Founder Files
Makeup· New York, USA · Updated 14 May 2026

Laney Crowell

Spent five years at Estée Lauder before identifying a gap for a beauty company that made environmental commitment integral to every aspect of operations, not just marketing. Founded Saie in 2019; recognized as Inc. Female Founders honoree in both 2024 and 2025. Saie has surpassed $100M in sales with growth >6× its original size.

"Environmental commitment has to be integral to operations — not bolted onto marketing."

Laney Crowell
Background

Laney Crowell spent five years at Estée Lauder before identifying a gap for a beauty company that made environmental commitment integral to every aspect of operations, not just marketing.

She founded Saie in 2019 and has since been recognized as an Inc. Female Founders honoree in both 2024 and 2025.

A Sephora-first brand from the start, Saie has reported growth exceeding six times its initial business figure and is currently cited alongside legacy brands in Sephora top-seller rankings.

Philosophy

Crowell's central conviction is that sustainability has to be operational, not promotional. All Saie packaging is biodegradable or recyclable.

The Saie Climate Initiative, launched September 2025, targets five million pounds of plastic waste cleaned by 2027 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2039.

Career timeline
  • Pre-2019
    Five years at Estée Lauder
  • 2019
    Founded Saie
  • 2024 & 2025
    Inc. Female Founders honoree (both years)
  • Sept 2025
    Launched the Saie Climate Initiative — 5M lbs plastic waste by 2027, net-zero by 2039
  • 2025
    Surpassed $100M in sales; growth >6× original business size
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