Mothers play an important role in our lives—in fact, they play many different roles. Not only did they give us the precious gift of life, but they’re also our protectors, our caregivers, our emotional support system, role models, and our best friends.

Pamper Mom on Mother’s Day With These Luxurious Spa Treatments and Special Offerings

In some instances, moms also play the role of business partner. While working with family isn’t always easy (and isn’t for everyone), we’re shining the spotlight on seven successful beauty brands that are run by mother-daughter teams.

An inspiration to the rest of us, these dynamic duos celebrate the special mom-and-daughter bond and share what they love most about working with each other.

Shirin & Anju Doerig (ABHATI Suisse)

Run by mom-daughter duo Shirin and Anju Doerig, ABHATI Suisse is a fair trade beauty brand that blends Indian ingredients with Swiss cutting-edge science. All of their haircare products are meticulously crafted with antioxidant-rich mountain botanicals, carefully sourced from altitudes of 1,500 meters and beyond.

A proud and passionate partner in the B Corp community Certified by B Lab Switzerland, ABHATI Suisse undergoes rigorous annual assessments covering every aspect of their operations, from supply chain oversight to charitable commitments, and their impact on both workers and the environment. Additionally, the brand is an active member of 1% for the Planet.

Shirin: My favorite thing about working with Mom is how well we complement each other—she's the dreamer, the visionary, and I ensure our Swiss structure supports our dreams. I cherish the trust she has in me and how much I get to learn from her daily, that is the true foundation of our success together.

Anju: Partnering with my daughter, Anju, isn't just about business; it's about weaving together the wisdom of one generation with the fresh perspectives of the next, nurturing a bond that blossoms stronger with every challenge we conquer together.

Rea Ann Silva & Erica Dickerson (Beautyblender)

One of Hollywood’s most sought-after makeup artists, Rea Ann Silva changed the beauty game when she crated Beautyblender—a one-of-a-kind edgeless makeup sponge that ensured her clients looked impeccable on camera in high-definition. It has won countless beauty awards and is the industry’s go-to tool for achieving a perfectly blended complexion. Along with her daughter Erica, who is the company’s Global Beauty Director, Rea Ann continues to drive Beautyblender’s innovation and success with beauty products that offer maximum results.

Rea Ann: Not only am I a brand founder, CEO, and makeup artist—I am first and foremost a mother. Being a mom is my most important job. Having the privilege to work alongside my daughter Erica has been so rewarding as I've watched her grow into the smart, successful, and tenacious woman she is today.

Erica: Working with my mom has been such a beautiful gift. I feel like I’ve been her unintentional mentee since sitting under her makeup chair as child as she masterfully transformed faces and led her makeup department to watching her step into uncharted territories as a Founder and CEO at Beautyblender. She has brought me in without ever second guessing my value or input which has been a huge driver in trusting my inner voice and intuition in business. It really is a dream to be able to create with my mom in such an impactful way and on a global scale. I’m a lucky girl. 

Patricia & Sarah Walker (Farm to Skin)

Farm to Skin is a family-owned and operated bioactive skincare line that is inspired by the beautiful landscape and simplicity of life on the Walker family’s 600-acre farm in Florida. Founder Patricia Walker works with her four sisters and four children including her daughter Sarah, and they all help name the different products to reflect the brand’s fun philosophy toward clean living. Their products are formulated with raw, unrefined plant oils and the purest ingredients found in nature for the ultimate sensory experience.

Patricia: Becoming an entrepreneur and creating my own skincare line has brought so much joy, purpose, and excitement. But I recall in certain challenging times asking myself, “Why am I doing this again?” Having Sarah join our team has completely taken that question away. I admire her thoughtfulness, confidence, and unwavering commitment to healthy living. Together we share a common vision, complement each other’s strengths, and have a ton of fun while we are at it! It’s truly a dream come true for me. 

Sarah: What my mom has created in Farm to Skin is so compelling. I was drawn from a unique career path in Washington DC, to be a part of growing what she has established. It is such a privilege to work alongside my mom in creating and sharing products that we know will make a difference for each person who tries our line. There are few things in life more fun and rewarding than pursuing a shared passion with someone you love while making a positive impact on the lives of those who use our product.

Micaela & Dawn Hoo (My July)

My July was founded out of a response to Micaela Hoo’s chronic illnesses and skin issues, which led her mother Dawn to create her own natural homemade remedies in their kitchen. Together, they developed a gentle skincare line of sustainable products that are clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and made in small batches in Los Angeles. They also donate 3% of profits to Global Lyme Alliance, a nonprofit that is dedicated to conquering Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through education, awareness, research, and support.

Micaela: Long before we started a business, my mom and I were best friends. I grew up an only child and have spent more time with my mom than any other person in my life. It's special to work with someone you're so close with who gets you on a soul level. She understands me without me even having to explain my thought process.

Dawn: I love working with Micaela because it strengthens our relationship. A lot of mothers and daughters don't get along or have a surface level relationship, and as adults, they don't spend much time together. I always loved spending time with Micaela. Her personality is much more Type A than mine is, and we balance each other out nicely.

Taylor, Ally & Jenny Frankel (NUDESTIX)

The brainchild of sisters Ally and Taylor Frankel, along with their chemical engineer mother Jenny, NUDESTIX was created to enhance natural beauty for creating a barely-there makeup look with multi-tasking beauty products that are clean and luxurious. Their award-winning formulas are cruelty-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free. Signature products include their Nudies Blush and Bronzer Sticks in a wide range of colors, in addition to their Cream Long-Wearing Eyeshadow Colors, among others.

Taylor: As a family, we will always have eachother’s best interest in mind. We are respectful of each other's opinions and boundaries. We’ve had opportunities to travel the world together to launch NUDESTIX— memories that we will cherish forever!

Jenny: The best thing about working with my daughters everyday, is being inspired by their generational vision to create a lifestyle beauty brand of meaningful purpose and sustainability for future relevancy.

Ally: It is incredibly special to work alongside my mother and sister! We each have our own areas of expertise, complementing one another. Aside from working well together, it allows us to have shared experiences and lots of opportunities for bonding! We definitely have a number of funny moments from our travels together.

Melissa & Jenefer Palmer (OSEA)

Jenefer Palmer founded OSEA in her kitchen sink after spending a decade working as the spa director at Murrieta Hot Springs. The skincare line draws its inspiration from the ocean, sun, earth, and atmosphere and all of its products are plant-based and gluten-free, in addition to featuring innovative formulations of certified organic, bioavailable seaweed that has been blended with pure steam-distilled and cold-pressed essential oils. Jenefer’s daughter Melissa serves as the company’s CEO and they each bring a unique perspective to their work relationship by providing the perfect balance between business and creativity.

Melissa: I love working with my mom! We have so much fun working side by side and have learned so much about each other in the process. Through the years I’ve learned how to calm my angsty teenage inner-voice and see my mom for who she is: a creative visionary. We also really balance each other out—we see things from different perspectives and we’re able to contribute in unique and complementary ways. We’ve learned how to create boundaries so we can enjoy time off outside of work. We love long walks on the beach or swimming in the ocean.”

Jenefer: My favorite part of working with Melissa is having an excuse to call her 30 times a day! I get the privilege of seeing who my daughter is in the world. Not all parents get to see their children in this way. Watching her lead this company with such power and confidence makes me so proud. Melissa has taught me that creative brains need business brains and they both bring a different value to the table. My creative brain has learned how to trust Melissa’s business brain because there’s built-in and inherent trust between mother and daughter. The only challenge is finding time to not talk about OSEA. We’re so obsessed and passionate about the brand we’ve built together.

Madysen Minton & Elise Tabin (TWiiSH)

Award-winning beauty editor Elise Tabin and her teenage daughter Madysen Minton founded TWiiSH in 2023 to help the younger generation take better care of their skin and feel more confident while simplifying skincare routines. Developed with the help of a Harvard-trained chemist, the innovative skincare brand is formulated with clean, cruelty-free, and highly-effective ingredients that are also gentle on skin.

Elise: What I love about working with Madysen is her constant enthusiasm to understand why and how we make certain business decisions. She's a teenager and eager to learn about business, so it makes me smile when she lights up. Madysen is our perfect demo and having a firsthand look into things from her perspective is always a unique and much appreciated take.

Madysen: I learn so much from my mom about skincare and business. It's also fun to work with her because she makes working fun and not so boring.

[Photos courtesy of brands]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk