# Yael Alkalay

> Yael Alkalay is the founder and CEO of Red Flower, a New York-based natural beauty and lifestyle company she launched in 1999. A former creative director at Shiseido in Japan and a Columbia MBA, she built Red Flower around botanical formulations, aromatherapy and self-care rituals, selling to Barneys in her first year and growing the brand into a SoHo flagship and a fixture in spas and hotels. She is an early and persistent voice for non-toxic, biodegradable, vegan and cruelty-free beauty.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Red Flower Inc
- **Organizations:** Red Flower Inc, Shiseido, Calvin Klein
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** MBA, Columbia University
- **Known for:** Founded and still leads Red Flower, an independent natural beauty company, for over 25 years, Pioneered non-toxic, botanical, vegan and cruelty-free beauty long before clean beauty became mainstream, Placed Red Flower products in Barneys, a SoHo flagship, and spas and hotels nationwide

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Worked as creative director for Shiseido in Japan, studying traditional Japanese bathhouses and hot springs
- **1990s** — Worked briefly at Calvin Klein after returning to the United States
- **1990s** — Earned an MBA at Columbia University
- **1999** — Founded Red Flower and sold her first product to Barneys
- **2000** — Opened a Red Flower boutique in New York City
- **2017** — Delivered TEDxNewBedford talk 'Stroke of Insight: Transforming the Beauty Industry'
- **2024** — Red Flower marks 25 years as an independent natural beauty company

## Achievements

- Founded and still leads Red Flower, an independent natural beauty company, for over 25 years
- Pioneered non-toxic, botanical, vegan and cruelty-free beauty long before clean beauty became mainstream
- Placed Red Flower products in Barneys, a SoHo flagship, and spas and hotels nationwide
- Served as creative director at Shiseido in Japan
- Delivered a TEDx talk on transforming the beauty industry

## Latest updates

- **2024** — Red Flower celebrates 25 years as an independent botanical beauty company.

## Links

- Website: https://redflower.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/yael-alkalay-b32a5b3
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/redflowernyc
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN8eegDkG8E
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaelalkalay/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/redflowernyc

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/yael-alkalay
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-20