Carisa Janes, the entrepreneur and visionary behind the 21-year-old luxury brand Hourglass Cosmetics has launched her newest venture: Outside In.
Janes, who continues to helm Hourglass (and was our CEW UK Achiever Awards Icon in 2023), is applying her extensive complexion expertise to this new brand, which promises “high-performance” hybrid makeup, skin care and tools. Outside In officially rolled out exclusively via its DTC website, theoutsidein.com this week.
The Founder’s Vision: Quieter Luxury and Creative Control
Janes is part of a growing trend of seasoned beauty founders, like Bobbi Brown, reclaiming creative control to build more personal, purpose-driven brands. The idea for Outside In originated nearly a decade ago but was fully revived during the pandemic, allowing Janes to explore new creative directions.
With Outside In, Janes aims to bring a vision to life through “the lens of nature and light,” exploring a more “sensory approach to beauty”. The brand’s products are designed to “capture and diffuse light across the skin through weightless, second-skin textures”. This new positioning reflects a “quieter kind of luxury”—defined by tactile formulas, refined textures, and minimalist design—adhering to Janes’ long-standing focus on craftsmanship and ethical integrity, principles that helped define Hourglass’s place in the “conscious prestige” category.
Janes emphasises that her goal is to “surprise” and create something truly “special”. She wants to inspire a “keepsake-like longevity” in the products, hoping the customer feels “This is something I really cherish and love”.
The Debut Collection: Hybrid Complexion Masters
Outside In launched with a curated selection of three next-generation hybrid complexion products:
- Silk Serum Foundation ($64 / £61)
- Floral Reserve Face Oil ($72 / £69)
- Serum Foundation Brush ($52 / £50)
The cornerstone of the launch is the Silk Serum Foundation, a true hybrid aiming to “feel like skin care but perform like makeup”. Available in 25 shades, the formula offers light-to-medium coverage and a radiant finish. It is formulated with skincare-grade levels of active ingredients, including niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
What truly sets the foundation apart is its proprietary “self-setting light technology,” which suspends light-diffusing powders in a liquid serum base to blur imperfections and refine pores. Janes notes that the formula is designed to be “weightless, breathable and effortless to wear”. The foundation is also dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Accompanying the foundation is the Floral Reserve Face Oil, a lightweight, non-greasy blend of sweet almond, sunflower seed, meadowfoam seed, jojoba seed, and macadamia seed oils. It aims to create a plumper-looking, hydrated canvas for makeup application, and Janes loves using the oil specifically as a primer.
Sustainable Design and Sensory Experience
Janes is heavily invested in design and minimising environmental impact. This commitment is evident in the brand’s unique packaging, which was “inspired by natural materials and the idea of bringing the outside world in”.
The Silk Serum Foundation and Floral Reserve Face Oil are contained in rice husk bio-resin and glass dropper bottlesengineered for minimal waste. The result is a luxe, stone-like texture that consumers might want to proudly display. The Serum Foundation Brush further embodies this design focus, featuring a limestone composite handle for a tactile feel and wave-like synthetic bristles for even application.
Ultimately, Outside In is positioned to offer an elevated, effortless ritual. Janes hopes the experience is “truly unique — weightless, seamless in application and naturally radiant in result”.
One thing is for sure, Outside In’s approach of blending active skincare ingredients, performance makeup, with considered, sustainable design, will set a new standard for the next generation of prestige beauty and we are excited to try.
