20 Years of Beauty

PART 1 IN OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES:

We’re about to celebrate our 20th anniversary as a company this summer, opening our doors at 2 Roxborough Street West in Toronto back in August 2005. In preparation, anticipation and excitement I’ve been digging into our brand archives, early press, old business plans, all of our beautiful print pieces, and reflecting on all the different stages of Gee Beauty. It’s definitely brought out all the feels: how far we’ve come, what it was like when we first started, the lessons, the mistakes, the growth, the opportunities, what’s changed, what’s remained constant, the evolution, the reflections, the blood-sweat-and-tears, the uncertain times, the forward momentum, and the complete and utter appreciation for how we got here, each and every single one of you.

Let’s go back to where it all started..THE KITCHEN TABLE!

Gee Beauty was born from family conversation. Our parents, Miriam and Alan Gee, have always encouraged curiosity and creativity. Both entrepreneurial in their own right, they pushed us — Natalie, Stephanie, and myself — to pursue our passions, to show up, work hard, and never take no for an answer.

Alan would drag us to art galleries and ask us questions like “what do you feel when you look at this?” and, yes, it felt cringey at the time. But looking back, it planted the seeds: to be curious, to ask questions, and to notice the details that make an experience feel personal.

With my father’s successful career in marketing and advertising, and my mother’s as a self-taught makeup artist turned beauty editor, we were very aware of creative pursuits, of branding and storytelling, of what makes something a special experience, how it makes us feel, think, connect and engage.

THE CONCEPT

In the early 2000s, both Miriam (in her early 50s) and Natalie (in her early 20s) were craving something of their own. Beauty was the most natural place to land. We always grew up watching our mother take care of herself, maintain her beauty, commit to her skin, and encouraged us from a young age to create and maintain simple yet effective routines to take care of ourselves.  Each of us had problematic skin during our pre-teen years, alongside the feelings of being a bit self-conscious, uncomfortable, and frustrated when we had to deal with our breakout skin. Understanding the importance of a self-care routine helped us feel more in control and aware.

As her daughters, watching Miriam's determination and passion felt so natural at the time to us (and to her it is) but looking back on it, its incredibly inspirational and brave to start a business as a woman in her 50's. Again, its never a "no," simply what do I need to "know."

During a family trip to London, we saw modern concepts that felt fresh — multi-service studios, open-concept retail, local destinations that felt personalized, cheeky branding, a little glam, incredible service, and super accessible. We were inspired. What if beauty could feel that way in Toronto?

So we began planning. While still working full-time jobs, Miriam and Natalie sat at the kitchen table every night for nearly a year, writing a business plan, scouting locations, testing products, building the brand, and dreaming it all into life. With a deep appreciation for both tradition and innovation, along with a shared vision amongst us, we set out to create more than a beauty studio. We sought to create a space where women of all ages could feel seen, celebrated, and supported. From the beginning, our mission was clear: to simplify the beauty experience without sacrificing results. With a curated mix of high-performance skincare, wellness-forward rituals, and modern makeup essentials (like what evolved into our beloved Prime Skin), Gee Beauty set out to blend generations of knowledge and experience with a fresh, minimal approach to looking and feeling good. A luxury-level experience but met with the approachable warmth and charm of your favorite neighborhood spot.

When it came to a name, nothing felt quite right — until a close family friend said, “If you’re going into business as a family, use your name.” And just like that, Gee Beauty was born.

Mission, mantra, concept, service and retail offerings, research, trying new brands, designing facial protocols, training, aesthetics school, certifications, location-scouting, branding, design, hiring, nailing the tone, voice, aesthetic - it was an exciting time of creation.

THE STUDIO

We found our first location thanks to a Saturday spin class and a friend’s tip. Nestled between a charming café and a French decor shop in a central part of the city and with subway access it was perfect — walkable, local, and part of people’s daily routines. Dropping off your dry cleaning, picking up some flowers or groceries, grabbing a cappuccino. If we were going to be all about accessibility, and easy, effortless beauty, our location definitely had to be. As Natalie still says to this day, “your beauty routine should be as accessible and as easy as grabbing your coffee.”

With a loan from RBC and the brilliant design team Christine Ralphs and Michelle Lloyd, we got to work. We wanted the studio to feel like your chic friend’s living room — elevated, modern, and comfortable. A place where you could browse freely, ask questions, have fun, chat with your girlfriends about a great lipstick or incredible facial, and leave glowing. We didn’t force the retail from behind a counter, you could pick up a bottle and test it out, with a super-knowledgeable and friendly team member who remembered your daughter’s name, and where you said you were going for dinner last Saturday night when you were in for a 4pm makeup appointment.

We launched our “brow bar” with Natalie at the helm. At that time, you didn’t go get your “brows done” like you had your nails done, but knew the powerful effect that a well-shaped brow could have on the face, like a mini facelift in a way, lifting, framing and opening the eye area. 

We introduced result-driven oxygen facials, and Secrets From The Chair makeup lessons taught by the one-and-only Miriam Gee, and built a tight treatment menu focused on instant glow, no downtime, and real results. We didn’t want beauty to feel like an escape — we wanted it to feel like part of your every day.