May Lindstrom Skincare

Where I got it

Around mid-June, I received an email from May Lindstrom (newsletter) that she will be launching a great offer on 22/6. Come 22/6, the offer was revealed that if you purchase over $200 of her products (USD of course), you get a full-size The Youth Dew worth $140 absolutely free. Spending over $200 also gets you free shipping worldwide and you get two free samples with every purchase.

I ended up ordering The Honey Mud ($90), The Problem Solver ($100) and The Clean Dirt ($70). Both the Honey Mud and Problem Solver are something I have been wanting to try. I also wanted to try their Blue Cocoon, but that is $180 on its own. My order came to USD$260 and the free product was added to the cart automatically. The total came to about NZD$383 (eek), which works out to be about $95 per product… pricey, let’s hope they are exceptional products.

Quick update. I was alerted on 1st July that my parcel has arrived at customs, but it was on hold with DHL for Ministry for Primary Industries checks as the Honey Mud contains honey. We are very careful with imported products with honey here in New Zealand, so I totally understand. They wanted information in regards to the % of the honey in the product and I contacted the May Lindstrom team right away. I was blown away by how amazing the customer service is with her team. Steph, who was dealt with me via email, updated me along the way, she contacted her DHL rep on her end to sort things out. I sat back and just let her handle it and she literally updated me at least 3 times within 10 days to keep me in the loop. I finally received my items on 12th July!

What I got

The Honey Mud ($90 for 100ml). An exquisitely distinctive union of raw organic honey, silver, white halloysite clay and aromatic plant oils marry with our unique, natural exfoliating acid to envelop you in an intoxicating and highly addictive cleansing and masking ritual. Our cushy, luscious pudding frees you of the day’s pollutants, infusing skin with enzymes as it plumps, softens, and revives circulatory rhythm to restore optimal hydration and luminance. Our very special form of salicylic acid, extracted from wintergreen leaves, enhances the skin’s natural shedding process. This frees dead cells, both on the surface and in the pore lining, and releases the accumulation of environmental debris, makeup, and sunscreen that mixes with your natural oils and built up tissue. True skin food, beautiful for even sensitive and redness-prone complexions, this silky formula is designed to be non-stripping, respecting and preserving your delicate acid mantle, microbiome, and pH levels. 

Ingredients: Kaolin (White Halloysite), ***Honey, •Aqua, *Theobroma Cacao Extract, *Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Colloidal Silver, Titanium Dioxide, *Cananga Odorata (Ylang-Ylang) Flower Oil, *Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, **Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense) Oil, **Commiphora Myrrha (Myrrh) Oil, *Juniperus Virginiana (Cedarwood) Oil, *Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Peel Oil Expressed, Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Extract, •Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, +Benzyl Benzoate, +Limonene, +Benzyl Salicylate

The Problem Solver ($100 for 250ml). A jet-black fusion of indulgent and antioxidant-rich raw cacao, activated bamboo charcoal, soil nutrients, salts, and exotic spices go deep on a mission to reveal your most radiant self. This superhero formula brightens, heals inflammation and irritation, fades hyperpigmentation, stimulates collagen production, and treats and prevents breakouts. This dynamic, highly effective treatment mask is powerful. Formulated in support of optimal skin health for all complexions, including sensitive, The Problem Solver’s radically different, fresh-activated, powder-to-mousse formula brings warmth and detoxification with delightful ease.

Ingredients: Solum Fullonum (Fuller’s Earth), **Theobroma Cacao Fruit Powder, Moroccan Lava (Rhassoul) Clay, *Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (Ceylon Cinnamon) Bark Powder, *Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg) Powder, •Sea Salt, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Charcoal (Activated Bamboo) Powder, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Bud Powder, *Vanilla Planifolia Seed Powder, *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Powder, *Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root, **Boswellia Papyrifera (Frankincense) Powder, *Capsicum Annuum (Cayenne) Fruit Powder, •Kaolin (Red Alaea) Clay, *Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Powder, *Angelica Archangelica Root Powder, *Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Powder, +Eugenol

The Clean Dirt (200ml). An energizing blend of cleansing clays, warming spices, and restorative salts lifts impurities while a surge of H20-activated Vitamin C encourages cellular rejuvenation and undeniable luminosity. Our original powder-to-mousse cult favourite transforms and refines the skin’s appearance and functionality through impressively effective exfoliation. This stimulating treatment reduces congestion, discolouration, and post-acne marks, leaving you velvety smooth and gorgeously radiant. The fine, fresh-milled powder formula transforms when introduced to water into a rich, fizzing, glow-inducing mousse. Our brightening powerhouse delivers from your very first use, with noticeable results only compounding with time and consistency.

Ingredients: Kaolin (White Halloysite), Moroccan Lava (Rhassoul) Clay, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), •Sea Salt, *Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (Ceylon Cinnamon) Bark Powder, *Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg) Powder, *Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Bud Powder, **Theobroma Cacao Fruit Powder, *Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root, *Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Petal Powder, *Calendula Officinalis Flower, *Vanilla Planifolia Seed Powder, *Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Powder, *Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Powder, Titanium Dioxide, •Kaolin (Red Alaea) Clay, +Eugenol

The Youth Dew ($140 for 30ml). This is the ultimate daily glow potion, providing gorgeous hydration and a serious vitamin cocktail while transforming skin with a power-packed bouquet of 21 ambitiously regenerating and indulgent plant and botanical oils. The Youth Dew is our first choice to restore balance in those prone to acne, as well as to plump, protect, and hydrate in sensitive and maturing complexions. Packed with protective antioxidants, including scientifically proven Coenzyme Q10, which functions as a free radical scavenger, The Youth Dew reduces oxidative damage from stress and environmental factors (such as UV irradiation) while maintaining healthy cellular levels.

Ingredients: *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Oil, *Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, *Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, *Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Oil, *Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil, *Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil, Aleurites (Kukui) Moluccanus Seed Oil, *Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, *Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, *Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, *Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium Rose) Oil, *Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, *Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Peel Oil Expressed, *Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, *Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), *Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena (Bulgarian) Flower Oil, ***Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, +Citral, +Citronellol, +Eugenol, +Farnesol, +Geraniol, +Linalool, +Limonene, +Benzyl Alcohol

*Certified Organic, **Fair Trade Certified, +Component of Essential Oil, •Sea Salt and Kaolin (Red Alaea Clay) as Red Alaea Sea Salt

How I find it

The Honey Mud is a creamy, pudding-like mask that can also be used as a cleanser. Mix it with a bit of water in your palms to turn it into silky cleansing milk. Or as a mask when you apply this on dry skin. You can also mix this with the Problem Solver mixture for a lush, glow-boosting treatment. After cleansing, I would pat dry my skin and apply an even layer of the mask onto my skin. You can leave this mask on for a few minutes, or up to an hour, as it is honey-based, it doesn’t dry out the skin or turns hard so you can wear this a lot longer compared to the Problem Solver. As per the suggested usage on May Linstrom’s website, you can mix this with the Problem Solver mask by creating the Problem Solver mixture first (possibly half the amount as you would a normal mask) and then mixing Honey Mud in equal parts.

When I open the lid, it looked like the deep brown oil has slightly separated from the rest of the soft ochre pudding. Absolutely normal, I use a clean spatula to pick up a decent amount of product and then put it on my palm. Then I use the spatula to evenly spread the mask out. It is a bit like smooth peanut butter and spreads evenly on the skin. I left it on for 45 minutes the first time and the mask did not dry to a tight, hard layer. I use a bit of water to emulsify and loosen up the mask. It turns milky and then is ready to be washed off. It rinses off easily with a bit of loosening up with my fingertips. My skin feels soft and clean and also supple, not sucked dry like a clay mask.

The Problem Solver is a powder mask that can be mixed with either water or May’s Jasmine Garden facial mist. You use 1 teaspoon of the powder and mix it with just shy of 1 teaspoon of water to create a soft, rich mousse. Give it a good mix in a bowl and then apply to the skin after cleansing. This mixture would be enough to cover my entire face and neck, so if you wish to use it sparingly or not extend to the neck area, you can use 1/2 a teaspoon of mask instead. Once applied, the mask should warm up on the skin, this is absolutely normal and unless you have really sensitive skin, it should not be a problem. I personally really enjoy a warming sensation. Then you leave this on for around 30-45 minutes or until it dries up completely. May recommends to step into a warm shower and allow the steam to loosen up the mask and let the water rehydrate the mask before gently massaging everything off. It is a clay-based mask so it can be a little drying on the skin while you wait. If you are uncomfortable with that feeling, feel free to rinse it off just before it dries hard to the touch.

So after cleansing my skin, I pat dry gently and then mix this mask up with water. Again, the powder bubbles up slightly and I can tell that it has sodium bicarbonate. It took a good minute to mix as the powder appeared to repel water a little bit, this may be just the surface tension, but after a few mixes with the spatula, the powder and water started mixing to a deep brown, almost black mousse. I then apply this mousse onto my face. After about a minute, my skin started to feel the tingle and warming sensation. The tingle started to sting a little and starts to dry down. After about 5 minutes, I couldn’t take the almost burning sensation anymore and I washed it off. The burning sensation continues and completely fades away completely within about 3 minutes. My skin doesn’t feel itchy or look red, but I made sure I use something mild and gentle after the mask (no acids).

The Clean Dirt is also a powder product and it is an exfoliating treatment. After cleansing, use 1 teaspoon of the powder and mix it with just shy of 1 teaspoon of water to create a frothy mousse. The sodium bicarbonate in the formula makes this mouse quite bubbly and fizzy. So after cleansing, I lightly pat dry my skin and hands, then I use a small teaspoon to measure the product into a small bowl and add equal parts of water to mix up a frothy mousse. I like to use a silicone spatula to mix and apply. The first time I used this, I mixed the powder and water in the palm of my hands and it was quite messy, so mixing it in a bowl is great and you don’t risk precious products falling out of your hands.

Once the frothy mousse is created, just apply it directly onto the skin and just spread it out. You don’t need to wait 5-10 minutes unless you want to, I like to just gently massage the mousse onto the skin as there are soft granules in the foam to give me a manual exfoliation as well. The bubbles do fade once you massage, and then rinse off is easy and leaves no residue on the skin, but you do need to clean the sink up a little. My skin feels really clean and soft afterwards, with no tingling feeling or redness on the skin as it is really gentle.

The Youth Dew is a nourishing oil serum with a luxurious texture. The amber-coloured oil serum feels silky smooth on the skin and leaves my skin dewy and supple. If you have oily skin, this might not be for you. I have combination oily skin, leaning to dry during winter and this feels really good at my nighttime routine. However, when I use this, I don’t need to use the Blue Cocoon over it as this is already very occulsive and moisturising on me.

So I picked The Pendulum Potion and the Blue Cocoon as free samples and I kid you not, I totally forgot that the Pendulum Potion is a cleansing oil and yes, I used it as a facial oil!! I used about 3 drops of the Pendulum Potion and applied it onto my skin as the last step of skincare and I slept on it. The texture felt really nice and my skin felt really nourished nonetheless. My skin did not break out overnight so I’m good. After realising what I have done, I have used it in the correct way as a cleansing oil, but this is not an emulsifying one so you do need to use a flannel or muslin cloth to remove it. It is not my favourite kind of cleansing oil, so I definitely won’t be purchasing this. I have also asked the team at ML if this Pendulum Potion can be used as a facial oil and they said absolutely!

As for the Blue Cocoon, it is a beautiful light blue balm. Just a little lighter in colour than I expected, but it has a heavy herbal scent – very soothing and therapeutic if you like this kind of scent (reminds me of Fifty7Kind NADI). You only need a small amount and it starts to melt instantly in the palm of your hands. Similar to a couple of balm products I have been using recently, they do melt and solidify depending on the weather and temperature in your environment. Currently, it is winter in New Zealand and it is a solid balm, but it will soften up to a buttery texture and it can melt down to a liquid. However, this would not affect the benefits of this product, but of course, it is easier to use when it is a balm or butter texture, so you can pop it into the fridge to bring it back to a semi-solid state.

Overall

Alright, after trying out pretty much all of May Lindstrom products (except for one), I have come down with a few thoughts on the range. First of all, I absolutely adore how amazing the experience was. I genuinely enjoyed browsing through her website and watching how she uses her products. The customer service is absolutely top-notch. The packaging of the parcel and each product are so thought-out and luxurious. Let’s talk about the products, sorry this one has been so long.

All of the products I have tried are really enjoyable to use. The Honey Mud has such an interesting texture and I would say this is my top pick. It is moisturising, balancing and soothing. It also cleanses and clarifies. The second product I really like would be the Blue Cocoon as really nourishes and balanced my skin. I reach for a balm like this most of the time now as it is often less greasy than a facial oil, but it works just as good as an oil. As the last step of skincare, this envelopes my skin with a protective layer to prevent moisture loss, but at the same time it is not too dewy or takes too long for my skin to absorb. The Problem Solver I would use when my skin is really congested and I need an intensive clearing treatment. It really penetrates my pores and clarifies my skin. But it does sting my face a little so I can’t use this more than once a week. The Clean Dirt on the other hand can be used twice a week to keep my skin free of build up. It is still a chemical and physical exfoliant so I won’t be using this more than twice a week.

Lastly the Youth Dew is certainly a beautiful serum. The deep, golden colour is so gorgeous to look at and as a facial oil serum, it is lightweight and not pore-clogging. Personally, I would use either the Youth Dew or the Blue Cocoon as I do have combination/oily skin. When the environment gets quite dry, I would use the Blue Cocoon on top and still it doesn’t feel thick and greasy, but just take a bit of time to sink in and I probably don’t need all that layering.

If I were to repurchase anything from her range, it would have to be the Honey Mud or the Problem Solver. I think they both work really well on my skin and I just love the texture and experience with the Honey Mud. What have you tried from May Lindstrom or what would you be interested to try now?