Beauty Product Reviews
Pure Indulgence!
If there's one thing I appreciate about May Lindstrom's products, it's the lack of hyperbole. No miracle in a jar that will do everything short of picking up your dry cleaning. It's a moisturizing balm concentrate that calms skin. And it does.
First of all, lets address the green elephant in the room. $180 for a moisturizer with no fancy anti aging ingredients or significant antioxidants. What you have to remember with this is you need the tiniest bit. Seriously. When Ms. Lindstrom calls this a concentrate, she means it. I have been working on the same jar for nearly a year and a half (I generally use it 3 or 4 evenings out of the week, it's especially good if I've been heavy on the actives). Also, the elegance of the formulation (it has a nice amount of slip despite a lack of any silicones or other slip agents) you have a lot of control over how much you use. I have aging combo skin and can use it in the daytime without getting oily (I spray on a toner first and then pat it into my skin). It should be pointed out that it contains no fillers. No waxes or water, just butters and oils.
The texture is divine. Just perfect. Despite being a balm, it doesn't sit heavily on the skin. It's nourishing, but it doesn't feel like you have a layer of Crisco on. Of course the same quality that makes it so lovely also makes it a bitch to travel with and store depending on the climate you live in. This will melt even in moderate heat. I won't even store it in my bathroom.
Excellent Value, Well Edited
Nearly every product was a winner.
The Foundation: Unfortunately, the foundation shade I chose was too light. Just as an aside, if you're looking for pale shades of foundation, you might want to try this. I'm around a MAC NW20/NC25. I ordered the Beige 20, which is at least 2 shades to light for me. I'll probably order 42 medium and mix the two. That is another minor problem with this product. If I was to actually go up 2 shades I'd be at Neutral Light Medium 40, which has cool undertones instead of warm. So the shade range is a bit limited in that sense. The texture and finish are quite nice. It's more luminous than "glowy" if that makes sense. You look very fresh and natural, but not shiny. The coverage is light to just shy of medium, so full coverage gals might find this lacking. 4 Stars.
The All Over Glow Shimmer: Love this! The only thing I didn't care for was the scent, but that certainly hasn't kept me from using it. It doesn't enhance skin texture or fine lines. It's not sparkly, but you can build it to a pretty intense sheen. It's exactly what I want in a highlighter. 4 stars,
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder: This is a cult product for a reason. Finely milled and buildable. Blends like a dream. Not so cool toned you look dead. Perfect. 5 stars.
By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge: This has a very strong scent and taste, so if fragrance bothers you, skip it. The color I received was Lady Bare. Its a nude shade that pulls warmer on me than I like, but the satin matte finish is so gorgeous I use a neutral/cool nude lipliner to counteract it. It's very lightweight, the consistency of the product is gel like and very comfortable. 4 stars.
Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes: This will be my third tube of this. You really can go from natural to very full on with this mascara. I have put on up to 4 layers with no clumping or flaking. It is quite long wearing despite not being waterproof. Easily makes my top 3 mascaras. 5 stars.
RCMA No Color Setting Powder: Excellent for the price. Lightweight. Truly colorless. I have other loose powders I prefer, but they are also much more expensive. I can't think of many cons at this price point.
All in all, I'm very, very happy with this purchase and I still find myself reaching for most of the products on a regular basis. Good Job!
Smells Like Heaven, But..
First of all, some props for Beautylish. Awesome customer service, fantastic return policy, and lightning fast shipping. All around excellent place to shop.
Now to the product. For reference I've got sensitive combination skin with occasional hormonal breakouts. And I'm pushing 50 harder than the school bully pushes a nerd at recess. I used only this face oil for over a month. To be fair, I did not use it in the daytime due to the formula's inclusion of bergamot peel oil. It is highly phototoxic. Granted, sunscreen can remedy this, but I have somewhat sensitive skin and didn't want to risk it. For this price, it would be nice to see a FCF (furanocoumarin-free) bergamot oil used instead.
Regarding the price, I have absolutely no issue with it. One of my favorite face oils is Odacite's C for Collette which is $149....for ONE HALF ounce. Someone here mentioned May Lindstrom's Blue Cocoon. I'm a massive fan of that as well. But, if you're going to charge a premium it's gotta blow my skirt up like Marilyn Monroe over a subway grate. I'm sorry to say this just didn't.
On the plus side, this smells heavenly. If you are a fan of white flower scents, you will roll your eyes back and curl your toes. I also appreciate that it's a product created with real passion. Unfortunately, for me the results were just lacking. The only thing I can say is that it was moisturizing.
Did I see increased radiance? Not like I do with my C for Collette serum, which is 15% vitamin C. It didn't beat out my Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient face oil, either.
Did I see increased cell turn over, did it handle discoloration such as post acne marks? Not that I could see. Certainly not as quickly as the Yuli Cell Perfecto PM I normally use for this purpose.
Maybe it's just a good "all 'rounder"? Considering the price I'd rather use La Belle Lune (.70 fl oz, $63) Kypris's Prismatic Array (1.5 fl oz for $150). Many people who have used this have stated they've been able to drop all of their other skin treatments and just use this. Not me. Not even close.
It's not even a particularly unique formulation or texture. It's labeled as a serum, but it is a facial oil. I'd point to the May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon here. You spend $180 for a fairly simple formulation, but the texture is brilliant. Melts into the skin and you use so little that with proper care and storage you'll be working on that jar for a solid year! And that's another thing...they recommend 6 to 8 drops of this?!? Most I ever need of any oil is 3 or 4!
To be clear, I don't think its a bad product. Replace the bergamot peel oil with a FCF oil and knock about $50.00 off the price and I might consider this again. Also, adjust those claims a bit. This oil is in no way as "active"or effective as a serum or oil with 15% Vitamin C!
As our beloved Caroline Hirons says, if it works for you "Crack On!", but in my opinion there are too many other products like this which are far more effective with much faster results at a fraction of the price.