Saie is a clean, performance-driven makeup brand with a mission to feel good and do good for people and the planet. Led by Laney Crowell’s visionary leadership, Saie has seen 300% year-over-year (YoY) growth in the clean beauty space since 2019. The brand redefined industry standards and sustainable practices and has been at the forefront of driving positive social change.
Crowell has continued to helm Saie with her nimble, strategic leadership, making waves in sustainable, cause-driven beauty. She is driven by her community, who “Saie” what they’d like to see. From product launches that consistently deliver on Saie’s community’s wants and needs to pioneering a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind human rights campaign, Saie has expanded its viral social presence.
Crowell uses the Saie platform to speak up on topics affecting Saie’s internal and external communities. Deeply moved by the loss of reproductive freedoms following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and how this decision affects every birthing body, but in particular those in marginalized communities, she wanted to take a stand to protect the rights and lives of those who have been integral in propelling the beauty industry forward.
Crowell used Saie’s platform to raise awareness and funds for reproductive justice with the launch of The Every Body Campaign, a first-of-its-kind beauty industry campaign that rallied 60+ beauty and wellness brands to fundraise for The SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. The campaign also educated the public on the reproductive justice movement and inspired them to vote in this year’s presidential elections. It ultimately raised $100,000 in the first year and doubled its impact with a 100% increase YoY, raising over $300,000 in 2024.
BeautyMatter caught up with Laney Crowell, CEO and Founder of Saie and BeautyMatter NEXT 2024 Changemaker of the Year Finalist.
What was the challenge or problem you identified that necessitated a change?
I wanted to raise the standard in clean cosmetics, offering superior yet fun products that “dew good” for people and the planet. Saie’s ethos was founded on the idea that makeup should be accessible to all and that everyone should have access to clean and sustainable high-performing products, available at an affordable price point. Through Saie, l wanted to create not just a beauty brand but an entire community centered around wellness—good, clean ingredients that feel good.
Creating change is a complex process usually filled with hurdles. What drives your commitment to keep going?
I believe in the notion of leaving a place better than when you found it, and that’s what I’m aiming to do. With Saie, our mission is to create positive change for people and the planet. We care so deeply for our community that we would want nothing more than to stand behind them, with them, and use Saie’s platform to speak up on topics that directly affect us all.
Creating change requires rallying consensus and motivating others to support the cause. How did you achieve this?
Saie’s community are some of the most earth-minded, climate-focused and justice-driven people. They inspire us to do what we do and encourage us to make as much noise as we do for the causes that we all care about. Our community’s passion for social change is what drives us to utilize our platform to make change in areas we know they care about. From birthing rights and sustainability, when we raise awareness, we rally and motivate others to support the cause and take action. We created The Saie Way docuseries to bring more attention to the causes that are dear to the core of who Saie is, and we’re honored to be able to spread further awareness around causes that matter.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
Raising money to launch Saie was an unexpected challenge, initially. Only 4% of venture capital dollars go to women; my biggest obstacle was having to go to bat for my brand and securing those investments even when the stats told me otherwise. Building Saie was my greatest risk and my greatest success, so far. Failure was not an option, and I’m so proud of our team. It’s made of strong and talented creatives, and I’m really proud of the culture and community that we’ve created.
BeautyMatter has a platform to amplify your work. How can our community support it?
We’re very vocal with our community and encourage them to take action when they can. As a leader in this industry and a mother of two daughters, it’s my responsibility to use our platforms to advocate for their rights and to create a more just future for people everywhere. We’ve implemented a Saie Voting Guide with Vote.org to help our community navigate through this US election cycle. This guide is aimed to help those to better understand the rights that are at risk, the platform for each candidate locally and nationally, as well as current registration status. We implore the BeautyMatter community to do the same, to help encourage and educate each other about their own rights.
What advice would you give to others looking to make a difference?
We are all connected, and it's our responsibility to help make life better for those around us. Supporting grassroots organizations means supporting the community. Offering support at the community level is the first step towards creating change and lasting impact on a larger scale.
What excites you about the future of the industry?
I’m excited about the innovation! Its impact goes beyond new shade extensions and bronzers; innovation has the ability to really make a difference in how we combat the climate crisis.
