She was the daughter of East European parents and her parents called her Esty. The world later knew her by the name Estee. John, her chemist uncle, prepared herbal remedies and face creams over the family stove  which later became the basis for the first line products in her Estee Lauder line. She became the goddess of beauty. She set up business in New York, US, and now the products are sold in about 150 countries. Estee Lauder expired in 2004. Leonard. A Lauder, the elder son, inherited the legacy. He is 79 in 2011. As chief executive, he ruled over the company. His younger brother Ronald Lauder established the Clinique brand. William Lauder, son of Leonard , served as CEO, from 2004 to 2009, but stepped aside after an extra-marital relationship was exposed. Freda, an Italian, succeeded him. He as a non-family man, a professional.

In 2010, Estee Lauder posted a sales of $7.8 billion.

Estee Lauder believes in product quality and distribution to elite retailers. Freda made E. Lauder a leaner, faster and more collaborative company. As the Lauders no longer run the show, there is buzz that the company may go to P & G one day. William Lauder denies this.