Estée Lauder, born Josephine Esther Mentzer on July 1, 1908, in New York City, was an American businesswoman renowned for co-founding the Estée Lauder Companies with her husband Joseph Lauter (later changed to Lauder). Raised in Queens, New York, by her Hungarian-born mother Rose Schotz Mentzer from Sátoraljaújhely and her father Max Mentzer from Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia), she was one of nine children in an immigrant family. Influenced by her chemist uncle, John Schotz, who developed early skin creams, Lauder began selling beauty products door-to-door and in salons during the 1930s, honing her sales techniques and passion for the industry. In 1946, she officially launched Estée Lauder Cosmetics Inc., adopting the name 'Estée' from her nickname 'Esty.' Her pioneering marketing innovations, including 'gift with purchase' promotions and free samples, propelled the brand's growth from a small operation to a multinational empire in cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance. By the late 20th century, the company had become one of the world's largest cosmetics firms. Lauder was the only woman featured on Time magazine's 1998 list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century, cementing her legacy as a trailblazing entrepreneur in the beauty sector. She remained actively involved in the business until her death on April 24, 2004, at age 95. Her eponymous company continues to thrive, listed among the top cosmetics conglomerates with a market capitalization around $70 billion as of recent reports.