When it comes to personalizing our skincare routines, so much of the time it can come down to trial and error--testing products to see what reacts best with your skin. For my combination skin, I’m always on the look out for multi-tasking products that provide a healthy amount of hydration for the dryness prone areas of my skin (usually my cheeks) while controlling the oil production of my t-zone all at once. That said: whatever your individual skincare concern, one thing everyone needs is wholesome, organic, and ethically sourced ingredients.

LOLI Beauty wants to help take out both the guesswork from developing the individualized routine we all need alongside taking out all the preservatives and synthetics that none of us want. Think undiluted oils for combination skin, literally almost good enough to eat balms for dryness, and BIY (Blend It Yourself) powder bases for acne-prone skin all formulated with upcycled food. That means LOLI Beauty can be zero waste for you and the Earth.

The Brûlées

Packaged in reusable, food-grade jars, using the spatula to scoop up a bit of balm from LOLI Beauty’s Brûlées series makes you feel like the chicest piece of toast ever. With formulations like Date Nut and Chia Carrot, the simile isn’t that much of a stretch or exaggeration. Beyond their wholesome ingredients list, I love the fact that these particular Brûlées I got to try are so different from each other. Lots of body butters, although different in scent and ingredients, still manage to feel like they’re nearly carbon copies in terms of texture, application, use, and end results. LOLI Beauty’s Date Nut Brûlée and Chia Carrot Brûlée each feel distinct with specific ways I enjoy using and combining each.

LOLI Beauty - Date Nut Brûlée

The Date Nut Brûlée is a hydration powerhouse. Being labeled as a “3-in-1 miracle balm that feeds your skin from head to toe” afforded it a huge expectation to live up to for me, but LOLI’s formulation lived up to the test. As the paramount ingredient, desert date oil plays a huge role in the effectiveness of this product. Full of vitamin A, antioxidants, and fatty acids, it works to strengthen and nourish skin. If you have acne-prone skin, this is a good option for you because date seed oil also has antimicrobial properties which defend skin from bacteria and reduce inflammation. It’s a short ingredient list (which is a good thing), but one of the other top ingredients featured in the Date Nut Brûlée is tamanu oil which helps to lock-in moisture.

I used it on my face after cleansing and toning as well as a dry spot treatment. Despite its initially thick, almost solid texture, warming a small amount between palms works quick to help it melt to a lightweight, velvety smoothness that makes skin feel soft to the touch but never appear oily. Where it really stands out for me is in it’s treatment of dry, cracked skin. If I don’t constantly moisturize them, my lips can reach desert level dryness because I’m pretty terrible at staying hydrated. Really going for it and just slathering my lips with this balm before bedtime made a huge difference. By the time I wake up, my lips have soaked everything up to reveal soft, plump lips without that pesky chapped skin. I’m actually also surprised how well it works on nails. My nails are nearly always polished so, as a result, they’re a bit weak and sad when they’re left exposed. Working in a bit of the Date Nut Brûlée helped to make a noticeable difference in their overall health.

LOLI Beauty - Chia Carrot Brûlée

The combination of chia seed and carrot in LOLI Beauty’s Chia Carrot Brûlée results in a nourishing, soothing balm. Chia seed oil contains vitamin B3 which contributes to a brighter, more even complexion as well as zinc which works against clogging pores. Carrot, on the other hand, is a great source of vitamin A which promotes strong, healthy skin.

As far as my first impression goes, I was initially struck by the fact that it’s slightly watery or loose in texture compared to the traditional body butters I’ve tried. It’s exactly like you’d expect puréed carrot to be which is a great indication for me that LOLI Beauty is really working with the real deal. While the Date Nut Brûlée is more luxe and makes skin feel hydrated and luscious, the Chia Carrot Brûlée’s silky consistency leaves your skin looking healthy and radiant. Melting deep into skin, the all natural ingredients take effect right away. Just even after one use, my skin felt so hydrated, smooth, and nourished. If you have combination skin that accumulates oil throughout the day like I do, this does an outstanding job of providing the right amount of moisture to keep skin balanced and prevent excessive oil production. That said, I’d still definitely recommend lots of different skin types to try out the Chia Carrot Brûlée. I lent my mom some when she told me her dry, eczema skin was feeling rough and parched around her nose and cheeks. Suffice to say, she’s taken my mini-jar in her purse as her go to moisturizer because of how quick working and soothing it is.

The Elixirs

When I hear elixir, my mind immediately goes to the realm of fantasy fiction and potions. Well this may be real life, but LOLI Beauty’s elixirs might as well be magic. I got to try LOLI Beauty’s Plum Elixir and Tea Seed Elixir. I’m actually really bummed out I have the mini versions. Luckily for me, a little goes a long way so your skin can savor every drop. I love using them after cleansing and toning as a stand in for moisturizer. They’re both incredibly hydrating on their own while leaving skin with a slightly matte finish.

LOLI Beauty - Tea Seed Elixir

One of the most beneficial components of tea seed oil is its high oleic acid content. Oleic acid (aka omega 9) both immerses your skin with hydration and creates a barrier to prevent that moisture from evaporating. Combined with ingredients like grapefruit which keeps pores clear, LOLI Beauty’s Tea Seed Elixir is like a checklist of everything you need to tame combination skin.

LOLI’s elixirs are so lightweight, they’re like air. Immediately nourishing, the oil seeps deep into skin. It doesn’t really even feel like you’ve put anything on because of the zero-wait time to be absorbed. It just melts in. After consistently using this product twice a day for a couple days, I already noticed a big improvement in the texture and complexion of my skin. Lots of skincare is about consistency and working to maintain the routine, but this serum works so quickly and efficiently that you can use it in a pinch and see results. Its rejuvenating formulation leaves your face looking smooth, plump, and refined with just the right amount of luminosity. Even towards the end of the day when I’d expect my skin to be looking dull, it looks and feels just as bright as it did in the morning before leaving the house. Even more importantly, it keeps oil production well in check without sacrificing any glow.

LOLI Beauty - Plum Elixir

Formulated as a multi-use serum, LOLI Beauty’s Plum Elixir features powerful ingredients like plum seed oil, sea buckthorn oil, and tea seed oil. Sourced from a farm in southwestern France, the oil from Ente Plum seeds are said to be more powerful than argan oil and marula oil. Soothing, anti-inflammatory, full of nourishing components, and effective for an array of skin concerns from dryness to dark spots, the Plum Elixir is a jack of all trades.

Using it on my face and lips, it made a quick difference in the brightness of my complexion. In terms of texture improvement, I was super impressed with how effective it is on the fine lines of my lips. Not only was there a visible reduction in the appearance of fine lines, but my lips look and feel hydrated and pillowy soft. One way I really enjoy using this product is as a lightweight lip gloss over either bare lips or a rosy tint. As for other uses, I love this product for my hair. To dry hair, I’d work in a bit of the serum into the ends of my hair. I avoid most hair oils because I don’t want them to weigh my hair down or leave an oily residue. Because it’s so lightweight, it soaks right in to give my slightly wavy ends more bounce and shine.