Review: May Lindstrom Skin

 

 

 

artisanal. epicurean. euphoric concoctions for the beauty gourmand.

Formulated for results and unparalleled pleasure. Radical. Earth positive. Sublime luxury direct from the source. May Lindstrom Skin inspires you to take your self-care routine to a new zenith of delight and indulgence. As a catalyst for decadent skin-care rituals, we invite you to create the time and space for the personal connection you deserve.

Get into your skin. 

 

This review is long overdue, as I have been using May's products for over 7 weeks now, but I just kept hesitating as I went to publish as I wanted to make sure that these products received the full credit they deserve.

 

Cleanse/Exfoliate: The Clean Dirt

Thoughts: I fell in love with this product at first smell. How often is it that you can catch a glimpse of a product's scent and it brings back memories of Christmas? It smells like spice and cinnamon cookies! Is it okay to admit that I find myself opening this during the day just to smell the sweet cinnamon and ginger aroma? I have been using this twice weekly as an exfoliant after I cleanse, and occasionally leave it on a bit longer as a mask. I have always had a one-sided love affair with exfoliant products: I love the gritty clean feeling you get from using them but my acne-prone skin is left totally irritated. Not with this product. My skin feels so happy, and is left softer and glowing more than I have ever felt or seen it. Since using this I have had no desire to use another exfoliant. As I was running low on my sample I brought the full-size so I wouldn't have to be without this product.


Hydrate: The Youth Dew

Thoughts: Evokes a natural radiance in your skin that you have never seen before. I use this facial oil after cleansing, massaging a few precious drops all over my face, and using an extra drop for my under-eye area. Sometimes I apply moisturiser over the top in areas that seem extra dry, but this is the first facial oil I have tried that seems enough weight on its own (a tip on applying: mist your face beforehand as the oil will spread nicely on damp skin).  For those without super-dry skin, this oil could be used alone. Used regularly, I feel like this oil, over time, could balance my hormonal skin whilst providing an extra source of hydration in areas where needed (ie: dehydration lines on forehead, eep).

Treat: The Problem Solver

 

Thoughts: Provides an intense tingle (like the kind you get when you know a product is working). I let it sit for 45 minutes as per the instructions and rinse it off with just warm water. And I am left with even softer skin than when I use the Clean Dirt. My skin just glows. And consider me addicted (I had to buy the full-size). I use this product now every couple of weeks, and I have had amazing results. You know a product is exceptional when you are divided between sharing with the world, or keeping it hush as your own personal beauty secret. Blemish zapping, glow-inducing, softening, what more could a girl want?

 

Lavish: The Good Stuff

Thoughts: I fell in love with this oil at first sight. There is something so luxurious about this golden liquid. My skin drinks up this incredibly irresistible potion, leaving my skin hydrated and happy. I am positively addicted to this oil, and even confess to smelling my skin throughout the day. I never thought I would use the words 'oil' and 'sexy' in a sentence together, but there is something so sensual about this potion. This oil is the one (!) that has me falling in love with body oils all over again.


Is it possible to love one line of products so much? I know many will hesitate due to the price ($60-120), but I honestly think that they are affordable when you factor in how long they actually last, the quality of the ingredients, the benefits to your skin, and the ability to create a quiet time in your day where you can pause and provide some much needed self-care. I love all four of the products in May's line and am excited to try her soon to be released 'The Honey Mud' and 'Blue Cocoon'.
Visit May Lindstrom's website here.

Review: Everescents Organic Cinnamon & Patchouli Deep Treatment

Since the transition to natural skincare I have been on the hunt for a natural deep conditioning treatment. I love using coconut oil but I also love the ease of applying a hair mask, letting it penetrate for as long as I have time for (read: at least half an hour), then rinsing it out with ease (coconut oil can leave residue if you aren't especially careful with rinsing it out). Just imagine my excitement when I discovered one that was available in Australia, is Australian made, is cruelty-free, and smells like cinnamon?

 
Meet Everscents Organic Cinnamon and Patchouli Deep Treatment. This conditioning treatment will renew the relationship you have with your hair. With healthy hair boasting ingredients like certified organic herbs and essential oils, you can be assured that you are providing your hair with nature's best. Containing vetiver, which increases blood flow, hydrates dry scalps, and can relieve headaches, and cinnamon, which stimulates circulation, aids in tissue regeneration, and can improve energy. I know a product's scent is a subjective thing, but I don't think anyone will be able to deny that cinnamon is definitely the most notable scent in this product. After rinsing it out you can still faintly smell it, so if you aren't a big cinnamon fan you probably won't like it. If you are though, like me, you will loveee it. I use this not just as a treatment, but as a conditioner as my hair is super dry. It leaves it smelling beautifully and super soft. Overall I am really happy with this natural hair mask, and I recommend it to everyone.

 

Ingredients: Aqua** (purified water), Cetearyl Alcohol** (plant derived thickener), Vegetable Glycerin** (moisturiser), Sorbitol** (moisturiser), Behentrimonium Methosulfate** (mild detangling agent derived from canola), Cetyl Alcohol** (plant derived emulsifier), Betula Alba Extract* (Birch), Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract* (Horsetail), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract* (Rosemary), Sage Officinalis Leaf Extract* (Sage), Tilia Cordata Flower Extract* (Linden), Urtica Dioica Extract* (Nettle), Achillea Millefolium Extract* (Yarrow), Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil* (Vanilla), Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil* (Vetiver), Pogostemon Cablin Oil* (Patchouli), Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil* (Cinnamon), Butylene Glycol** (naturally derived humectant), Herbal Active™ **, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil** (Tea Tree).
* Certified Organic ingredient ** Naturally derived ingredient

Price: 175ml - $24.90
              1L   - $79.95

Check out the Everescents website.

November Wishlist

Wow, November hit us fast. Hopefully Australia is in for some nice weather for once...fingers crossed. Also, Christmas is only a month away, so there's that. Join me in the impossible job of forgetting the impending holidays. Here's November's Wishlist, enjoy!

1. RMS Unpowder: The hype around this product is enough to make me want this product! Poreless skin!
2. Honeybee Gardens Lipstick in 'Superstitious' : The perfect on-trend oxblood lip colour. In love.
3. Yuli Panacea Elixir (or any of their elixirs for that matter...): I keep seeing rave reviews of Yuli products, and I'm thinking I might enter the 'toner mist' battle again to see if this can help with the dehydration lines on my forehead.
4. RMS Lip Shine in 'Sacred': I'm so keen to try RMS products, but as they contain coconut oil (which breaks my face out), this is one of the few I could try (coconut on the lips = great, on the face = acne). Plus, this colour is gorgeous.
5. May Lindstrom Skin 'The Problem Solver': Also dying for her new products to be released, but in the meantime I would love to grab this. May can do no wrong, and this product leaves my skin feeling as soft as butter.

Review: Kahina Giving Beauty Antioxidant Mask

I purchased the sample size of this product from Spirit Beauty Lounge after reading about the rave reviews this product, and Kahina Giving Beauty in general, had received. I would normally have had a 'yikes' moment reading the ingredient list; exfoliating ingredients combined with potentially irritating oils such as eucalyptus and peppermint do not usually bode well for my easily-irked skin, but I was confident that Kahina would work for my skin like everyone else's.

Ingredients:aqua, hectorite, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl olivate, lactic acid, populus tremuloides bark extract, sorbitan olivate, hydrolyzed linseed extract*, mannan, xanthan gum, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract*, cetearyl glucoside, dehydroacetic acid, benzyl alcohol, totarol*, euterpe oleracea (acai) fruit oil, arginine, punica granatum (pomegranate) seed extract*, eucalyptus radiata (eucalyptus) leaf/stem oil*, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil*, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) oil.

I have to say I was right, and am super pleased I made the plunge into this product. This mask is a super gentle hydrating mask with small exfoliating particles. It has a thick brown texture which is easily applied to the face, and once rinsed off, leaves you with a healthy glow and super smooth skin. This mask was a little bit of a new exploration for me, because although it is a clay mask, it should only be left on for 7-10 minutes and not allowed to harden. This mask is a powerhouse that claims to detoxify by drawing out impurities, stimulate collagen production, fight free radical damage, reduce signs of aging, and gently exfoliate. Unlike other clay masks, this mask is incredibly hydrating, likely due to the argan and sunflower oils, which feature at the beginning of the ingredients list. If you don't like masks that dry on your skin and crack, this is the mask for you!

Many people are put off by the price of many natural products, and at $62 for 50ml, this isn't a budget item, but I would like to comment that it is a quality product, and it is recommended you only use a thin layer (I would probably only use a 1/4 of a teaspoon for my entire face), so the product should last a long while.

Try out the mask here.

Review: Mukti Shampoo and Conditioner

Shampoo:
Finally, a natural shampoo that doesn't weigh your hair down or leave it feeling like straw. I must really like this shampoo, because I brought the full-size and am thinking about buying another bottle when this one runs out. FYI, it lasts forever! I have had mine for at least three months, and I think I am only halfway through it. I wash my hair 2/3 times a week, and use approximately three pumps (they are small). It leaves my hair feeling comfortably clean, and totally shiny. It has a very natural floral scent, with strong notes of lavender.Worthy of HG status, I think I am done searching for the perfect natural shampoo.

Conditioner:
Like the shampoo, it washes out leaving your hair feeling like your hair (not an oily, weighed-down mess like some others..). Not crazy about the scent (I think it smells like silly putty), but the scent doesn't linger after you rinse it out. You may have noticed that I have pictures of the shampoo and not the conditioner. This is because I am still using samples, as I'm not sure whether to take the plunge into the full-size yet (500mls!). This obviously means that I am not as crazy about the conditioner as the shampoo, but it has still done the best job of all of the natural conditioners I have tried so far. The main issue I have with any natural conditioner is that isn't hydrating enough for my hair (and I'm still totally addicted to the ability of silicone to retain moisture inside my hair shaft). I guarantee that if you don't have crazy dry straw ends like mine though, you will love this.

Would I recommend?: Hell yeah! I can't believe Mukti isn't more well known amongst the natural beauty bloggers. Plus their products are really affordable if you counter in how long the products actually last for..


*Reviews as always, are honest and my own.

Try the shampoo and conditioner in travel-size before taking the plunge into the full-size products by Mukti.

Review: W3LL People Nudist Colourbalm No.2

 

The love child of a lip stick and a lip balm, The Nudist gives lips a subtle boost of color and shine plus penetrating, nourishing hydration. Rich in organic omega oils and aloe, this luxury lip treat leaves stressed lips soothed, supple and protected. Clothing optional.

FREE FROM: Artificial preservatives, parabens, chemicals, dyes, fragrance, silicone, dimethicone, pthalates, sulphates, petroleum, talc, bismuth oxychloride, nanoparticles and bad mojo. Made in USA with love. Not tested on animals or robots.

The balm appears dark purple and I was curious to how that would translate to lips. It leaves lips tinted with a natural looking wine stain colour. W3ll People claim that this is a lip stick/balm combo, however I would say that it is more of a tinted balm/stain. I have extremely dry lips and have found that I need to use a little bit of lip balm with this as well so my lips aren’t left dry, which isn’t a big deal. I simply apply this and then dab a little lip balm after. This is a necessity for me, as I am always looking for simple ways to jazz up my beauty routine. Perfect to use while going out for lunch, or catching up with friends. I will purchase the full-size of this.

I purchased this product as a sample on SpiritBeautyLounge. You can also buy samples on W3ll People’s website, which is a great option if you can’t decide between colours.

Beauty Routine Tag!

(Little friend I made in the garden today)

 

 

This is my first ever beauty tag! Thanks to Asti for tagging me. I love to do this kind of thing, I reminds me of when my friends and I used to send those questionnaire emails to each other (you know the ones?!)

1. Name a beauty routine you rarely do

 

Lipstick! I have always been so jealous of those women that wear it regularly, and I totally wish I could pull off the oxblood colour that is trending right now, but I figure that I have to take slow steps into it. I have been wearing more tinted balms, and would love to try RMS!

 

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you do regularly? 

 

I only use one (!) makeup brush for my mineral powder, and I wash it at least once every two weeks. I should do it more often!

 

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish? 

 

I can’t remember the last time I wore nail polish. It makes my own nails weak, I find the smell induces migraines and there aren’t any completely natural polishes. When I used to use polish as soon as I got one little chip it would make me so anxious that but the end of the day I had chipped it all off.

 

4. What is your worst beauty habit?

 

Picking and squeezing my acne. It’s such a terrible habit. If I could have two habits I would say that obsessing over every little imperfection on my face is another one.  I literally stand two centimetres from the mirror, judging myself. That’s something I need to change.

 

5. Name something non-beauty related that you put off all the time.

 

Writing essays for Uni! The units I am learning at the moment are so boring and just don’t compare to the amazing products I could be researching instead. Ha!

 

6. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready to the last minute or not? 

 

No, I hate that! I am generally one of those people that gets ready hours too early then stands around waiting.

 

7. Can you commit to spending bans? 

 

Not when I have disposable income. I tend to go from one extreme to the next; wanting every single product in sight, to being content with less. I think the latter is a better position to be in. I am looking for a new facial sunscreen though, any thoughts? I would prefer one with a SPF of 20 or higher.. and natural of course.

 

8. How organized are your make-up/nail polish collection? 

 

Not very. I just have them all in a huge box, with eyeliner/brushes/mascara/etc in containers. I have been looking at other ways of organising my collection, which is exciting.

 

9. What is the longest time you've gone without writing a blog post? 

 

Nearly 5 months, sorry guys! Life just got in the way, as it has a habit of doing. I am now at home a lot more lately due to Uni commitments and sickness, hence the more frequent posts.

 

Review: Kora Organics Hydrating Mask

Kora Organics Hydrating Mask

For sensitive/ dry skin: Containing Noni Extract, Vitamins and minerals to restore essential moisture to the skin. This calming uniquely formulated mask cleans, rehydrates and protects the skin. KORA Organics Hydrating Mask refines pores, removes dead skin cells and promotes healthy tissue rejuvenation leaving the skin feeling replenished and rejuvenated.


Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice*, Rosa damascena (Rose) Flower Water*, Glycerin, Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Kaolin, CI 77819, Silica, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Oil*,  Rosa eglantaria (Rosehip) Oil*, Sodium PCA, Trehalose, Glyceryl Caprylate, Morinda citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Extract*, Xanthan Gum, Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Soy bean derived natural Vitamin E), Benzyl Alcohol, Carrageenan, Santalum spicatum  (Sandalwood)*,  Cedrus atlantica (Cedarwood) Oil*, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dehydroacetic Acid, CI 77288, Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli) Oil*, Rosa damascene (Rose) Oil*, Lactic Acid, geraniol** & citronellol**.
**From essential oils. *Ingredient from Organic Farming.
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS. VEGAN.
NO Sulfates, Parabens, Synthetic fragrance, Synthetic colours, T.E.A., D.E.A., Glycols, Silicones, PEGS. Ethoxylate and Formaldehyde free.  

I have been using this mask in rotation with my other favourite masks. I apply it at night after cleansing my face and let it sit for as long as I have time for (ie: half an hour). After that, it hasn't set, but I like that as I don't like masks that leave your face feeling dry and stiff. It has a delicious scent and has a very soft texture. Once I wash it off my face is left feeling soft and hydrated, and any irritation is soothed. It hasn't improved my acne at all, which it isn't designed to do anyway (the purifying mask in their collection is designed for that), but it doesn't irritate my acne either which is important. It just does an awesome job  of hydrating. It is luxuriously priced but the ingredients are quality. I would recommend this mask for people with dry or sensitive skin. It leaves my skin feeling and looking healthy, but I am yet to turn into Miranda Kerr!

Price: $49.95 for 100ml
Head to RY.com.au to buy this mask!