A Scientist with an Artist’s Heart
It was a bug taxonomy factory in California that set the stage for Sheena Zadeh to found Kosas. In 2015, the biology graduate, born to Iranian immigrant parents, spent her long hours under fluorescent lights categorising bugs. It was tedious work that she was considered skilled at, but as it required precision, she would find her mind drifting to colour stories and the transformative nature of makeup.
Zadeh grew up around makeup since her mother worked at a makeup counter, and she spent her childhood engaging in pretend play, where she would swatch lipstick and attempt to blend colours. She also immersed herself in art supply stores, where a wide variety of markers could surround her.
However, she had sensitive, acne-prone skin that harmed her relationship with beauty, confusing what was meant to be empowering into years of frustration. It was this combination of early childhood experiences, along with Zadeh’s more recent experience as a bug taxonomist, that initiated an idea for an evolving vision that would challenge existing beauty paradigms.
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A Personal Struggle Fuels a Vision
Zadeh’s perennially delicate skin was not merely an inconvenience of her teenage years; it was the impetus for Kosas. Unsatisfied with products that promised confidence but instead caused discomfort in her experience, she authorised herself, as someone with a background in biology, to examine ingredient lists.
Drawing on her background a little more, she reflected on the millennia-old Vedic philosophy of “koshas,” or the five layers of the self—ranging from the dense physical to a blissful state—and was inspired to create a brand rooted in embracing and affirming, rather than crowding and compromising, individuality. Kosas was founded in 2015, with Zadeh’s expanded and clearer vision not to conceal flaws, but to enhance the skin’s health. She was on a mission to create clean, nourishing makeup for those who, like her, expected more from beauty.
Overcoming Personal and Professional Hurdles
Zadeh launched Kosas from her kitchen table, but she faced some significant challenges. First, as a single mother, she was dealing with all the emotional fallout from a divorce, while rebuilding her life from scratch—losing a house and facing feelings of self-doubt.
The entrepreneurial process was rough: there were many sleepless nights, trying to get a formula right while parenting. The initial funding rounds were particularly challenging. When the business began to grow, it required a sacrifice of her time with her daughter, for which she assumed a guilt of its own. Regardless, Zadeh never wavered in her belief to raise Kosas. She began therapy to help quiet arguably the most prominent critic, her inner critic, allowing her to centre and focus on her purpose.
Building Kosas: From Lipsticks to a Beauty Revolution
Kosas began with a consolidated selection of lipsticks that incorporated skincare actives, such as hyaluronic acid and peptides. The brand reflected Zadeh’s ethos that makeup should act like skincare. The label’s big moment happened with the Revealer Concealer: One part skincare, one part makeup, the Concealer was hydrating and light.
It became an instant “cult” product among beauty-lovers. Kosas created a space for “skincare freaks” who wanted clinical results without the clinical feel. The brand grew quickly from there, hitting the shelves of Sephora and becoming one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the world, including a massive push to the UK for the first time just one year ago.
Scaling with Purpose
As Kosas developed as a brand, Zadeh was met with the emotion and conflicting feelings of scaling a passion project. The demands of growing a business pulled her from the creative playfulness that had invigorated her in the past.
Still, she leaned into the problem, developing a team around her that exemplified core values (connectivity, creativity, and intention) to build Kosas. Zadeh’s focus has consistently been on innovating products, especially for sensitive skin. For example, products should align with and be thoughtful of her original vision. Kosas is today on track to reach $120 million in sales, with expansion set for Asia, including Malaysia, as it has hit a global trajectory.
A Legacy of Authenticity and Resilience
The story of Zadeh demonstrates what it means to turn personal struggle into collective empowerment. Her roots; her mother, grandmother, and aunts—taught her to find beauty in resilience, even in the midst of suffering. She defies the notion of “having it all” as an impractical myth and insists on presence without perfection, a belief that is central to Kosas’ brand ethos. The company, as it considers potential acquisitions and seeks to innovate, allows Zadeh’s story to serve as encouragement to fellow entrepreneurs to embrace detours.
From a bug taxonomy lab to a worldwide beauty movement, she humorously illustrates that the most unintended paths can produce breakthroughs for change.
