Meet Ish - Founder of Lab Ish - in the lab

Meet Ish

My name is István, but my friends call me Ish. I’m a 20+ year cosmetic industry veteran. I’ve done every job in the business—from working behind a makeup counter to running a sales and education department; from doing makeup for NY Fashion Week to selling skincare live on TV in Russia.

My career has given me the opportunity to see every aspect of the beauty industry and to try some of the “best” skincare products on the market. It’s a true passion of mine to learn about unique ingredients and formulas as they come to market—and to understand why companies make products the way they do.

Having so much exposure has given me a different perspective on skincare than most. I can see through the marketing and claims, and I understand what’s hype versus what products can actually achieve.

Why Lab Ish?

I’ve trained and educated people for years on what products do and why they work, so I thought—why not make something myself?I understood how ingredients worked, but I never understood why so many brands only used 6% active ingredients when there’s 94% more of a formula to play with. Well, I do understand why—they’re expensive to make.But I thought, I don’t want a 15-step routine. I want simple products that contain synergistic ingredients and address multiple concerns—products that give short-term benefits while also setting me up for a future of healthy skin.You’ll never hear me say something is “better than Botox” or will eliminate deep wrinkles, because topical products can’t do that. But they can give you a healthy, glowing complexion. They can support your skin so it ages better over time. They can give you that moment in the morning where you look in the mirror and think, “Wow, I actually look well-rested.”That’s what I want to achieve—healthy skin, confidence, and a minimalistic approach to skincare.

What ingredients do we use?

Researching ingredients is my favorite part of what I do. Whether it’s the science behind making an oil-soluble Vitamin C or the unique attributes found in a single plant oil, I spend hours digging into what makes ingredients effective—and then finding what they work well with.

Whenever possible, I use natural, organic, sustainable, and upcycled ingredients, and I’ll continue to evolve formulas as new innovations become available. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important, and thankfully, ingredient options are evolving alongside it.

Do I use chemicals or synthetics? Absolutely. There are many safe and highly effective synthetic ingredients on the market. I prioritize ingredients that score 1–2 on the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) scale, and I follow EU regulations, which are among the strictest globally.

I don’t use ingredients that have been tested on or have harmed animals. I will create both vegan and non-vegan products—why? Because ingredients like beeswax, honey, and lanolin are some of the best that nature has to offer, and I want the flexibility to formulate with them where they truly make sense.

I’m constantly learning and exploring new ingredients and how they can be combined to create exceptional products. And if you ever have questions about something in a formula, just ask.