Exploring Life & Business with Gloria Noto of NOTO botanics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gloria Noto.

Hi Gloria, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started NOTO Botanics out of a mix of frustration and love. Frustration with the lack of authenticity I saw in the beauty industry, the sameness, the binary marketing, the over complication of what should be simple. And love for ritual, for the art of self-expression, and for creating things with my hands.

Before NOTO, I worked as a makeup artist for over a decade in Los Angeles (now it’s been almost two decades!). I was surrounded by beauty, but I wanted to redefine what that meant to strip it back to something more honest, inclusive, and connected to the body. I began making small-batch skincare and oils in my kitchen in Silverlake in 2016, formulating products that felt genderless, multi-use, and grounded in both performance and intention but with cool, clean design aesthetics.

From there, it grew organically from my studio table to a small team, to being stocked in boutiques and global retailers. But I’ve always kept it rooted in the same ethos: art meets nature meets identity meets design. NOTO has become not just a brand, but a community — a celebration of individuality and fluidity through the lens of clean, botanical beauty.

At its core, it’s still deeply personal. NOTO is about living with integrity, creating things that matter, and honoring the many versions of who we are: messy, evolving, and beautiful in all forms.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Definitely not a smooth road. But I think that’s the point. Starting and growing NOTO has been equal parts magic and mayhem. I didn’t have investors or a roadmap or a business degree. It was me figuring things out as I went, trusting my gut, and learning how to balance being both an artist and a business owner.

There were times when I was hand-pouring oils until 2 a.m., packing boxes, doing customer service, and trying to make payroll the next day. I’ve dealt with burnout, production nightmares, warehouse floods, supply chain breakdowns, and the constant question of how to grow without losing the soul of what I built.

Being in Los Angeles for almost two decades has been a gift and a challenge. It’s an inspiring city, but it can also burn you out if you’re not careful. Over time, I’ve learned to slow down, delegate, and rebuild the business in a way that supports creativity instead of crushing it.

The struggles taught me how to adapt, how to say no, and how to keep the work aligned with who I am. The imperfections have shaped NOTO into something more real and more alive.

As you know, we’re big fans of NOTO botanics . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
NOTO Botanics is a multi-use, botanical forward, gender inclusive, clean beauty line built on the idea that self-care should feel good, look good, and mean something. Every product is designed to be intentional, artful, and rooted in plant-based performance formulated by me. We make things for people who don’t want to be told what beauty should look like.

We’re known for products like the Deep Serum and our Multi-Bene Sticks — minimal, multi-purpose staples that have become part of people’s daily rituals. Everything we make is vegan, cruelty-free, and made with high-quality natural ingredients that actually work.

What sets NOTO apart is the world behind it. I come from an art background, and I approach the brand like a living installation — every formula, campaign, and collaboration is another layer of expression. The brand has always existed in the overlap between art, identity, and wellness. We also have a flagship store in Highland park that not only sells NOTO but also includes a very cool curation of items you will be excited to shop – we are also a community space and hold monthly events. The store is located at 5005 N. Figueroa St. Come say hi 🙂

I’m proud that NOTO has stayed mostly independent and values-driven. We’ve grown slowly and intentionally, always choosing integrity over speed. Our community is made up of creative, curious, and open-minded people who see beauty as a form of self-expression, not perfection.

At the end of the day, NOTO is more than skincare. It’s a reflection of how we live, how we create, and how we care for ourselves and each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://notobotanics.com
• Instagram: instagram @noto_botanics