Indonesian beauty pioneer Martha Tilaar dies at age 89

Martha Tilaar, the visionary behind the Martha Tilaar Group, died on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 06:22 WIB in Jakarta's Medistra Hospital, according to the hospital and a press release received by Cantika. Born on September 4, 1937, in Kebumen, she studied at IKIP Jakarta and later at the Academy of Beauty Culture in Indiana before earning an honorary doctorate in fashion and artistry in 1984. Starting with a small garage salon in Menteng in 1970, she built a diversified group that produces cosmetics, herbal medicines, runs beauty schools, spas, and distribution networks, promoting Indonesian natural ingredients worldwide.

Her contributions earned her awards such as the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Women Entrepreneur of the Year (2008), BPPT Honorary Engineer (2012), and UN Global Compact SDG Pioneer (2018). The family will lay her to rest at their South Jakarta residence before burial on Friday, October 16 at San Diego Hills Memorial Park in Karawang, West Java.