Welcome to Esōes
Meet Joy Hoover: Building What Women Actually Need
Joy Hoover doesn’t just talk about change, she builds it. As the founder of The Cupcake Girls, she spent over a decade supporting survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence. But in April 2013, that mission became personal.
Her mother-in-law’s final words were a desperate cry for help on a 911 call. In moments, both she and Joy’s brother-in-law lost their lives to domestic violence. Instead of letting grief define her, Joy and her partner turned it into a mission: making safety a right, not a privilege.
That’s why she founded Esōes Cosmetics (pronounced S-O-S). Because women don’t need more warnings, we need real solutions. Through tech-enabled beauty and community-driven advocacy, Esōes is redefining personal safety and disrupting gender-based violence. After all, we are the one's we've been waiting for!
At Esōes, safety isn’t an afterthought, it’s the whole damn point! Whether you’re out on a date, heading home late, or just living your life, we’ve got your back. Period.
CEO, Inventor, Founder
Joy Hoover
- 13+ years of Entrepreneurship
- $7.5M+ raised
- 3X Founder in Women's Safety Space
- Accomplished TEDx Public Speaker
- 2024 Top Tech of the Year Award
- 2022 WODA Entrepreneur of the Year
My own invention saved our home!
In July 2024, Joy's Esōes tech-enabled lipstick became more than a safety tool—it saved her home. When a fire broke out, she used the lipstick to contact emergency services. Thanks to its priority dispatch feature, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue received her exact location and arrived on the scene within just 6 MINUTES!
I wish my Mother-in-law had it too.
Over a decade ago, Joy's family faced a tragic loss when her mother-in-law and brother-in-law lost their lives at the hands of her father-in-law. But she turned her pain into purpose, empowering over 10,000 survivors with care and support. Now, with Esōes Cosmetics, she’s taking her mission further—raising awareness, driving action, and helping prevent drink-spiking and violence against women.