Sheena Yaitanes: Founder, Kosas Beauty

Sheena Yaitanes is the founder of Kosas, a clean beauty brand she created in her Los Angeles home in 2015. While studying chemistry and biology at UC Irvine, Sheena found herself frustrated with a beauty industry filled with products that never felt good, healthy, or looked right on her skin. Fusing her scientific background and passion for painting, Sheena set out to create a one-of-a-kind lipstick with a strong focus on clean, non-toxic formula and shades that redefine the idea of nude for all skin tones. The brand launched with four lipstick shades, and every item had to achieve three things: look just right, be easy and straightforward in application, and act as skincare. Today, Kosas has expanded its product line to 12 lipstick shades, lip glosses, balms, makeup cases, and their cult-favorite products, the 10 Second Eyeshadow and Tinted Face Oil. Kosas is sold on Sephora, Goop, and Violet Grey, has a fan base of names like Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele, and just closed a Series B funding round with investors like Leandra Medine and Scooter Braun. In this episode, Sheena and I talk about how she built a beauty brand from her kitchen table, where Kosas will go with the new investment, and how she wants to redefine the idea of modern beauty.