Jenna Meek: Entrepreneur, Founder of Refy & Shrine | Biography

Most beauty entrepreneurs build one brand; Jenna Meek has built two and sold one before turning 35. Born in 1992, she first created The Gypsy Shrine (later renamed Shrine) and now serves as co-founder and CEO of Refy, a rapidly growing cosmetics line. This article traces her journey from a small online shop to a guest dragon chair on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, relying on verified public records and media reports.

Born: 1992 ·
Age (as of 2025): 33 ·
First Business: The Gypsy Shrine (2016) ·
Business Sold: Shrine (2024) ·
Current Venture: Refy (co-founder) ·
Notable Recognition: Forbes 30 Under 30

Seven key facts about Jenna Meek, one pattern: she has built and sold one beauty brand while simultaneously scaling another — a rare double act in the competitive beauty industry.

Here is a summary of her key biographical details:

How did Jenna Meek make her money?

The rise of The Gypsy Shrine

• Jenna Meek founded The Gypsy Shrine in 2016 (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))
• She started the business with £3,000 of her own savings after quitting her fashion job (BBC YouTube (UK public service broadcaster))
• Prior to founding, she had worked in fashion roles at Hugo Boss, Emilia Wickstead and Burberry (The Independent (British news publication))

The Gypsy Shrine initially sold cosmetics and accessories online. It was later renamed Shrine and grew into a recognised brand.

The sale of Shrine in 2024

• Meek sold Shrine in 2024 (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))
• The sale price has not been publicly disclosed

The sale freed Meek to focus entirely on Refy, which she had co-founded in 2020.

The pattern: Meek has cycled through two beauty brands in less than a decade — a pace that suggests she is comfortable exiting as much as entering.

Building the Refy beauty brand

• Meek co-founded Refy in November 2020 with Jess Hunt (International Business Times UK (business news site))
• Refy began with brow-focused products before expanding into cream bronzer, blush, highlighter and lip products (The Independent (British news publication))
• IBTimes UK reported that Refy’s annual revenues exceed £40 million (International Business Times UK (business news site))

What business does Jenna Meek own?

Refy beauty: Co-founder and CEO

• Meek is the CEO and Co-Founder of Refy (BBC YouTube (UK public service broadcaster))
• Refy is a beauty brand launched in 2020, initially focused on brow products
• Meek and Jess Hunt met on a photoshoot and decided to start the brand together (Cosmopolitan Middle East (lifestyle magazine))

Shrine: Previous venture

• Meek previously owned Shrine (formerly The Gypsy Shrine) (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))
• The business was sold in 2024

The implication: Meek currently owns no equity in Shrine and is fully dedicated to Refy.

What is Jenna Meek’s background?

Early life and birth year

• Jenna Meek was born in 1992 (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))
• She is from Bishop Auckland in the North East of England (The Independent (British news publication))
• She studied international fashion marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University (Daily Mirror (UK tabloid newspaper))

Entrepreneurial beginnings

• Meek began her first beauty venture at age 20 (The Independent (British news publication))
• She worked in fashion before launching her own brand

Recognition as Forbes 30 Under 30

• Meek was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2022 (The Independent (British news publication))

The pattern: Meek’s trajectory from a fashion graduate to a Forbes-recognised founder follows a classic British retail path — hands-on, self-funded, and built through social media rather than traditional retail.

How old is Jenna Meek?

Birth year calculation

• Jenna Meek was born in 1992 (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))

Current age as of 2025

• As of 2025, she is 33 years old (per BBC iPlayer (UK public service broadcaster))

The trade-off: At 33, Meek has already founded two beauty brands — a timeline that implies she was building her first business while most of her peers were still in entry-level jobs.

Has Jenna Meek appeared on Dragons’ Den?

Guest dragon role

• Meek appeared as the first of four guest dragons on Dragons’ Den in January 2026 (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))
• In a BBC clip, she introduced herself as a serial entrepreneur and current CEO of Refy Beauty (BBC YouTube (UK public service broadcaster))

Impact on her career

• The guest dragon appearance boosted her profile among UK entrepreneurs and investors
• It also raised public curiosity about her net worth, which media outlets estimate at around £50 million to £53 million (Daily Mirror (UK tabloid newspaper))

For the British beauty entrepreneur eyeing a similar path, the implication is clear: build a brand that can be sold, then reinvest in the next — or risk being a one-hit wonder in an industry that rewards repeatability.

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