Local is the new luxury

In the world of beauty, we are increasingly looking for something more than effective skincare. What matters is not only what is inside the packaging, but also the philosophy behind the product, how it fits into everyday life, and the values it carries. From this need, BY THE RAY was born - a new Polish niche clean beauty brand that has been creating modern cosmetics since 2026, combining scientific innovations, high concentrations of bioactive ingredients, and bold design conceived with beauty, quality, and functionality in mind.

At the heart of the brand is the conviction that beauty should meet the needs of the modern world – it should be conscious, intelligent, holistic, and timeless. That's why the BY THE RAY collection consists of skincare and makeup products that combine spectacular, synergistic formulas with the aesthetics of contemporary luxury, encouraging a more mindful look at daily rituals and discovering beauty on one's own terms.

We talk about how the brand was created, why its founders decided to focus on local production, and what true contemporary luxury means to them today, with Aneta Rybka and Magda Leśnik – the founders of BY THE RAY.

Photo by Katarzyna Hołopiak

How did the story of BY THE RAY begin? Why did you decide to create the brand?

This is a story that began long before the brand itself was established. We have known each other for over fifteen years – we met while studying at the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Warsaw. Even then, we often talked about wanting to create something of our own together one day. After graduation, however, each of us took a different career path, only to meet again a few years later – now with more experience, maturity, and a much better understanding of the market and the needs of contemporary consumers.

BY THE RAY was not initially a brand of own products. For the first two years, we developed the concept of a carefully selected multibrand, importing unique premium brands from the world of beauty, design, and travel to Poland. We were not interested in building just another online store. We felt like curators – we sought out creators and brands that impressed with quality, craftsmanship, aesthetics, and a coherent philosophy. This experience allowed us to observe closely how the best European and global brands are created, how they build their identity, and why they become more than just manufacturers.

The more such brands we discovered, the stronger our need to create our own became. We started to ask ourselves why Poland – with such talented designers, scientists, producers, and artisans – is still much more often a recipient of global brands than their creator. We saw the enormous potential of our market and were convinced that we could create products that, in terms of quality, design, and experience, would be on par with the largest international beauty brands.

The birth of BY THE RAY Beauty in 2026 was therefore not a turn in a completely new direction, but a natural consequence of everything we had learned in previous years. From the role of curators, we moved to the role of creators. Instead of telling the stories of other brands, we decided to create our own – exactly the kind we ourselves were looking for on the market.

What does the brand name BY THE RAY mean?

That's probably one of the questions we hear most often (laughs) - and we love it! BY THE RAY is a play on words, and everyone who works with us or knows us personally knows that we have a huge soft spot for such linguistic games. The name refers to the English phrase by the way, meaning "incidentally," "naturally," "effortlessly," but instead of way, there's ray – a ray of sunshine.

This combination perfectly reflects the brand's philosophy. We wanted skincare to be a ritual that accompanies daily life, not complicates it. We believe that you don't need twenty steps of skincare or hours spent in front of the mirror to effectively take care of your skin. Good products should keep up with you and your rhythm of life – work effectively, while also providing pleasure. BY THE RAY is precisely about this lightness and joy of discovery in a modern, ultra-fast world.

Photo by Karolina Golis

What were your previous professional experiences that you brought to the brand? 

We both worked for many years for European lovebrands premium brands, such as Pandora, L'Oréal, and Westwing. Although they represented different industries – beauty, jewelry, and interiors – they all shared one thing: extraordinary attention to customer experience, quality, and a consistently built brand world. It was there that we learned that truly strong brands create emotions, build relationships, and become part of their audience's daily lives. From the beginning, we knew that if we ever created our own brand, it would be based on the same standards. We wanted to build it with immense respect for customers – to listen to them, understand their needs, and create products that have real value. 

We also got to know the beauty production processes for global luxury brands inside out. Magda - for many years involved in contract manufacturing for the largest international brands - has been leading the development projects for our cosmetics at BY THE RAY from the very beginning.

At the same time, it was important for us to think globally about BY THE RAY from day one. Our goal from the outset has been to build a locally rooted brand that, thanks to its quality, design, and consistent philosophy, has a chance to find its place on the international market as well.

Many brands talk about values today. What are the foundations of BY THE RAY and what does the claim “Discover the beauty” mean to you?

From the beginning, we knew that we didn't want to create products solely to fit trends. We are much more interested in responding to the needs of the modern world. We live fast, are overstimulated, and make hundreds of decisions every day. We believe that skincare should not be another obligation on that list, but a moment that brings a bit of peace, pleasure, and quality into daily life.

That's why we develop our portfolio very selectively. We don't believe in launches for the sake of launches or collections created according to a marketing calendar. We work on each formula until we are convinced that it is exactly what we would want on our own shelf - Aneta even has a special "shelf test" that each of our products must pass (laughs). Our product lines focus, among other things, on longevity and skin that naturally looks rested - like after a week of vacation or a first date.

Our ambition is to create supercharged formulas – multi-directional recipes that utilize the best of both nature and science. Where the highest effectiveness is provided by bioactive ingredients of natural origin, we reach for them. Where scientific innovations offer greater possibilities, we choose the most modern solutions. We focus on maximum effectiveness for the best skincare results.

The brand slogan "Discover the beauty" has always been much more than just a marketing claim for us. It's a philosophy and an invitation to see beauty more broadly - not only in skincare, but also in daily relationships, the objects we surround ourselves with, and in ourselves. We want to build self-confidence based not only on superficial beauty, but on self-acceptance and understanding. Additionally, we love art and design - discovering beauty is our natural way of exploring the world.

You create both skincare and makeup. How does the process of creating BY THE RAY products look, and what do you never compromise on?

It's true, we've always dreamed of a brand that would develop both skincare and makeup – similar to the largest global beauty houses. We are interested in products that are luxurious in experience, but above all, ultra-functional. Products that are not only superficially beautiful, but also prove effective in daily, long-term use and deliver real results.

Every BY THE RAY product is created in Poland – from formula development, through packaging design, to the production of our exquisitely decorated cartons. This allows us to be close to the entire process and consciously influence each stage. We know our partners and manufacturers by name, we visit their workshops and production facilities, we solve problems together and develop new projects. We believe that the best products are created where technology meets trust and long-term relationships.

A good example of this philosophy are our BEAUTY CHECK mirrors. At a time when most similar accessories are produced by the ultra-fast fashion market on the other side of the world, we decided to create them entirely in Poland, in collaboration with the Polish manufacturer Raje Mirrors. The glass panes are made in Mazury, cotton cases are sewn in a family workshop at the foot of Podhale, cartons are produced in Mazovia, and each package receives its hand-calibrated number. These are details that most people might not even notice, but in them, we see true quality and sophistication.

Photo by Karolina Golis

Can Polish brands compete with the biggest global beauty houses and international brands today?

We are convinced that they can! And what's more – we believe they already are. For years, Poland has had excellent research and development facilities, fantastic manufacturers, and specialists who create world-class products. We have enormous potential!

In our opinion, authenticity is key. We don't want to build a brand that tries to be "a Polish version" of someone else. We are most inspired by brands that have their own language, their own aesthetic, and their own way of thinking about beauty. That's exactly the kind of brand we want to create.

Increasingly, we observe that globally, the origin of a product is no longer a limitation, but rather an asset. Customers are looking for brands with character, transparency, created with passion and responsibility. We believe that this is the direction contemporary luxury is heading. It's not about copying the biggest names, but about the courage to create something of your own. If we do this with the highest quality, Poland today has everything it needs to be part of this global conversation.

How do you divide responsibilities within the brand as co-founders on a daily basis? Who is responsible for what? And is building a business with your friend a good idea?

Fortunately, we complement each other very naturally, and it was probably clear from the start what each of us was best at. We have different experiences and competencies, and thanks to that, we form a good duo.

Aneta serves as the brand's Creative Director and is behind BY THE RAY's entire creative world – from strategy and communication direction, through visual identity, to the names of our lines and products. She also writes the iconic texts that appear on our packaging. We often hear from customers that they leave the cartons on the shelf or return to them after reading the descriptions – and that's probably one of the most beautiful compliments one can receive.

Magda, in turn, is the mastermind behind the entire production process. She is responsible for sourcing packaging, collaborating with manufacturers, developing formulas, and refining every quality detail. Thanks to her, ideas turn into real products that reach our customers. Schedules, coordinating deadlines, and organizational Tetris – that's her daily bread.

Of course, that's only part of the truth (laughs). As probably in every startup, a founder simultaneously juggles a dozen different roles. One day we discuss brand strategy, the next we meet at the production facility, and on the third, we pack orders or solve completely unforeseen problems. And that's probably why we most enjoy building our own business - there are virtually no two identical days.

What are your plans and aspirations for the brand?

We want to develop BY THE RAY in the same way that brands which inspired us from the beginning grew – consistently, without haste, and with immense respect for quality. We will continue to develop both our skincare and makeup portfolios in parallel, staying true to our philosophy of refined products created for longevity, not short-lived trends.

Collaborations with Polish artists, designers, and brands are also a very important direction for us. We want to showcase how many extraordinary talents we have locally and build a world around the brand that extends beyond just skincare.

Our ambition is also to prove that a brand created and produced in Poland can be a natural choice for customers worldwide. We believe that local is the new luxury and we want to consistently implement this idea in future launches. We can reveal that we are currently working on a major makeup project that will be very strongly rooted in this philosophy. Stay tuned!

Photo by Katarzyna Hołopiak