Who says no to Michelle Pfeiffer? As a three-time Oscar nominated actress, a Golden Globe winner, and one of the most recognizable people on the planet, Pfeiffer would seemingly have any door opened to her with so much as a flash of her iconic smile. But, when it came to launching her own fragrance line, that wasn’t the case. She got nothing but doors slammed in her face, and it was because of a simple fact: She knew the truth.
When Pfeiffer became a new mother almost 30 years ago, she joined other moms in the hunt to find products that would be safe and effective for her family. And as she did her research, she learned how harmful fragrance ingredients could be—so harmful, actually, that the full list of what comprises one is commonly kept a secret. Without the knowledge she needed to feel comfortable using fragrances on herself and in her home, Pfeiffer opted out all together. But after a decade, she wondered if she could create a product that disclosed exactly what defined a scent. It’s just that no one wanted to give her the opportunity to do it.
It took years for Henry Rose to become a real-life business, but Pfeiffer never gave up on the groundbreaking premise that a fragrance could be clean and compelling. The line’s seven fine fragrances are effortlessly attractive—like stepping into fresh air after too much time inside—and all ingredients within the 90% recycled glass bottles have been backed by Cradle to Cradle and the Environmental Working Group, where she is a board member. They’re joined by an equally alluring body and home selection, which includes an of-the-moment hand sanitizer, and everything is stored within packaging that’s too pretty to put away.
Pfeiffer wasn’t phased by the numerous no’s that came her way as she started this new venture. Much like her acting career, all that matters is that eventually, she got a yes. She knew how to handle her role from there.
How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?
Most likely it was a lemonade stand, but I don't remember. I do remember being paid 50 cents each to scrub used refrigerators for my father to fix and resell.
Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for Henry Rose and what inspired you to pursue this path?
Well, this journey started when I became a new mother about 27 years ago. I began seeing the world through the eyes of my children, and really started paying attention to the things my family was consuming, the products we were putting on our bodies, and so on. That’s when I stumbled upon the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep” database, which rates personal care products by how hazardous they are. I noticed that whenever I would look up fragrance, the hazard ranking would always be extremely high, simply because nobody ever knew what was actually in fragrance. So for me, that was a dealbreaker and I stopped wearing fragrance all together for about 10 years. But eventually, I missed it—scent has always been such a strong, emotional experience for me. I finally realized that if I wanted a fragrance that was 100% transparent, but also smelled amazing and like something I would want to wear, then I was going to need to create it myself. That’s where it started, over a decade ago.
In an interview, you said that Henry Rose was more than a decade in the making. You started conversations with cosmetics companies back in 2010 about creating clean scents, but no one was interested. In fact, people told you that it couldn’t be done. Fast-forward to today and you’ve certainly proved them wrong. Was it hard to move past the negativity and keep going? How did you convince them, and how long did it take?
There were a lot of false starts and deadends because I couldn’t get anyone to commit to creating a fragrance that was fully transparent. I experienced a lot of resistance. At first, I thought maybe I would do a licensing deal, as that is the road celebrities typically take, but ultimately, I couldn’t put my name or my face on something that I didn’t believe in. I had gone down the road with one company for over a year, just for them to tell me that they weren’t willing to disclose every single ingredient. So, I had to pull out and keep going. All I kept hearing from everyone was that I was doing this backward, and that nobody trusts celebrity fragrances.
Along the way I asked the Environmental Working Group if they would collaborate with me on a fragrance, but since it would be a conflict of interest for them, they declined. But, they still gave me their full support. They encouraged me to approach fragrance houses directly, and bypass the cosmetic companies altogether. Eventually, I found the International Flavors and Fragrances, which is the organization I ultimately ended up working with to create all seven Henry Rose scents. It was a lot of rejection and a lot of running into walls, but the main takeaway is that persistence and perseverance will get you somewhere. It may take a while, but it will get you there if you stick to it.
How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward?
When I started Henry Rose, I thought I was only going to create one fragrance that was completely transparent with its ingredients. Now, a year-and-a-half later, we have seven fragrances, and we’ve just expanded into body care, a hand sanitizer, and home fragrances. From the very beginning, Henry Rose has set a precedent that you shouldn’t have to choose between quality and safety. You should always be able to have both. That’s why our work with the Environmental Working Group and Cradle to Cradle is so important. By having the stamp of approval from these organizations, we’re letting consumers know that we have already done the work for them and we’re providing safer, healthier options.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
I don’t have a new version of success. It is the same as it’s always been! I began by wanting to create a line of fine fragrances that don’t force you to sacrifice quality for safety. We have the technology now, we know that the consumer is looking for it, and we know from a business standpoint that it is profitable. Consumers are demanding more transparency in the products they are exposing themselves and their families to. This is the fastest-growing category in the beauty industry. People are expecting these products to perform as good as or better than the more traditional products we are all familiar with.
The only gears I would say we shifted slightly were launching a Jake’s House scented hand sanitizer and moving up our expansion into home fragrances slightly earlier than we planned. Fortunately, we were ready when the pandemic hit. We had already been working on home fragrances, like candles and diffuser oils.
What is the biggest challenge to achieving success in life?
I think that success is different for everyone, and can change given the different phases of life. For me, I’ve used a different set of skills in founding Henry Rose than the ones I’ve used throughout my film career. But if I had to generalize, and speak to what is the common denominator in both, it would be to continue to hold on to your vision and follow your instincts in an increasingly loud and negative world. I don’t take lightly how difficult this is in a world that is only getting louder and more emotionally and psychologically congested. When you are entering into an arena where you are starting from scratch, you need to rely on your instincts more than ever. In both my film career and in founding Henry Rose, I knew what I wanted and just kept putting one foot in front of the other. I’ve learned to follow bread crumbs, and I’ve always had this little voice inside telling me that I can learn how to do anything if given the chance. Now that I think of it, that little voice is my mother.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?
I like solving puzzles and crosswords. I love to oil paint, mostly figure and portrait, although I would like to start doing landscapes. It is incredibly meditative. I am my best self when I am painting. I love to spend time with family and friends. I’m lucky that my favorite person is my husband.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
I just keep moving forward. You have to. I’ve dealt with so many setbacks throughout this entire journey, but it’s always been so important to keep trusting my instincts and working toward the goal. Constraint breeds creativity, and when there’s a will there’s a way.
What is the #1 book you always recommend and why?
I don’t have a favorite movie, song, or book. I would never recommend the same book or film to everyone. It depends on the person, and it also depends on what I am currently reading. I get very into what I am doing at the moment. However, although it has been a long time since I read it, I would recommend 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, because that’s what life feels like right now.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself?
Take that leap. Keep your head up and do what you can to make it through. Don’t take no for an answer, and be true to yourself. We are in unprecedented times, and we all don’t really know yet what life is going to look like on the other side of this, so take it day by day. Don’t be so hard on yourself, either. I was always very hard on myself, which is a blessing and a curse. Be good to yourself, be good to others, and stay focused on your dreams.
Fill in the blanks:
The best career advice I always give is…
When I started out acting, I was told, “Don't think you’re rich when you get that first, fat paycheck.” Actors can go through very long dry periods with no work and nothing coming in. So my advice was to always save your money as if you need it to last for a year.
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
My naïveté, courage, and good instincts. I will add a fourth: stubbornness. Or “pig-headed,” as my father used to call me.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
Full-ingredient transparency across all categories, and more legislation against potentially harmful ingredients in the personal care space.
My perfect day begins with…
Having had a good night's sleep.
The craziest thing I’ve done for work is…
I put a live bird in my mouth when I played Catwoman. So disgusting. I can’t believe I did that.
