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Known for its clever applicators and innovative formulas, Refy Beauty is a
carefully curated brand built with community at its heart. At just five years old, it has carved out its place in an oversaturated industry by leading rather than following—thanks in part to its co-founder, Jess Hunt. Here, in our Women Who Win series, she speaks to Katie Thomas about her journey from brow-obsessed content creator to the founder of one of the UK’s most influential beauty brands.
“I’ve always been particular about my brows—even on shoots with incredible make-up artists, I’d insist on doing my own.”
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On innovation, community and dupes.
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I originally studied engineering and worked in that industry for three years, so I launched my business later on in life. At 26, I left my job in France and came to London to study jewellery design. That was almost 10 years ago. I basically used my studies to start working on my business plan. Every time I had a school project, I would design pieces that would be part of my future collection. But I didn’t have a lot of experience in business; I had no idea what a small business was, how to hire, or how to be a manager. I had no connections whatsoever in London – nor in fashion or design.
“Of course, I’m very grateful for the successes we have achieved, and yes, we can celebrate these milestones. But I’m always cautious – I never believe I have ‘arrived’. To me, one day you’re in and the next you could be out. You can’t rest on your laurels.”
“I say ‘work in progress’ a lot or ‘this too shall pass’. Also: ‘don’t forget to have fun’.”
What is your mantra?
“I started posting on Instagram at a very good time. It was very early on. I would just put outfits together, and my mum would take pictures of me in the kitchen. At the beginning, I was just sharing with friends and family, but over time I got more followers. It was a lot easier back then. As my following grew, so too did the opportunities, and I started working with brands, which is how I met Jenna [Meek, Jess’s co-founder].
“I’ve always been particular about my brows—to the point where, even on shoots with incredible make-up artists, I’d insist on doing my own. Back then, I’d use two gels and three brushes to get them just how I liked—I thought that was normal. Jenna saw what I was doing and asked why I was using so many different products.
“I talked her through each step, and her entrepreneurial brain immediately lit up. She said, ‘I think there’s something here.’ We met for lunch and sketched out designs for a dream product—one that featured three brushes to create my everyday sculpted look and hold it in place all day.
“Months later, Jenna called and said, ‘I’ve spoken to a lab—they think they can make it. Would you want to start a business together?’ Naively, I said yes, with no experience in make-up or business. I wish I still had some of that fearless energy, because as the brand grows, the stakes get higher, and I’ve become more cautious. I love where we are today, but nothing beats the magic of the beginning.
“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was
doing everything with a small team, but I truly believe it’s important to be hands-on to understand what your business really needs”
“When we got our first negative TikTok review, I panicked. I thought we’d ruined everything. But it turned into one of my biggest lessons.”
“A very old Hermès trench, which I got when I worked at the [brand’s] sample sale in the ’90s, plus a McQueen embroidered cape.”
What is your most treasured fashion item?
£20
BROW SCULPT
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£22
LASH SCULPT
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£20
CREAM BRONZER
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£22
Lip Stick
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£22
SKIN FINISH
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£24
GLOW AND SCULPT PRIMER
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“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was doing everything with a small team, but I truly believe it’s important to
be hands-on to understand what
your business really needs”
£350
Sunglasses
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£350
Sunglasses
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£350
Sunglasses
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£350
Sunglasses
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£350
Sunglasses
SHOP NOW
£350
Sunglasses
SHOP NOW
“I had no idea the process would take two years. Our prototype was a world-first, so there was a lot of back and forth. We eventually launched in November 2020—a strange time, right in the middle of lockdowns. But with everyone on their phones, it actually worked in our favour. I launched Brow Sculpt on my channel with a simple video of me applying it and saying, ‘We have this brow product—hope you love it.’ That clip went semi-viral because of the instant wow factor.
“The lab required a large initial order since it was a new product. We forecasted that the stock would last nine months—it sold out in six weeks. We were out of stock for three months, which wasn’t ideal, but it showed there was a gap for a brand that simplified beauty with innovative, time-saving products that did the hard work for you.
“I’m not a make-up artist—I’m just a girl who loves make-up and wants to create beautiful looks in under 20 minutes. From then on, we kept asking, ‘What else needs simplifying in our routine?’ That question still drives everything we do.
“When we got our first negative TikTok review two years in, I panicked. I thought we’d ruined everything and relied too much on social media. But it turned into one of my biggest lessons—we needed to be clearer about who each product is for. Instead of saying, ‘Everyone will love it,’ we started saying, ‘Don’t buy this if you’re not after that specific look.’
“Our community is our biggest strength. It’s at the core of everything we do. We started out wanting to simplify beauty, but now it’s evolved—I’m often the second person to know what’s launching next because it all comes from our community. They influence everything, from product development to shades. We regularly email our database asking questions like, ‘What do you want to see next?’ or ‘Should the next mascara be blue or brown?’
“We’re so fortunate to have such a close relationship with them. They’re who our products are made for. Some of our biggest viral moments have come from everyday customers, not influencers. One girl in America filmed herself applying Lash Sculpt from Sephora in her bedroom—that video now has over 100 million views. It sold out across Sephora US. You can’t buy that kind of exposure—it’s pure community power.
“We celebrate wins—big and small—every day through a WhatsApp group with our leadership team. Everyone shares one big and one small win daily. It reminds us that progress, no matter how small, is still progress.
“It’s natural to take inspiration from others, but it’s tough when we see replicas of our products on the market. There are too many loopholes that let brands get away with it. I used to stay quiet about it, but now I see it as a compliment—it means we’re leading, not following, and that Refy is aspirational.
“I’m still learning to set boundaries with my phone. So much of my work and life happens there, but I can easily spend hours scrolling without being productive. I’m trying to create a new routine—once I finish work, I leave my phone on my desk for the evening
.
“I’m a chronic overthinker, and the best advice I’ve ever received came from my brother: whenever you have a problem, look in the mirror and ask, ‘Can I do anything about this?’ If yes, do it immediately. If not, let it go—it’s out of your control.
Jess Hunt
Jess
“I started posting on Instagram at a very good time. It was very early on. I would just put outfits together, and my mum would take pictures of me in the kitchen. At the beginning, I was just sharing to friends and family, but over time my following grew. It was a lot easier back then. As my following grew, so too did the opportunities, and I started working with brands, which is how I met Jenna [Meek, Jess’s co-founder].
“I’ve always been particular about my brows—to the point where, even on shoots with incredible make-up artists, I’d insist on doing my own. I was actually on one yesterday and said, ‘I’ll do my own brows.’ Back then, I’d use two gels and three brushes just to get them how I liked — I thought that was normal. Jenna saw what I was doing and asked why I was using so many different products.
“I talked her through each step, and her entrepreneurial brain immediately lit up. She said, ‘I think there’s something here.’ We met for lunch and sketched out designs for a dream product — one that featured three brushes to create my everyday sculpted look and hold it in place all day.
“Months later, Jenna called and said, ‘I’ve spoken to a lab — they think they can make it. Would you want to start a business together?’ Naively, I said yes, with no experience in make-up or business. I wish I still had some of that fearless energy, because as the brand grows, the stakes get higher, and I’ve become more cautious. I love where we are today, but nothing beats the magic of the beginning.
“Back then, I’d use two gels and three brushes just to get them how I liked — I thought that was normal.”
“I had no idea the process would take two years. Our prototype was a world-first, so there was a lot of back and forth. We eventually launched in November 2020 — a strange time, right in the middle of lockdowns. But with everyone on their phones, it actually worked in our favour. I launched Brow Sculpt on my channel with a simple video of me applying it and saying, ‘We have this brow product — hope you love it.’ That clip went semi-viral because of the instant wow factor.
“The lab required a large initial order since it was a new product. We forecasted that the stock would last nine months — it sold out in six weeks. We were out of stock for three months, which wasn’t ideal, but it showed there was a gap for a brand that simplified beauty with innovative, time-saving products that did the hard work for you.
“I’m not a make-up artist — I’m just a girl who loves make-up and wants to create beautiful looks in under 20 minutes. From then on, we kept asking, ‘What else needs simplifying in our routine?’ That question still drives everything we do.
“We forecasted that the stock would last nine months — it sold out in six weeks.”
“When we got our first negative TikTok review two years in, I panicked. I thought we’d ruined everything and relied too much on social media. But it turned into one of my biggest lessons — we needed to be clearer about who each product is for. Instead of saying, ‘Everyone will love it,’ we started saying, ‘Don’t buy this if you’re not after that specific look.’
“Our community is our biggest strength. It’s at the core of everything we do. We started out wanting to simplify beauty, but now it’s evolved — I’m often the second person to know what’s launching next because it all comes from our community. They influence everything, from product development to shades. We regularly email our database asking questions like, ‘What do you want to see next?’ or ‘Should the next mascara be blue or brown?’
“We’re so fortunate to have such a close relationship with them. Our products are made for them — nobody else. Some of our biggest viral moments have come from everyday customers, not influencers. One girl in America filmed herself applying Lash Sculpt from Sephora in her bedroom — that video now has over 100 million views. It sold out across Sephora US. You can’t buy that kind of exposure — it’s pure community power.
“To stay ahead, we have to keep innovating — not just with products but with every aspect of the business: in-house processes, customer experience, and events. Three years ago, we hosted a community pop-up at a Pilates studio in London. We weren’t selling anything — just meeting people. There were classes upstairs, coffees and matchas downstairs, and a space to connect. People queued for six hours just to be part of it. It’s one of my proudest moments and reminded me why community matters so much.
“To stay ahead, we have to keep innovating—not just with products but with every aspect of the business: in-house processes, customer experience, and events. Three years ago, we hosted a community pop-up at a Pilates studio in London. We weren’t selling anything—just meeting people. There were classes upstairs, coffees and matchas downstairs, and a space to connect. People queued for six hours just to be part of it. It’s one of my proudest moments and reminded me why community matters so much.
“When we got our first negative TikTok review two years in, I panicked. I thought we’d ruined everything and relied too much on social media. But it turned into one of my biggest lessons—we needed to be clearer about who each product is for. Instead of saying, ‘Everyone will love it,’ we started saying, ‘Don’t buy this if you’re not after that specific look.’
“Our community is our biggest strength. It’s at the core of everything we do. We started out wanting to simplify beauty, but now it’s evolved—I’m often the second person to know what’s launching next because it all comes from our community. They influence everything, from product development to shades. We regularly email our database asking questions like, ‘What do you want to see next?’ or ‘Should the next mascara be blue or brown?’
“We’re so fortunate to have such a close relationship with them. They’re who our products are made for. Some of our biggest viral moments have come from everyday customers, not influencers. One girl in America filmed herself applying Lash Sculpt from Sephora in her bedroom—that video now has over 100 million views. It sold out across Sephora US. You can’t buy that kind of exposure—it’s pure community power.
“We forecasted that the stock would last nine months—it sold out in six weeks.”
ALL IMAGES @refy