This Works

This Works is a British skincare and wellness company based in London, best known for sleep-focused aromatherapy products such as its Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. It was founded by Kathy Phillips, a former beauty director at British Vogue, and built its identity around the promise contained in its name: that products should be tested and shown to work before release. The company is currently owned by the investment firm Inspirit Capital, which acquired it from Canopy Growth Corporation in December 2023 [8].

The brand positions itself around science-backed formulation, describing its approach as "naturally effective, rooted in science, proven to work." Its products span sleep sprays, skincare, bodycare, bath and home items, and a fragrance line, with the sleep category remaining its signature.

This Works was founded by Kathy Phillips, who had spent much of her career in beauty journalism, serving as Health and Beauty Director at British Vogue and later as International Beauty Director at Condé Nast Asia [6]. A qualified yoga teacher with a longstanding interest in complementary medicine and wellness, she started the brand because, in her words, she "wanted to develop a range of high quality skin care products that actually delivered what is says on the bottle" [6]. That focus on measurable results, combined with an emphasis on aromatherapy, shaped the company's early identity.

Sources differ on the founding date. Trade press records the founding year as 2003 [8], while retailer and editorial profiles state that the brand "launched in April 2004" [6][9]. The most consistent reading treats 2003 as the founding year and April 2004 as the public market launch; the brand's own site does not state a founding year.

The company describes its mission as creating "effective, trusted skincare and wellness solutions that improve people's lives and wellbeing," and frames its name as a commitment rather than a slogan: "This Works is more than our name: it's our promise." Products are designed to support the body's natural circadian rhythm and, according to the company, are tested in clinical, fMRI and user studies before release. It describes its method as multidisciplinary, drawing on biochemistry, neuroscience and the social sciences.

A recurring element of its positioning is a user-panel testing threshold: the company states that at least 70% of its panellists must confirm that a product works before it is released, drawing on a panel of more than 900 people.

This Works is most closely associated with its sleep range, led by the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, which trade and editorial coverage has described as bestselling and award-winning [8][9]. The spray uses a blend the company identifies as lavender, camomile and vetivert. A separate "In The Zone" blend, aimed at focus rather than sleep, combines petitgrain, eucalyptus, patchouli and frankincense.

The company frames two ideas as central to its formulation: "Functional Fragrances," essential-oil blends intended to interact with the nervous system, and "Neuroactives," which it describes as natural compounds that affect brain and mood function. It also positions itself as an early entrant in neurocosmetics, a field linking cosmetic ingredients to measurable effects on the brain. Since 2010, according to the company, it has studied the brain-body connection using techniques including fMRI, EEG and polysomnography, working with Professor Gaby Badre of Swedsleep in Sweden. For its Deep Sleep Functional Fragrance, the company reports that "97% of users in our clinical study sleep better."

This Works is a certified B Corporation, a designation from the non-profit B Lab for companies meeting defined standards of social and environmental performance across governance, workers, community, environment and customer impact [3]. The company says its key suppliers have signed a code of conduct covering social and environmental performance, and that it continually reviews its packaging impact "looking to reduce or replace wherever possible." Its published material does not state vegan, cruelty-free or specific recyclable-packaging claims.

Ownership of This Works has changed twice. In May 2019 the cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation acquired the brand for £43 million [8]. In December 2023 it was sold in a corporate carve-out to the investment firm Inspirit Capital, in a deal reported at up to £9.3 million, with £2.7 million paid upfront alongside a loan note and a contingent earn-out [8][7]. Anna Persaud serves as chief executive.

The Deep Sleep Pillow Spray has been the focus of most of the brand's press attention. A 2024 Refinery29 review described it as "award-winning, best-selling" and, while noting it "is not a necessity," called it "an effective luxurious enhancement to everyday life" [9]. The product is priced in the prestige tier, retailing at $30 for a 75ml bottle at the time of that review [9].

This Works remains an operating brand with a live e-commerce presence and international distribution, but its ownership status changed most recently in December 2023, when Inspirit Capital acquired it from Canopy Growth [8]. The company continues to trade and launch products under CEO Anna Persaud.