The Sample: May Lindstrom The Complete Skin Experience (Review & Photos)
««Press Sample»»
Now I know that by now, most of you have heard of May Lindstrom already. A self-proclaimed “skin chef”, May Lindstrom’s eponymous skincare line features products that are all blended and filled by hand in micro-batches, ensuring the freshest, most high-quality products. As May herself tells me, “it’s an incredibly personal and time-consuming process”—and one that obviously pays off. You can really tell that a lot of love goes into each product–you can just feel it. From the lovely logo to the ornate yet incredibly simplistic glass packaging, the whole line screams understated elegance to me. And that’s just on the outside! Within each bottle is an expertly crafted formula that includes such simple ingredients as raw cacao, sea salt, and cinnamon–it’s no wonder May dubs herself a skin chef! The line almost has a DIY-esque feel to it, but to the n-th degree.
May’s well-edited line includes just 4 products (*edit: 2 new items were recently added to the collection. See here): The Good Stuff (a radiance oil for the body), The Problem Solver (a correcting masque), The Clean Dirt (a cleansing clay), and The Youth Dew (a hydrating facial serum). There are also 2 tools available, also known as The Treatment Duo, a signature treatment brush to apply the mask and a beautiful handmade clay bowl to mix the product in.
–The Youth Dew ingredients–
I received The Complete Skin Experience to review–a beautifully packaged box containing the complete May Lindstrom line! It’s going to be really hard trying to fit all this into one post (you guys know how I tend to ramble when I get excited! :P), but I’ll do my best because although I’ve reviewed most of these products separately on my blog before, I really wanted to show you guys the full set in all its glory before Christmas!
First: packaging. All of May’s products come packaged in lovely, thick, violet glass bottles/jars. It’s not only beautiful to look at but it’s also practical; the MIRON glass, as it’s called, protects the precious ingredients inside from the sun’s visible rays—all except the violet spectrum, which supposedly protect and improve the longevity of the products.
–The Good Stuff–
Now on to The Good Stuff (get it? Hehe…). The Good Stuff is a rich, silken body oil that has an amber-gold hue and fine golden mica particles suspended within. The brand describes it as “liquid sunshine” and I have to say, I think that’s the perfect term for this delectable treat. I’ve glossed over the product in this post so please refer there for more information about the texture and absolutely heavenly scent. Other than that, all you need to know is this is hands-down the best, most luxurious body oil you will ever find. Period.
Next, The Problem Solver. It is described as an “”intense treatment masque (that) effectively purifies and tightens pores, extinguishes inflammations, fights and heals blemishes, jump-starts circulation in the epidermis and detoxifies skin with delightful ease and power.” The texture is very fine and looks a bit like powdered hot cocoa mix. It boasts an ingredient list that reads a bit like a dessert recipe too, thanks to the high percentage of raw cacao and a plethora of other really unique, amazing ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla bean, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and clove. I can’t tell you how amazing the smell is! It really takes everything in my power not to try and mix the whole thing with water and eggs and bake it like a cake!
–The Problem Solver–
Once applied, there is a tingling, warming sensation that begins to take root about 5-7 minutes in–this is due to the warming spices (cinnamon, cayenne, clove, etc.). It slowly and steadily increases until it becomes a hot, buzzing sensation all over–it’s not painful but depending on your skin type, it has the potential to be a bit uncomfortable. Once it reaches that point, it slowly recedes a bit. After about 15 minutes, there is only a hint of a warming sensation left.
This mask is like a cup of coffee for your skin–it really wakes your skin up and gets your circulation going! I love it! But I am warning you again, it can get a little intense. My skin is quite hardy and can handle a lot but when my skin is dry or irritated, the mask can sting just a bit. If you have extremely dry and/or sensitive skin or skin that’s recently been exfoliated /is irritated, I don’t think this is the ideal mask for you. I suggest spot testing before using so you can make sure your skin can handle it. I do feel that the sensation becomes much less intense and noticeable with each additional use. Now when I use the mask, I only notice a slight, pleasant tingling.
–The Clean Dirt–
Like May’s The Problem Solver mask, The Clean Dirt contains a blend of warming spices, as well as cleansing clays and healing salts. You are meant to use this product as a purifying and exfoliating cleanser. It probably won’t remove a face full of makeup and dirt so I recommend using this in the mornings (added bonus is the warming spices will perk you right up!) or on night’s where you aren’t wearing makeup. The warming spices aren’t as intense in The Clean Dirt, part of the reason being that you don’t leave it on the skin for as long. The Clean Dirt does, however, double as a mask. Simply mix with a bit less water, apply all over skin, then rinse after 10-15 minutes, taking care to massage the skin in gentle, circular motions to exfoliate while washing it away.
Finish off your routine with The Youth Dew, a fantastic, has-to-be-felt-to-be-believed silky concoction that leaves your face feeling like velvet. No, suede. No, micro-suede! I am not exaggerating–it’s incredible. I have never tried a face oil that could leave my skin feeling that amazing afterward. I know it’s bad to touch your face a lot but I find that after applying The Youth Dew, I’ll sit for hours petting my cheek over and over again (please don’t judge me!).
–The Youth Dew–
The Youth Dew features an impressive blend of 20 oils–including Avocado, Meadowfoam Seed, Jojoba, Plum Kernel, Sea Buckthorn, Pomegranate, Borage, Kukui Nut, and Borage–and an infusion of CoEnzyme Q10. The oil is extremely rich, though surprisingly not heavy or greasy at all. During the fall and winter months, I’ve been limiting my use to about 3-4 drops once every 4 or 5 days. Any more than that and my acneic skin can’t handle it. But used sparingly, I find that my skin has so far avoided any cold weather-related flaky patches and rawness. My skin is much smoother and even my pores look smaller due to the hydrated skin cells plumping away the appearance of any imperfections. Those with normal or dry skin will love this and can kiss their winter skin woes goodbye!
Before this post turns into a novel, let me touch on The Treatment Duo really fast. The brush is made of 100% synthetic Taklon fibers–super soft and super effective at brushing product evenly across your skin. The work of art that is the clay bowl is hand-crafted by “clay magician” Melissa Brown and features May Lindstrom’s lovely dandelion logo fired into the center of the bowl in 24K gold. Pretty fancy, eh?
–mixing up The Problem Solver mask–
I’m aware that $410 is a lot of money so I do recommend you try some of the products before splurging on the whole kit and kaboodle. But trust me, you should start saving now because once you do try one of May’s stellar potions, you’ll fall in love and want to try more and that will eventually lead you to The Complete Skin Experience. You have been warned.
May is a huge proponent of ritual–the ritual of skincare. She believes that one should truly experience their products and her products are a realization of that belief. Each one has been carefully, thoughtfully formulated to provide the user with a true experience. They engage the sight, smell, and touch, stimulating both the skin and senses. I honestly believe in May Lindstrom–I believe in the brand and I believe in her philosophy. This set is a masterpiece and would make for an incomparable Christmas present this year
»»Pricing: $410 for 6 items (individual prices–The Good Stuff=$110/3.38 fl. oz., The Problem Solver=$90/8.45 fl. oz., The Clean Dirt=$60/6.76 fl. oz., The Youth Dew=$120/0.68 fl. oz., Signature Treatment Brush=$30, Handmade Clay Bowl=$32)
»»Availability: lebainboutique.com (where the set appears to be on sale for $349!), spiritbeautylounge.com, MayLindstrom.com,
»»Recommended for: skincare lovers who appreciate the finer things in life
»»Overall Rating: A
Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.
