Hurley has been a part of Estee Lauder's campaign since the early 1990's and said most important message is to erase the panic that comes along with the disease.

"Nobody wants to find something's wrong with them. But we feel if we keep hammering home the static that if a tumor is found early and if it's localized you have a 90 percent chance of survival - we really feel if people know that they'll be less scared to go to the doctor if they're scared of something being wrong," Hurley told Reuters.

Hurley and William Lauder, the company's executive chairman and son of late founder Evelyn Lauder, were joined by breast cancer survivors at the lighting.

This is the charities first drive without the foundation's founder Evelyn H. Lauder, who died in November 2011. The organization was presented with a proclamation from the city's mayor declaring October 1st 'The Estée Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Day' in honor of Lauder.

"We've lost our founder, Evelyn Lauder, but everything we do is in her honor and it was such a huge thing for us today to have Mayor Bloomberg make this such a special day in her memory. So thank you very much, everybody in that office for making that happen for us," said Hurley during the lighting ceremony.

Both Hurley and William said this year's campaign is bitter sweet.

"As a person Evelyn was incredibly kind, had more energy than anyone I've ever met before. I mean, she was old enough to be my mother, but she acted like my daughter sometimes. She was an inspiration in so many ways and it's very tough being here this October without her," Hurley said.

"We are doing a lot of our celebrations in her honor and her memory for the great efforts she created - we hope the momentum continues," added William Lauder.

Hurley was joined by her fiancé Shane Warne and son ten-year-old son Damian Charles Hurley: "My fiancé Shane has been phenomenal, he came with me to Moscow, he came with me to Shanghai, he came with me to Johannesburg to light buildings pink and to raise money. Now he's here today at the Empire State Building. It means a lot to us when family joins in, that's what it's all about."

To help raise money for the foundation Hurley has developed a lip gloss that will be sold at every Estee Lauder counter worldwide called 'pink innocence.' In addition, a lipstick in honor of founder Evelyn Lauder called 'candy' will also be sold.