Pre-product · research phase · est. 2026
There is no product yet. That's on purpose.
Our•mula is a skincare brand for melanin-rich skin being built the slow way — ingredient research first, community brief second, formula last. Before anything gets made, we're collecting what melanin girlies actually deal with. Add yours.
The gap
What the aisle got wrong for skin like ours
Tested on other skin
Most legacy formulas were validated on a narrow slice of skin tones. Melanin-rich skin responds differently to actives, to irritation, and to sun — and it wasn't in the room.
"Brightening" as a euphemism
Too much of this category quietly sells lightening. We're not interested in changing your color. Even tone, healthy barrier, less scarring — same brown skin.
And this isn't only a twenty-something's problem. The same concerns follow us into our thirties, forties, and past — if that's your skin, this is for you too.
Diluted for margin
Actives listed at the bottom of the INCI, present in trace amounts, priced like they aren't. The jar runs out before anything changes.
Priced out of reach
Thirty dollars, every month, forever, is not a skincare routine. It's a subscription to hoping. Affordability is a formulation constraint here, not a discount.
Asiyah Birashk — founder
Who's building it
An aerospace engineer who got tired of guessing.
I'm Asiyah. I'm an Afghan American aeronautical engineer — I studied at Berkeley and Purdue, and I now work at an aerospace company, where my whole job is taking a system that isn't performing, finding the actual reason, and fixing that reason instead of the symptom.
I'd used the same moisturizer for a year and my skin still felt stagnant. So I did what I do with everything: I stopped and asked why. Why this product? Why had I been loyal to it for a year without questioning it once?
The brand was never built on testing with skin like mine. I'd been loyal to a brand that never chose me first.
Brown skin, South Asian skin, MENA skin, Black skin — an enormous share of the world, treated as an afterthought by an industry that had the research budget to know better. That's not a mystery. That's a problem nobody bothered to solve.
So I'm solving it, and I'm doing it in the open. No lab door, no reveal. I'll show you the papers I'm reading, the ingredients I'm evaluating, what a formulation actually costs, and why. I don't want to build this for you. I want to build it with you — which is why the first thing on this site isn't a product page. It's a question.
How we work
Three things that won't move
Rigor is non-negotiable
Every ingredient has to earn its line on the label with published evidence in melanin-rich skin, not marketing copy. If the research isn't there, we say so instead of implying it is.
The community holds the pen
Texture, finish, scent, size, price, and which concern we tackle first are decided by the people this is for. You'll see the votes, and you'll see what we did with them.
Her results over our margins
Actives at concentrations that do something, in a jar that lasts, at a price you can pay every month. When the cost breakdown is uncomfortable, we'll publish it anyway.
The skin study
Tell us what your skin is actually dealing with
This tells us which concerns to formulate for first. It isn't a consultation, and we can't tell you what's going on with your skin — for that, please see a dermatologist.
What happens next: your answers join the running totals below, and when we pick the first concern to formulate for, we'll show you the numbers behind the decision.
What the study is saying so far
0 entries logged · updates the moment you add yours
Live totals from everyone who's answered. Reported in aggregate only — never names or emails.
You're in the study.
Entry logged. When we publish the next round of findings, you'll see how the numbers moved.
Disclosures, privacy & terms
Short version: we're a cosmetics brand still in research, not a medical service. We can't tell you what's going on with your skin — a dermatologist can. Here's the rest, in plain language.
This is not medical advice
Our•mula is a cosmetics brand in development. Nothing on this site — the research summaries, the ingredient discussion, the survey, the newsletter, or anything we post on social media — is medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and none of it is a substitute for care from a licensed clinician.
Asiyah is an engineer, not a dermatologist, physician, pharmacist, or licensed esthetician. No one reviewing survey responses is acting as your healthcare provider, and submitting the form does not create a provider relationship of any kind.
See a dermatologist for anything that concerns you
Some things that look cosmetic are not. Moles or dark spots that change shape, size, or color, sores that don't heal, sudden pigment changes, painful or spreading rashes, and cystic or scarring acne all warrant a professional exam. Skin cancer is frequently caught late in people with darker skin, partly because it's under-screened — please don't let a survey about moisturizer stand in for a visit.
If you have a diagnosed skin condition, are pregnant or nursing, or take prescription treatments, talk to your clinician before changing your routine based on anything you read here.
No product, and no product claims
There is nothing for sale on this site. We have no formula, no finished product, and no clinical testing. When a product does exist, it will be a cosmetic — intended to cleanse, moisturize, and improve appearance. Cosmetics are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and we won't claim otherwise.
Any research we summarize describes published findings about ingredients in general. It is not a promise about how a future Our•mula product will perform, or about results for your skin.
The survey is market research, not a clinical study
We call it "the skin study" because we're studying what people need. It is not a clinical trial. It has no protocol, no ethics-board review, no controls, and no medical oversight. Responses are self-reported and unverified, and we use them to prioritize which concerns to formulate for — nothing more.
Please don't send us anything you'd consider a medical record. We don't want it, and we're not equipped to hold it.
What we do with what you tell us
We collect what you type into the form, and your email if you give it. We use it to decide what to build and to send you updates. We do not sell it, rent it, or trade it, and we don't share it with advertisers.
Answers are reported publicly only in aggregate — counts and percentages, never your name, email, or individual response. Email ourmula.customer.support@gmail.com and we'll send you a copy of your entry or delete it, no reason needed.
No warranty, and limits on liability
This site is provided as-is. We try to summarize research accurately, but we make no warranty that anything here is complete, current, or correct, and studies get superseded. To the fullest extent the law allows, Our•mula and its founder aren't liable for any loss or injury resulting from reliance on information published here.
Nothing in this paragraph limits liability that can't be limited by law.
Full terms, privacy notice & safety information
Who we are
Our•mula is an early-stage cosmetics brand founded in 2026 by Asiyah Birashk in the United States. It is pre-revenue and pre-product. Questions, data requests, and deletion requests: email ourmula.customer.support@gmail.com and we'll respond within 30 days. You can also reach us on Instagram at @our.mula.
Not a healthcare relationship
Reading this site, submitting the survey, subscribing to updates, or corresponding with us does not create a physician-patient, provider-patient, or professional relationship. We cannot and will not assess your skin, tell you what condition you have, tell you whether an ingredient is safe for you specifically, or advise you to start or stop any treatment. Requests of that kind will be referred to a clinician.
If you are experiencing a severe reaction — difficulty breathing, facial or throat swelling, widespread hives, or a rapidly spreading rash — seek emergency care immediately. In the US, call 911. Do not wait for a reply from us.
Cosmetic status and regulatory posture
Cosmetic products in the United States are regulated by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA). Cosmetics do not require FDA pre-market approval, and no statement on this site has been evaluated by the FDA.
We intend to market a cosmetic, not a drug. That means we will describe products in terms of appearance, hydration, comfort, and evenness of tone. We will not claim to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose melasma, eczema, acne, dermatitis, or any other condition, because those are drug claims and we are not making them. If you see language anywhere in our materials that reads like a treatment claim, tell us and we'll correct it.
About the research we cite
Published studies vary widely in quality, size, funding, and how well they represent Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin — that underrepresentation is a large part of why this brand exists. When we summarize a paper we'll try to note its limits. A study finding an effect for an ingredient in a controlled setting does not mean a given product containing that ingredient will produce that effect, at that concentration, in that formulation, on your skin. Individual results vary, and some people react badly to ingredients that are well tolerated by most.
Allergies, patch testing, and sensitivity
Any topical product can cause irritation or an allergic reaction, including products marketed as natural, gentle, fragrance-free, or hypoallergenic. Patch test new products on a small area, introduce one new product at a time, and stop use if you develop burning, stinging, persistent redness, swelling, or blistering. Several ingredients commonly discussed in this category increase sun sensitivity; daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended regardless of skin tone.
Privacy notice
What we collect. Through the skin study: first name (optional), email, selected concerns, priority concern, skin type, heritage (optional), a skin-tone swatch (optional), spending comfort, texture preference, and free-text responses. Through the updates form: email only. We don't run advertising trackers or sell profiles.
Why. To decide which concerns to formulate for first, to report aggregate findings, and to send you updates you asked for.
How long. Until you ask us to delete it, or until it's no longer useful for product development.
Your choices. Unsubscribe from any update. Ask for a copy of your entry, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Depending on where you live — including California, and the EU or UK — you may have additional statutory rights over your data; we'll honor those requests regardless of where you live.
Children. This site is not directed to children under 13 and we don't knowingly collect their information. If you believe a child has submitted the form, email us and we'll delete it.
Sensitive data. Skin-tone and heritage fields are optional and exist so our research isn't skewed toward whoever answers first. Leave them blank if you'd rather, and it won't change how we treat your entry.
Community input
Community votes guide decisions like texture, scent, size, packaging, and priority order. They are advisory. Final formulation and safety decisions rest with us and with the qualified formulators and testing labs we work with, because those decisions carry legal and safety obligations that can't be delegated to a poll.
Terms of use
Site content is owned by Our•mula and provided for general information. Don't republish it as your own or present it as medical or professional guidance. We may update this site, these terms, and the timeline at any time. Anything we say about future products is a current intention, not a commitment, and plans change — publicly, we hope.
These disclosures are general information written for a US audience and are not legal advice. Before selling anything, we'll have a cosmetics regulatory professional review our labeling, claims, and compliance posture.
Last updated July 2026
Follow the build
Get the findings before the product exists
About once a month, when there's something worth sharing: what the research is turning up, which ingredients made the cut and which got dropped, real cost breakdowns, and every community vote before it closes.
No selling your data, no daily blasts. One click to leave, any time.
Updates are research notes, not medical advice. Important disclosures.