IN the crowded world of beauty and skincare, Ella & Jo stands out. Founded in 2017 by Charlene Flanagan and Niamh Ryan, Ella & Jo has grown from a simple idea into a globally recognised Irish skincare brand.
Before founding Ella & Jo, Niamh was a brand manager at Unilever and spent years travelling through the UK, Australia, and the U.S. before returning home to open her own skin clinic, Bella Beauty, which has been running for over 15 years. It was here, at the clinic, that Charlene and Niamh’s paths first crossed.
Charlene had forged her own path in the beauty world. “I left college with an honours in marketing and then went on into digital marketing. I ended up setting up a really successful career in professional makeup artistry, and I worked on TV and media. My bridal makeup calendar was booked out two years in advance.”
Their connection was instant. At the time, skincare wasn’t the booming, consumer-friendly market it is today, and there were considerable gaps in the market. Those gaps would eventually inspire their first breakthrough product.
Ella & Jo began with the Squeaky Clean Brush Cleanser. Niamh had seen firsthand in her clinic how dirty makeup brushes contributed to skin issues, while Charlene, a professional makeup artist, knew the importance of facial hygiene.
“From the very beginning up until now, everything at Ella & Jo is about consumer focus,” Charlene said. “We never created products just for the product’s sake.”
For the first few years, the brand grew slowly and intentionally. “At the time, Niamh and I had four children between the two of us. Everything was a slow drive,” Charlene said. “But after participating in female entrepreneurship programmes, we recognised that there was something magic here.”
The duo’s participation in multiple programmes for entrepreneurs helped morph their small business into a multinational company. They poured their time, energy, and resources into Ella & Jo, and it paid off. “Thankfully, we’ve seen incredible success to date. It’s been an amazing journey.”
The brand name itself is a nod to their roots: ‘Ella’ is inspired by Niamh’s Bella Beauty clinic, and ‘Jo’ is a shortened version of Charlene’s married surname.
From the west of Ireland to the pages of Vogue (Photo by Ella and Jo)From the start, Ella & Jo has had a focus on storytelling and community. “The community is at the heart of everything we do,” Charlene explained. “No amount of advertising budget can ever buy that emotional connection that we’ve made.”
That authentic relationship with their audience is also a key part of product development. “We run surveys every 12 to 18 months with our current customer base. You would ask them, ‘What would you like to see?’” Charlene said. That feedback loop has led to the creation of several standout products, including a night cream with a plant-based alternative to retinol and their innovative Invisible SPF Mist.
“We saw a gap in the market because women weren’t topping up their SPF during the day because of their makeup. So we created something that solved that problem.”
Ella & Jo is not only consumer-led but also deeply committed to sustainability. “We’ve just been certified as a B Corp registered company,” Charlene revealed. “There are only 66 companies in Ireland that have been B Corp approved, and that is a massive milestone.”
From the beginning, the founders prioritised sustainable packaging—aluminium bottles, recyclable glass jars and minimal plastic use. They also manufacture exclusively in Ireland.
From its roots in the west of Ireland, Ella & Jo has grown into a global brand, shipping to over 50 countries. “Our online platform gave us insight into where the growth potential might be,” Charlene said. “The UK was first in line; we saw a huge expat community there.”
“We signed on with Cat Deeley two years ago as our beauty ambassador. She had just moved from the States to the UK and adored the brand, and we worked with her to launch. That was hugely successful—our photo shoot with her was on the cover of Hello magazine.”
Ella & Jo has also been featured in Vogue and has explored new markets in the U.S., Canada, and the Middle East. “The growth is definitely there,” Charlene said.
The founders are now turning their eyes toward spa recognition, developing products that bring luxury treatments into everyday routines. “We developed products that were spa-like treatments at home. We’re open to so many opportunities.”
Charlene’s advice for others looking to follow a similar path is clear: “Surround yourself with people who have done it before and find the network. Find an entrepreneurship programme.”
She also emphasised the importance of balance. “Prioritise your well-being. Everybody’s balance is going to look different.”
“I feel like Ella & Jo is so much more than just skincare,” Charlene said. “We invest in storytelling. We invest in our community.”
From a single brush cleanser to a globally recognised B Corp beauty brand, Ella & Jo proves that when passion meets purpose, great things can happen.
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