Lyda Beauty's Founder on Representation in Beauty

Lyda Djarar Fischer is the founder of Lyda Beauty. For our column Untold, she is sharing, in her own words, her journey of self-acceptance. This story was told to Jessica Harrington and edited for length and clarity.

My family and I are originally from Iran and were refugees in Switzerland. Growing up, seeing my friends with light blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin and looking at the magazines, TV shows, and movies, I never really saw anyone who looked like me. I stood out like a coffee stain on white linen. That made me think it wasn't acceptable to look the way I do.

I started walking away from my culture. I felt it wasn't OK to be Middle Eastern. I dyed my hair blond, got contact lenses, and wore foundation that was two shades lighter because I just wanted to fit in. But I always felt that something was missing. It felt like this brown little girl inside of me was screaming, "Hey, I'm still here. Don't forget about me," but I kept pushing her away.

When I came to the US at 21 and saw all of the different beautiful cultures, I started feeling accepted — that's something I will always be grateful to the US for. Still, in my early years, the beauty industry lacked diverse representation. There weren't options like 40 foundation shades or professional shade matching.

Initially, starting a beauty brand wasn't in my plans. My journey began with the Cleopatra Cat Eye Stamp, a now award-winning makeup tool. Its success sparked my interest in the beauty industry. I realized there was much to add and change. So, without any investment or deep industry knowledge, I decided to dive in. My goal was to create high-quality, high-performance, non-toxic products that could make a real difference.

I also want to see more Middle Eastern brands being represented in the retail space. I hope that brown little girls all over the world will look at me, and TV shows, and movies, and beauty stores and be able to say, "Wow, I'm proud of where I come from." I want my community and my culture to walk around being happy and proud of who they are. That's what I want Lyda Beauty to represent.

My mission is centered on balance and well-being. It's about discovering your true self and who you aspire to be. In a society that often dictates how we should appear, Lyda Beauty encourages a personal reflection: Who am I, and how do I want to present myself to the world? It's about making beauty a personal journey, not just following trends. The key message is to prioritize oneself; to create a beautiful and kind world, we must start with ourselves.