She was born on 13 April 1950 in Warsaw. She graduated from the
Medical University of Warsaw and obtained her doctorate in
pharmacy at the
Humboldt University of Berlin. She is the co-owner (together with her husband
Henryk Orfinger) and the founder of
Dr. Irena Eris cosmetics company (1983). She is the research and development director, and has been in charge of managing a chain of spa hotels as well as launching new products and supervising the process of their manufacturing.
Dr. Irena Eris is considered one of the most recognizable and popular cosmetics brands in Poland. In 2012, it was the only Polish brand accepted into the French luxury brands' association
Comité Colbert. She has received numerous awards for her business activities such as Businesswoman of the Year (1999),
Kisiel Prize (2000), and Business Pearl (2003). In 2004, she was ranked in the Top 20 Most Influential Polish Women by
Polityka magazine for "making significant contributions to
business in Poland, breaking
stereotypes as well as initiating new and creative ways of thinking." In 2005, she claimed second place in the ranking of 30 Most Effective and Trustworthy Entrepreneurs in Poland published by
Home and Market monthly magazine. In 2008, she won the Polish Outstanding Exporter Award presented by the National Chamber of Commerce for pursuing an effective and consistent exports policy. In 2009, she was chosen as the Spa Personality of the Year by the readers and Internet users of the Spa & Wellness Magazine. Since 2001, she has been consistently ranked among 100 Richest Poles by the
Wprost magazine. ==Other awards and distinctions==