La Belle Lune Organic Skin

One skincare product that I always have on hand is a face oil. My journey with face oils begun with the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I used for years and still think is a great one. After that I transitioned to Dr. Alkaitis Nourishing Treatment Oil, which is fantastic value for money and has a very clean list of ingredients. However, recently I came across an indie brand, La Belle Lune and its Organic Skin face oil, which had amazing reviews and story. I decided to pick it up and have been using it for a few months now. As such I am well equipped to share my thoughts, and if you care to know more, then keep on reading! 

La Belle Lune Organic Skin 

Let's start with the experience of actually getting the product to Finland (the company is based in the UK). First of all, La Belle Lune offers free international shipping (big YES!). They make their products in small batches, therefore it takes a few days before they ship it out. When they do ship it out, you get a notification and I believe I received my parcel within a week after that. The product came in a sturdy black box, very nicely wrapped and packaged (I was pleasantly surprised). It also included a separate note listing all the ingredients - nice attention to detail if you ask me. The overall presentation and the initial contact with the brand has been excellent (better than what you get with bigger, more established brands and retailers). 

About the product packaging itself. The branding is not particularly to my liking, but I can appreciate how different/alternative it is. The product is stored in a black/dark blue glass bottle which protects the ingredients from being overexposed to light (highly appreciate that). You get 20ml of product as opposed to 30ml (standard size). I was aware of this prior to ordering, hence it did not come as a surprise. Personally I don't see it as an issue, since you don't need a lot (1-3 drops) and I'd rather re-order a fresh one once I run out. It comes with a pump, not a dropper applicator. This is something that occasionally makes me a little bit frustrated as the pump can get stuck and fails to work properly.

La Belle Lune Organic Skin

What does it contain? The oil is packed full of vitamins and nutrients such as Rosehip Seed Oil, Milk Thistle Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Chia Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Rose Otto Essential Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil, Carrot Seed Essential Oil and Rosemary CO2 extract. I was especially thrilled to see the Chia and Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil among the top ingredients as they're not something you can easily come by. A more detailed description of each ingredient can be found here. 

This oil didn't disappoint. It feels luxurious, has heavenly scent (if you like lavender) and is non-greasy. It hasn't broken me out: on the contrary I wake up with calmer and plumper looking skin. Besides the amazing results and ingredients, La Belle Lune is an organic and cruelty-free brand that won't break the bank (compared to Vintner's Daughter, May Lindstrom, Sunday Riley etc.). In my opinion the price (£46.00) is very reasonable considering the quality you are getting. 

Overall there is nothing more I can say other than I won't be looking to try something new in the face oil department anytime soon! I am, however, looking forward to seeing what other products La Belle Lune will be bringing out in the future.

I hope you found this post useful. If you know of any other indie brands that are cruelty-free and worth trying do let me know!

Until next time,

Muffy

Unmasking the Mask

Very often masks are overlooked in the everyday skincare routine. I am not going to lie, I often forget to use them myself. Even if I have several masks in rotation I rarely see the results which make me want to comeback to a certain mask. What am I looking for in a mask? My main concern is to keep those pesky breakouts at bay and nourish my skin with good ingredients. Easier said than done. However, there has been one mask that hasn't left my skincare cupboard in a while and I doubt that this will change anytime soon. Of course, I am always thinking that maybe there is something better out there, but for the time being I am happy with what I have. This mysterious mask is the Lush's Mask of Magnaminty. Besides the tongue twisting name, it is a fantastic mask and here is why.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty

All Lush products are cruelty free and handmade. The self-preserving Mask of Magnaminty is also 100% natural. It is a new formula that they have brought out recently, which is great. This means that it is free from preservatives. They have managed to do so without altering the look, the feel and reducing the shelf life of the product. For instance, I have used an original formula that contained Mathylparaben and the self-preserving one that is paraben free. They have performed equally good and both have a shelf life of 4 months. The key ingredients are peppermint oil, african marigold oil, evening primrose seeds, fair trade vanilla and honey.

Consistency and Colour of Mask of Magnaminty

Let's talk about the consistency for a minute. It is pretty thick but you can easily scoop it out with your fingers. You can feel that it has been handmade as the texture is grainy, unlike with mass produced ones. As the name suggests, you can without fail distinguish the pepperminty scent and the colour supports the theme as well. I personally love both features. I find that peppermint is very refreshing and cooling to the skin. It says to leave this mask on for five to ten minutes, I usually keep it for 20 or 30 min. I am not too precise when it comes to timing my masks, unless it is a very strong one. The mask dries in about ten minutes and you can wash it off with warm water. It doubles up as a scrub due to its texture. The results are noticeable right away. You are left with more brighter and fresh looking skin. The inflammation and redness is reduced. It soothes the skin and you don't have that nasty feeling like your skin has been drained of all its moisture. I always bring this bad boy out when my skin is feeling dull, congested and needs a little bit of a pick me up. The only concern I have is that the big pot contains 315g of product and it is very difficult to use it all up in 4 months. Especially if you are using other masks in conjunction. Therefore, I would recommend starting with a smaller size (125g) and see how you get along. 

Tip: If you are unsure how your skin will react to this mask, you can ask for a sample. At Lush they can easily decant a little bit of product and give it to you to try at home. I advice doing this if you have sensitive skin. 

Overall I am very pleased with this mask. I have gone through numerous tubs of it. I like how it makes my skin feel, it is cruelty free, 100% natural and reasonably priced. The bigger pot retails for 17,65€ and smaller one for 10,50€. You can get it at your nearest Lush counter or online. 

Do you have any recommendations for what I should try next from Lush?

Cheers,
Muffy