If there’s one thing that unifies a sexual wellness brand, a melanin-focused skincare brand, and a holistic beauty marketplace, it is that the women who founded each aren’t afraid to take risks. In an ever-growing industry notorious for dupes, Éva Goicochea, Noelly Michoux, and Kerrilynn Pamer stand out. Not just for their achieved success, but for their innovation, commitment to quality, and – perhaps most importantly, for how they continue to shape the future of the beauty and wellness industry. 

CAP BEAUTY

Imagine launching a skincare brand, grocery store, and supplement brand all at the same time. Sound overwhelming? Not for Kerrilynn Pamer, founder of CAP BEAUTY, a marketplace that sells and curates natural wellness products. The brand believes in a multidimensional vision of beauty, one that encapsulates the power of plants, self-care, health, and kindness. 

Pamer’s career history is diverse. She worked in retail, bakeries, and magazines before choosing to start CAP BEAUTY, a decision that came after receiving a celiac diagnosis. 

“I wanted—and needed—to heal myself and so I started looking into what I was eating in order to navigate my celiac diagnosis,” Pamer says. “Then I started looking into the skin care products I was using, and that revealed so much. I realized that all these things work in harmony, so it was best to approach my healing from a multidimensional perspective, as opposed to isolating products and practices.”

CAP BEAUTY has evolved since its founding in 2015, adding body care, food supplies, accessories, and even a recipe book to its assortment of goods.

Pamer’s favourite product? serontoner, a reimagined version of a toner that’s inspired by desert botanicals, and formulated specifically for sensitive, dry, and reactive skin types.

“It’s our first skincare product and one that is very close to my heart,” Pamer says. “It has calmed my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, which is no small feat. And to see the impact it has made on others has been incredibly rewarding.”

4.5.6 Skin

Skincare is a science. To be its most effective, it requires research and education. Unfortunately for people of colour, that research is typically undervalued, ignored, or never done in the first place. Noelly Michoux is changing that with her innovative brand, 4.5.6. Skin. 

Michoux was born in Cameroon but raised in France. Throughout her years in Europe, she struggled to find solutions for her skin concerns. Years later, when she settled in New York, Michoux says she expected to find a plethora of products that would work for her. Instead, she found her concerns validated.

“For makeup, the [reason] was clear: limited shade ranges and undertones. But when it came to skincare, a colourless product – why was there such profound dissatisfaction among consumers?” she wondered to herself. “This question led me on a deep exploration of skin physiology and the skin care industry’s inner workings.” 

Michoux spent three years building the world’s first Skin Tone Research Lab, working with leading dermatologists and skin tone scientists to develop and manufacture high-performance skincare that addresses the specific needs of melanated skin.

The name 4.5.6 comes from phototypes IV, V, and VI. Phototypes are used to categorize skin tone based on the amount of melanin pigment in the skin, with IV, V, and VI containing the densest amount. Michoux’s products use technical vectors and transportation systems that allow ingredients, like actives and enzymes, to penetrate darker skin tones and promote cellular turnover.

Additionally, 4.5.6 Skin’s assortment of products focuses less on typical anti-aging ingredients (skin tones within the IV to VI range contain more elastin and collagen), and instead deal with hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and brown or dark spots.

As a first-time entrepreneur and mom of two under three, the process hasn’t always been easy. Michoux admits that at times she’s been naive. But her vision has always been clear: to create something truly meaningful for women of colour.

“Melanin is a genetic privilege,” she says. “One that deserves to be nurtured, cherished, and protected.”

maude

maude is on a mission: make intimacy better, for all people. The ultra-successful sexual wellness brand founded by 6th generation New Mexican, Éva Goicochea, has, in just a few short years – absolutely revolutionized the industry.

After studying marketing in New York, Goicochea started her early career as a legislative aide in healthcare. She then went on to work in e-commerce and brand strategy, helping brands like Everlane build out their social media, culture and talent strategies. In 2018, she took her passion for both industries, melded them together, and created maude.

Selling a range of intimacy and personal care products, from sleek and sculptural devices to vegan-friendly condoms, and intimate body care to natural supplements, maude is not only elevating but also de-stigmatizing an industry that has, historically, been plagued with shame.

“We believe sexual wellness should be approached like any part of wellness: the products should be safe, easy-to-use, and delivered in a friendly way [that makes] the customer feel comfortable and empowered,” Goicochea says.

The maude difference is noticeable: in its marketing, in its design, in its approach, and in its core demographic, which is almost equally split between men and women—a rare feat in the sexual wellness space.

“I certainly knew it was going to be a long path to building a category-defining company,” Goicochea says. “Especially through the process of fundraising and advocating for the category to be taken seriously in the beauty industry.” 

But that’s exactly what Goicochea’s done. In 2020, actress Dakota Johnson partnered with the company as an Angel investor and co-creative director. The next year, Goicochea became one of only 10 Latinas in consumer goods to have raised more than $10M in funding. And in March 2023, maude launched in Sephora as the first sexual wellness brand ever carried in the retailer’s 52-year history. 

“We’re now sold in 33 countries—and come this far,” says Goicochea. “While the road has been paved with many bumps, every step has been worth it and I am so proud to serve our customers every single day.”