Beauty Review: Laurel Skin
“We are awakening to the truth about where our food comes from, and by extension, where our skincare comes from. Like the food we eat, the most beneficial skincare is made with raw, organic, farm sourced, handcrafted ingredients.”
- Laurel Skin
Introducing Laurel Skin
It is safe to say, that as a natural beauty customer, this is exactly what you want to hear from the company making your skincare products. I would like to introduce you to Laurel Skin! The Laurel Skin line is a ritualistic range of flower and herb-based skincare formulated with impeccably sourced, highly vibrant whole plants picked at their peak for unmatched transparency, purity, and results. Firmly rooted in the principles and practices of mindfully sourced beauty, Laurel’s first and most critical relationship is with Mother Earth.
The brand’s exclusive partnerships with local artisan farmers ensure the highest quality and most stringent transparency. Their mutual commitment to only 100% organic, raw, unrefined plant materials guarantees unparalleled freshness and efficacy. Laurel Skin believes beauty should be a loving self care practice that begins and ends with mindfulness.
Slow farmed beauty, mastered
Laurel Skin is committed to your health, well-being and, as a result, your beauty. Their commitment begins with the quality of the soil that nourishes and optimizes the ingredients they select. This is the foundation of mindfully sourced skincare. They then follow each ingredient from seed to harvest. Through the season it takes to grow our plants, to the months our handmade blends sit steeping, to the hours we spend bottling each batch – each step becomes a slow and intentional process. Our greatest reward is knowing you feel this thoughtfulness when you use our products.
No harmful ingredients
Our commitment to your total well-being is evidenced by what is in each bottle, and what isn’t. In addition to being free of water, alcohol and fillers, Laurel Skin is adamant about product purity. As a protector of Nature in all forms, Laurel refuses to use any harmful or questionable ingredients often found in skincare – carcinogens, hormone disruptors, or synthetic fragrances. Even lab-derived and bio-identical ingredients, GMOs, or conventionally grown plants are not “of Nature”, and therefore are not used in the Laurel line. It is our belief that these ingredients can possibly do long-term damage to the skin, the body and the planet that we are not yet capable of comprehending.
Whole plant ingredients
Our organic, raw, unrefined whole plant ingredients contain hundreds of antioxidant variations, vitamins, and nutrients. We believe no man-made ingredients can compare to the delicate, intricate, and powerful science of Nature. The results whole plants can deliver when they are truly unaltered is transformational. Lab-made ingredients are only ever mimicking what Nature has already mastered, and we find them completely unnecessary.
Spa worthy products
Laurel Skin was created with spas and estheticians in mind. Offering the complexity to support customized, results-driven facials, yet intuitive enough to invite slow farmed beauty rituals at home. Our mindful beauty rituals can take years off the mind, body, and spirit, not only the skin.
Top Products from Laurel Skin:
Cleansers, exlixirs, serums, oh my! Laurel Skin offers every product you need for a skincare routine, so keep reading if you are looking to replace any of the products that you are currently using or if you want to create a routine with Laurel Skin products! Below you will find information on top product categories and a description of our product choices.
Table of Contents:
Cleansers
Effortless Cleanser - Radiant Glow
Support Cleanser - Cool Relief
Hydrating Elixirs
Hydrating Elixir - Phytonutrient Replenish
Hydrating Elixir - Support + Recover
Serums
Antioxidant Serum - Vibrancy Revival
Sun Serum - Phyto Defense + Repair
Masks
Almond Rose Exfoliant - Hydrating Nutrients
Gentle Mask - Hydrating Recovery
Body
California Body Oil - Bare Heat
Sun Body Oil - Phyto Defense + Repair
CLEANSERS
A primary difference in Laurel Skin’s approach to cleansing versus a more conventional or commercial skin care brand is that none of the Laurel Skin Cleansers foam. All foaming cleansers – no matter how gentle or plant-based – can negatively affect skin’s lipid barrier and microbiome. Having a well-established lipid barrier and diverse skin flora are key to skin health, helping to protect from the elements, inflammation, transepidermal water loss, and microbial imbalances.
It is impossible for the lipid barrier and microbiome to replenish themselves fully when foaming cleansers are used daily. The squeaky-clean feeling left behind after using them is the absence of your skin’s natural and beneficial lipid barrier.
Each of their four Cleansers remove makeup, sunscreen, and daily pollutants, all while supporting skin’s natural lipid barrier and microbiome. The transition when just starting out with the Laurel line is often dependent on how much barrier and microbiome damage needs to be restored from the start.
If you’re unsure which Laurel Skin Cleanser is right for your skin, see their Cleansers At-a-Glance Journal.
Effortless Cleanser - Radiant Glow
Non-foaming, non-stripping gentle facial cleanser that effectively removes daily pollutants, excess oil, and full makeup and sunscreen while hydrating, nourishing, moisturizing and supporting a healthy skin barrier.
Light, creamy gel-like consistency leaves skin soft, nourished and refreshed.
Delicately blended combination of whole plant extracts, teas, hydrosols, oils and honey – all working together to not only cleanse the skin but also soften, plump and restore.
California grown Calendula and Rose Geranium help to tone and refine, paired with Rose, Rosehip and Myrrh resin to repair.
Support Cleanser - Cool Relief
Calming, gel-like emulsion that gently removes daily pollutants, excess oil, makeup and sunscreen, and effectively detoxifies congested or breakout prone skin.
Non-foaming and non-stripping facial cleanser that soothes red, irritated, or inflamed skin.
Feather light with an instant cooling effect on inflamed, acneic skin.
Ideal for sun damaged skin or reactive skin in need of soothing support, while still encouraging detox and decongesting.
Combines multiple Chamomile varieties, Calendula, Licorice, Lavender, and raw Honey all for calming in order to promote optimal skin health.
Light oils of Sunflower and Safflower dissolve blackheads and oxidized sebum in pores.
Does all of the above, while hydrating and keeping our lipid barrier intact and healthy.
HYDRATING ELIXIRS
Hydration is vital for healthy skin – whether you’re oily or dry – and Hydrating Elixirs are the primary source of hydration in the Laurel Skin line. They find that their customers almost always need to be using more Elixir in their skin ritual. Laurel Skin’s two-step approach to moisturizing combines hydrosol-based Elixirs with lipid-based Serums and Balms, creating the perfect oil-water balance for healthy skin, as well as the most positive results in your Laurel Skin ritual. Think of their Elixirs as a hybrid of a what other brands often refer to as facial mists and treatment serums, providing delicate water-soluble nutrients – like B vitamins, botanical hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and polysaccharides – from their house made whole plant infusions.
If you’re unsure which Laurel Skin Elixir is right for your skin, see their Elixirs At-a-Glance Journal.
Hydrating Elixir - Phytonutrient Replenish
Combination of deeply hydrating, nutrient and antioxidant rich whole plants that keep skin looking healthy, firm and supple.
hydrating mist/serum combination, made of artisan distilled single farm hydrosols, along with a combination of herbalist-made and housemade whole plant extracts.
Plants chosen for this Elixir bring an abundance of polysaccharides, B vitamins, enzymes, bioflavonoids, polyphenols, resveratrol, vitamin C, and plant humectants that mimic hyaluronic acid; all phytonutrients within their whole plant synergy.
Good for all skin types, and is best suited to dry, mature, sensitive, and rosacea symptoms
Hydrating Elixir - Support + Recover
Delivers immediate hydration and soothing relief to reactive, irritated, inflamed skin.
A hydrating mist/serum combination, made of cooling artisan distilled single farm hydrosols, along with a combination of herbalist-made and housemade whole plant extracts.
Vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant-rich mist that calms and relieves the skin while balancing the skin’s microflora for a clear complexion.
Plants in this blend boast many hydrating, nutritive, and anti-inflammatory constituents like curcumin and azulene, along with B vitamins, enzymes, salicylic acid*, polyphenols, and humectant complexes that mimic hyaluronic acid.
Good for all skin types, but is especially well-suited to acne, inflammation of any kind, hyperpigmentation, and skin that is in need of extra soothing support in order to function in a healthy way.
SERUMS
Serums are the second half of Laurel Skin’s two-step approach to moisturizing, working in tandem with their Hydrating Elixirs. While they could technically fall into the “facial oil” category, they are unlike any facial oil ever encountered in the industry due to Laurel Skin’s unique production process and sourcing methods. These serums should be considered a skin-specific treatment serum, elemental defense oil, and moisturizer all in one. Serums are what Laurel Skin are best known for, and countless customer testimonials are proof they are truly second to none.
The serums begin as fresh whole plants delivered directly to the lab from their partnering farms. These plants then go through a proprietary three-month maceration process to ensure Laurel Skin is capturing the widest range of both oil and water-soluble phytonutrients. The macerations are then layered with raw, unrefined seed and nut oils that have been freshly pressed exclusively for Laurel Skin, creating lipid oils that have a vastly more nutritious and antioxidant-rich profile than standardized cosmetic oils. Finally, the Serum formulas are finished with a microdose of essential oils (less than 1%) to help further treat the symptoms each Serum is focused on. The microdosed essential oil goes unnoticed for most, leaving each Serum with a mildly earthy and herbal scent.
To help find the right Laurel Skin Serum for your specific skin concerns, read their Serums Deep Dive Journal.
Antioxidant Serum - Vibrancy Revival
Made with 31 of the freshest and most potent, powerful botanicals.
A concentrated moisturizer, treatment serum, and elemental defense oil that restores vitality in just one drop.
Phytonutrient density comprised of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals supports all the common concerns that come with healthy aging.
Stunning blend of whole plants deeply restores the radiant skin we are meant to have at any age.
Sun Serum - Phyto Defense + Repair
A concentrated moisturizer, treatment serum, and elemental defense oil that addresses the symptoms that come with overexposure to the sun.
By combining the most current botanical research on phytonutrients with centuries-old plant traditions, this repairing serum delivers a firmer more supple appearance, a brighter more even tone, and a visible reduction in irritation and discoloration.
Ideally applied both before and after time spent in the sun, as it features whole plant extracts that address both prevention and repair through the use of antioxidant-dense and anti-inflammatory botanicals.
Whole plants rich in carotenoids, resveratrol, flavonoids, polyphenols, and essential fatty acids are blended mindfully to help prevent UV damage.
MASKS
Each of the Laurel Skin Masks are formulated to treat a specific set of skin concerns and are in a raw, dry, and powdered form. Providing their Masks in powdered form is the best possible way to protect the oil and water-soluble plant nutrients from oxidation and metabolic breakdown, keeping the phytonutrients as potent as possible. They even do their own plant powdering in-house to ensure optimal freshness and potency, which isn’t something they’ve seen elsewhere in the industry.
Laurel Skin Treatment Masks are activated by mixing them with water before each use. Beneficial flavonoids, saccharides, minerals, tannins, acids, and enzymes release from the plants and are then immediately bioavailable for the skin. All the nutrient-dense plants in their Masks are considered prebiotics and provide food for diverse and healthy skin flora. Additionally, the powdered formulas do not require preservation, which is something they avoid whenever possible to better support the health of the skin’s microbiome.
If you aren’t sure which Mask is for you or for advanced usage tips, read their Masks Deep Dive Journal.
Almond Rose Exfoliant - Hydrating Nutrients
Intensely hydrating and nourishment rich mask.
Soft grains remove dull, surface skin cells while roots and petals provide hydration, vitamins, and antioxidants to reveal a dewy glow.
Combination of Oats and Almonds provide water-based nutrients like B Vitamins and oil-based nutrients like Vitamin E, both essential for a healthy skin barrier.
Both Oats and Almonds are incredibly soft, making this exfoliant far gentler to all skin types than chemical or enzymatic exfoliants.
Gentle Mask - Hydrating Recovery
Provides deep hydration and instant soothing relief to irritated and inflamed skin.
As this mask steeps, it transforms into a rich fuchsia color with a jelly-like texture that cools and calms the skin.
Restores nutrients for both skin and barrier support, leaving behind a soft, supple glow.
Contains medicinal flowers, roots, mushrooms, and berries to provide botanical hyaluronic acid, polysaccharides, B vitamins, essential fatty acids, azulene, anthocyanin, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E.
BODY
Elements of sensory and energetic experiences are provided by Laurel Skin’s Body Oils and Anointing Oil, inspiring ritual and self-care. The fragrance provided by essential oils goes directly to our pituitary gland and has an instant calming effect on our nervous system. Laurel Skin Body Oils and Anointing Oil include house made gemstone essences to capture the energetic balancing qualities of crystals such as Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine, and many others.
The Body Oils are unique in that they function more like body serums, checking the boxes of moisturizer, skin repair treatment, and elemental protection oil all in one. Conventional body lotions contain an average of 80% water – along with stabilizers, emulsifiers, and preservatives – making the actual percentage of beneficial ingredients often less than 10%. Those percentages are helpful to consider when determining how much Body Oil to use; we recommend about 1/5 of what you would use for a lotion or cream. Our body care formulas eliminate all that your skin doesn’t need and only provide what is going to improve its health and vitality.
California Body Oil - Bare Heat
A body serum and moisturizer packed with nutrients and antioxidants to promote radiant skin health.
Contains raw, rich plant oils to regenerate the skin, and plants with an affinity for lymph and circulatory movement. Those attributes mean that this oil helps reduce stagnation, making room for the vital nourishment it is providing.
The ingredients in this oil capture the essence of California in every way, with an emphasis on raw seed and nut oils grown and pressed here, such as Olive, Almond, Sunflower and Avocado.
Each of these unrefined oils is pressed fresh for Laurel Skin, to maintain their full phytonutrient profile and antioxidant viability.
Artisan distilled Douglas Fir, Black Spruce, Orange Blossom and Rose come together bringing in notes of wood, earth, citrus and floral.
Includes a house made Gem Essence of Rose Quartz and Herkimer Diamond, created to promote self-acceptance and self-love.
Sun Body Oil - Phyto Defense + Repair
A body serum and moisturizer packed with nutrients and antioxidants that are particularly beneficial before and after sun exposure.
Every single ingredient chosen for this product has the ability to assist in preventing UV induced oxidative damage or has the ability to repair damage after too much sun exposure.
This lightweight, golden oil is a wealth of carotenoids, resveratrol, polyphenols and essential fatty acids working intelligently with your skin to strengthen its response to the sun’s rays.
It contains a blend of aromatic tropical and floral essential oils along with fruit and seed oils that together create a scent that nods to summer’s abundance.