May Lindstrom

I generally steer clear of cult beauty products for fear that they just won't live up to the hype and I'll be left disappointed. 

May Lindstrom has a phenomenal number of beauty products to her name.  As a former model she originally started making her skincare in her kitchen; she is a woman after my own heart as I love making avocado and honey face masks at home. 

The Problem Solver (£96) has been one such cult product that I have wanted to try. Its received absolutely rave reviews and is adored by industry insiders but the bitter cynic in me thinks it's just not possible for a product to be that great. It is after all just a face mask and priced at over ninety pounds it's a very expensive one. 

As time has gone on I've become inquisitive and relented, keen to give it a go. Resembling something from a lava field, this jet black, charcoal powder seems a strange and potent problem solver. 

On opening the jar it gives off a spicy exotic aroma, of antioxidant-rich raw cacao, bamboo charcoal, soil nutrients and exotic spices of Cinnamon and Cayenne. It's not like anything I have tried before as I've never tried a powder form face mask. 

Taking a spoonful of powder, it is bought to life with water which transforms it into a bubbly mouse; with a the additional brush it is easily applied to the face. 

Over a forty-five minute period it goes from a wet face mask to a dry chalky consistency. There is something very therapeutic about it cracking as it dries. I couldn't hold a smile long enough for it to set!  

So does it live up to the hype?

On applying the mask I could instantly feel the ingredients working; it gives off a warm slightly stinging sensation. I was concerned the first time I used it that it would dry out or react to my skin but in fact on removing the product my skin felt softer and looked brighter. Over a couple of uses my spots have improved and overall appearance of my skin is healthier looking. It has made a remarkable and noticeable difference my face glows!

Whilst no one can deny the mask is expensive, you get a considerable amount of product for your money and for me it is a face mask that really works. It's also made from the finest organic ingredients, which are sustainably sourced and suitable for Vegans too. 

I like to follow the face mask up with The Blue Cocoon (£174).

The colouring of this product is beautiful it reminds me of the blue lagoon in Iceland. 

It is a solid which melts on touch to a gorgeous liquid. A little bit goes a really long way, so again whilst expensive it will last an age. When applied to the skin it is wonderfully calming, it smells divine (Geranium and Lavender) and has helped to reduce my rosacea on my cheeks. It has blue Tansy in it which is a natural anti-inflammatory and has antihistamine properties.   

So does it live up to the hype?

I have used this balm for just over three months, I use it at night as I find the consistency too thick to use at any other time. It also takes a really long time to sink into the skin due to the Shea butter. I was initially undecided what I thought about this product, mainly I think because of the price. 

It has been brilliant at hydrating my skin, if you have oily skin I'm not sure this product would work for you due to its consistency. I have definitely noticed a difference in my dark circles under my eyes and the redness in my skin has reduced. It is perfect for when you have a red or raised blemish too. I will be saving this little beauty for the winter months when my skin is at its worst and based on how little product has already disappeared I expect the jar to last me at least a year. 

I'm really pleased that I waited, did my research and opted for the best products for my skin type. I have been really pleased with the May Lindstrom products; I can well and truly see how they have received such attention. Next on my wish list is The Jasmine Garden Facial Spray.  

Have you tried any of the May Lindstrom products? What are your beauty must haves?

Teeth Whitening - Smile Brilliant

Prior to having Noah I didn't really drink coffee, but after a year of very little sleep it has become a very familiar friend. The challenge with drinking coffee is that over time it has stained the front of my teeth. Would the stains stop someone in their track and stare probably not, but when I talk I am self conscious of my teeth. I have tried in the past whitening toothpastes and strips and whilst they work to some extent the overall whitening hasn't been amazing and it doesn't last very long.

So when Smile Brilliant got in touch and asked if I was interested in trying their home whitening kit, I thought why not. They offer a number of kits, for those with sensitive and non sensitive teeth, you can also pick the number of applications based on how stained your teeth are. 

I opted for a home whitening kit with eighteen applications. 

It's low in costs at £130*($165) in comparison to a dentist and the process was easy too. If you live in the U.K. you have to pay import tax as the package comes from the United States which was around £11. 

The box when it arrived had absolutely everything that I needed to get me going, one set of custom impressions, 18 whitening applications and 18 desensitising applications.

This is the perfect set for those with average staining on their teeth but have some sensitivity. So let me share the process with you...

1.Making your impressions at home: 

The first process on receiving my box was to make two sets of impressions of my upper and lower teeth. 

For those of you who have had braces in the past the above process will be a familiar one. I really enjoyed making my impressions. A mini science experiment at home. 

Before making your dental impressions you need to make sure you have clean teeth. Start by brushing and flossing your teeth. 

To make the dental impressions you have one minute to mix the catalyst and baste paste together, place in the impression tray and gently close your mouth to form indentations of your teeth. 

 

It's important to do one impression at a time. The company has also supplied a spare in case you make a mistake. When making the impressions it is important to not bite down or wiggle the mould, it takes 2 minutes thirty seconds. 

2. Sending your impressions off so your custom trays can be made:

Within the pack you have everything you need to return the impressions. As the impressions are being posted back to the United States you do have to pay for the postage roughly £8. The return postage to send your impressions back to you is covered. If you live in the US postage is paid for you to send your impressions back. 

Given the distance the impressions are travelling, the lab turned them around quickly and my custom fitted trays were returned in two weeks. 

3.Whitening your teeth: 

As my teeth are a little sensitive I chose the pack with desensitising gel to help remove teeth sensitivity, whilst whitening my teeth. Now time for the whitening treatment.

Making sure that the trays are clean, take the desensitising gel and apply a thin line along the front outer part of the trays. Each syringe has enough for 3-4 applications so keep this in mind when applying. 

Brush teeth with water (no toothpaste) and dry teeth as much as possible and apply the desensitising solution to your custom trays, wear for about fifteen - twenty minutes. 

When completed spit out any remaining gel. Now for a foodie I struggled with not be able to eat or drink for thirty minutes. 

It took me the first couple of days to get the timings right and work out when in the day it was best to do it. I personally found about an hour or so before bed was the perfect time to do it. 

Repeating the same process apply a thin layer of the white gel to your impressions and apply. 

Its important not to put too much on. The whitening solution can be left for forty five minutes - three hours. I personally refrained from leaving mine on to long and opted for fifty minutes. 


The Results: 
I wasn't expecting a massive change to the colour of my teeth over night. But I absolutely love this product it has been so easy to use and I have been pleasantly surprised with the results, by the third application the yellowy tones to my teeth had gone and after ten my teeth had changed considerably to a much more vibrant white. 

The best part for me however had to be the discolouration on my front teeth which disappeared. If your looking for a professional teeth whitening treatment at home at a fraction of the price a dentist would charge, Smile Brilliant is perfect. 

This was an easy to use product, at a great price and I was really pleased with the results. 

If your looking for a teeth home whitening kit Smile Brilliant have offered my readers a 5% discount using coupon code: FoodieForce. 

www.smilebrilliant.com

How do you keep your teeth white?

*I was kindly gifted the Smile Brilliant home whitening kit but as always this is an honest review. I loved how easy this kit was and the results speak for themselves.