October is National Women’s Small Business Month, and we couldn’t think of a better time to take you behind the brand and introduce you more personally to the women behind Intelligent Elixirs.

We’re Mary and Cat, co-founders of Intelligent Elixirs. Between us, we’ve spent over 30 years working in the professional beauty and skincare industry, learning about skin, ingredients, formulation, treatments and most importantly, what consumers and skincare professionals actually need from their products. Intelligent Elixirs grew from that experience and from a shared belief: you shouldn’t have to choose between clinically effective skincare and affordable skincare.

We're involved in nearly every part of the business, from choosing ingredients and developing formulas to testing products, talking with estheticians and customers, designing packaging and, yes, occasionally unloading pallets and packing orders. So, in honor of National Women’s Small Business Month, we thought we’d turn the questions on ourselves.

Q: Why did you create Intelligent Elixirs?

Mary: One of the biggest things we noticed after decades in this industry was just how expensive clinically effective skincare had become. For the average person, building a routine with well-formulated, results-focused products could feel completely out of reach. We believed there was a better way.

 

Cat: And affordability couldn't come at the expense of efficacy. We wanted our formulas to contain clinically studied ingredients at meaningful levels. The goal has always been to create products that actually support change in the skin while remaining accessible enough to become part of someone's consistent routine.

That combination became the foundation of Intelligent Elixirs: clean, clinical, cruelty-free skincare built around purposeful ingredients.

Q: What do you believe about skincare?

Cat: Healthy skin is really at the center of everything we formulate. Skin naturally changes as we age. Cellular turnover and collagen synthesis slow, and the skin can become less effective at maintaining hydration. At the same time, we're continually exposed to factors like UV rays, pollution and other sources of oxidative stress and inflammation. When we're developing a product, we're looking at the bigger picture. How can we help support the skin's natural renewal processes? How can we support hydration and the skin barrier? How can we help protect the skin against environmental stressors?

 

Mary: That's why you'll see ingredients such as antioxidants, exfoliants, hydrators and soothing ingredients throughout the collection. We're not interested in chasing every new trend. We want to create formulas based on what we understand about skin physiology and ingredients. For us, skincare should be consistent, intentional and supported by science.

Q: Is there anything you won't compromise on when developing a product?

Mary: Transparency. It's incredibly important to us that our customers and especially the estheticians using Intelligent Elixirs in their treatment rooms feel confident in the formulas they're working with. We want you to know what's in your skincare and why it's there.

 

Cat: Efficacy. An impressive ingredient list doesn't mean very much if the formula itself isn't thoughtfully developed. When we choose clinical ingredients, we're considering how they're incorporated into the formula and whether they are being used in a way that can meaningfully support the skin. Every ingredient should have a reason for being there.

Q: How involved are you personally in Intelligent Elixirs today?

Cat + Mary: Incredibly involved. And when we say we're a small business, we mean it. We're involved in formulations. We research and select ingredients. We test products. We work on packaging and design. We collaborate on education and social media marketing. We talk with customers and estheticians everyday. We listen to feedback. And sometimes we're unloading pallets in the warehouse or helping pick and pack orders. There really isn't much within Intelligent Elixirs that we aren't personally connected to in some way. There are definitely days when we look at each other and think, What are we doing? We're crazy. And then we remember: we love it.

 

Building this brand, developing products and hearing how they're being used in treatment rooms and homes is still incredibly rewarding to both of us.

Q: Do you actually use the products yourselves?

Cat + Mary: Absolutely. We want to maintain healthy, resilient skin just as much as our customers do. That's part of why we're so particular about what makes it into a formula. We want products that support visible improvement while also helping maintain and protect healthy skin over time. We develop skincare we genuinely want to use ourselves.

Q: What's one skincare trend you don't buy into?

Mary: One is the term “medical grade skincare.” It's become an incredibly powerful marketing phrase, but consumers can sometimes interpret it to mean something more official than it actually is. We would much rather encourage people to look beyond a marketing term and ask better questions. What's actually in the formula? What does the ingredient do? Is the product appropriate for your skin?

 

Cat: My other one is blindly following skincare advice because it went viral. Seeing something on TikTok or Instagram doesn't automatically make it good advice for your skin.

 

We're hearing from estheticians who are seeing clients with compromised or irritated skin because they've tried too many DIY treatments, trends or active ingredients at once. Your skin doesn't need every trend. It needs what works for your skin.

Q: If you could choose one skincare product you personally wouldn't want to be without, what would it be?

Cat: 15% Vitamin C Serum. For me, L-ascorbic acid is foundational. A well-formulated vitamin C serum can help support collagen, brighten the appearance of the skin and provide antioxidant protection against environmental oxidative stress.

 

Mary: Same for me. Vitamin C is one of those ingredients that can play an important role in a consistent, long-term skincare routine. That's why our 15% Vitamin C Serum is such an important product within Intelligent Elixirs.

 

If you're looking at your routine and wondering where to begin, vitamin C is one ingredient we both continually come back to.

Q: As women and small business owners, what does community mean to you?

Cat + Mary: So much of building Intelligent Elixirs has been about relationships. We're incredibly grateful for the estheticians, small businesses and customers who have supported us, recommended our products, shared feedback and grown alongside us.

 

We never want to lose the accessibility and personal connection that have been part of this company from the beginning. We want you to be able to ask us questions. We want estheticians to feel confident talking to us about their clients. We want customers to understand why they're putting something on their skin. And we want Intelligent Elixirs to continue being what we originally set out to create: Accessible skincare to believe in.

From Our Small Business to You

You are an important part of that story. Every order placed, product recommended, treatment performed, review written, post shared and message sent has helped Intelligent Elixirs grow. Thank you for trusting two women who believed effective skincare could be done differently and decided to build it themselves.

If you ever have a question about a product, an ingredient or your skin, our inbox is always open. Give us a call or email us:

844-643-7546
customerservice@ieskincare.com

With gratitude,

Co-Founders, Intelligent Elixirs