How an Indie Beauty Brand Gets Made

Last week, I walked into a lab in the Midwest and saw something that nearly brought me to tears: My products being poured into jars and tucked into their final packaging. Years of dreaming and studying, countless hours of formulation, and a vision of helping women navigate perimenopause is finally becoming real. 

I remember interviewing over 20 different labs to start, but most offered ready-made formulas, many of them copy-paste jobs from other brands. I held out and finally found the perfect match at an innovative lab in Minnesota that prioritizes hiring female cosmetic chemists who understand caring for skin at its different stages.

The first part of my day was surreal. I toured the enormous space, seeing all the raw ingredients, bottles, and lids waiting to be assembled. I stood beside a giant, boiling cauldron as the first stage of our face cream heated to the perfect temperature. This is where science and beauty meet. And yes, seeing it made me tear up. 

Calm, our barrier-repair cream, must be formulated precisely to ensure it’s as effective as we saw in clinical trials. 

By mid-morning, we were filling the face oil. Each bottle was carefully labeled and batch-coded, then boxed. In the meantime, the cream was still in progress, undergoing multiple quality checks to ensure it was just right. By nightfall, I watched the cream being dispensed into jars. 

It was a moment of pure, unfiltered joy — and honestly, a little disbelief. After years of facing obstacles, delays, and learning curves, here it was: the product I dreamed of, ready for you.

Meet Luminous, our lightweight plant-based face oil. Isn’t she elegant? 

As I look back on this experience, it’s a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue something you’re passionate about. In my 40s, skincare was still a mystery to me. When my skin began changing during perimenopause, I couldn’t find products that truly addressed the needs of women like us. So, I followed my curiosity, got certified in cosmetic skincare formulation, and created the products I knew we all needed.

If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s this: Follow what excites you. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting from scratch; you never know where that spark of curiosity will lead, and sometimes, it leads you to something incredible. So here I am, hairnet on, flats instead of stilettos, walking the floor of a lab I never imagined I'd be in. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next, and if you’re so inclined, you can now officially experience the products yourself. 

Next week I’ll share details of my trip to New York to meet with some of the most influential beauty editors in the business. Phosis is launching at a time when there’s more innovation, awareness, research, funding, and education about peri/menopause than ever before, and we’re proud to be part of the movement.

Menopause Awareness Month News: 

All month: Let’s Talk Menopause is has sent 7,800+ petitions to the FDA as part of their Unboxing Menopause Campaign, which advocates removing “the outdated and misleading warning on local vaginal estrogen—a proven, safe, and effective treatment for GSM symptoms like tissue thinning, painful sex, and recurrent UTIs.” Send your own letter here.

10/17: The M-Factor: Documentary film on the health crisis faced by millions of women in menopause premiers on PBS. Trailer here. Doctors and nurses: This is the first documentary that qualifies as continuing medical education (CME) credits.

Cheers to looking and feeling your best, 
Susan Campbell
Founder and CEO, Phosis