leonard lauder keeps his in a company archive. >> everything that was ever had and done is a sample heremer c.e.o. of the estee lauder company. >> i tell people i'm a lipstick salesman. i love to sell things. >> reporter: he literally shaped an entire industry. the shape of the lipstick i use, you created that? >> i did. everyone had a standard-shaped lipstick. so i took a gillette blue blade and sliced it so it could fit the woman's lips. >> reporter: it all started 74 years ago with his iconic mother, estee. >> i remember sitting in my highchair in the kitchen, and i would see her mixing the creams on the stove. >> reporter: she sold her so-called jars of hope initially at beauty salons in new york, tempting women with free samples and a three-minute makeover. >> i have never seen anyone love to make women beautiful like her. >> reporter: it was in her blood? >> it was in her blood, yes. >> reporter: it became a family business. her husband, joseph, kept the books, and a young leonard packed boxes of powder and cleansing oil. >> we had a little, tiny factory, and i would go there after