Interview | Leila Kashani of Alleyoop

When Leila Kashani launched Alleyoop in 2019, she set out to make beauty that does more with less. The brand’s makeup and bodycare are designed to double up, and the original line was shaped with help from around 200 co-creators. Early favourites include the Multi-Tasker, a makeup brush with four tools tucked inside, and the Pen Pal, a four-in-one makeup pen.

Before Alleyoop, Kashani worked in marketing and product development at MGA Entertainment, Nike, Sorel, and Columbia. In 2015, she co-founded Sphynx, a portable razor brand, and Alleyoop grew out of it.

We recently caught up with Kashani to discuss why the beauty industry has been overselling us, why some retailers are leading the way in innovation, and what’s next for Alleyoop.

What inspired you to create Alleyoop?

I was tired of being oversold and of complicated beauty routines taking up more and more of my time. I love getting ready, but I hated how long it took, and I wanted to say yes to more things. I’d buy eyeshadow palettes with 12+ shades and only ever hit the pan on one or two. To me, that was the industry selling us more than we needed.

Living out of a suitcase and travelling often was when I first realised I needed more efficient makeup. Then I became a mom, life got even busier, and long routines just weren’t realistic anymore. I still wanted the same results, though, and that’s where Alleyoop was born. Makeup should be fun, easy, and efficient — and now, it finally is.

What product makes the best introduction to the brand?

Our Sunsational SPF 50 Skin Tint is a great place to start. It’s innovative in both packaging and formula, combining sun protection, a skin tint, and moisture in one step, with a level of convenience most SPFs don’t offer. It comes in a portable bottle with a keyring attachment, so you can take it with you and reapply as needed.

Our eyeshadow sticks are another favourite. They’re crease-proof and waterproof, with 13-hour wear, and they double as an eye brightener or eyeliner, with a built-in sharpener on the other end. Every shade is based on the colours people actually hit pan on in their palettes.

And if you love a naturally defined, everyday lash look, try our tubing mascara. It’s formulated with serum-like ingredients to help strengthen lashes over time, but my favourite part is how easily it comes off. It’s also designed for sensitive eyes and is ophthalmologist-tested.

I wasn’t able to wear mascara for years, and now I finally can. With other ‘clean’ mascara brands, my eyes watered during application and swelled up after removal, and I had lost hope of ever wearing mascara again.

While formulating our mascara, we did additional testing to help ensure it was safe and hypoallergenic, using only the best ingredients. Now, I’m obsessed — not only because I can finally wear mascara again, but also because removing it is so damn easy!

What has been the biggest highlight?

Hearing from customers. We work so hard to create products that save time and free people up for more joy. So, when someone writes, “This took me two minutes to do my face,” or “I bought it for travel, and now it’s my everyday staple,” I know we’re actually changing people’s lives.

Launching at Target has also been a full-circle moment. Target has always been my go-to for efficiency, and now our products are there to bring that same efficiency to everyone.

Being chosen by Olive Young was another huge honour. No one understands Korean beauty, ingredient innovation, and product quality quite like they do. I’ve long admired their thoughtful approach to curation and their ability to spotlight products that truly deliver. Being part of their US launch was meaningful validation of the work we’ve put into creating effective, thoughtfully formulated products that meet their high standards, and a reminder that when you lead with great products, the right partnerships follow.

What advice would you give to those wanting to launch their own beauty brand?

Build a community of testers, and know your ‘why’. A strong ‘why’ keeps you focused, grounded, and passionate. It should guide everything you do, from product development to how you lead your team and run your business.

Our ‘why’ at Alleyoop is to help people spend less time getting ready and more time living. Our ‘how’ is through efficient, multifunctional beauty solutions that give people time back. That philosophy extends to every touchpoint, even our website, which is designed to help people find what they need quickly and get back to their lives. We also believe beauty should feel fun, not intimidating, which is why our products have a playful, approachable design.

Every decision comes back to the same questions: Does it save time? Does it make beauty more fun? Does it reflect what we believe in? When your ‘why’ is clear, it becomes a filter for decision-making, keeps your team aligned, and makes building a business that much more meaningful and exciting.

What’s next for Alleyoop?

We’re continuing to disrupt the category. We have some incredible products coming, and we’re approaching their development differently than most brands would. Expect more innovation and continued growth in retail.

What does your daily beauty routine look like?

I’m a five-minute-and-out-the-door person. I start with our Sunsational Skin Tint, then use one of our upcoming products on the rest of my face, plus our mascara every day. My lips are super dry, so I’m always reaching for our Lip Goals Triple Peptide Lip Gloss. My hair runs oily, so I rely on TruHair Dry Shampoo Powder.

What are three beauty products you can’t live without?

I have 5!!

Alleyoop Sunsational Skin Tint: SPF, tint, and moisture in one step. It’s the first thing I reach for every morning.

Magic Molecule Hypochlorous Acid Spray: I’ve been obsessed lately. It soothes my dry, irritated skin and helps with small cuts. With how bad the mosquitoes have been in LA, it’s been a lifesaver for me and my kids. It’s gentle enough that they can use it too.

AmLactin Daily Nourish Lotion: My skin is so dry, and this has been a total game-changer. Other moisturisers need daily reapplication, which I just don’t have time for, but with this one my skin stays hydrated for days.

TruHair Root and Scalp Cover Up: I use it to make my hairline look more precise. It also makes my roots look less oily, so I can put my hair up on a second day and it still looks polished.

Yolu Overnight Rejuvenating Shampoo: This Japanese shampoo is made for nighttime, but I use it during the day too. My hair is noticeably stronger and fuller, and even my hairdresser has noticed. It feels like it’s working rather than stripping my natural oils, and I love how my hair feels during the wash, after it, and even after I blow-dry.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve been given?

My mom always said beauty starts within: if you feel beautiful, you’ll come across as beautiful. She believed it’s 99% energy, and I truly believe that, too.

When it comes to makeup, though, the best advice I’ve received is to learn how to perfect makeup for your own face. Know what you love about your features and what you’d like to enhance, then use makeup to do exactly that.

For me, that meant learning how to work with my hooded eyes. I never wore eyeshadow because it took so much effort to keep my eyes from looking smaller. With our eyeshadow sticks, it’s so much easier to enhance hooded eyes like mine. They’re more about opening up and brightening the eyes, and our shades, easy application, and buildable control make that effortless.

Now, I can make my eyes look brighter and more lifted, and I love wearing eyeshadow as an everyday eye brightener. That’s the idea behind so many of the shades in our Alleyoop range.

What’s not getting the attention it deserves in the beauty industry right now?

The retailers opening the door to real innovation. Beauty has always been driven by trends, but trends come and go while great formulas last. For a long time, only a handful of retailers decided what made it onto US shelves, and much of the innovation was gatekept. Target Beauty Studio and Olive Young are changing that. They’re not just betting on what’s trending or which brands have the most influence. They’re making selections based on the best ingredients and genuine innovation. That’s what sets them apart, and I’d love to see them get more credit for it.

Alleyoop is available at revolve.com in the UK, and at Target and amazon.com in the US. For more exclusive conversations with beauty founders, explore our beauty interviews archive.