Jakarta. Martha Tilaar, the pioneering Indonesian entrepreneur who built the Sariayu cosmetics brand and helped bring traditional Indonesian herbal beauty products into the modern consumer market, died Wednesday at the age of 89.

Her death was announced by Martha Tilaar Group, which paid tribute to her contributions to Indonesia's beauty industry and her efforts to preserve the country's traditional beauty heritage.

"Her dedication, achievements, and passion for advancing beauty and preserving the heritage of the Indonesian archipelago will live on and continue to inspire us forever," the company said in a statement posted on its official social media account.

Martha is survived by two biological children, two adopted children, and nine grandchildren.

According to her family, her body was laid in repose at her private residence on Jalan Patra Kuningan Utara in South Jakarta.

A Pioneer of Indonesia's Beauty Industry
Martha was one of Indonesia's most prominent female entrepreneurs, helping establish a domestic cosmetics industry rooted in traditional herbal remedies and local beauty practices.

Alongside Mooryati Soedibyo, the founder of rival cosmetics company Mustika Ratu, she became a defining figure in an industry that grew from small beauty salons and traditional herbal preparations into a major consumer business.

Mooryati, who came from a family with ties to the Surakarta royal court, died in April 2024 at the age of 96.

The two entrepreneurs collaborated during the 1970s before eventually becoming business rivals. Their respective brands, Sariayu and Mustika Ratu, went on to become household names, competing for decades in Indonesia's cosmetics and traditional herbal beauty markets.

Despite their rivalry, both women played important roles in popularizing beauty products inspired by Indonesia's diverse cultural traditions.

From a Small Salon to a Cosmetics Business
Born Martha Handana, also known as Tjhie Pwee Giok, on Sept. 4, 1937, in Kebumen, Central Java, she developed an interest in traditional beauty treatments and cosmetics at an early age.

According to the company's website, her entrepreneurial journey began to take shape in the 1960s when she accompanied her husband, Dr. Henry A. Rudolf Tilaar, to the United States after he received a scholarship to pursue further studies.

While living in the United States, Martha studied at the Academy of Beauty Culture in Bloomington, Indiana, and gained professional experience at a beauty salon associated with Indiana University.

She also began offering beauty services to Indonesian students and women accompanying their husbands during their stays in the United States.

After returning to Indonesia, Martha established Martha's Salon in Menteng, Central Jakarta, in 1970.

The modest salon became the foundation of a business that would eventually expand into cosmetics manufacturing, herbal beauty products, and other beauty-related ventures.

Martha continued studying traditional herbal treatments and beauty practices, including during visits to Western European countries, as she developed her approach to combining Indonesia's traditional beauty knowledge with modern cosmetics production.

In 1983, she established Sari Ayu Indonesia, developing products marketed under the Sariayu Martha Tilaar brand.

Her business interests subsequently expanded through Martina Berto, a cosmetics and herbal products manufacturer that became part of the Martha Tilaar Group.

In 1999, the Tilaar family acquired the remaining shares held by pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma in Martina Berto, consolidating the family's control over the business.

Over the following decades, Martha became closely associated with efforts to promote Indonesian botanical ingredients, traditional beauty rituals, and locally developed cosmetics.

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