Making It in Makeup: The Female Moguls Who Prove It’s Never Too Late

We love the legends. After all, who else do we look up to? But little did we know that some of the best in the beauty industry took their time. Some worked in borrowed light, accepted crumbs, and painted faces while theirs stayed unknown, until one day, everyone knew their names. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s still possible to make it “late,” the answer is yes. And these stories prove it.

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Huda Kattan

Kattan started in finance. But after quitting in 2010, years of blogging, filming YouTube videos, and freelancing laid the groundwork for something bigger and actually of her calling: the launch of Huda Beauty in 2013. But in efforts to bring in corporate expertise, she stepped down as CEO in 2020, a move she later called “the biggest regret” of her life. Now, the beauty mogul is back at the helm as CEO of her eponymous beauty brand, rebuilding what she began.

Charlotte Tilbury

She spent two decades behind the scenes, starting out as an assistant to one of the most respected makeup artists of the ’90s, Mary Greenwell. The glam credits rolled without her name, but the glow was loud enough to spark curiosity. From launching her YouTube channel CharlotteTilbury in 2012 to debuting her eponymous brand in 2013, she made up for lost time. Who knew launching at 40 would turn into a £350 million beauty powerhouse?

Pat McGrath

They say youth is wasted on the young—but Pat McGrath proves brilliance ages well. Discovered by former fashion editor Kim Bowen in the ’90s, she landed her first major product collab in her 30s. Then, a decade ago, she launched Pat McGrath Labs—now a cult favorite among pigment lovers and maximalists alike. Today, she’s not just a legend—she’s also the newly appointed Creative Director of Cosmetics at La Beauté Louis Vuitton.

Danessa Myricks

She’s your favorite makeup artist’s favorite makeup artist. Because even the pros have their favorites. Danessa Myricks calls herself an “accidental makeup artist,” from having been downsized once from her sales job and being completely self-taught, to making it to the TIME The Closers List in 2025. She’s heard “no” a hundred times before building a brand loved by artists all over the world.

Overnight success? Please. The greats marinated. Whether you’re a makeup artist itching to land that big break or just someone who’s been told “not yet” too many times, if your moment hasn’t come yet, maybe it’s just waiting for you to get even better.

Photos: HUDA KATTAN, HUDA BEAUTY, CHARLOTTE TILBURY, STEVEL MEISEL for LOUIS VUITTON, and DANESSA MYRICKS