Every year on March 8, people around the world mark International Women’s Day. Today it highlights achievement, leadership, and equality. Its origins, however, are rooted in labor activism and political reform movements of the early twentieth century.

Understanding how it began helps us see why it still matters.

The Early Labor Movements

At the start of the 1900s, many women worked in factories under difficult conditions. Long hours, low wages, and unsafe workplaces were common, especially in the garment industry.

In 1908, thousands of women garment workers in New York City protested working conditions and low pay. The following year, on February 28, 1909, the United States observed the first National Woman’s Day, organized by the Socialist Party of America.

In 1910, at the International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, German activist Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an annual international day to advocate for women’s rights, including suffrage. Delegates from 17 countries agreed with the proposal.

The First International Women’s Day

The first International Women’s Day was held on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than one million people attended rallies and meetings. The main demands included:

• The right to vote

• The right to hold public office

• The right to work without discrimination

• Access to vocational training

Just days later, on March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed 146 workers, most of them young immigrant women. The tragedy intensified conversations about labor rights and workplace safety, issues already central to the movement.

Why March 8?

International Women’s Day was not initially fixed on March 8.

The date became associated with March 8 after events in Russia in 1917. On February 23, 1917, in the Russian calendar then in use, women textile workers in Petrograd went on strike demanding bread and peace during World War I. This date corresponds to March 8 in the Gregorian calendar used today.

The strike gained momentum and contributed to the broader events of the Russian Revolution. Shortly after, women in Russia were granted the right to vote.

Over time, March 8 became the globally recognized date for International Women’s Day.

In 1975, during International Women’s Year, the United Nations began officially celebrating International Women’s Day. In 1977, the UN General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as a day for women’s rights and international peace.

What International Women’s Day Represents Today

International Women’s Day now focuses on:

• Advancing gender equality

• Increasing representation in leadership

• Supporting equal pay initiatives

• Expanding access to education and healthcare

• Recognizing women’s contributions in science, business, culture, and public life

Progress over the past century has been significant. Women vote in most countries. Women lead companies, conduct scientific research, hold public office, and build global brands.

At the same time, disparities in pay, leadership representation, and access to opportunity still exist in many regions.

International Women’s Day is both a recognition of achievement and a reminder of ongoing work.

Women and the Beauty and Skincare Industry

Women have shaped the beauty and skincare industry not only as consumers but as founders, scientists, and innovators.

Entrepreneurs such as Madam C. J. Walker built one of the earliest large scale beauty businesses in the United States in the early twentieth century. Estée Lauder helped redefine how skincare and cosmetics were marketed globally in the mid twentieth century.

Female chemists, dermatologists, and researchers have contributed to ingredient development, formulation standards, and safety testing that influence today’s products.

Behind many widely used cosmetic technologies are teams of women working in laboratories, research facilities, and manufacturing plants.

March at YEOUTH: Honoring Women’s Stories

This March, YEOUTH is dedicating the month to women’s stories.

International Women’s Day reminds us that change begins with people who speak up, build, and create. In the skincare space, women continue to lead as founders, formulators, educators, and community voices.

Throughout March, we will share:

• Stories from women in our community

• Conversations about confidence and self care

• Insights into building simple, consistent routines

• Reflections on balancing ambition, work, and personal growth

Skincare may seem small compared to political reform or labor rights. Yet daily habits shape how we show up in the world. A consistent routine can become a moment of structure in a busy schedule. It can support how you feel when you walk into a meeting, record a video, or start your day.

This month is about recognizing the women behind the routines. The women building businesses. The women leading teams. The women learning to prioritize themselves without apology.

International Women’s Day began with organized action and collective voices. Its history is grounded in real events, real risks, and real reform.

As we move through March, we invite you to reflect.

What part of women’s history inspires you most? And whose story shaped your path forward?