In Conversation with Donna May

Your journey from celebrity makeup artist to beauty brand founder is incredibly inspiring. What was the pivotal moment that led you to create Donna May London?

It all started during a bit of unexpected downtime. I was recovering from a foot operation and had two weeks at home with my feet up. With that headspace, I pulled out my embroidery threads and stitched a red lip onto some fabric. I added the word "make-up" and used it as a mat for my kit when I went back to work at ITV. The other makeup artists saw it and immediately wanted one. That was the beginning of Donna May London.

At STORIES Parfums, narrative is everything. We tell stories through scent. How does storytelling influence the way you design and present your products?

Storytelling is such a powerful way to connect people to your products, especially in retail. Without a story, it can feel like someone’s just in it to make money. Most founders start businesses because they couldn’t find what they needed themselves, so there’s always a story there.

With Donna May London, that story comes from me being a busy, working mum who wanted practical tools that look good, don’t cost the earth, work brilliantly, and save time. That’s the heart of the brand. Every product is designed for women who don’t want to spend half the day rummaging through a makeup bag just to find one thing. The story drives everything we make.

Transitioning from a hands-on creative role to running a business can be a huge shift. What have been some of the biggest lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

Coming from a creative background as a makeup artist in television, I was always keen not to give that up entirely when I took over Donna May London full time. I still do makeup, just not every day, because it keeps me connected to trends, to people, and to the craft. But stepping into the entrepreneurial side has been a completely different education. The biggest lessons have come from the things I used to avoid—paperwork, accounts, the money side of running a business. You can’t bury your head in the sand anymore. I’ve had to face all of that head-on, and it’s been a real eye-opener.

Ethical responsibility is a growing focus in the beauty world. How does Donna May London approach sustainability and conscious consumerism?

We do everything we can to keep Donna May London as sustainable as possible and to stay transparent with our customers. I honestly can’t help myself from sharing everything we're doing. Wherever we can, we ship our products by sea instead of flying them, which makes a big difference environmentally, especially for retail brands.

We design our packaging to be recyclable, but also intentionally beautiful so customers want to keep and reuse it. That reuse element is really important to us. We're doing everything we possibly can at this stage, within reason and budget, and I’m constantly learning and finding new ways to improve. Watch this space.

Your products empower women to feel confident and beautiful. What kind of experience do you hope to create for your customers each time they use your brand?

We aim to empower every woman, no matter her age or income, to feel confident and beautiful. Often, it’s just about knowing what to do. So many of us didn’t grow up with mums who wore makeup, so we never learned the basics. That’s where I come in.

Through Donna May London, I want to teach women how to apply makeup or style their hair in a way that feels achievable. I also focus on creating tools that are genuinely useful without going over the top. You don’t need endless products to feel good. Just a few well-designed items that actually work. That’s what I’m all about—cutting through the faff and helping women feel good with less.

Looking back on your journey so far, what advice would you give to other women ready to turn their creative passion into a purposeful business?

Just go for it. Don’t wait for all your ducks to be in a row because they never will be. I’ve definitely learned that along the way. The most important thing is to start. Get the website up. Start winging it.

We’re all winging it every day. No one has all the answers and nothing is ever perfect. But if you’re open and honest about that, your customers will stick with you. They’re supportive and they appreciate transparency. So don’t be afraid. Be real, be brave, and just begin.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DONNA MAY LONDON PRODUCTS

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