free of the yucky stuff other brands use like parabens, mineral oil, and phthalates. I can’t get enough of their Maracuja collection and their new Power Flex concealer is on my to-buy list.”
Amanda O’Sullivan, Account Director at Ziff Media Group
What began as a cheek stain in 1999 has since turned into one of the most successful cruelty-free, natural beauty brands. Pursuing a PhD in psychology, founder and CEO Maureen Kelly dropped out of the program to follow her true passion: to create beauty products with natural ingredients for real, everyday women.
Best Known for: The popular Shape Tape Concealer ($31) offers a full-coverage formula with a natural matte finish.
The Honest Company
Actress and mom Jessica Alba founded this wellness brand in 2012 after discovering a lack of “clean” household products and baby items that were safe. Products include diapers, baby formula, makeup, skin care and cleaning products available through The Honest Company or at mega-retailers Target and Amazon.
Best Known for: The multi award-winning Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer ($17.99) is a double-sided mascara and primer that work together to deliver ultimate length and volume.
TULA Skincare
Favorite women-owned product: Self-care Sunday Nourishing Face Mask – “This Tula mask gives life to dull and parched skin. It’s a go-to when I’m traveling and/or indulging in less than nutritious bites to bring my skin back to life.”
Amanda O’Sullivan, Account Director at Ziff Media Group
The founder of TULA, Dr. Roshini Raj, created a breakthrough in skin care using a powerful ingredient that helps improve the look and feel of your skin. The ingredient? Probiotic extracts. Dr. Raj is a gastroenterologist, and she discovered probiotics are a great way to soothe skin, “calm the look of skin irritation and nourish skin to improve hydration.”
Best Known for: The cult favorite Purifying Face Cleanser ($34) is a refreshing gel-based cleanser that removes dirt, impurities and makeup without stripping or over-drying your skin.
Women-Owned Clothing + Fashion Brands
Diosa Fit
Favorite women-owned business: “I love how vibrant the color options are and how great of a quality their items are.”
Jazmin Guizar, Senior Merchandiser at Ziff Media Group
Diane Olvera started this Latina-owned brand in 2020 after not “feeling seen” in the fitness industry. Diosa Fit believes “women are capable of changing the world, and an outfit to boost that confidence makes all the difference.” We couldn’t agree more! The affordable fitness apparel includes sports bras, scrunch and non-scrunch leggings, shorts, tops and more.
Best Known for: The Blackberry OG Radiant Legging ($45) has a scrunch bum that contours and lifts your glutes.
Fabletics
Co-founded by actress Kate Hudson, activewear brand Fabletics emerged in 2013 in response to a lack of stylish, high-quality gear at an accessible price point. The subscription-based company strives to spread body-positive messaging and creates personalized outfits according to lifestyle and fashion preferences in a wide range of sizes for women and men. The brand recently opened retail stores around the country.
Best Known for: A flexible subscription plan that saves members 20% to 50% off original prices with options to skip any month and ability to cancel at any time.
Hija de tu Madre
Favorite women-owned business: “I love the play on words for the brand as well as all of their messaging. It makes me feel empowered as a Latina.”
Alex Loucel, Manager-Planning at Ziff Media Group
Patty Delgado, the founder and designer of Hija de tu Madre, wants her designs to serve as reminders to those in the Latina and Latino community of where they came from and who they are. The “clothes provide us with a sense of familiarity, home, and belonging,” says Delgado. But T-shirts, hoodies and jackets aren’t the only things you’ll find here. Hija de tu Madre sells jewelry, desk accessories and more.
Best Known for: Distinct collections of Latin-inspired products that drip with culture.
Outdoor Voices
At just 25, Parsons School of Design graduate Tyler “Ty” Haney founded the athleisure company Outdoor Voices. The company’s guiding mission to “Get the World Moving” suggests using exercise and movement to help generate endorphins and make you happy — no matter your body type or fitness level.
Best Known for: The sporty and flattering The Exercise Dress ($100) is a fan favorite available in multiple colors and prints.
Reformation
After researching the environmental impact of the fashion industry (one of the top polluters in the world), founder and CEO Yael Aflalo was inspired to start her sustainable clothing brand, Reformation. Committed to reducing waste, the brand has partnered with companies, including online consignment shop thredUP, to reward customers that recycle and extend the life of their garments.
Best Known for: Totally sustainable apparel that starts with small batches and will only increase if the need exists.
Rent the Runway
In 2009, Jennifer Hyman co-founded Rent the Runway with her Harvard Business School classmate Jennifer Fleiss. They had the genius idea to offer women rentable gowns and dresses for events.
With the mission to “make women feel empowered and self-confident every day,” the company expanded from renting designer gowns to include everyday outfits, maternity wear, accessories and more to help women freely express themselves, feel their best and dress for success — all with a budget-friendly price tag.
Best Known for: Accessible designer clothing without the commitment of designer prices.
Universal Standard
New York-based Universal Standard was founded by Polina Veksler and Alex Waldmann with the mission to disrupt the clothing industry by taking sizes out of the equation.
The size-inclusive, high-quality clothing options (ranging in sizes from 00 to 40) include basics, outerwear, suits, maternity wear, accessories and so much more, along with a “Fit Liberty” policy offering free exchanges for a year if your size changes.
Best Known for: Women’s apparel in inclusive sizes ranging from size 00 up to size 40.
Wildfang
Founded in 2010 by Emma Mcilroy and Julia Parsley, who previously worked at Nike, Wildfang specializes in gender-neutral apparel, suits, feminist accessories and basics. The company makes a donation to select charities with every single purchase, and in 2018 helped raise over $400,000 for organizations that support reproductive, immigrant, women’s and human rights. You can now shop the brand at Nordstrom, too.
Best Known for: Rethinking gender norms and how they translate to fashion with masculine, feminine and our-everything-in-between choices.
Advice for shopping women-owned brands: “There are so many resources available on the internet now! Take some time to learn about the brands you already love because you might be surprised to find you are already supporting the causes you want to focus on more. Also, don’t forget to diversify the communities you would like to be supporting. Being a woman intersects with so many other different points of life, so it’s not too hard to find women AND LGBTQ+ or women- AND Black-owned businesses.”
Lauren Wendorf, Manager, Customer Success at Ziff Media Group
Handbag and Jewelry Brands
Kate Spade
Designer Kate Spade started her fashion career while working for Mademoiselle, where she noticed the market lacked practical, stylish and affordable handbags, so she set out to create her own. In 1992, she brought six prototypes made with Scotch Tape and paper to a New York manufacturer, and the rest is handbag history.
Best Known for: Quintessential handbags and totes that come in a variety of cute shapes — heart-shaped, shell-shaped, camera-shaped, top handle-shaped, to name a few.
Kendra Scott
Favorite women-owned product: “I love all my jewelry by Kendra Scott. I like the message behind the business but also that it’s good quality for a reasonable price. I have very sensitive ears and I know I can wear their jewelry without issue.”
Alex Loucel, Manager-Planning at Ziff Media Group
At RetailMeNot, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t own a piece of Kendra Scott jewelry. Maybe it’s Scott’s Austin, Texas roots or just the uniqueness of her handmade jewelry, but whatever the reason, celebs adore her, too. The lady-boss believes in family, philanthropy and designing beautiful jewelry (most notably the statement earrings) at affordable prices — and has been doing just that for 20 years.
Best Known for: Statement jewelry featuring unique stones as the centerpiece. The design is instantly recognizable and unique to Scott.
PURPOSE Jewelry
Favorite women-owned business: “I love their message and how their business model is set up to support women with dignity.”
Alex Loucel, Manager-Planning at Ziff Media Group
Stephanie Pollaro and Wendy Dailey founded the non-profit PURPOSE in 2007 to “provide hope, dignity, and freedom to women escaping human trafficking.” A woman escaping human trafficking touches every aspect of the jewelry — from the design to the packaging. And as gorgeous as the jewelry, candles and lip smoothies are, the prices are even better with 100% of the profits going to their International Sanctuary.
Best Known for: Jewelry with purpose, like the Infinity Ring ($26) and the Hugs & Kisses Stud Earrings ($26).
Sarah Briggs Jewelry
Favorite women-owned business: “Sarah Briggs does an unbelievable job of balancing quality with innovation. I am stunned every time she releases a new collection, which she names after her customers. I’ve learned more about metals from her than I ever expected and I never have to worry about showering or exercising in her jewelry, because the quality is amazing. I’m considering getting more ear piercings, because limiting myself to two pieces is too hard! To top it off, all of her jewelry is made by hand near my hometown in Texas.”
Amanda O’Sullivan, Account Director at Ziff Media Group
This subscription-based brand is so hot you have to get on the waitlist just to join. The modern, minimalist jewelry is made one box at a time and “each piece has a story, a history, and a purpose.” Once you’re in, you’ll have exclusive access to pieces every month that you can’t get without a subscription.
Best Known for: Totally amazing jewelry with a monthly subsciption option you have to get on a waitlist to join.
Tory Burch
A fashion designer, businesswoman and philanthropist, Tory Burch launched her fashion line and first retail store in 2004. Now with 250 stores worldwide, the company has grown into a fashion powerhouse with a portfolio that includes shoes, handbags, jewelry, watches, clothing, home goods and more. In 2009, she created the Tory Burch Foundation to support the empowerment of women entrepreneurs by providing access to education, loans, and more resources.
Best Known for: The stylish and cool Double T logo that’s distintive to the entire Tory Burch line.
Women-Owned Home Brands
Minted
A pioneer of e-commerce crowdsourcing, Mariam Naficy founded Minted in 2007 with the goal of creating a brand that would stay fresh forever. Living in five different countries in the Middle East and Africa, Naficy was inspired by the hidden artisanal talent not accessible to everyday consumers.
She used this idea to create Minted as an online design marketplace, sourcing creative content from over 15,000 independent artists in all 50 states and over 100 countries. While the brand initially launched with stationery, it has since expanded to include wall art, custom gifts, home decor and more.
Best Known for: Unique, one-of-a-kind products that come directly from the artisian that created it.
Clare Paint
Interior designer Nicole Gibbons founded Clare when she saw that no paint brands were offering an easy or convenient way to shop for paint. The expertly curated colors and Clare Color Genius help guide you to that perfect hue, while peel-and-stick swatches take all the guesswork out of the process (with no mess or endless sea of paint chips!)
Best Known for: Beautiful paint hues that transform any room of your home.
Crate & Barrel
Crate & Barrel was founded in 1962 by the then 23-year-olds Carole and Gordon Segal. The concept for the furniture and housewares store was originally inspired by the inexpensive, simple and beautiful European products they came across during their honeymoon in the Caribbean. The couple were interested in providing durable, yet aesthetically pleasing products at a reasonable price to young couples.
Best Known for: High-quality modern furniture and home decor where brides- and grooms-to-be flock to for their wedding registry.
Jungalow
Jungalow is a bit of a favorite here at RetailMeNot, and for good reason. Growing from interior designer Justina Blakeney’s design blog, the colorful and creative lifestyle brand features signature collections designed in Los Angeles, as well as a curated ensemble of goods from around the world, including an exclusive, rotating selection of limited edition art prints from international female artists. This wonderful collection is also available at Target.
Best Known for: Ecclectic, bohemian-inspired modern home decor with all things colorful, patternful and “jungalicious.”
Parachute
Parachute founder and CEO Ariel Kaye wanted quality home goods at an affordable price, yet couldn’t find any on the market. Enter Parachute, a brand that focuses on creating impeccable, quality bedding and home goods at an accessible price point. In addition, the socially responsible brand is part of the United Nations Nothing But Nets campaign, which sends malaria-prevention bed nets to those in need.
Best Known for: Super comfy bedding and bath essentials that come with a 60-day trial.
S’well
Sarah Kauss started S’well in 2010 in an effort to rid the world of single-use plastic bottles. Over a decade later, the stylish and sustainable water bottles are some of the most popular on the market and have expanded beyond into food, barware and accessories.
Best Known for: Insulated bottles that got us excited about drinking water again.
Advice for shopping woman-owned: “If you can take the time to shop for the perfect shirt or pants then go ahead and spend that extra 2-3 minutes doing a google search for businesses with purpose or that are women owned. Online shops have made it easier than ever to find someone’s small business. Instagram is also a great place that you might find a new boutique or brand with a message you support.”
Alex Loucel, Manager-Planning at Ziff Media Group
Women-Owned Shapewear Brands
SKIMS
When Kim Kardashian created the SKIMS brand, she redefined shapewear for every body. From technically constructed shapewear to underwear that stretches to twice its size, SKIMS is the next generation of loungewear, shapewear, underwear and everyday essentials for women.
Best Known for: The best-selling Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress ($78) that goes in and out of stock.
SPANX
When she cut the legs off her control-top pantyhose, SPANX founder Sara Blakely revolutionized the world of intimate apparel. Designed to eliminate panty lines and compress and lift in all of the right areas, the company has grown to, not only include shapewear but bras, athletic wear, denim, hosiery and more.
Best Known for: Revolutionizing the shapewear industry, making statement pieces designed to be shown off. Starting with a pair of footless, body-shaping pantyhose, SPANX faux leather leggings are a force to be reconed with.
ThirdLove
Frustrated with a lousy, ill-fitting selection of bras, Heidi Zak teamed up with designer Ra’el Cohen to create their own. ThirdLove’s product list includes underwear, sleepwear and bras (it’s the first bra brand to offer half-cup sizing). With double the amount of sizes as other brands, ThirdLove uses a Fit Finder quiz to recommend the ideal bra in 60 seconds. To date, the company has also donated over $18 million worth of bras to women in need.
Best Known for: The bra that started it all, the 24/7 Classic T-Shirt Bra ($72).
Women-Owned Wellness Brands
Golde
Co-founded by Trinity Mouzon Wofford, Golde focuses on wellness through superfood essentials and skincare products that are always 100% natural and vegan-friendly to make you look good on the outside as much as on the inside. The Original Turmeric Latte Blend kick-started the Golde brand into mainstream.
Best Known for: Vegan superfood blends that support energy, glowing skin and gut balance.
Project Poderosa
Favorite women-owned product: Poderosa Supplements – “Some of the best tasting supplements I have had. Made for women by women, plus they have a program to help support other women by having online fitness classes, financial education classes and more.”
Jazmin Guizar, Senior Merchandiser at Ziff Media Group
Started by Myra Perez, Project Poderosa offers dedicated programs that focus on wellness and lifestyle changes for women and to hold them accountable for their success. The FitMe Challenge is an online six-week competition to push women towards a healthier lifestyle, while a Project Poderosa membership is a subscription service to help you meet your goals throughout the year.
Best Known for: A customized well-being and fitness programs for the Latina community.
The Honey Pot
Bea Dixon started this natural, feminine care line in 2014 after suffering from bacterial vaginosis for months. The clinically-tested and gynecologist-approved products are developed by women and powered by herbs to cleanse, protect and balance your vagina—and are sold online and at large retailers like Target.
Best Known for: A plant-based feminine care system and educational resource.
Thinx
Favorite women-owned product: The Heavy Hiphugger – “Love these! I wear these both for working out and during my time of the month. I never have to worry about staining at any point in time!”
Jazmin Guizar, Senior Merchandiser at Ziff Media Group
Co-founded by Miki Agrawal in 2013 after a successful Kickstarter campaign raised $65,000 to make “a more thoughtful pair of underwear,” underwear brand Thinx initially became popular due to its edgy, taboo and feminist advertising campaigns. With Maria Molland now at the helm, the company specializes in “period panties,” a feminine hygiene alternative. The company also donates menstrual products to those in need, including young women, underprivileged communities and the homeless.
Best Known for: The Super-High Waist ($35) panty, which can absorb up to four tampons.
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