Alright, friends. Pack your bags and ‘cos we’re going to…Los Angeles! And get a snack – we’re in for the long haul.
I was making an order on Content Beauty a few months ago, when I stumbled onto a skin care brand familiar from a few years back. The name of this sleek and elegant black-bottled range is May Lindstrom (which, despite its name, is not Swedish).
I think it was the Honey Mud Cleansing Silk that first caught my eye. Cleansing silk. What was this product? A look at the ingredients and I was practically in heaven, imagining its benefits and the feel of it on the skin.
The second thing was The Jasmine Garden Botanical Mist. as spray toner (LOVE IT!). You know I love citrus scents, but another, somewhat more sophisticated, love of mine has always been jasmine. It has a soft and gentle aromatherapeutic fragrance that helps with depression, balances the nervous system, boosts confidence, and gives its user a sense of optimism and euphoria, while also helping to restore energy.
I clicked the Jasmine mist to my basket, but after looking through the brand’s amazing site (a euphoric and relaxing experience in itself) I really just wanted to try everything.
One thing led to another, and I suddenly found myself in a correspondence with May, the founder of the brand (whose warm energy was palpable through her electronic missives from across the world). A few days later I found a courier standing behind my door with a box of May Lindstrom treasures. I almost fainted.
In the box were Honey Mud, Jasmine Garden (I now have two!), The Problem Solver mask, The Blue Cocoon Beauty Balm Concentrate, and well as a mask application brush. The ceramic bowl, designed by ceramic artist Melissa Brown, was purchased from Content Beauty.
I’m still hoping to add a few more things to my collection, including The Clean Dirt Cleansing Clay, The Youth Dew oil serum, and The Good Stuff Radiance oil, but let’s start by looking at what I was given.
May’s products are infused with magical energy and pure, healing love. I’m certain of it. May does not make use of factories or external laboratories; each product, down to the last ingredient, is designed by May herself, and bottled in her private little studio in Los Angeles. We are talking 100% artisanship and DIY cosmetics. The products are completely natural, using both wild growing, as well as biodynamic, organically grown ingredients. With minimal amounts of consistency regulating ingredients being used (if any), every bottle is filled only with nature’s own healing and caring energy.
The beautiful product descriptions on May’s website seem to bestow each product with a soul of its own. The collection is perfect for private pampering, but it would also make an excellent luxury range for a spa or beauty salon.
Considering the products in the collection are 100% hand crafted, it is not surprising that the products are on the pricier side. Such beautiful and authentic work is worth every penny, however.
The first whiff of Honey Mud took me back to my childhood and Squirrel Nami Nami dessert puddings; the scent and consistency of the two are almost identical. By the time I was rubbing the cleansing silk into my skin, I was on cloud nine. The texture of it was heavenly (heavenly), and it removed every last bit of makeup, down to the rather thick coat of mascara on my lashes. Patyka’s cleansing oil has finally met its match.
I wiped off the cleanser using Patyka’s cleansing towel, but Absolution’s konjac sponge would work just as well. Another option is to use the Silk as a double cleanser by applying a cleansing foam on top – from Patyka’s cleansing trio, for example.
Besides cleansing, Honey Mud can also be used as a nourishing antioxidant mask.
My heart sings as I look at the ingredients in these products. Honey Mud uses raw honey, kaolin, macadamia nut oil, witch hazel, and colloidal silver as its base. I am so excited that someone has finally thought to use colloidal silver in cosmetics. It is antibacterial and therefore an excellent preservative, but it also helps to prevent impurities in the skin. Essential vanilla and ylang-ylang oils give the product a relaxing, almost butterscotch-like scent.
One spritz of Jasmine Garden is enough to transport you to an opulent flower garden. The fragrance is both mystical and romantic. Thanks to its pore minimizing and sebum regulating qualities, witch hazel is one of my favorite ingredients for toners. Apart from jasmine absolute and jasmine oil, the toner also contains colloidal silver, damask rose oil, ylang-ylang, vanilla, and cacao oil. It is perfect for all skin types.
The Problem Solver just might be the most interesting mask I have ever tired, and I am absolutely sold on the texture and the method of application. I love mixing my own products, especially when I have a beautiful bowl like May’s to do it in. It makes for a very unique experience. Clove and cinnamon give the mask a Christmassy scent, and I have a gingerbread mask in the works in my own little studio in Punavuori. I think it might be a hit among DIY beauticians everywhere this Christmas.
The secret to this gastronomic mask is sodium carbonate, which begins to bubble when the powder is mixed with water. A small teaspoon of the powder will swell and produce about a tablespoon of spicy black mousse, which can then be applied to the skin.
The Problem Solver soothes inflammations, extracts impurities, minimizes pores, and evens out the complexion. I would not recommend it if you have sensitive skin or rosacea, however, as the cayenne in the mask can burn and irritate rosacea. But for any other skin types, these vitamin and antioxidant rich ingredients should be great.
The mask contains white and red clay, raw cacao, sea salt, vitamin C, ground vanilla, lavender, gotu cola, marshmallow root, angelica root, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, clove, and frankincense – all warming, repairing, and strongly aromatherapeutic ingredients.
The name of this product, Blue Cocoon, makes me think of a blue lagoon, or possibly the Garden of Eden. The scents of a thousand sweet paradise island flowers seem to come together in this turquoise beauty balm, releasing negative energy, and calming mind and skin alike.
The oils and fats in the balm are rich in repairing fatty acids. Camellia oil, shea butter, marula oil, yangu oil, and baoba oil are suitable for all skin types. The name of the product is inspired by blue tansy essential oil, the deep blue color of which stems from its high azulene content. Derived from chamomile, azulene soothes inflamed, damaged, and irritated skin. The balm also contains myrrh, frankincense, lavender, immortelle, geranium and vanilla oils.
The balm is great to use in the evening with a bit of Jasmine Garden worn underneath, or before applying your makeup in the morning. It can also be used as a softening treatment on the lips or under the eyes.
It is without a doubt the most luxurious beauty balm I’ve ever owned and I cherish it like a precious jewel, only using it on very special occasions to make it last as long as possible. I love the oily yet light consistency of it (no blocked pores), not to mention it’s blue lagoon color and scent. Girls, there is nothing like it. May must be a genius to have come up with this product.
I have tried out my fair share of products over the years, but the beautiful energy of the products alone had me speechless. May has raised the cosmetic bar to completely new heights. Her products are simply delicious – gastronomical even – despite their lack of consistency regulating fillers. And don’t even get me started on the mystical sensuousness of the fragrances. All in all, using Mays products has been a soul soothing, energy balancing, and grounding experience. Through these products, I feel connected with nature and its healing powers.
Peace, Love and a Touch of Magic!
May Lindstrom’s products are available at Content Beauty (UK). I also recommend having a look at the brand’s lovely website, which is an experience in itself.
Products provided by the manufacturer
Photos Katja Kokko
Translation Katja Nikula
