Mark Constantine

Mark Constantine OBE (born 1952) is a British entrepreneur and trichologist best known as the co-founder and CEO of Lush, described as "one of the world's biggest cosmetics firms".[1]

Mark Constantine

OBE
Born1952
Sutton, London
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur and businessman
Known forCo-founder of Lush
SpouseMo Constantine

Personal life

Constantine was born in 1952 in Sutton. He failed his GCEs at Weymouth Grammar School and became homeless at the age of 16, sleeping in a tent in an area of woodland.[1] Later on, he took an apprenticeship as a hairdresser, earning £3 per week.[2]

In 2018 Constantine's childhood friend Jeff Osment wrote Dear John: The Road to Pelindaba (ISBN 9780992708269) about Constantine's quest to trace his absent father John. It was published by Lush to ensure that Amazon could not distribute it, as there had been conflict between Lush and Amazon.[2]

Constantine has a daughter and two sons.[1]

Career

Early beginnings and freelance work

Constantine worked in a cosmetics retailer in the 1970s after being made homeless where he was the victim of workplace sexual harassment. After several jobs in the London area, Constantine relocated back to Poole to work in the freelance cosmetics industry.[3] During his freelance career, Constantine sent samples of his work, such as shampoo, to Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop from whom he took some orders. However, due to intellectual property rights which Roddick believed she owned, Constantine sold the company to her in 1991 for a sum of £17 million.[3]

Cosmetics To Go

After the sale, Constantine, along with his wife Margaret ("Mo"), reinvested the capital into Cosmetics To Go, a "direct mail startup." However, this venture ended quickly. Bankruptcy was filed in 1994, citing the products being priced too cheaply and Constantine underestimating business expenses.[3]

Lush

Constantine and Mo founded Lush in Poole in 1995.[4] By 2007 there were 462 Lush stores in 46 countries, with a combined revenue of $292 million.[3] The company was described in 2018 as "one of the world's biggest cosmetics firms".[1]

Constantine and Mo were both appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours, having been recognised for their "services to the beauty industry."[4][5]

References
  1. Westwater, Hannah (20 December 2018). "Lush founder Mark Constantine shares his own experience of homelessness". The Big Issue. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  2. Slade, Darren (12 November 2018). "Lush boss Mark Constantine on the search for his father". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. Morais, Richard (28 September 2007). "Clean Scrub". Forbes. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  4. "OBE for Dorset couple who founded cosmetics firm Lush". BBC News. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  5. United Kingdom: "No. 59647". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 31 December 2010. p. 9.


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