Madeleine Mono, founder

Since her early days in the London theater Madeleine Mono had used dark kajal make-up from India to line her eyes in dramatic fashion.  While walking the streets of New York as well as in her beauty salon women would stop her and inquire about her great “look” and where they might obtain such a fabulous make-up to rim their own eyes.  Madeleine Mono saw her golden opportunity and went ahead and formulated a black carbon base mixed with special oils and named it Indian Eyes.  She introduced Indian eyes make-up first at Henri Bendel’s on 57th Street in Manhattan. 

Women loved it, and new Madeleine Mono cosmetic counters  soon followed at Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Lord & Taylor.  She was on her way.  Madeleine Mono introduced her signature fragrance Madeleine de Madeleine in 1978 to great acclaim.  “Sure the world has many fragrances”, she exclaimed at the time, “but it doesn’t have mine.  To this day her Madeleine de Madeleine has a devoted clientele who wear no other eau de parfum.

Madeleine traveled often for personal appearances, beauty breakfasts, television, radio and press interviews and loved meeting her customers one-one-one to share beauty secrets.  “Make Eyes With Madeleine Mono” her beauty book, was published in 1981.  Its contents taught women how easy it is to be beautiful.  A New York Times article stated that Madeleine Mono had joined the “cosmetic legends”.  Madeleine Mono started with little except entrepreneurial spirit and thrill of a challenge.  She did everything herself, designs, product development, packaging, sales and delivery.

Does she ever wish she was still in the theater?  “But I am in the theater”, Madeleine exclaims with a dazzling smile.  “I’m in the public eye all the time.”

Madeleine Mono currently resides in Europe with her husband and friends.