Today, the lines between make-up and skincare continue to blur with more and more brands meeting the demand for hybrid cosmetics that improve your complexion while you doll yourself up—but that wasn't the case 10 years ago. Enter Kosas, a brand dedicated to producing high-performing make-up with nourishing ingredients. Founder Sheena Zadeh-Daly, who adored make-up as a little kid, struggled to find products that wouldn't irritate her sensitive, acne-prone skin in an era of Nike brows (shudder) and heavy foundations that could cover the biggest of breakouts.
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While the California native didn't originally plan on running a beauty business—having studied fine arts, biology, and business at University of California, Irvine and Chapman University—she was acutely aware of the fact that make-up should do more for your skin. Armed with an idea, passion, and the knowledge gained in lecture halls and labs, Sheena launched Kosas in 2015, with a range of four lipsticks that nourish the lips while leaving a gorgeous hue—a predecessor for the current Weightless Lip Color.
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Their products are developed without any harsh chemicals or skin irritants and are dermatologist-tested—meaning the products have gone through extensive scientific studies and were tested under clinical conditions—which is something you want in products that you're applying on your skin. This also means that its products are proven to work for all skin types, even the most sensitive ones.
What began as four lipstick shades shipped from Sheena's kitchen table grew to become a full line of products that extended to both eye and face products. The end goal? Beauty products that help you doll yourself up quickly and easily while treating your skin.
When it first launched, the brand was slowly gaining momentum as one of the emerging "cool girl" brands. However, when Hailey Bieber revealed that she uses its Revealer Concealer and Cloud Set Setting Powder as part of her lazy make-up routine, the brand reached viral status among the likes of Alix Earle and Madeline Argy as well as celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.
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Today, Kosas sits as one of the fastest growing clean beauty brands on the market and within Sephora. They have over 601,000 followers on Instagram and 275,000 followers and 1.4 million likes on TikTok. Earlier this year, the beauty brand made its debut at Sephora Singapore online and in stores nationwide.
ELLE Singapore sat down with the beauty entrepreneur to talk about the brand, her product creation process, going viral, and more.
What inspired you to create the brand?
I struggled with sensitive, acne-prone skin growing up and the endless cycle of make-up just made my skin worse. We wear make-up all day, so it should be something that also help make our skin better. Kosas was born for people like me, who have sensitive skin but don’t want to sacrifice great make-up.
When developing products, we need to achieve two things: The finish has to look alive, and we only use skincare actives with a lot of data and research behind them. Our products are rigorously tested with third party labs—every complexion product is dermatologist-tested and clinically tested to be non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin.
Did your background in science influence and help you when creating the brand?
I majored in biology in college which unlocked a whole new understanding of ingredients. It taught me the language of science. Each compound has a specific name assigned to it, so when you read a product ingredient it quite literally tells you its exact composition. As I began formulating, I was able to understand this language, or scientific code, ultimately helping me create better makeup products that not only look amazing, but also do great things for your skin.
What goes into the process of creating a Kosas product from start to finish?
Product ideas come from something that’s missing in my life or sometimes we see our community asking for a certain product. As a brand, when we create something, we put sensitive skin first and do everything we can from ideation, formulation, and testing to ensure the products are suitable for sensitive and all skin types. We have stayed true to our brand DNA as the only clean make-up brand with clinically proven skincare benefits and we’ve truly established ourselves as leaders in this category.
I also spend a lot of time on the colour development of our products (our first shades were created in a portrait painting class) as I want our shades to be unique, dimensional, and easy to wear.
What was your reaction when Kosas first went viral?
I didn’t even know when it was happening! We didn't think of it as a viral moment. Revealer Concealer was successful out of the gate because of its unique super creamy, brightening formula in an eye cream base that conceals yet looks like skin. Once celebrities and influencers discovered it, their love for the product became contagious and it became one of Sephora North America's top products.
What's a memorable moment in your journey with Kosas so far?
The moments that stand out to me are the early days when I would bring my lipsticks to a store or an event. I would help people find a shade that flatters their skin tone and give them tips on applying it to their lip shape. I loved when they looked in the mirror and I could tell they felt good—it was like a lightbulb switched on.
What does your beauty routine look like?
My beauty routine is a very grounding and meditative part of my day. My everyday look is comfy glam, which is all about healthy skin, full fluffy brows, and plump juicy lips. I want to enhance my features, but still look like me. I start with spritzing the Plump & Juicy Collagen Spray-on Serum and massaging it in. I layer on one to two pumps of BB Burst depending on the coverage I want that day, which also acts as my moisturiser. Then I use Revealer Concealer wherever I need more coverage and to highlight, lift, and shape my face.
I set my makeup with Cloud Set Setting Powder before applying Sun Show Bronzer across my cheekbones and forehead for a healthy, natural-looking glow. I shape and set my brows with Brow Pop Nano Ultra-Fine Detailing Pencil and Air Brow Tinted Volumizing Treatment Gel. To finish it off, I overline my lips with Hotliner (coming later this summer to Singapore!) and pair it with either Wet Lip Oil or Wet Stick, depending on the look I’m going for.
What beauty trends do you think are gonna take over this summer and the second half of the year?
I think this idea of makeup being skincare will continue to grow and that there will be more innovation in this category. I also see this idea of having a really good relationship with your beauty routine because it's an intentional time out of my day to express and take care of myself.
What advice would you give to women on the go looking to enhance their beauty routines?
I would say you have to slow down to speed up. Take the time to get to know your face—what brow shape compliments you, where’s your most flattering blush placement, and how do you like to line your eyes? Learn about your face so you can then develop a look you love. From there, you can go into autopilot each day creating that look depending on the time you have.
What do you hope to do in the future?
I want to keep creating amazing, innovative products that look beautiful and do great things for your skin and telling meaningful stories that tie your beauty routine to the deeper parts of you.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.