The Skin-First Revolution: How LIXR Founder Susanne Langmuir Is Disrupting Sephora

In the fast-paced world of prestige cosmetics, few leaders have a resume as multi-faceted as Susanne Langmuir. A beauty entrepreneur, master formulator, and—interestingly—a farmer, Susanne is the force behind LIXR Beauty, a brand built on the radical belief that your makeup should be made of ingredients good enough to eat.

As we approach International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting the women redefining our beauty bags and our business models. With LIXR officially hitting shelves at Sephora Canada and the US, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the “waterless” glow. We sat down with Susanne to discuss her ingredient-first philosophy, the power of skin-supporting complexion essentials, and what it takes to scale a clean beauty empire that refuses to compromise on performance. —Noa Nichol

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The Performance Shift: With Lixr launching in Sephora this year, you’re proving that “clean” can also be “commercially powerful.” How does your ingredient-first philosophy empower women to prioritize their skin health without sacrificing performance?

For too long, “clean” meant compromise. I built LIXR to prove that you can have it all. By removing water I could remove silicone, preservatives, and petroleum. Every ingredient in our formulas has a purpose, so women get real performance and real skin benefits at the same time. You shouldn’t have to choose between pigment payoff and healthy skin. With LIXR, the makeup works beautifully because it supports your skin.

The Master Formulator’s Vision: As a master formulator and farmer, you literally grow the ingredients for your vision. How does your connection to the land shape your leadership style as a female entrepreneur?

Farming teaches you patience, respect, and restraint. You can’t rush growth, and you can’t fake quality. That mindset shapes how I lead, with intention, long-term thinking, and deep care for what we’re building. Staying connected to the land keeps me grounded. It reminds me that powerful things grow from strong foundations.

Giving Visibility to Sustainability: The “Give to Gain” campaign encourages giving visibility to women’s advancement. How are you using Lixr’s waterless formulations to lead a more sustainable, female-forward conversation in the makeup industry?

Waterless isn’t a trend for us, it’s a responsibility. I like to say, we’re dropping the water weight. By removing water, we remove the need for preservatives, reduce packaging weight, and concentrate on what truly matters. That approach mirrors how I see women’s advancement: less dilution, more potency. “Give to Gain” is about visibility, but it’s also about creating systems that actually support women’s growth in a sustainable way.

Radiance and Wellness: 2026 is seeing a shift toward minimalist, “skin-first” beauty. How does Lixr help women reclaim their time and natural radiance through simpler, high-impact routines?

That is one of the pillars LIXR is built on. Women are tired of 12-step routines and products that compete with their skin. LIXR is about doing less, better. When your makeup hydrates, protects, and strengthens your barrier, your routine gets simpler and your skin looks and feels more like you. Radiance isn’t about layering more on, rather, it’s about supporting what’s already there.

A New Chapter in Beauty: After two decades in the industry, what are you most excited to “give” to the beauty world this year that you weren’t able to in your previous ventures?

What excites me most right now is giving the industry proof that we can do better. That we can create formulas that perform just as well, if not better, than traditional ones without relying on water, silicones, or preservatives. These are skincare-first ingredients in highly concentrated forms, and the payoff is incredible. It feels like we’re opening the door to a new standard, where clean isn’t a compromise, it’s an upgrade.