Lydia Welsh
Lydia Welsh is the founder of Clērstory, a small batch botanical skincare line based in Seattle. A former disease researcher, Lydia brings scientific rigor to her approach, creating products that combine natural ingredients with evidence-based formulations.
Lydia Welsh's Bio
Lydia Welsh is the founder of Clērstory, a small-batch botanical skincare line based in Seattle. She built the company on her background in biology, bringing scientific rigor to ingredient selection and formula development.
After earning a bachelor's in biology, Lydia worked in disease research for several years. She'd always been interested in skincare, but in 2020 it clicked — skincare is just biology and chemistry at work. That sparked a months-long deep dive into research papers, during which she started blending botanical extracts, plant oils, and safe synthetics and testing formulas on family. Those homegrown prototypes turned into a business. She launched Clērstory in 2021.
The early years ran part-time around a full-time job and two young kids. Lydia filled orders on evenings and weekends and sold at Seattle-area farmers markets. She started with a few simple products — a gentle cleanser, a hydrating mist, and a couple of facial oils — and grew the line gradually.
Clērstory is now a direct-to-consumer brand with a small but loyal customer base. Lydia still mixes, bottles, and labels every batch herself in her Seattle studio. The brand is woman-owned, vegan, and cruelty-free, focused on simple routines made from plant-based ingredients and science-backed actives.
Career Timeline
2008 — BS in Biology
Bachelor's degree in biology, laying the foundation for her later work in ingredient science.
2014 — Disease Researcher
Worked in disease research for several years after college, building deep expertise in chemistry and biology.
2020 — Began Skincare Formulation Research at Clērstory
During some free time in 2020, Lydia started reading research papers on skincare ingredients and began experimenting with botanical extracts and plant oils at home.
2021 — Launched Clērstory
Officially launched Clērstory after developing and testing formulas with family. Started selling at farmers markets while working full-time and raising two young children.
2023 — Expanded Product Line at Clērstory
Added new product versions to the lineup to encourage more sampling and grow the customer base.
2025 — Featured on How I Built This Advice Line
Appeared on the HIBT Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore (Beauty Pie) to discuss overcoming fear of failure in growing Clērstory.
Episodes
Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore of Beauty Pie (June 2025)
In this Advice Line episode, serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, founder of Beauty Pie, guides three early-stage founders through pressing business challenges. Victor Garcia of Sol Dias Ice Cream weighs expanding retail versus wholesale. Lydia Welsh of Clerstory struggles with fear of rejection in marketing her skincare line. Jack Boland of Wompy Bikes aims to optimize his custom bike bag sales funnel. Marcia offers a masterclass in practical founder coaching with advice on testing with ads, simplifying choices, and creating flagship experiences.
Advice Line with Marcia Kilgore of Beauty Pie
Marcia Kilgore joins the Advice Line to guide three early-stage founders through growth challenges. Victor in Fort Worth weighs brick-and-mortar expansion against retail distribution for his Mexican sweets brand. Lydia in Seattle seeks to scale her small-batch botanical skincare line while overcoming fear of failure. Jack in San Francisco wants to maintain customer excitement throughout his custom bike bag brand's purchasing process. Kilgore draws on her experience building Beauty Pie, Bliss, and Soap & Glory to offer candid advice on scaling, risk, and staying true to your brand.
