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Beacon Awards

Meet the Expert Committee

  • Margarita Arriagada

    Founder + CEO,

    Valdé Beauty

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  • Tina Bou-Saba

    Co-Founder & Managing Partner,

    Verity Ventures

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  • Reuben Carranza

    Amika, Eva NYC, Ethique,

    Group CEO

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  • Muffy Clince

    Director of Emerging Brands,

    Ulta

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  • Andrew Davis

    Chief Commercial Officer,

    Voyant Beauty

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  • Jennifer Goldstein Sullivan

    Co-host,

    Fat Mascara

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  • Divya Gugnani

    Angel Investor + Founder,

    Wander Beauty

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  • Janet Gurwitch

    Operating Partner,

    Advent International

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  • Carol Hamilton

    Group President, Acquisitions,

    L'Oreal

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  • Marcia Kilgore

    Founder,

    Beauty Pie

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  • Stephanie Morimoto

    Owner & CEO,

    Asutra

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  • Joël Palix

    Founder,

    Palix Unlimited

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  • Vasiliki Petrou

    CEO,

    Unilever Prestige

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  • Lisa Price

    President & Founder,

    Carol’s Daughter

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  • Ju Rhyu

    Co-Founder & CEO,

    Hero Cosmetics

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  • Carla Ruiz

    Sr. Vice President, Global M&A,

    Shiseido

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  • Kelly St. John

    Founder,

    KSJ Collective

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  • Angela Umelo

    Founder & CEO,

    Salt and Earth Labs

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  • Rahama Wright

    Founder,

    Shea Yeleen

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  • Nini Zhang

    Managing Director (Investment Banking),

    Bank of America

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  • Wende Zomnir

    Founder,

    Caliray, Urban Decay

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    Margarita Arriagada

    Founder + CEO,

    Valdé Beauty

    Who They Are

    Margarita Arriagada is the founder and CEO of Valdé, a refillable lip collection featuring formulas that are clean, cruelty-free and vegan. Each lipstick or balm fits interchangeably into a Valdé Armor, these collectible vessels have been crafted with meticulous attention to aesthetic form and performance the antithesis of disposable beauty. Arriagada spent three decades discovering and cultivating many of the great designers, artists and founders in beauty, fashion and home interiors working at Macy's, Lladró and is the former Chief Merchant for Sephora.

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    Tina Bou-Saba

    Co-Founder & Managing Partner,

    Verity Ventures

    Who They Are

    Bou-Saba is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Verity Venture Partners, an early-stage consumer-focused investment firm. She also actively invests through CXT Investments, her personal investment vehicle, with a focus on beauty, personal care, health and wellness, e-commerce, and enabling technology.

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    Reuben Carranza

    Amika, Eva NYC, Ethique,

    Group CEO

    Who They Are

    Carranza's experience in hair care began as Managing Director of P&G North American Professional Care. He later joined Luxury Brand Partners, leading the launch and scale-up of R+Co. Carranza was also President of Olaplex, spearheading its launch in Sephora where it became the #1 hair care brand in 3 months.

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    Muffy Clince

    Director of Emerging Brands,

    Ulta

    Who They Are

    Muffy Clince currently serves as the Director of Emerging Brands, responsible for the Sparked at Ulta Beauty Platform that launched in 2019. This is a cross functional endeavor created to onboard, market, launch and grow new Indie Brands. In addition, Muffy owns the Credo partnership and Conscious Beauty focus for the Ulta Beauty Merchandising Team. Prior to taking on this role, over her 15 years at Ulta Beauty, Muffy has held several roles in Merchandising as well as Planning and Inventory. Most recently launching Chanel Beaute and managing top brands in the Prestige Cosmetics portfolio.

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    Andrew Davis

    Chief Commercial Officer,

    Voyant Beauty

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    Jennifer Goldstein Sullivan

    Co-host,

    Fat Mascara

    Who They Are

    Jennifer Goldstein is the co-host of award-winning beauty podcast Fat Mascara and a journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most recently as beauty and health director of Marie Claire. Her writing has been featured in numerous publications, including Elle, Esquire, InStyle, Men’s Journal, and Health, and she’s appeared as a beauty expert on Good Morning America, Today!, The Dr. Oz Show, and Live with Kelly & Ryan.

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    Divya Gugnani

    Angel Investor + Founder,

    Wander Beauty

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    Janet Gurwitch

    Operating Partner,

    Advent International

    Who They Are

    Janet Gurwitch has a strong track record of identifying and sourcing winners among emerging beauty brands. As an Operating Partner at Castanea Partners from 2009 to 2019, she was involved in several successful investments and strategic exits, including Urban Decay (acquired by L’Oréal in 2013), First Aid Beauty (acquired by P&G in 2018), Tatcha (acquired by Unilever in 2019) and Drybar (Products division acquired by Helen of Troy in 2019).

    In 1996, Gurwitch founded Laura Mercier, a prestige beauty brand, alongside makeup artist Laura Mercier. Gurwitch was integral in the brand’s majority sale to Neiman Marcus in 1999, its acquisition by Alticor in 2006 and its purchase by Shiseido in 2016. Gurwitch was also an early identifier of Dollar Shave Club’s potential; she made a personal investment in the brand in 2013 and served on its board of advisors until its acquisition by Unilever in 2016.

    In addition to her new role on Olaplex’s board, Gurwitch serves on the board of Drybar. She received a bachelor’s degree in retail from the University of Alabama.
    Advent has significant investment experience in the retail, consumer and leisure sector. Over the past 30 years, the firm has invested $12.8 billion in more than 75 companies in the sector worldwide.

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    Carol Hamilton

    Group President, Acquisitions,

    L'Oreal

    Who They Are

    During her 35-year tenure at L’Oreal, Carol has been responsible for building the L’Oreal Paris flagship brand from an indie brand in the 80’s into the number 1 global beauty brand worldwide, behind the iconic phrase celebrating women’s worth “Because I’m Worth It”.

    In 2008, she took over the helm of the L’Oreal Luxury Division overseeing all Luxe brands including Giorgio Armani, Lancôme, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Yves Saint Laurent, Viktor & Rolf, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Clarisonic, Urban Decay, and the fragrance license of Proenza Schouler. During her 10 years running L’Oréal Luxe, she has moved from a $1B business to a $1.8B business, gaining market share and increasing its profitability in a strong and regular way.

    In January 2016, Carol Hamilton was promoted to Group President L’Oréal Luxe USA where she began to delegate the operational animation of the USA business and focus more on the animation of the existing US beauty brands DMIs, the search and evaluation of new acquisitions as well as their integration into L’Oréal, and contribute to the global division’s strategy with an American perspective. Carol has led the successful acquisitions of Clarisonic, Urban Decay and It Cosmetics, she went on to run these brands - along with Kiehl’s Since 1851- globally.

    As of August 2018, Carol was placed in charge of acquisitions for all divisions of L’Oreal.

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    Marcia Kilgore

    Founder,

    Beauty Pie

    Who They Are

    Kilgore has more than  20 years of experience in the beauty industry and is the founder of five global beauty and fashion businesses: Bliss spas, FitFlop shoes, Soap & Glory, Soaper Duper and most recently Beauty Pie. Beauty Pie aims to democratize beauty by giving women and men access to luxury skincare and cosmetics without luxury prices by cutting out middlemen, mark-ups, and marketing budgets.

    Kilgore was awarded the Beacon Award for Industry Icon in 2020 and is based in Switzerland.

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    Stephanie Morimoto

    Owner & CEO,

    Asutra

    Who They Are

    Morimoto discovered Asutra as a customer– as an avid yogi and exercise enthusiast she came across its all-natural yoga mat cleaner and pain cream online. She jumped at the chance to buy the business in 2018 and relocated Asutra to her hometown of Chicago, Illinois to contribute to the city’s economy and create good jobs with benefits for the diverse team. Venus Williams is also a part owner and Chief Brand Officer. Morimoto was the Beacon Award winner of Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021.

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    Joël Palix

    Founder,

    Palix Unlimited

    Who They Are

    Joel Palix is a seasoned beauty executive with 30 years of international experience, both on the brand and retail sides.

    Previous roles include CEO of Feelunique a leading beauty e-retailer, CEO of Clarins Fragrance Group, CEO of Thierry Mugler, MD Europe of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty.

    Last June, Joel Palix started his own consultancy, Palix Unlimited, advising beauty brands, PE firms and VC funds on DTC and E-commerce strategies, brand positioning, innovation, acquisitions and new ventures. More information on www.palixunlimited.com

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    Vasiliki Petrou

    CEO,

    Unilever Prestige

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    Lisa Price

    President & Founder,

    Carol’s Daughter

    Who They Are

    Lisa Price’s journey begins like that of many entrepreneurs—with curiosity and determination mixed with moments of panic and a resounding belief that products that were made with love and delivered on their promise would find their following. It was a company born of Price’s love for fragrance and a passion for scent alchemy that formed the foundation of her high-performing products. More than a quarter of a century later, even amid massive industry disruption, new company leadership, and acquisition by L’Oréal, Carol’s Daughter continues to thrive and remain relevant in an industry where brands come and go as quickly as trends change. Carol’s Daughter began in Price’s Brooklyn kitchen. With a career in TV production, mixing up fragrances, perfume sprays, and creams served as a creative outlet. It wasn’t long before Price began dabbling in aromatherapeutic oils, educating herself on their healing properties.

    In 1993, Price, with the gentle nudge from her mother Carol, began to sell her products. With $100 in cash and a cramped kitchen, she crafted a collection that would become the foundation of a beauty empire. Selling her homespun concoctions at flea markets, and later out of her living room, favorable word-of-mouth began to spread for early iterations of Almond Cookie, Hair Milk, and Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie—all of which retain their cult-status today. “To name my company, I listed everything I was, and wanted to be, and realized the most special thing that I am, is Lisa, Carol’s daughter.”

    Over the next few years, word spread, with celebrities like Jada Pinkett-Smith, Erykah Badu, Rosie Perez, and Halle Berry becoming loyal customers. Joining the L’Oréal family in November 2014, Carol's Daughter widened its extensive footprint, selling its hair, body, and skincare solutions nationwide at key retailers. During the Obama administration, Price was appointed to the National Women’s Business Council, an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, on economic issues that face female business owners. Price mentors female entrepreneurs and works closely with an array of organizations to give back to the community.

    Price was featured in the film She Did That (2019) and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Black MBA Association's Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000), the Working Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award (2001), and a Cosmetic Executive Women Achiever Award (2010). She is also the author of “Success Never Smelled So Sweet,” a memoir that chronicles her transformation from a young Black woman deep in debt to president of a paradigm-changing business.

    Price and her husband, Gordon, have two sons and a daughter and still live in Brooklyn.

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    Ju Rhyu

    Co-Founder & CEO,

    Hero Cosmetics

    Who They Are

    Rhyu co-founded Hero Cosmetics in 2017 with one product, Mighty Patch, which quickly became its hero SKU. The brand is now selling a product every 3 seconds. With Rhyu at the helm, Hero has increased its revenue by 3-4x year over year, and has been profitable since year one. Hero Cosmetics' investment deal with Aria Growth Investors was named the 2021 Beacon Awards Indie Deal of the Year.

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    Carla Ruiz

    Sr. Vice President, Global M&A,

    Shiseido

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    Kelly St. John

    Founder,

    KSJ Collective

    Who They Are

    As a leader in consumer-driven organizations, I deliver sustainable outcomes and thrive on the challenge of the ever-changing marketplace and business transformation. My deep understanding of the beauty industry results in a true 360-degree perspective and forward-thinking, proactive point of view.

    Colleagues appreciate my abilities as a natural relationship builder who energizes teams and cultivates trust across a broad range of constituencies.

    With a reputation for consummate professionalism, diplomacy, and grace under pressure, I balance intuition with informed risk-taking to make the right calls and drive top performance in both people and products.

    Years of cultivating relationships with the industry’s most well-respected retailers, vendors, investors, marketers, and talent across multiple areas results in a network that is vast and ever-growing.

    Regardless of the scale of your need or idea, I encourage you to reach out and schedule a time to speak about the change you are seeking. Every idea, conversation, and question opens a door that leads to the next big idea.

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    Angela Umelo

    Founder & CEO,

    Salt and Earth Labs

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    Rahama Wright

    Founder,

    Shea Yeleen

    Who They Are

    Rahama Wright is the Founder and CEO of Shea Yeleen a social impact company she created after serving in the Peace Corps. The DC-based enterprise develops shea butter creams, balms, and soaps that create living wage jobs for women in Ghana. Her entrepreneurial journey spans bootstrapping to securing her first round of venture capital investment from Ron Lauder and Dick Parsons, and landing deals with Whole Foods Markets & MGM Resorts International. The products have been featured in a variety of media outlets including O, The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Washington Business Journal, MSNBC, and CNBC Africa. A leading voice on African women’s economic and business development she has completed 150+ speeches and panels globally including the United Nations Thematic Debate on Entrepreneurship for Development, the U.S. Secretary of State Global Diaspora Forum, the World Bank Africa Region Growth Dialogue, and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. In 2014, she was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa and is currently serving her third term on the council. Rahama received her BA in International Relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo. An avid traveler she has visited and worked in 36 countries.

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    Nini Zhang

    Managing Director (Investment Banking),

    Bank of America

    Who They Are

    Zhang is a Managing Director at Bank of America's Consumer and Retail investment banking group, where she focuses on beauty, personal care, and DTC coverage. Prior to this, she spent 9 years at Credit Suisse with her latest position being Investment Banking Director of Luxury, Beauty and Apparel.

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    Wende Zomnir

    Founder,

    Caliray, Urban Decay

2021 Nominees

The 2021 Beacon Award nominees attest to the breadth and depth of the independent beauty community.

  • Best Social Media Nominee
    Awkward Essentials
  • Brand Launch Nominee
    Experiment
  • Best Packaging Nominee
    Natureofthings
  • Industry Icon Nominee
    Paula Begoun
    Founder
    Paula's Choice
  • Inclusivity Champion Nominee
    Vive Cosmetics
  • Product Launch - Wellness Nominee
    SuperPower Capsule
  • Small Indie Retailer Nominee
    Beauty Heroes
  • Entrepreneur Nominee
    Olivia Alexander
    Founder & CEO
    Kush Queen
  • Sustainability Champion Nominee
    Le Prunier
  • Growth Investor - Small or Seed Nominee
    Fab Ventures
See All Nominees

We think the name captures the spirit of our community. A beacon shines so brightly that it can’t be ignored. It’s an example for others to follow and a symbol of possibility.

–Rachel Brown, Editor In Chief, Beauty Independent

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