After years of struggling with acne, Nola Skinsentials founder Jane Ormon noticed that her skin issues were not being catered to. She couldn’t find a brand that created all plant-based products for skin with melanin.
Instead of accepting defeat, Ormon decided to do it herself and create a skincare line that not only benefited melanin based skin tones but all skin tones and skin types. And that’s how Nola Skinsentials was born.
This vegan-friendly, cruelty-free brand offers a variety of plant-based products that are handmade in small batches to ensure quality. The products are formulated to help with everything from hyperpigmentation to acne to dry patches and more.
But do Nola Skinsentials products really work? In order to answer that question, we’ll discuss the formulation details, including the key ingredients in Nola Skinsentials products and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skincare.
We’ll also share some Nola Skinsentials reviews so that you can get an idea of what customers really think of these products.
What Are The Top 10 Best Nola Skinsentials Products?
Nola Skinsentials offers everything that you would need to create a complete skincare routine, including cleansers, toners, mists, moisturizers, serums, masks, and even skincare for men. Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 best Nola Skinsentials products.
Nola Skinsentials Clarifying Cleansing Foam
This gentle foaming cleanser can be used by all skin types to remove makeup, excess oil, and acne-causing factors without the need to double cleanse.
One of the key ingredients in this cleanser is saponified olive oil, which is simply olive oil that’s been saponified with an alkali (aka lye) in order to make a soap. Saponified olive oil produces a mild lather that helps to wash away impurities.
We love that the formula includes several hydrating and soothing ingredients, such as jojoba oil, aloe vera, chamomile, and hemp, just to name a few. Ultimately, this means the formula not only cleanses skin, but should also help to reduce redness while keeping skin hydrated.
Bottom Line: A gentle foaming cleanser that uses saponified olive oil to clear away makeup and impurities while a blend of soothing botanical extracts helps to keep skin calm.
Nola Skinsentials Glycolic Cleansing Foam
Made with 5% glycolic acid, this mild glycolic cleanser is specifically formulated for tough, acne-prone skin with large pores.
Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates the skin by enhancing the breakdown of dead skin cells and increasing the rate of cell turnover, leading to smoother, more radiant skin. This also helps to keep pores clear, thereby preventing clogged pores and breakouts.
This cleanser also included saponified olive oil to clear away makeup and impurities, as well as tea tree oil to reduce inflammation and combat acne-causing bacteria.
Bottom Line: A 5% glycolic acid cleanser that exfoliates skin, clears pores, and reduces inflammation.
Nola Skinsentials Witches Brew Toner
You’ll just need one spritz of this pH-balanced clarifying toner to banish shine, keep pores clear, and refresh your complexion. And since it comes in a convenient spray bottle, you can use it any time, anywhere.
The fragrance-free formula consists of soothing, hydrating botanicals, including calendula, aloe vera, rose, pineapple, and witch hazel. There’s also a few AHAs to promote gentle exfoliation, thereby reviving dull skin and keeping pores clear.
Bottom Line: A clarifying toner to reduce shine, keep pores clear, and refresh your complexion.
Nola Skinsentials Brightening C Serum
There’s no such thing as a miracle treatment when it comes to combating age, though vitamin C comes pretty close. It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from environmental free radical damage while also helping to fade dark spots, even out skin tone, and increase radiance.
As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis. A vitamin C serum is the best way to deliver this active ingredient into the deeper layers of your skin.
Nola Skinsentials Brightening C Serum features a 10% concentration of L-ascorbic acid, the active form of vitamin C, to promote a bright, even-toned complexion. Vitamin C is combined with hydrating aloe vera and skin-smoothing emollients like jojoba oil and sunflower oil, creating a lightweight serum that doesn’t feel heavy or leave a greasy feeling.
Bottom Line: A vitamin C serum with 10% L-ascorbic acid to brighten and firm skin.
Nola Skinsentials Iconic Elixir
Just two drops of this spot treatment is said to help clear pores and congestion, target dark spots, and leave your complexion silky smooth.
Hemp seed oil makes up the base of this formula, helping to calm and soothe the skin, while also balancing oil production. It’s also known to strengthen the skin and make it better able to resist infection, according to a 2014 review of plants used to treat skin diseases.
Another acne-fighting ingredient in this elixir is tea tree oil, which has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to these properties, tea tree oil has the ability to kill the bacteria that are responsible for causing blemishes. Tea tree oil also soothes any redness and inflammation associated with existing blemishes
The rest of the formula consists of sunflower, argan, and tamanu oil, which help to lock in moisture and soften skin.
Bottom Line: A spot treatment that uses hemp seed oil to soothe skin and balance oil production while tea tree oil helps to combat acne.
Nola Skinsentials Hyaluronic H2O Creme
If you’re battling dry and shiny skin at the same time, Nola’s Hyaluronic H2O Creme is for you. It’s a hyaluronic acid moisturizer that hydrates the skin without feeling heavy, sticky, or greasy.
Hyaluronic acid acts like a magnet to attract and lock in water at the skin surface. Additional ingredients that help attract moisture include aloe vera and glycerin.
Plus, the brand supercharged this moisturizer with pomegranate and cranberry extract, as well as antioxidant vitamins C and E, to help brighten your complexion while protecting against environmental free radical damage.
Bottom Line: A hyaluronic acid moisturizer that hydrates without feeling greasy, making it ideal for those with combination skin or anyone who wants a lightweight moisturizer.
Nola Skinsentials Rise and Shine
Sealing in moisture after your morning cleansing routine is essential for healthy skin, and that’s exactly what the Nola Rise and Shine moisturizer is designed to do.
This lightweight daily moisturizer helps to instantly hydrate skin — without feeling greasy or heavy — thanks to a blend of botanicals. For instance, rose, kiwi, and apple extracts draw in moisture while baobab seed oil and jojoba oil help to lock in that moisture. The result? Glowing skin with the right hint of moisture and no dry patches in sight.
The only problem is this daytime moisturizer does not include SPF, so be sure to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen on top of this product.
Bottom Line: A light daily moisturizer with a blend of hydrating botanical extracts, but keep in mind there’s no SPF in the formula.
Nola Skinsentials Pumpkin Enzyme Face Mask
If you have dull skin and clogged pores on your cheeks and nose, this Pumpkin Enzyme Face Mask is for you. Just as the name implies, pumpkin puree is the key ingredient in this mask.
Pumpkin contains enzymes that help to speed up cell regeneration, thereby helping to remove layers of dead skin cells and revealing more radiant, healthy skin. Pumpkin is also a rich source of antioxidants like beta carotene and vitamin C.
There’s also 10% glycolic acid in this mask to further promote exfoliation. This is combined with soothing botanical extracts, like aloe vera, meadowfoam seed oil, and blueberry extract.
All you have to do is smooth the burnt-orange mask onto your skin, leave on for 5 to 7 minutes, then rinse to reveal clear pores and soft skin.
Bottom Line: Pumpkin puree is combined with 10% glycolic acid to exfoliate skin and speed up cell regeneration, thereby helping you achieve more radiant, healthy skin.
Nola Skinsentials Hydra Moisturizer
Jojoba oil, avocado oil, aloe vera, shea butter, and argan oil create the base of this velvety soft moisturizer. These emollients help to soften skin and lock in moisture, making it ideal for those with normal to dry skin types. Plus, the formula is non-comedogenic, so it’s even suitable for those with acne-prone skin.
There’s not many active ingredients in this formula, just emollients and soothing extracts like rose, cucumber, and hemp. So if you’re looking to reduce signs of aging or discoloration, it’s best to layer this moisturizer on top of a serum with active ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, or peptides.
Bottom Line: A velvety soft moisturizer with emollients and soothing extracts that will help to promote soft, hydrated skin.
Nola Skinsentials Arame Nourishing Eye Cream
This nightly eye cream was named after arame seaweed, a rare aquatic botanical that helps to soothe skin while also reducing the look of dark circles and puffy eyes. It also functions as a humectant to draw moisture into the skin, and it’s rich in many different vitamins and minerals.
There’s also high concentrations of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera in this eye cream. These ingredients not only increase skin hydration, but also help to disguise signs of aging because the extra moisture is extra volume that plumps out the look of lines and wrinkles.
Bottom Line: Arame seaweed fights puffiness and dark circles while hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera hydrate and plump skin.
What Are The Key Ingredients in Nola Skinsentials Products?
Nola Skinsentials products are formulated with mostly naturally-derived ingredients, including the following categories:
- Antioxidants (i.e. vitamins C and E)
- Emollients (i.e. seed oils and butters)
- Fruit enzymes (i.e. pumpkin, pineapple, etc.)
- Humectants (i.e. aloe vera, seaweed etc.)
- Soothing extracts (i.e. hemp, chamomile, calendula, etc.)
These ingredients are combined with evidence-based ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), as well as hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
We love that the Nola Skinsentials products are fragrance free and don’t contain harmful ingredients like denatured alcohol, parabens, or phthalates.
How Much Do Nola Skinsentials Products Cost?
Nola Skinsentials products are pretty affordable, with the prices being comparable to higher end drugstore brands such as Olay and Burt’s Bees. For example, the Clarifying Cleansing Foam costs $25 USD for a 8.4 oz bottle, while the Brightening C Serum costs $24 USD for a 2 oz bottle.
Where to Buy Nola Skinsentials Products?
Nola Skinsentials products are sold on the brand’s website (www.nolaskinsentials.com).
What is The Nola Skinsentials Return Policy?
The Nola Skinsentials return policy states, “We accept returns within 7 days of your delivery date.”
Is Nola Skinsentials Cruelty Free?
Yes, Nola Skinsentials is cruelty free.
Is Nola Skinsentials Vegan?
Yes, Nola Skinsentials is vegan.
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that Nola Skinsentials products are formulated well with naturally-derived, evidence-based ingredients
Pros
- Products include evidence-based ingredients (i.e. glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamins C and E)
- Products mostly consist of naturally-derived ingredients (i.e. seed oils, butters, fruit enzymes, aloe vera, soothing extracts, etc.)
- Many positive Nola Skinsentials reviews
- Nola Skinsentials is cruelty free
Cons
- Some Nola Skinsentials reviews mention that the products didn’t have a noticeable effect
References:
Pharmacogn Rev. 2014 Jan-Jun; 8(15): 52–60.
Nutrients. 2017 Aug; 9(8): 866.
