There is literally no one in the green beauty world who does not love Leahlani’s Mermaid Mask which is said to be a real green smoothie for the skin. That’s why I was so curious to try it out.

For a long time it was on my wish list, so I’m very grateful that I have been able to get my hands on it finally.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT LEAHLANI SKINCARE

The brand was founded by Leah, a holistic beauty therapist living in Hawaii, who started to be interested in skin care because she was suffering from serious hormonal acne. Because of that, she has moved to Maui with her husband to attend a special beauty therapist training. That one year they spent there has changed her life completely. She immersed herself in the world of holistic skin care, and there was no way back. First, she worked as a Spa director in a hotel, and then started her own private esthetician practice. After a couple of years she eventually created Leahlani Skincare. With the use of her products Leah would like women to experience a truly luxurious skincare “ritual” instead of a boring everyday skin care routine.

Her handmade moisturizers, tonics, masks, serums, body balms and perfumes contain only local organic ingredients and their packaging is just amazingly beautiful. Leahlani Skincare fall into the category of “edible” beauty without doubt while the products also treat all our senses.

What’s in it?

The three main ingredients of the Mermaid Mask are organic Hawaiian raw honey, organic spirulina algae and organic chlorella algae, which give a nice deep green color to it. In addition, there are French green clay, pure sea clay, luminess algae (a very rare microalgae), sea buckthorn, vanilla, beeswax, a good number of different essential oils (organic orange, moroccan&roman chamomile, bee balm, geranium, palmarosa, lavender, ylang ylang, rose, white lotus flower, coriander) and love.😊

I’ve already written a whole post on the amazing benefits of honey, so I will just skip that for now. However the spirulina and the different types of algae and clays are worth a few words.

According to research spirulina algae stands out for being one of the richest protein (60%), beta-carotene, amino acid, gamma-linolenic acid and mineral sources. It also contains calcium, manganesium, copper, zinc and potassium. So it is exceptionally rich in nutrients when consumed internally. But what if we apply it on our skin? According to the Hungarian Beauty Forum, we can also experience its benefits. In 2015, it also won the title of The best active ingredient of the year by the German Fachzeitschrift Ästhetische Dermatologie (Aesthetic Dermatology). It is primarily recommended for problematic skin (acne, breakouts), but it also helps reducing redness, unpleasant symptoms of dry skin and the appearance of hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.

The chlorella algae is also a real superfood, containing high levels of vitamins A and C, protein and minerals. It stimulates microcirculation, detoxify, improves skin’s texture and tighten and firm the skin. The luminess algae accelerate cellular metabolism and enhances skin vitality and glow.

French green clay and sea clay are also very good at detoxifying and cleansing the skin, but both are a bit drying so they are better for oilier skin types.

Experts have very different opinions on essential oils. There are those who believe in them and their beneficial effects and those who think they are totally unnecessary because they only irritate the skin. I usually agree with the latter, but lately I’m more and more into essential oils. And not really in terms of their effect on the skin, rather their effect on the soul. I also think that the two are very much related. However, it is better to be careful with them! For a mask, I do not think it’s a “big deal” if there are some essential oils in it, since you wash it off, but at least your soul can profit from them. Unfortunately for some people they can be still irritating, so it is worth doing a patch test behind the ear before slathering it all over your face.

Click here to read more about the mask in English.

Ingredients: Organic Hawaiian raw honey, organic Hawaiian Spirulina (Spirulina Maxima), pure organic chlorella (Chlorella Vulgaris), french green clay, pure sea clay, luminescent algae, organic sea buckthorn CO2 (Hippophae Rhamnoides), Vanilla Planifolia, Essential oils of: (organic orange (Citrus Aurantium Dulcis), marocchino chamomile (Tanacetum annuum), Roman chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini), lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia ), ylang ylang (Canaga Odorata), rose (Rose Damascena), white lotus flower absolute (Nelumbo Nucifera), beeswax absolute (Apies millifera), coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum) and LOVE.

What does it promise to do?

Purifies and renews the complexion. Stimulates the circulation, prevents and fights acne, moisturizes the skin and makes it appear much smoother and glowing. (Yes, please!)

What’s my opinion?

Honestly, to me it wasn’t „love at first sight”. Later, however, I realized why… When the mask arrived, I was so enthusiastic and excited that I didn’t even read the instructions but quickly applied it on my face and relaxed for about 30 minutes, waiting for the miracle. Which did not come at all, instead I turned into a „beautiful” bright red crab.🙈(You should know about me that my skin is extremely sensitive, tends to break out and slightly oily in the T-zone.) I was very disappointed that such a cult favourite did not work for me, and of course after this experience I did not touch it for a long time.

Then one day I was reorganizing my bathroom shelf when I found it and decided to give it another chance. But this time I read the label, and I was surprised to see that you only supposed to leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes. Well, I was like great, that must have been the problem. And in fact I was right. After 10 minutes I rinsed it off, and my skin was amazingly smooth and happily glowing. Since then I used it several times and never had any problems with it. Because it’s pretty expensive, I can not use it on a weekly basis, but on special occasions I think it’s a great purifying, glow enhancing mask. I love that I can just put it on even during a quick shower. And the scent, ahhh… ten minutes Hawaii, palm trees and sea salt breeze. 🙂 I adore it.

Where can you get it?

If you are in Europe I think the easiest is from here. Otherwise from here. I don’t know about your country but in Hungary unfortunately if you order from a non-EU country, you will have to pay extra duties which are pretty high.

I wish you beautiful skin. Aloha! 🙂

Peonilla xx

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Photo of Leah is from cultbeauty.co.uk, the other pics were taken by me.