Celebrating Women's Small Business Month: Redefining Eye-Safe Beauty
October is National Women’s Small Business Month: Empowering Women, Empowering Wellness
As the leaves turn and the air crisps up, October isn’t just pumpkin spice season — it’s National Women’s Small Business Month. A time to honor the women entrepreneurs whose grit, vision, and innovation are reshaping industries and fueling economies. It’s about celebrating the trailblazers who turn obstacles into opportunities. And today, we’re proud to fuse that unstoppable spirit with the story of our own woman-owned startup: Èyes Are The Story.
A Visionary with a Mission
Èyes Are The Story was launched during the global pandemic in 2020 by Amy Gallant Sullivan, Boston-bred entrepreneur, global advocate, and Executive Director & Co-Founder of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS). With years of experience championing ocular surface disease awareness and engaging international eyecare collaborations, Amy saw a glaring gap: mainstream cosmetics were never designed with eye health in mind.
Her response? To create the world’s first optocosmetics brand — built from science up, not adapted from beauty trends. Every ÈYES product is engineered with ocular surface health at its core, free from harmful chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde, and retinols. Based on peer-reviewed research and inspired by dry-eye-pioneers like Dr. David A. Sullivan, ÈYES proves that beauty and eye safety can coexist — without compromise.
Beauty That Protects, Not Harms
ÈYES is more than makeup — it’s a preventive care system for sensitive eyes, contact lens wearers, and dry eye sufferers. Every swipe, line, or blend empowers patients and consumers to protect their eye health without giving up luxury. As Dr. Rachna Murthy explains, "In an age that prizes longevity and wellness, ÈYES sets a new standard for safety in beauty — leading a movement that resonates with health-conscious, globally minded, and aesthetically discerning consumers.
PHOTO: ÈYES FOUNDER AMY GALLANT SULLIVAN HOSTS PANEL WITH DR. RACHNA MURTHY
Our Journey: From Eye Strain to Empowerment
Amy’s vision was inspired by her own battles with sensitive eyes and a family legacy in ocular surface disease science. Once up on a time, she asked a simple but revolutionary question: Why do women's eyes suffer when using cosmetics?
ÈYES became the answer. From the mascara one reviewer described as feeling like “just your lashes, nothing else” to liquid liner that survives screen-heavy days without irritation, ÈYES blends performance with protection.
We’ve celebrated community, too. In 2022, our “We See You” campaign honored frontline nurses at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with gifts of ÈYES, recognizing the women who care for us all. And in 2023, 2024, and 2025, we’ve been awarded finalists for our formulations and for sparking digital advocacy — because eye-safe beauty is more than a brand, it’s a movement. And that movement is growing: in September 2025, ÈYES launched in the UK, expanding its reach to empower even more people with science-drive, eye-safe beauty.
Why Women-Owned Businesses Matter
Women’s Small Business Month isn’t just symbolic. The numbers tell the story:
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There are 14 million+ women-owned businesses in the U.S., making up 39.1% of all businesses.
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Together, they generate $2.7 trillion in revenue.
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Women are launching nearly half of all new U.S. businesses today.
This progress rests on the shoulders of pivotal moments like the 1988 Women’s Business Ownership Act, which finally ended the requirement for male co-signers on business loans. Yet, challenges remain — from access to capital to visibility. That’s why this month matters: it’s about honoring impact and fueling the next wave of innovators.
For ÈYES, the stats are personal. As a woman-led company under ÈSSIRI Labs, we’ve bootstrapped growth — expanding from Boston to Canada, partnering with Eye Drop Shop, to Australia via Good Optical, to Spain alongside L’acuité, and earning recognition as a 2025 Safety in Beauty Diamond Awards Finalist. And we’ve done it while rewriting toxic beauty norms and mentoring other women founders along the way.
Join the Revolution
This Women’s Small Business Month, we celebrate not just the numbers, but the narratives. Èyes Are The Story is proof that women-led innovation can transform industries — one tear film friendly formula at a time.
PHOTO: ÈYES FOUNDER AMY GALLANT SULLIVAN WITH DRS. BRIDGITTE SHEN LEE & LESLIE O'DELL