PRESS RELEASE, May 2025
PR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: MAUREEN VAN AKEN
Founder of Pure Beauty PR honored during the 40th edition of the Dutch Beauty Award
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During a festive evening at the DeLaMar Theater in Amsterdam, where the Dutch beauty industry and press gathered to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Dutch Beauty Award, Maureen van Aken, founder of Pure Beauty PR, was named PR Personality of the Year. The award was presented by the professional jury, the Experts of Beauty, who praised Maureen for her personal approach, her deep commitment to sustainable brands, and her classic view on the PR profession.
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Jury Report
“Professional Maureen van Aken is always enthusiastic and exceptionally well-informed. Her PR portfolio includes brands that create products with respect for people, animals, and the environment — brands Maureen believes in and wholeheartedly supports. It is certainly no coincidence that many of these are female-owned brands with a green vision. Despite all the changes in the media landscape, Maureen still operates from an old-school PR approach and makes no distinction between print, online, and social media. The jury also appreciates her thoughtful thank-you emails after a publication. And not to forget: a special mention for her personal touch and the birthday cards she faithfully sends. Moreover, Maureen undoubtedly has the best hair in the business!”
Personal response from Maureen
“First and foremost, my heartfelt thanks to the jury members of the Dutch Beauty Award for this special honor. I was completely overwhelmed that evening and did not see this wonderful award coming at all. My daughter Julie was the only one who knew—and she managed to keep it a secret—even though she was working in the office that very day! This recognition means a great deal to me and feels like a beautiful appreciation for the work I do with so much love and dedication. I took my first steps into the world of sustainable beauty in 1998 at Dr. Hauschka, where PR was part of my role. Nearly 30 years later, I’m still working in this industry with great passion, and PR has become a common thread in everything I do. I am deeply grateful for the trust of the wonderful brands I have the privilege of working with, and for the team that has helped build our mission over the years: to give meaningful, sustainable beauty brands the visibility they deserve. Because I firmly believe in the power of collaboration: teamwork makes the dream work.”
From Vision to Visibility: The Story of Maureen van Aken
Maureen van Aken studied International Business Administration and began her career in IT, but quickly decided to follow her heart and transitioned into natural and sustainable beauty. She began her journey at an international natural cosmetics brand, where she led the marketing and sales department, laying a strong foundation for her future career. Since then, Maureen has consciously chosen to work from her feminine strength and energy - with space for intuition, collaboration, and personal attention. Her mission is to help brands with a green and sustainable vision grow, particularly female entrepreneurs. Driven by her passion for meaningful brand stories and her personal way of working, she founded Pure Beauty PR in 2009 - a PR agency specializing in green, clean & sustainable beauty brands with a story. Thanks to her extensive knowledge of the sustainable beauty sector, Maureen knows better than anyone what makes a brand unique and innovative - and she conveys this to the press in a sincere and content-rich manner.
Dutch Beauty Award
The Dutch Beauty Award is the most prestigious industry award in the Dutch beauty sector. The first edition was held in 1985 under the name Astir Award and has since grown into the definitive beauty award in the Netherlands. The winners are selected by a professional jury of renowned beauty journalists: the Experts of Beauty. Each year, they evaluate hundreds of products based on innovation, quality, and distinctiveness. With their keen eye for innovation and in-depth knowledge, they know exactly what makes a product award-worthy. Only “the best in beauty” receive an award. The 2025 ceremony marked the 40th edition of this leading event, featuring 24 categories—from skincare and perfumes to salon products and green cosmetics. For the fourth time, the title “PR Personality of the Year” was also awarded—a prestigious recognition for someone who stands out in a remarkable way within PR in the beauty industry.
Click here for high-resolution images of Maureen.
