Brand Breakdown
Is Laurel Skincare Beauty a Clean Beauty Brand?
Laurel Skin takes a refreshingly different approach to skincare, one rooted in whole plants, regenerative farming, and the belief that beautiful skin begins with thoughtful ingredients. Known for its botanical serums, nourishing balms, and handcrafted formulas, the California-based brand has built its identity around what it calls Slow Farmed Beauty.
But at Oh Daisey, we know that natural and organic don’t automatically mean a product is right for everyone. We still want to understand what’s inside the formula, how ingredients are sourced, and whether they align with our standards.
So we took a closer look at Laurel Skin’s ingredient philosophy, farming practices, and formulations to see how the brand measures up.
The Laurel Brand Story
Laurel Skin was founded by herbalist and formulator Laurel Shaffer, whose background in both herbal medicine and the wine industry shaped her unique approach to skincare.
After studying herbalism at the California School of Herbal Studies, Shaffer began developing formulas that brought together traditional plant knowledge and a deep appreciation for organic agriculture. Rather than relying on conventional cosmetic ingredients, she focused on creating skincare using whole plants, carefully sourced botanical oils, and handcrafted extracts.
Today, Laurel Skin operates from its apothecary-lab in Petaluma, California, while growing many of its botanicals on a six-acre certified biodynamic farm in nearby Sebastopol. The brand continues to formulate and manufacture its products in-house, maintaining a close relationship with the farmers and plants behind each ingredient.
What Laurel Claims About their Ingredients
Laurel Skin describes its philosophy as Whole Plant Organic, emphasizing ingredients that are organically grown, minimally processed, and used as close to their natural state as possible.
The brand says its formulas are made without synthetic fragrance, silicones, petrochemicals, GMOs, synthetic isolates, or conventional cosmetic fillers. Instead, Laurel prioritizes raw, unrefined plant oils, whole botanical extracts, hydrosols, and carefully sourced essential oils.
One thing we particularly appreciate is the brand’s commitment to sourcing. Laurel works directly with small farms, prioritizing biodynamic, regenerative, and regional agriculture whenever possible.
Unlike many brands that use a small percentage of botanical ingredients alongside a largely conventional formula, Laurel Skin builds its products almost entirely around whole plants.
That level of ingredient sourcing and transparency is something we love to see.
Inside Laurel's Ingredients
Laurel Skin’s formulas are remarkably plant-focused.
Across the collection, you’ll find ingredients like rosehip seed oil, jojoba oil, borage seed oil, calendula, chamomile, nettle, and gotu kola. These botanicals provide a combination of fatty acids, antioxidants, and naturally occurring plant compounds that can help nourish and support the skin.
The brand’s facial oils and balms are especially interesting because many are formulated without added water, allowing Laurel to avoid the emulsifiers and preservatives typically needed in conventional creams.
For products that do contain water, such as certain cleansers and hydrating elixirs, the brand uses preservation systems that include radish root ferment and potassium sorbate.
We also appreciate that Laurel creates many of its botanical extracts and hydrosols in-house, rather than relying exclusively on commercially processed ingredients.
Overall, the formulas are simple in concept but thoughtful in execution, with an emphasis on ingredient quality rather than lengthy lists of trendy skincare actives.
Anything We'd Change?
There isn’t much we’d change about Laurel Skin’s overall ingredient philosophy, but there are a few things worth considering.
Our biggest consideration is the use of essential oils. While Laurel is particularly intentional about sourcing and distillation, some formulas contain aromatic botanicals such as lavender, rosemary, bergamot, and other essential oils.
These ingredients can provide fragrance and contain naturally occurring plant compounds, but they may also cause irritation or sensitization, particularly for those with very sensitive or fragrance-reactive skin.
We’d also encourage consumers to pay attention to the brand’s preservation systems. Ingredients like potassium sorbate serve an important purpose in water-based skincare, and we appreciate Laurel’s transparency about using preservatives when they’re necessary for product safety.
One thing we’d love to see is even more accessible information about essential oil concentrations and potential fragrance allergens across individual product pages.
None of these considerations take away from the brand’s thoughtful sourcing and formulation practices. They simply reinforce why we believe ingredient transparency matters, even when a product is entirely plant-based.
Our Verdict
Laurel Skin is a strong match for the Oh Daisey Clean Beauty Standards.
The brand goes well beyond using natural ingredients as a marketing point. From its certified biodynamic farm and direct relationships with growers to its in-house botanical extractions and thoughtfully formulated skincare, Laurel demonstrates a level of ingredient sourcing that is uncommon in the beauty industry.
We particularly appreciate its avoidance of synthetic fragrance, petrochemical ingredients, and unnecessary fillers, along with its commitment to regenerative agriculture and transparency.
That doesn’t mean every formula will be ideal for every skin type. Essential oils and botanical allergens are still worth considering, especially for sensitive skin.
But overall, Laurel Skin is exactly the kind of brand we love discovering: one that puts ingredient quality, thoughtful formulation, and environmental responsibility at the center of what it does.
At a Glance
Founded:
2010 by Laurel Shaffer.
Cruelty Free/ Vegan:
Cruelty-free. Most products are vegan, but certain formulas contain honey or beeswax, so the entire collection is not vegan.
Certified Organic:
Laurel Skin uses organically grown ingredients and operates a certified biodynamic farm. However, the finished skincare collection is not certified organic as a whole.
Sustainability:
A major focus for the brand. Laurel prioritizes regenerative and biodynamic agriculture, regional sourcing, responsible harvesting, and in-house production. The company also emphasizes reducing its environmental footprint through thoughtful packaging and manufacturing practices.
Parent Company:
Independently operated, with no parent company publicly identified.
Manufactured:
Petaluma, California. All Laurel Skin products are made in-house at the brand’s apothecary-lab.
Giving Back:
Laurel Skin supports community initiatives, environmental stewardship, and small businesses. Its programs include educational and product grants for skincare professionals, along with an employee profit-sharing program that distributes 10% of annual profits to its team.
Oh Daisey Rating
Laurel Skincare is Oh Daisey Approved
Laurel Skin has several beautiful formulas worth exploring, particularly its botanical facial oils, hydrating elixirs, and nourishing balms. We’d recommend starting with the individual products that meet the Oh Daisey ingredient standards, while paying attention to essential oil content and personal skin sensitivities.
Where to Start
Curious where to begin? These are the products that stood out based on ingredient quality, formulation and overall usability.
