- Mark Constantine Fragrance entrepreneur:
Company:Lush
Web:lush.com
Mark Constantine OBE, born in 1952 in Sutton, overcame profound adversity to emerge as a celebrated fragrance entrepreneur and trichologist. After failing his GCEs at Weymouth Grammar School, Constantine found himself homeless at 16, sleeping in a tent within a wooded area. Despite these hardships, he secured a hairdressing apprenticeship, earning a mere £3 per week—a foundation that would shape his future in cosmetics.
In the 1970s, Constantine’s cosmetics journey began when he worked at a retailer following another period of homelessness. Tragically, he experienced workplace sexual harassment during this time. After various roles in London, he returned to Poole to freelance in cosmetics, sending samples of his creations—such as shampoo—to Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. While Roddick placed orders, intellectual property disputes led Constantine to sell the company to her in 1991 for £17 million.
Post-sale, Constantine and his wife, Margaret ("Mo"), invested the funds inCosmetics To Go, a direct-mail startup. However, underpriced products and underestimated costs caused the business to fail, filing for bankruptcy in 1994.
In 1995, Constantine, Mo, and partners Rowena Bird, Helen Ambrosen, Liz Bennett, and Paul Greeves foundedLushin Poole, reimagining the venture fromCosmetics To Go’s legacy. By 2007, Lush expanded to 462 stores across 46 countries, generating $292 million in revenue. In 2011, Mark and Mo were awarded OBEs for their contributions to the beauty industry.
Constantine’s innovative fragrance philosophy—championing fresh, original, and unconventional products—drives Lush’s success. His commitment to ethics led the company to pioneer a strict anti-animal testing policy: the Supplier Specific Boycott Policy, which bans ingredients from suppliers who test on animals—a unique stance influencing the industry.
Shaped by his experiences, Constantine has embedded Lush’s identity in ethical practices, innovation, and challenging norms. Now 10% employee-owned, the company values its team as its core. His unwavering vision has cemented Lush as one of the world’s leading cosmetics giants.
