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LONA is Taking Your Skincare Routine Out West

By: Caitlin Madden
Published On: 4/10/2026

Low-maintenance skincare with a little more grit…

If you’re a skincare enthusiast like me, it can seem like every other day there’s a new launch — a new line, product, formula, brand—it takes a lot to cut through the noise. And somehow in a world filled with celebrity campaigns and influencer lines—LONA stands out.

Founded by beauty industry veterans, Annie Vallely and Kathryn Bain, who grew up in Texas and the Midwest, respectively, they explain LONA was built with a Western mindset: “resilient, easygoing, and a little no-nonsense.” For them, skincare was starting to feel like a chore; too many steps, too many rules, and too much fuss. They wanted to create something that felt a little more relaxed, real and approachable. And they really leaned into their Western roots to achieve it, sourcing ingredients right from their literal and metaphorical backyards—resilient ingredients that thrive in nature and adapt to tough conditions.

They chose the name LONA “as a soft, feminine nod to the Lone Star. It felt strong, simple, and rooted in where this all started,” and the whole launch feels very rooted in their philosophy of a more grounded way of living and skincare that can keep up with it.

Free People will be the first online retailer to carry the LONA lineup, a partnership that feels organic to the FP beauty curation and aligned with LONA’s values. About the relationship with Free People, Vallely and Bain say, “Free People has always had a strong point of view—confident, individual, a little effortless. That felt very LONA. It’s a place where people are open to discovering something new that still feels like them. That felt important for us.”

At Free People, we’re all about cultivating the Creative Spirit in all things—and you can’t quite do that if you’re spending all your time in front of the mirror applying layers of essences and actives. That’s where FP and LONA overlap – the desire to fill your life with things that help you thrive. They day they created their line for “anyone who wants great skin without building their life around it. If you like things that work, feel good, and don’t ask for too much, this is for you. Low effort, high standards. We stand by it.”

Less time spent on skincare, with great results…and REALLY cute packaging, I must add—yeah sign me up.

MEET THE SKINCARE LINEUP

Three innovative, adaptive products, thoughtfully created with 2-in-1 formulas to simplify your routine—all powered by resilient Western ingredients. The idea behind the formulas was to create a full skincare routine with just three steps, making skincare easy and approachable without sacrificing results. In a world of 12-step skincare routines, it almost seems crazy that a brand would want to take a less-is-more approach, but I tried the full range, and let me tell you—the west might really know best.

I followed the founders’ recommendations and simplified my routine for over a week to follow their steps:

Cactus Silk every day.
Desert Dust a few times a week.
Babe Balm whenever we need it.
And a few nights a week, layer in an active like retinol.
And SPF. Always.

DESERT DUST

A combo cleanser-exfoliant so you’re knocking it all out in one go, Desert Dust is a water-activated powder that smooths, clears, and brightens without stripping. It’s formulated with kaolin and bentonite clays to purify pores, plant-based surfactants and yucca stem to cleanse gently, lactic acid to smooth and resurface, and vitamin C to brighten skin and even tone. You sprinkle a little on your hands and wash your face, and you can immediately notice a difference in the softness of your skin. It feels super gentle and sort of melts down, unlike a lot of physical exfoliants that can be scratchy and irritating. Every time I wash my face with Desert Dust, my skin feels smoother and my pores seem cleansed. The founders say, “It’s one of those products where if we skip it for a few days, we feel it right away.” It’s definitely a rare skincare product where the result is both immediate and better over time.

LONA Desert Dust Active Clay Cleansing + Brightening Exfoliator

CACTUS SILK

The Lona team said that this was the product they obsessed over. “We went through version after version to get the formula exactly right—something that hydrates like a serum, seals like an oil, and never feels heavy.” What they came up with is a moisturizing step that is ultra-luxurious. Powered by prickly pear, evening primrose, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, it’s nourishing, plumping and adds a subtle glow. I love using this as part of my skin prep before I do my makeup. It’s very lightweight so it sits comfortably under other products, but it holds onto hydration through the day so your complexion has a lit-from-within look. It’s dewy and deeply hydrating, and has quickly taken the top spot in my ranking of daytime moisturizers.

BABE BALM

This is the product you’ll want stashed in your bag at all times. A 2-in-1 solid serum designed for lips and under the eyes, but perfect to swipe on any dry skin patches, it’s super nourishing—-infused with blue agave and barrier-supporting ectoin for lasting comfort, it helps to retain moisture and protect skin from environmental stressors. It’s a solid formula packaged in the most stunning compact that fits perfectly in your bag or pocket, so it’s so easy to whip out and reapply throughout the day. I love it as a lip balm during the day and under my eyes at night, I hate a heavy eye cream, and this just feels so hydrating without being uncomfortable or making me feel like my pores are going to get clogged. It leaves both areas feeling softened and renewed, and I find myself reaching for it all throughout the day.

“If you like things that work, feel good and don’t ask for too much—this is for you. Low effort, high standards. We stand by it.”

When asked what they’re most excited for customers to experience from LONA, the founders said, “That moment where your routine just clicks. Your skin looks better, but you’re doing less. You’re not overthinking it. You’re not stuck in the mirror. And beyond that—we’re excited for people to feel seen in a different kind of beauty. One that’s a little more relaxed, a little more real, and a lot more fun.”

The story, the products and the results really do speak to the resiliency they’ve worked to weave into every step.

“LONA was built around a more grounded way of living and skincare that can keep up with it.” That shows up in everything: Ingredients sourced from resilient plants that know how to hold up. 2-in-1 formats designed to replace steps, not add them. And a mission rooted in helping your skin adapt to real life. So, when you’re looking for a new direction to take your skincare routine, we highly encourage you to go west.