Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) hosted its 2025 Achiever Awards on April 30, 2025, at a luncheon celebrating 50 years of recognizing women in beauty.

 

The annual event, held at New York’s Marriott Marquis, produced in partnership with Dotdash Meredith, embodies the organization’s mission to elevate, motivate, and advance female leaders in the beauty industry.

The milestone anniversary paid tribute to this year’s CEW’s Achiever Award honorees, which included: 8 Achiever Awards, 2 Game Changer Awards the Lifetime Achievement Award

The awards also recognize the legacy of the women leaders who have impacted the beauty industry over the past five decades.

Scroll down after the winners’ list to read the inspiring insights we heard at the 2025 CEW Achiever Awards luncheon from the 11 winners during their acceptance speeches.

Carlotta Jacobson Highlights the Impact of Women in Beauty

Carlotta Jacobson, President, CEW, noted that over the course of 50 years, since 1975, the organization has recognized 185 women.

She highlighted the impact of women in the industry and beyond, particularly in these times, said Jacobson, when women’s contributions are being questioned. She commented, “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 50 years of trailblazing women who have shaped the industry, driven innovation, and paved the way for future generations.”

“These awards are a powerful tribute to the game-changers and disruptors willing to break barriers, spark change, and leave a lasting legacy,” said Jacobson.

Leah Wyar, President, Beauty, Style and Entertainment Group, Dotdash Meredith, addressed the audience, congratulated the honorees, and noted their deep connection to beauty; and in a short video, acknowledged that “beauty is how we claim space,” an emphatic shout-out to the place of beauty in all of our lives.

Lisa Klein, Senior Vice President, CEW, thanked attendees for joining the celebratory luncheon, and acknowledged the sponsors of the day’s event, including presenting sponsor, Dotdash Meredith.

The Platinum Sponsors were Amazon, P&G Beauty, L’Oréal Groupe, and Sephora; and Gold Sponsors were The Estée Lauder Companies, 24 Seven, and Unilever; Silver Plus and Silver Sponsors, Ulta Beauty, e.l.f. Beauty, Dior Performance Beauty Group, Tik Tok, pbg, Symrise, Presperse, Nordstrom, Sidley, SGPR, Glow Recipe, and Perfect Corp. Event partners were Cosmoprof, Oracle NetSuite, Active Concepts, Fairchild Media Group, Kaplow Communications, and Consultancy Media.

Leah Wyar, President, Beauty, Style and Entertainment Group, Dotdash Meredith, addressed the audience, congratulated the honorees, and noted their deep connection to beauty; and in a short video, acknowledged that “beauty is how we claim space,” an emphatic shout-out to the place of beauty in all of our lives.

A Resonant Keynote by the Founder of Girls Who Code

This year’s CEW Achiever Awards’ keynote address was delivered by Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First. She provided a rousing acknowledgement of the work women do to get to where they are in the beauty business.

Saujani is recognized for her work educating and inspiring young women in computer science and technology; as well as for her efforts to support working mothers.

Related: Girls Who Code founder Wins Clé de Peau’s Radiance Award

“Like every single woman in this room, there’s a whole lot of sweat that went into getting where you are. But the women being celebrated today managed to rise to the occasion with clarity, confidence, and resilience,” said Saujani. She emphasized the need for structural change for women, child care, and gender equality, saying, “There is no gender equality without affordable child care.”

Saujani concluded, “We are an army of women who are changing the story, and every day we celebrate the women who are just getting started when the world tells them they should be slowing down.”

CEW 2025 Achiever Awards Honorees & Presenters

Jill Scalamandre, CEO, Beekman 1802; Chairwoman, CEW, introduced the winners—and more industry executives served as presenters. Here are all the winners—congratulations!

Scroll down—the honorees spoke about their journey to success in the beauty industry.

Lifetime Achievement Honoree

• Carol Hamilton, L’Oréal USA

Game-Changer Honorees

• Alice Chang, Founder and CEO, Perfect Corp.
• Vennette Ho, Global Head of Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness, Raymond James

Achiever Honorees

• Catherine Bomboy Dougherty, SVP, Global Brand Integrated Communications, The Estée Lauder Companies
• Presented by Jane Hertzmark Hudis, The Estée Lauder Companies

• Carrie Gross, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare
• Presented by Dr. Dennis Gross, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare

• Stephanie Headley, SVP, North America Skin Care and Global, Olay, P&G Beauty
• Award presented by SK Lee, P&G Beauty

• Heela Yang, CEO & Co-Founder, Sol de Janeiro
• Presented by Hannah Yang, The New York Times

• Melis del Rey, General Manager, Health & Beauty, U.S. Stores, Amazon
• Presented by Sam Heyworth, Amazon

• Katie Welch, CMO, Rare Beauty
• Presented by Kim Magee, Rare Beauty

• Amy Whang, President US, Maybelline NY-Garnier-Essie, L’Oréal USA
• Presented by Christina Fair, L’Oréal USA

• Tiffany Yizar, Head of R&D – Beauty and Wellbeing North America, Unilever
• Presented by Esi Eggleston Bracey, Unilever

CEW Achiever Award Honorees Share Insights on Success

Watching as this year’s winners accepted their awards while delivering inspiring acceptance speeches was truly an honor.

Alice Chang, Founder & CEO, Perfect Corp., a top female leader in tech, was recognized her visionary leadership and impact on the beauty industry. She is known for her innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR).

Related: Perfect Corp. Reveals the Future of AI Technologies for Beauty

Chang utilizes technologies to revolutionize the ways consumers discover, try, and shop for beauty products. She shared her experience of being a female tech entrepreneur in a largely male field.

“Never stop believing in what is possible,” Chang said. “A future where beauty and technology come together helps to make the world more beautiful for everyone.”

 

Chang’s innovations have empowered individuals to utilize technology to make beauty more accessible for everyone. “I always felt technology had no value unless it could change the way things work,” she said.

Vennette Ho, Global Head of Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness at Raymond James, was the next honoree to accept a CEW Achiever Award. She noted that being an investment banker enabled her to play a crucial role in the beauty world.

“Women are often hesitant to talk about finances, but investing in yourself is what it’s about, as well as investing in future generations,” said Ho. She noted her work with women in such brands as Sol de Janeiro, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, and Briogeo, and highlighted the talented women founders who created beautiful products. While some came from finance, others did not, but they all faced challenges on their road to success.

Catherine Bomboy Dougherty, SVP, Global Brand, Integrated Communications, The Estée Lauder Companies, is another honoree—and thanked presenter Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive VP at The Estée Lauder Companies, when she walked onto the stage.

Dougherty thanked Hudis for her mentorship and for “showing her what it looks like to lead with grace and purpose.” She acknowledged the value of her work experience, saying, “We rise not through ambition, but through connection,” adding that success is more rewarding when it is shared. Thanking her family, Dougherty said, “being present is more valuable than perfection.”

The Marketing Half of Skincare’s Power Couple

Carrie Gross, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, is another CEW Achiever Award winner—and her famous husband, Dr. Dennis Gross, introduced her at the awards luncheon as “the heart and soul” of the company. (Photo above is via Instagram @drdennisgross and @mscarriegross)

Dr. Dennis Gross said building a brand that delivers results and helps women feel confident in their skin was the goal for Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare—and Carrie Gross said she defined her CEO role as “Chief Enthusiastic Officer.”

Carrie Gross said she attributes her success to the team that helped make her dream a reality. She enthusiastically noted that Shiseido was taking the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare brand global, after the company acquired the brand earlier this year. She thanked Carlotta Jacobson and her Board of Directors, for bestowing this honor on the occasion of CEW’s 50th anniversary.

The Path to Beauty for Olay’s Headley & Sol de Janeiro’s Yang

Next, a few of the honorees discussed their “personal path to beauty” and revealed what inspired their journey in the industry.

Stephanie Headley, SVP, North America, Skin Care and Global Olay, P&G Beauty, spoke about her path to beauty when she walked up to the podium at the CEW Achiever Awards luncheon. She emphasized the importance of being bold, courageous, and saying “yes.”

Headley shared her belief from childhood that she could do anything, including being a judge or a track star. She went from a career as a math teacher to a position at P&G, where she works with some of the world’s most iconic brands.

Along with her team, Headley is responsible for carrying the 70-year legacy of Olay forward. She thanked her mentors, friends, and mother, “Because you believed in me first,” and thanked CEW, saying, “The best is yet to come.”

When Sol de Janeiro’s Heela Yang, CEO & Co-Founder, walked onto the stage to accept the award, she shared a story of living in Brazil when she experienced an epiphany—and it led to the creation of the brand.

Being pregnant in Brazil and opting for a one-piece swimsuit at the beach, Yang’s husband encouraged her to wear a bikini. She said that was the beginning of her shift in perspective.

“In Brazil, people celebrate life, all shapes and sizes wearing bikinis, and smiling the warmest smiles,” said Yang. “It was a shift, a vision, a celebration of our bodies with no judgement,” she said.

Sol de Janeiro smells delicious, has the warmest packaging, and conveys “the message of the experience,” Yang explained, and adding, “The equation came together. The brand has 6 million followers, $1.8 billion in global retail sales, and is a well-oiled machine.”

Yang noted that the brand needs to scale while making great products—and balance the “globalization of taste.” But, overall, it is about bringing people together.

The packaging nightmare Yang said she once experienced, with distorted caps and completely unusable products, reminds her to “always stay humble, keep nurturing the brand, and continue to deliver the heart of the brand to our incredible customers.”

Passion & Community Are Key, Say Amazon & Rare Beauty Execs

The 2025 CEW Achiever Awards continued with thoughtful acceptance speeches from more beauty industry executives.

Melis del Rey, General Manager, Health & Beauty, U.S. Stores, Amazon, studied engineering before she found her true passion in beauty.

She shared the importance of remembering that obstacles build strength and that leaders who think big move beyond their comfort zone. “Follow your passion, passion drives excellence. When you pursue what energizes you, you learn more,” said del Rey.

Katie Welch, Chief Marketing Officer, Rare Beauty shared insights into a brand that, “helps people be seen.” She thanked founder, Selena Gomez and her team, for creating a brand that encourages individuals to be their best selves; and acknowledged the role models and mentors who helped shape her career.

Welch said, “It’s never just about lipstick, it’s innovation, it’s a collective.” Welch credited CEW for pioneering what we now call “Collective Marketing,” and emphasized the roles we play in one another’s futures. “The beauty community has brought me purpose and joy beyond measure,” said Welch.

Embrace Challenges, Advise L’Oréal’s Whang & Unilever’s Yizar

Next, the CEW Achiever Awards luncheon continued with an acceptance speech from Amy Whang, President, US, of Maybelline NY-Garnier, and Essie at L’Oréal, USA.

Whang shared the importance of embracing the “turns and curve balls that life throws at you.” She said, “Your vision is not what you expect it to be, so be open to what comes along on your path.”

She acknowledged that as an introvert her biggest challenge was standing up and sharing her voice, and a serendipitous meeting with L’Oréal, when they came to her NYU campus, has led to a 20-year career. She thanked CEW for the honor and the opportunity to be seen and recognized.

Next we heard from Tiffany Yizar, Head of R&D, Beauty and Wellbeing North America, at Unilever. (Yizar is shown in the photo above.)

Yizar brings science to the forefront with innovations for textured hair and melanin-rich skin. She recalled how her mother had encouraged her to be an engineer and how her first foray into process engineering harkened back to the recipes she made in her mother’s kitchen.

Yizar, who has 20+ years in chemical engineering, said, “You can wear pearls and a hard hat and be beautiful, too!” She shared, “I’m proud to stand here for all women scientists and for the women engineers who work in factories; and I encourage the path to equitable representation, and acknowledge the importance of exposure, mentorship, and the ability to dream.”

L’Oréal USA’s Hamilton Accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award

Carlotta Jacobson, President, CEW, presented Carol Hamilton, L’Oréal USA, with the Lifetime Achievement Award, during the CEW Achiever Awards luncheon. Jacobson recognized her 40-year career at L’Oréal, and her 20 years as a CEW Board member.

“Hamilton is an icon, a leader, certainly a powerhouse, and a person who leads with her heart. Her leadership and legacy will always continue,” said Jacobson.

 

Hamilton, former Group President, Merger & Acquisitions, Business Development and West Coast HQ, L’Oréal USA, has been responsible for building the L’Oréal flagship brand into the global beauty brand it is today.

After a long and successful career building brands and portfolios, Hamilton accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award honor.

“Today is also my last day at L’Oréal, and looking back there are so many memories,” said Hamilton.

She shared a recollection of the launch of Preference by L’Oréal, hair color, recalling the slogan, “Because you’re worth it.”

“When I first came to L’Oréal 40 years ago, they believed that beauty is not superficial, it leads to a better life for all men and women,” said Hamilton. “The industry started to change and the force of what this industry has become is powerful.”

Looking back at philanthropic beauty industry initiatives, Hamilton highlighted breast cancer research, gender inequality issues, women’s leadership, and more. She also spoke of her work with UNICEF in Senegal to help stop Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and referred to her Lifetime Achievement honors as a “Half-time” recognition, noting the work that is still to be done to better women’s and children’s lives.

“And while changes have taken place,” she said, “Unconscious biases are still rampant. In these times it is important to remain unbiased and you can count on me to be dedicated to these principles.”

CEW Aims to Empower Women in Beauty 

Key takeaways this year at the CEW Achiever Award luncheon included the spirit of collectivity, humility, and sharing your voice—while lifting up others. Serendipity, women and technology, along with grace and purpose were recurring themes.

Clearly these were the messages of the day and not coincidentally a thread—and integral to inspiring change for women in the beauty business.

CEW is a global network of 8,300 members. Its mission is to empower women with the support, education, and recognition necessary to advance their careers.