LYS Beauty Secures 8-Figure Investment from Encore Consumer Capital

In a major achievement for women founders in the beauty industry, LYS Beauty has secured an 8-figure Series A investment from Encore Consumer Capital. This funding milestone comes at a crucial time, as the clean beauty brand celebrates its fourth anniversary while navigating an environment of DEI rollbacks and global funding slowdowns.

Founded by beauty industry veteran Tisha Thompson, LYS Beauty has made history as the first Black-owned clean makeup brand to launch in Sephora back in 2021. With this investment, Thompson joins the exclusive 2% of women founders who have successfully raised venture funding, a remarkable achievement in an industry where funding disparities are significant.

A Strategic Partnership for Accelerated Growth

Encore Consumer Capital brings a proven track record of scaling high-growth consumer brands including Supergoop, Tarte Cosmetics, Love Wellness, and Isopure. This partnership positions LYS Beauty to leverage Encore's expertise to optimize operations, expand globally, and drive long-term success in the competitive beauty market.

Unstoppable Momentum and Retail Expansion

LYS Beauty's growth numbers tell a compelling story of market disruption and consumer resonance.

The brand is also expanding its retail footprint significantly. On April 8th, LYS Beauty will launch in over 800 Sephora at Kohl's locations, dramatically increasing its accessibility to consumers nationwide.

Redefining Inclusive Clean Beauty

Since its debut in 2021, LYS Beauty (which stands for "Love Yourself") has pioneered high-performance complexion products that cater to ingredient-conscious consumers who refuse to compromise on quality and shade inclusivity.

Thompson's 20 years of experience in product development and marketing within clean beauty has been instrumental in building LYS Beauty into a disruptive force. Her strategic approach to optimizing resources, leveraging capital, and building a small but agile team has resulted in rapid success, gaining a devoted customer base and becoming a category leader at Sephora.

Digital Innovation Driving Growth

LYS Beauty has distinguished itself through early adoption of emerging platforms, particularly TikTok Shop, where it has emerged as a top 20 personal care brand. This has driven a triple-digit percent increase in year-over-year direct-to-consumer sales in 2024.

Investment Fueling the Next Phase

The investment from Encore Consumer Capital will fuel LYS Beauty's next phase of growth, including product innovation, inventory expansion, strategic hiring, and global marketing initiatives as it cements its position as a disruptive force in the clean beauty industry.

We spoke with Tisha Thompson on the Entreprenista Podcast, where she shared all about her journey and roadmap for success. As LYS Beauty continues to redefine beauty standards and business success, Thompson's journey offers inspiration for women founders everywhere, proving that with vision, expertise, and strategic partnerships, it's possible to build a beauty brand that thrives while breaking barriers.