PB Approved: Oh LOLI Beauty, You Had Me at “Compostubble”
Beauty and skin care products are so plentiful that if you search Google for skin care, you will soon fall down a rabbit hole of choices so vast that not even the Mad Hatter could lead you out again. It seems that every celebrity has a beauty line or skin care regimen that you must follow in an intricate number of steps with a large array of products then click your heels three times to glow, glimmer, be happy, healthy, and find the fountain of youth. Upon reviewing LOLI’s skincare products, I did not expect to find much of a difference from other beauty lines that I have tried, but when I received the products from LOLI (Living Organic Loving Ingredients), I merely had to look at the packaging to know I was in L-O-V-E with L-O-L-I. The bubble wrap cleverly and cutely describes itself as “compostubble,” which made me smile and already put me in a positive mindset before I even tried the products. As Tina Hedges, founder of LOLI Beauty, quotes Christian Dior on lolibeauty.com, "Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness.”
Tina Hedges brings an impressive background to LOLI Beauty, having years of experience with well-known brands such as Christian Dior, Estée Lauder, and L'Oréal. She grew up in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, where her "early childhood memories were of natural ingredients being made into topical and ingestible health and wellness beauty remedies." Add to this, Hedges’ own experience of an alarming combination of health issues including rashes and signs of early menopause that led her to look into the ingredients in the products she was using, and you have a recipe for her inspiration to create LOLI Beauty, "the world’s first zero waste, organic, food-grade approach to beauty."
LOLI Beauty products are made as multi-use so you don't need to clutter your cabinets with a huge variety of bottles, jars, and tubes. I was surprised to find included in the package, a mixing cup, spoon, and stick until I read that I could mix my own potion from the products in any fashion I might like and experiment with what works best for my own skin. I was so accustomed to being instructed on exactly how and in what order to use beauty products that I wasn't sure at first how to proceed, but found I really enjoyed being able to play with it. Hedges has stated, "I believe beauty is a ritual that begins with you. Take matters into your own hands and let your intuition guide you. When you blend food to make beauty, you make more of yourself. It’s powerful alchemy,” and I think she is right.
I have sensitive skin, so I decided to invite my large family into joining me in trying LOLI products. We have different skin types, so I thought this would give the reader more of an idea of what to expect
LOLI BLUE CORNFLOWER TONIC, $38; lolibeauty.com
The most notable element of every product was the simplicity of a glass bottle with a colorful hue inside, in this case a relaxing blue reminiscent of the Caribbean seas. A simple short list of ingredients is proudly printed in large letters on the side of the label. The ingredients are actually upcycled from leftovers of food production, so not only does LOLI not produce waste, but they decrease waste from other companies. LOLI Beauty goes through a rigorous process to ensure that the product is organic, natural, waste free, toxin free, waterless, and MADE SAFE certified. The production process is also slavery free and environmentally safe. The bottom of the bottle clearly touts the expiration date, which is something I usually have to hunt for.
The fragrance of the tonic is exactly what it is: cornflowers, light and earthy. It can be used on a cotton pad as a clarifier or be splashed on as a toner. My personal favorite use is as a soother once stored in the refrigerator since my skin tends to be irritated easily. This product also gives you a perfect excuse to buy that mini skincare fridge I know you’ve been wanting. After multiple skin types used this product, from dry to combination to oily, the consensus was that the product is refreshing and instantly soothes the skin. This is the perfect base for the rest of the skincare routine as it leaves a fresh clean palette to start with.
LOLI PLUM ELIXIR, $68; lolibeauty.com
This plum elixir is a fan favorite for the brand, which can be attributed to the positive effects of implementing plum into your skin care routine. This plump purple beauty is packed with vitamins A, C, K, B1, B2, B3, and E. These ingredients help the skin to heal faster and reduce the appearance of dark spots and pigmentation issues. This product is extremely multi-faceted as it can be used as a hair oil as well as for chapped lips. The charming bottle has a dropper on top that reminded me of something I might get from an apothecary.
The elixir smells like a fresh bakery with a richness that is natural rather than artificial, almost like plum bread right out of the oven. A little goes a long way with this product, which makes it even more worth the price. My skin felt extremely hydrated and silky, but not at all greasy. Used on the hair, those with thin hair noticed that too much product weighed down dry hair but was great as a conditioner that could be rinsed off. Those with thick hair found it to be perfect leaving a nice shine. My lips also thanked me for easing the effects of this harsh cold winter.
LOLI TEA SEED ELIXIR, $42; lolibeauty.com
I know I just said that the plum elixir is a fan favorite, but I think I may like this one just a drop better. The product, of course, contains tea seed oil which is known for anti-aging in its prevention of wrinkles. These anti-aging properties also help to reduce sun damage, which I personally believe is the number one thing you need to keep your skin healthy. The elixir brightens your skin tone even after one use but is also meant to even skin tone over time.
Other than tea seed oil, this blend includes apricot oil, flaxseed oil, sweet orange, pink grapefruit, and rosemary. You can imagine, then, how amazing this product smells. The fragrance almost made me want to drink it, and honestly maybe you can, given how safe the ingredients are (but please don’t!). Similar to the plum elixir, our skin and hair was left silky and hydrated. It also left behind a lingering glow that was almost as bright as the sunshine yellow of the serum. Depending on your personal preferences, you can determine which elixir to use, or perhaps a combination of both.
LOLI DATE NUT BRULEE, $48; lolibeauty.com
The glass jar containing this product and many other LOLI products is reusable. This particular jar, a yogurt container, can be reused to store food. The minimal amount of plastic used in the lid is only because another source would actually cause more pollution, and the plastic lids are made to be reused on the containers. This careful attention to detail speaks to the integrity of LOLI Beauty.
This miracle balm is the true worker bee of this line. If I could only have one beauty product in my cabinet, this just might be it. It is a cleanser as well as a moisturizer. It can be used on skin, hair, lips, and nails. It lifts the day's accumulation of dirt, oil, and stress, smooths away rough patches, and somehow lifts my spirits. One family member described my face as glistening after I had used this balm. Who doesn't love that?
The fragrance is mildly nutty with subtle floral notes. It goes on so silky soft that I even used it on the thin sensitive skin around my eyes. Almost 15 hours after using the product, all of us could still see and feel its effects. During the pandemic, we have all been using so much drying sanitizer, and our nails have become brittle, ridged, and cracked looking. We saw an immediate difference upon applying this balm, and after a week of use, our nails have almost returned to normal. The product melts under the warmth of your finger for easy application, and once again, a little goes a long way.
LOLI PURPLE CORN GRAINS, $32; lolibeauty.com
Last but not least is this mildly exfoliating facial scrub. The purple corn grains give it an appealing light maroon hue, and the all natural ingredients including pomegranate, orange peel, and almond flour make the use of polluting microbeads found in other exfoliants unnecessary. These antioxidants are perfect wrinkle fighters. This product is meant to purify, protect, and rejuvenate. In perfect compliance with LOLI's zero waste ethic, these grains are sent dry because as Hedges has asked, "why add water when the consumer can add water?" This allows for less waste in packaging, and more product.
The fragrance reminds me of some imaginary tropical lightly lavender sandy beach that I just captured in a bottle. Unlike other scrubs, the texture of Purple Grains is like a fine soft sand, yet still effective in erasing rough patches. “Scrub” is too harsh a term for this fine gentle blend. We all felt a fresh, cool, smoothness after using this product, as if caressed by the clear waters on our imaginary beach. This particular product comes with a small mixing bowl which really personalizes the experience. I added a small amount of water, but I could have mixed with other LOLI products as well. It is appropriate that Peruvean purple corn originates from a plant known as "the plant of remembrance" because this product is unforgettable.
With all of the careful attention put into making this line so environmentally friendly, I began to wonder why these products don't cost more. Additionally, LOLI is donating 10% of all sales to the charity of the customers choice out of these- https://donors.givz.com/integration/loli-givz. Doesn't everyone want to be a part of such a worthwhile effort? I know I do. It seems that Tina Hedges may actually have found the fountain of youth after all. Oh LOLI, you had me at “compostubble.”
Article by Tessa Swantek, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
