A May Lindstrom Haul

Hi, everyone! There's no denying that May Lindstrom is one of the most covetable brands in the green beauty world. And with good reason- there's lots to love. No only is May herself an ethereal beauty that's also super knowledgable and passionate about the brand (can you tell I'm a fangirl?), but the brand offers products that are truly unique. The packaging is weighty and chic (and also designed to protect the precious elements inside), the ingredients consist of organic wild-crafted oils and spices, and the scents and textures are intoxicating and seriously such a pleasure to use. I am a huge fan of May's The Problem Solver mask and The Jasmine Garden mist, and it's only the price point of her products that had prevented me from delving further into the line. 

Building on the above gushing, here's the May Lindstrom ethos in a nutshell: It is a line aimed at both sensual pleasure and visible results. The products are designed to smell and feel great on the skin, as to transform your skin care routine into a truly enjoyable ritual. The ingredients are also carefully selected (many of them organic and wild-crafted, all of them ethically and sustainably sourced) to perform specific functions in and on the skin. The brand is cruelty-free and also omits a variety of unhealthy ingredients like parabens, glycols, petroleum, sulfates, silicones, artificial dyes, fragrances, and known carcinogens. If you look at the ingredient listings, you'll likely get a bit hungry- elements like honey, cocoa, vanilla, sweet orange, and macadamia oil abound. 

We all know that I'm always on the lookout for an excuse to treat myself, so when the brand offered an amazing gift with purchase deal over the American Thanksgiving weekend, I finally took the plunge! Here was the offer (directly through the May Lindstrom website): with any $150 purchase, you received a free full-sized The Clean Dirt cleanser ($60 USD value) as well as a deluxe sample of The Honey Mud and a sneak peek sample of the brand new (then, yet to be released) The Pendulum Potion. Given that I had been stalking The Blue Cocoon for years (which is $160 USD, perfect for the promotion), I decided to pull the trigger. 

The package arrived in true May Lindstrom luxury: 

Not only were the products laid out carefully with love, the package also included a handwritten note from May, as do all orders that come directly from the brand's website. 

I love that the packaging is not only beautiful and sturdy, but also put together with so much care. Even the little samples were tucked away neatly in a little velvet pouch. 

All May Lindstrom products come housed in weighty gold-highlighted dark glass packaging that both keeps the ingredients safe and looks lovely on your bathroom vanity. The boxes are each adorned with the brand's logo: a gilded dandelion flower ready to take flight. 

So let's take a deeper look at the products I purchased, starting with the main reason I placed the order.

The Blue Cocoon has been on my wishlist for two years because a) it is designed to soothe sensitive, reddened skin (one of my main skin plights) and b) the first time I smelled it in store I literally swooned. It has the most unique, beautiful smell that is utterly intoxicating in its tranquil, sexy quality. 

May describes The Blue Cocoon as "Tranquil. Intoxicating. Deep Calm". Its a balm-to-oil texture designed to calm both the nerves and the complexion. It gets its unique blue hue courtesy of blue tansy (an ultra soothing floral extract), hydrates with shea and cacao seed butter, and offers antioxidant protection with ingredients like camellia seed oil and marula oil. It was designed to deeply nourish the skin while reducing redness and irritation on even the most sensitive of skin types. 

To use, simply take a small amount (half a pea-sized dab) and massage onto skin, which transforms the balm into a luxurious oil. I primarily use it at nighttime, as it leaves a lightly oily finish, though I am tempted to try it in the morning as well with this harsh winter weather we've been having. As the final step in my skin care routine, it seals everything in, instantly reduces redness in my skin, and the scent seriously lulls me to sleep. In my opinion, its effectiveness combined with the pleasure of use (I take several mindful breaths of the scent before applying it) make this product worth every penny. 

The first free gift with the order was a product I've also been dying to try for ages- The Clean Dirt. Described as a "brightening exfoliating treatment" that serves as a "microdermabrasion. power button. magic dust", The Clean Dirt is a powdered clay-based cleanser that, when mixed with water, creates a luxe mousse that both cleanses and polishes. Not only does it contain natural clays for a deep cleanse, it's packed with vitamin C for brightening and a mix of stimulating spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and ginger, to stimulate the skin, encouraging blood flow. It also contains rose and calendula for soothing and toning the skin. 

To use, you simply mix a teaspoon of powder in the palm of your hand with equal parts water to create a bubbling paste. When massaged on the skin, you instantly feel a stimulating tingle and are struck with a warming, spicy scent. Because my skin is quite sensitive, I cannot use this one a few times a week, but once a week it works wonderfully as a deep, rejuvenating cleanse that totally satisfies my love of spicy fragrances. 

The free gift also included adorable minis of The Honey Mud and The Pendulum Potion.

If you have never smelled The Honey Mud, do yourself a favour and take a whiff. I think it might be the best-smelling skin care product I've ever tried. While the scent of The Blue Cocoon is unique and complex, The Honey Mud smells like the most delicious spicy vanilla honey dessert you could imagine. I want to take a spoon to it every time! What does it do? The Honey Mud can be used as a gentle daily cleanser or a cleansing and hydrating mask. The raw honey acts to provide vitamins, enzymes, and nourishment while clays gently clean the skin. It includes macadamia nut oil to moisturize, witch hazel and sweet orange to tone, and is perfumed with vanilla, ylang ylang, cedarwood, frankincense, and myrrh. These beautiful ingredients blend together to create a pudding-like texture that's an absolute pleasure to massage into the skin. 

Finally, The Pendulum Potion is the brand's newest treasure. It's touted as a "hypnotic. sensual. grounding" cleansing oil that removes makeup and debris with an antioxidant-rich, softening, and decongesting formula. It's also a multitasker as it can be used as a serum as well! For cleansing, it can be massaged into dry skin, then blended with water and removed with a warm, steamy towel to lock in the goodness. It includes a lovely blend of oils, including tamanu, camellia seed, macadamia nut, avocado, olive, cocoa absolute, and sweet orange, with extracts and essential oils of jasmine, lemon, ylang ylang and more. The smell is earthy and complex and is a true pleasure to use! 

Yes, May Lindstrom products are pricey. But in my mind they're worth every penny. The formulas are unique, thoughtful and effective, and each product is a complete delight to the senses. I resonate with the idea of skin care being self-care, and it is easy to slip into a place of serenity and mindfulness when you are using products with such beautiful scents and textures. As such, I look at May Lindstrom goodies as investments in both my skin health and my mental health. And what better investment is there?

If I've tempted you to treat yourself, you can check out May Lindstrom products on the brand's website, here or at The Detox Market, here! 

Have you used May Lindstrom products? Any favourites? Any other favourite green beauty brands at the moment?

Thanks so much for stopping by! xo

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