The Beauty Industry Heroes

We spend so much time celebrating the products we love and use day in and day out. But the people behind the products deserve their own special accolades. We're talking about the thought-leaders, founders, formulators, and influencers who have gone above and beyond in the way of education, sustainability, and brand transparency. So, for our sixth annual Eco Beauty Awards we decided to amplify their contributions to unmuddling an often confusing category in the beauty industry. Ready? Meet Byrdie's 2022 Eco Beauty Heros.

The Educator: Caroline Hirons, skincare expert

"Transparency in the beauty industry is paramount, especially from influencers whose followers depend on them for honest recommendations and advice. Caroline Hirons, a 50+ skincare expert with a background working as a beauty consultant and therapist, aims to take the fluff and gaslighting out of industry jargon. Hirons challenges inconsistencies and misinformation in the beauty world in a rather delightful way—amid glowing skin and her good-humored British accent, she serves as a knowledge filter, sifting out the fear mongering and harmful messaging and informing her followers of their dangers. Plus, it's refreshing to have someone in her age bracket resonating with so many (687K on Instagram, to be exact) when the industry tends to skew young and free of any skin imperfections." -Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

The Disruptor: Fiona Chan, founder of Youthforia

"Fiona Chan launched Youthforia in 2020, and the brand has been generating tremendous buzz ever since. Chan is a dynamic disruptor in beauty due to her innovative approach to makeup. Her company offers clean and sustainable makeup that's good for your skin and safe to sleep in. Chan's products are biobased—each made with at least 90% renewable ingredients (instead of fossil fuels) and certified by the USDA BioPreferred Program—to ensure she's making the most minimal impact on the environment and delivering the best experience possible to her consumers. She also stands out for her philosophy on beauty. 'I love this idea of 'dopamine beauty' where your beauty routine is an expression of fun,' Chan previously told Byrdie. 'We always try to make products that have never existed before—like color-changing blush oil.' Bottom line: Founders like Chan are pushing the industry forward and making us excited about the future of beauty." -Olivia Hancock, editor

The Formulator: Manessa Lormejuste, cosmetic chemist

"Manessa Lormejuste is one to watch in the cosmetic chemist space. She is passionate about creating innovative formulas for award-winning beauty brands. The beauty scientist has over five years of experience working in beauty product development and cosmetic formulation. She's especially skilled in research and development and has a passion for all things clean beauty. Lormejuste currently works at FORMA brands (home to companies like Playa, Morphe, and Bad Habit) as the senior product development manager. However, her impressive resume also includes roles at L'Oreal and Johnson & Johnson." - Olivia Hancock, editor

The Influencer: Dr. Michelle Wong, PhD scientist and educator at Lab Muffin Beauty Science

"Dr. Michelle Wong won this category last year—and her positive influence and education has not slowed down since. I had no choice but to highlight the incredible significance she holds in this industry for the second year in a row. For those who don't know her, Wong is a science educator with a PhD in chemistry who started her blog, Lab Muffin Beauty Science, over a decade ago. Her mission was (and still is) to help consumers understand the science behind their beauty products. To this day, Wong offers easy-to-understand explanations for all the confusing things happening in the beauty space and so much more. In her words, it's all about "science, healthy skepticism, honesty, transparency, money well spent, and sunscreen." -Hallie Gould, associate editorial director

The Changemaker: Abena Boamah, founder of Hanahana Beauty

"What Abena Boamah has done with Hanahana Beauty is truly incredible. She has always strived to make her company transparent, sustainable, and economically empowering. Boamah works directly with the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Ghana to make sure she is involved personally and financially with those creating the raw materials for her products. She makes me feel really good about purchasing her products and supporting her company." -Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli, host of Naked Beauty Podcast

The New Guard: Fiona Frills, creator and founder of Frilliance

"Fiona Frills is a Gen Z beauty entrepreneur you should know. She began making YouTube videos when she was 10 and was hosting Disney series by the time she was 12. While Frills has always loved being on-screen, she discovered an even greater passion for beauty when she reached middle school. Like many pre-teens, she found joy in testing new skincare products and expressing herself through makeup. However, Frills' experimentation with beauty led to increasing breakouts. 'I realized these brands were putting terrible ingredients in their products and marketing them to teens with sensitive skin like me,' she told us. 'That's when I decided to put the money I've made from YouTube and acting into my company, Frilliance.' Since launching her brand five years ago, Frilliance has cultivated a massive fanbase of like-minded teens and landed on the shelves of over 500 Walmart stores." -Olivia Hancock, editor