LYS BEAUTY
“This has been about pushing boundaries and opening doors for people who look like me. -- I wanted to lean into that by boldly celebrating and welcoming everyone who has felt overlooked by this industry.”
Whether you ’ re familiar with Tisha Thompson’s work in clean beauty or are just discovering her impact, one thing is certain: she’s redefining the industry As the founder of LYS Beauty, Tisha is on a mission to make beauty accessible, inclusive, and empowering for everyone. At the forefront of the clean beauty movement, she’s built a brand that’s not only the first Black-owned clean beauty line to grace Sephora’s shelves but one that prioritizes diversity and authenticity in every product.
With over 15 years in the beauty industry, Tisha’s journey has been anything but typical. Early on, she carved out a name for herself by leading marketing and product development for some of the biggest names in clean beauty But despite her success, Tisha felt an inner calling an urge to create something of her own, a brand that represented her values and the values of beauty lovers worldwide. After years of envisioning her ideal beauty brand, the timing finally aligned, and LYS Beauty was born.
Tisha’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to making a difference. As the world faced a global pandemic, she took a bold step forward, launching LYS Beauty despite the unprecedented challenges. But it was this moment that underscored her brand's message. When people were focusing more on wellness and self-care, Tisha introduced products that were not only safe and effective but celebrated individual beauty and self-love.
Under Tisha’s leadership, LYS Beauty has become known for its “Love Your Self” ethos, a guiding principle that runs through everything from product formulation to shade inclusivity.
Today, LYS Beauty is more than a brand; it’s a movement that inspires others to embrace their unique beauty and challenges industry standards along the way. Tisha’s journey proves that with passion, purpose, and perseverance, it’s possible to change the landscape of beauty one inclusive shade at a time.
TRANSFORMING THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY
What inspired you to start LYS Beauty, and how did the brand come to life?
Tisha: When reflecting on the early stages of LYS Beauty, it’s clear to me that it was a blend of my own personal journey, career path, and industry happenings that pushed me to pursue an entrepreneurial endeavor.
Professionally, I had built a strong, 15-year career leading marketing and product development for clean beauty brands Despite that success, I had this persistent inner voice that kept urging me to start my own line. I pushed that thought aside for years due to the usual roadblocks – a saturated market, financial risks, timing – you name it! But as I hit the goals I had set for myself at my previous company, that voice grew louder, and I knew it was time to listen.
On a personal level, life was throwing a lot my way. I had recently lost my dad, my mother was bravely fighting breast cancer, and we were all navigating the challenges of a global pandemic. These events all taking place concurrently made me reassess my life and ask myself, “If not now, then when?”
The timing felt right because beauty consumers were craving diversity in clean beauty. This was a space I knew and loved While color cosmetics took a dip during the pandemic, skincare became a major focus, leading people to be more thoughtful and selective about their products and the ingredients they used. I wanted to offer a onestop-shop that addressed their skin conditions, varying tones, and budget considerations while breathing life back into the industry built on creative expression and fun.
LYS Beauty is known for its commitment to inclusivity and diversity. How do you ensure these values are reflected in your products?
Tisha : For me, ensuring inclusivity and diversity in LYS Beauty’s product offering is incredibly straightforward because it's non-negotiable When you decide that something is fundamental to your brand, it becomes embedded in everything you do. That’s where most missteps occur.
As a growing indie brand, I prioritize equality in every product launch, whether we ’ re releasing five shades or thirty. Every single skin tone category is represented, giving everyone the same opportunity to experience our products. But our commitment doesn’t stop there. We also extend this diversity across our entire complexion range. It’s not just about matching foundation shades what about concealers, blushes, bronzers, and powders? We make sure that every product reflects our commitment to diversity, carefully considering how shades perform across different skin types, tones, and undertones This way, everyone can find something that truly works for them, or we ’ re providing the tools for them to customize it to their liking
What challenges did you face while establishing LYS Beauty, and how did you overcome them?
Tisha: Launching LYS Beauty during a global pandemic was quite the adventure! We faced a real logistical nightmare with getting products and components filled, shipped to distribution centers, and into customers' hands seamlessly. It was a major challenge just to keep everything moving smoothly amidst countless disruptions and delays.
Additionally, the pandemic shifted consumer behavior and how people thought about makeup. With masks becoming a daily essential, many wondered if there was much point in wearing makeup. But on the flip side, it also reignited interest in clean beauty and skin-first products, which was right in line with what we value at LYS Beauty.
Once we tackled those logistical issues, the timing turned out to be fortuitous. The growing focus on skincare and clean beauty really played into our strengths and helped our launch hit the mark.
LYS Beauty has gained a lot of attention for being the first Black-owned clean beauty brand at Sephora. How did that partnership come about, and what does it mean to you?
Tisha: Being the first Black-owned clean beauty brand at Sephora is something I’m incredibly proud of, but anytime you ' re breaking new ground it’s important to ensure you ’ re never the “only” one This has been about pushing boundaries and opening doors for people who look like me As a plus-size Black woman, I’m not the industry’s standard, but I wanted to lean into that by boldly celebrating and welcoming everyone who has felt overlooked by this industry, or beauty conversations as a whole. Turns out there’s plenty of us.
Sephora was instantly on board with this vision. They were looking to enhance representation for Blackowned businesses and saw the growing demand for clean, effective products. Partnering with us was a natural fit. It means so much to us that they believed in our mission and chose to be our launch partner. Their support has been crucial in getting our products into the hands of those who truly need them the people we ’ re here to serve.
How do you stay ahead of industry trends while maintaining the brand’s unique identity?
Tisha: The key for us has been to quiet the industry noise and stay closely tied to our original mission and our community Otherwise, you’ll run yourself into the ground trying to run the rat race. By focusing on why we started the brand and listening to what our existing and prospective customers are asking for, we ’ ve been able to keep our approach authentic and relevant
We’re a community-first business, which means we prioritize feedback from actual users of our products and look for ways to enhance their beauty experience. My goal isn’t to be everything for everyone but to find innovative and fun ways to serve our community They’ve shown us that they value product performance, shade representation, affordability, and clean ingredients By honing in on these priorities, we continue to evolve in a way that stays true to our core values while keeping pace with industry trends
Can you walk us through your product development process? What makes LYS Beauty’s formulas and packaging stand out?
Tisha: Our product development process at LYS Beauty is all about understanding and addressing our community's needs We start by assessing consumer trends, demands, and identifying gaps in our product range We dive deep into questions like: Who is this product for? What problem does it solve? How does it fit into a skincare routine? This helps us tailor our formulations to real consumer personas and needs
Once we have a clear concept, we move into the testing phase. We rigorously test and refine samples until we ’ re confident that the final formula meets our high standards. This is the longest part of the process because we won’t stop until we are satisfied with the result.
What really sets LYS Beauty apart is our commitment to both what we include and what we exclude. We have a strict policy against using ingredients like talc and SLS, ensuring our products are clean and gentle. This approach creates a guilt-free beauty experience, allowing you to enjoy rich shade depth and high performance without compromising your skin’s health
How do you define success for LYS Beauty, and what are your long-term goals for the brand?
Tisha: For LYS Beauty, success isn’t just about the financials or industry accolades, though those are certainly appreciated. It’s really about the impact we make While we are a for-profit business, what truly moves us are the personal stories and feedback from our community. The DMs we receive from customers who’ve finally found a shade that works for them or who are feeling renewed confidence because of one of our launches that’s what success means to us
With a name as straightforward as "Love Your Self," our long-term goal is to inspire people to embrace and love themselves a little more with every interaction they have with our brand Whether through our products, our messaging, or our community engagement, we aim to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.
What was the most rewarding moment for you since starting LYS Beauty?
Tisha: Each product launch at LYS Beauty brings its own unique magic, but launching the brand in the middle of Black History Month with Sephora as our premier retailer was truly unforgettable. It set a powerful precedent for who we are and what we stand for, and the enthusiastic reception from our customers showed us that there was a real need and excitement for what we ’ re offering.
As a founder, there are countless moments that make you question “why” and test your resolve. But that launch moment provided more answers than anything else. It reaffirmed our mission and demonstrated that we were on the right path, making all the challenges along the way feel worthwhile.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women of color, looking to break into the beauty industry?
Tisha: My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women of color looking to break into the beauty industry, is to get crystal clear on your "why" and hold on to it tightly.
You'll face plenty of distractions and disturbances along the way, but staying focused on why you started will help guide you through the tough times. Let your core mission influence every decision you make early on. It will keep you grounded and motivated as you navigate the challenges of building your brand.
Credits
Journalist: Massiel Nunez @massi nunez
Photographer: George Bermudez @okaycube
And a special thank you to the team at LYS Beauty!