Marla Beck’s whole reason for starting Bluemercury, a retail company for cosmetics and beauty products, was to break the department store model. “I was in my 20s, and I hated shopping for cosmetics [in department stores], because everybody would be rude to me because I didn’t have a nice handbag or nice shoes,” Beck said.

She wanted to create a space where beauty junkies like herself could feel comfortable asking questions and find the products that would make them feel their best. However, her success was a slow burn. When she started Bluemercury 19 years ago, e-commerce was just beginning.

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