LYS Beauty Is Sephora's First Black-Owned Clean Cosmetics Collection

LYS Beauty is an acronym for 'love yourself' and founder Tisha Thompson's message is loud and clear throughout LYS' debut collection, launching at Sephora on February 14. From the thoughtful, affordable pricing (the current lineup ranges from $12-$22) and the inclusive shade range, to the skin care-grade ingredients and the photogenic triangular packaging — this is definitely a new brand to keep an eye on.

"It’s a gentle reminder to protect the relationship that you have with yourself. I have seen the power of beauty completely transform not only how people look, but the way they view themselves," Thompson tells TZR via email. "I want LYS to connect everyone with their inner most confident, unapologetic self, and each product is a small reminder of that from the packaging down to the shade names." (For context, products like the Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush have names like "Self Love," "Inspire," and "Kindness.")

Thompson set out to create this brand after an illustrious career in beauty, with a focus on clean formulas and the complexion category. But because "clean beauty" does not have a hard-and-fast definition, this is how Thompson defines it: "For LYS, clean means providing skin-first formulas that offer the vibrancy, coverage, and wearability that we all like with added skin care benefits from great ingredients," Thompson explains. "Each formula is uniquely made to address common concerns, like hyperpigmentation, blemishes, visible signs of aging, excess oil, etc., all while remaining completely cruelty free and vegan friendly. To take it a step further, we also have an extensive exclusions list, which are ingredients with proven links to causing skin harm that we strictly avoid." (The brand will carry the Clean At Sephora seal).

Though the starting lineup of products is small (and will leave you wanting more already), it's mighty. The hero item is the Triple Fix Serum Foundation (a steal at $22), which comes in 35 flexible shades. "I think the secret to a flawless makeup look, whether natural or glam, is a perfect base, so I built the entire line around our hero, the Triple Fix Serum Foundation," Thompson explains. The formula offers buildable, light-medium coverage and, because it's a product that "often sits on the skin for hours," Thompson fortified it with skin-nourishing ingredients like ashwagandha, hyaluronic acid, and turmeric.

"It was important for me to have a completed complexion look with the initial launch assortment," Thompson says, explaining that once she finalized the Triple Fix Serum Foundation, she began building out the rest of the line. Next up came, the Secure Skin Gripping Serum Primer, which boasts 5% niacinamide and AHAs to help balance the skin and minimize pores for a smoother foundation application.

There's also the Triple Fix Translucent Pressed Setting Powder, which comes in four universal shades and is designed to lock makeup in place without "accentuating texture or diminishing the skin’s natural radiance." Once the base is set, "it’s time to add depth, dimension and color to the skin," Thompson says, and the products for doing that are the No Limits Matte Bronzer and the aforementioned Higher Standard blush. Finally, there's the lip-nourishing Speak Love Glossy Lip Treatment Oil, which contains ingredients like vitamin E and cold-pressed chia seed oil.

Ready to give the brand a whirl? Shop the new brand's first offerings below.

We only include products that have been independently selected by TZR's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.