Um, could someone tell me… where did the first two weeks of May go?  Since returning from the Indie Beauty Expo, I’ve been meaning to write my review of the May Beauty Heroes Box, which contained some real gems.  Beauty Heroes continues to be one of my favorite subscription boxes.  I love receiving a Clean, best-selling, full size product along with a deluxe-sample-size “sidekick” every month.  It’s been a great way to test out some fancy (read: expensive) new products, and you can’t beat the price ($115 for a 3-month membership).

This month’s Beauty Heroes box comes to us from Mahalo Skincare, all the way from the “Garden Island” of Hawaii, Kaua’i.  Mahalo (meaning gratitude, respect, praise) Skincare is lovingly and painstakingly made by husband-wife team, Maryna and Mark Kacht.  (I met them at IBE, and they could not be more lovely).  The couple set out to develop a skincare line that works on every level – energetic, physical and spiritual.  Each product is a synergy thoughtfully sourced, integrity ingredients, hand-crafted in small batches to delivery efficacy and a luxurious experience of botanical skincare.

This month’s hero product is the much talked about Mahalo Skincare Rare Indigo™ Balm.  When this product launched late last year, bloggers couldn’t stop discussing it.  This balm is so unique; it’s unlike anything I’ve ever tried.  I’d never heard of anyone using Indigo in skincare before, and it lends a beautiful color to the formula, so I was really intrigued and wanted to learn more.  Organic hemp, murumuru, babassu, grape seed and kukui oils replenish the skin with essential fatty acids, while helichrysum, chamomile, acai, and chamazulene-rich yarrow  build a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant profile to renew skin at the cellular level. Rose, Vitamin C, coQ10, iris, carrot seed, and bergamot deliver a youth-enhancing and restorative boost to repair stressed skin.  The result is calmed, soothed, deeply hydrated skin.  The scent seems strong at first, ( a blend of vanilla, iris, ylang ylang, frankincense and lavender) but a little balm goes a long way, and its fragrance becomes more subtle once on the skin.  ($110 value)

To use: scoop out just 1/2 pea size amount of The Rare Indigo™ Balm and warm it between your hands. Massage it onto the face, neck and chest with fingers using a circular motion day or night for an anti-inflammatory, aromatherapeutic indulgence.

Watch this video to see how The Rare Indigo™ Balm is made!

Ingredients: cannabis sativa (hemp)*, astrocaryum murumuru*, orbignya oleifera (babassu)*, sclerocarya birrea (marula), vitis vinifera (grape seed)*, camellia japonica (tea seed)*, aleurites moloccans (kukui)*, euterpe oleracea (acai)*, proprietary infusion of organic botanicals*, polygonum tinctorium (indigo), rosa damascena*, matricaria chamomilla*, achillea millefolium (yarrow)*, helichrysum italicum*, cananga odorata (ylang ylang)*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot fcf)*^, lavandula angustifolia (lavender)*, boswellia carteri (frankincense)*, abelmoschus moschatus (ambrette hibiscus), ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10), daucus carota (carrot seed)*, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C ester), non-gmo mixed tocopherols, vanilla planifolia, iris pallida

* organic + local and/or wild harvested (when available) ^Bergamot fcf is free from bergapten, it has no photosensitizing effects

This month’s Sidekick is The Petal by Mahalo Skincare.  The Petal is a rich and decadent pre-mixed, pudding-like face mask that brings out the skin’s natural glow and vitality. The base of enzyme-rich honey, naturally exfoliates and draws in moisture while rose clay and cacao soften and gently detoxify. Floral essences of rose, hibiscus, chamomile, jasmine, ylang ylang and rose geranium are perfectly arranged to create the ultimate beautifying skin treatment, gentle enough to apply pre-event or several times a week.  Again, the scent seems strong at first, but it is meant to provide a dose of aromatherapy while you wear it.  ($17 value)

To use: Apply to clean, dry skin and leave on for 10-20 minutes.  Gentle enough to use several times per week.

Ingredients: raw honey blend* [mel (Hawaiian honey), leptospermum scoparium mel 15+ (manuka honey)], rosa damascena (rose hydrosol)*, amazonian white clay, sodium hyaluronate, rosa damascena (rose flowers)*, camellia japonica*, laminaria (algae)*, sylver hydrosol, sclerotium gum, rose clay, rosa damascena (rose oil)*, jasminum officinale (jasmine)*, calendula officinalis (calendula)*, artemisia pallens (davana), cananga odorata (ylang ylang)*, citrus aurantium var. bergamia (bergamot fcf)*, rosa centifolia (rose de mai)*, hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus)*, pelargonium graveolens (rose geranium)*, theobroma cacao (cocao absolute), vanilla planifolia (vanilla), santalum paniculatum (hawaiian sandalwood)*, curcuma longa (turmeric)*, lithospermum erythrochizon (gromwell), salix alba (white willow)*, cedrus atlantica (cedarwood atlas), tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C ester)

*organic + local and/or wild harvested (when available) ^Bergamot fcf is free from bergapten, it has no photosensitizing effects

The bad news?  Beauty Heroes sold through their limited number of the May Box, AND they have reached membership capacity!  (For them this a good problem.)  They are diligently working to open up to more memberships; click here to be placed on the waiting list.  And, as always, you can always purchase this month’s and past months’ Heroes and Sidekicks in the Beauty Heroes Shop.

And, I just might be giving away a Rare Indigo™ Balm.  Watch my Instagram account (@barebeautyblog) for details!

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