Image courtesy of the LILY DE MAI Blog
If you consider your skin sensitive, reactive or compromised, LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare is a line you should know. Why? Because LILY DE MAI solves one of the biggest problems those of us with sensitive skin face: finding that just-right intensity level of high-performance skincare that will deliver results without stripping the barrier, inflaming, and/or dehydrating our sensitive skin. As someone with sensitive skin myself, I always feel like I’m towing the line between using powerful-enough actives for results and going a wee bit too far, leaving my skin an angry mess. Like many with reactive skin, I often err on the side of overdoing it. Time and time again, I have overtreated my skin and end up looking decidedly worse for it. I should know better, but the desire for results is so great that I cannot seem to help but make this mistake repeatedly. Not anymore! LILY DE MAI is a line that delivers the perfect concentration and combination of both clinical and botanical actives to yield results—without irritating or compromising sensitive skin.
LILY DE MAI first came on my radar on Instagram, where I immediately noticed the line’s focus on sensitive skin, which is unusual and pertinent to me, as well as the line’s sumptuous, appealing aesthetic. Impressed by the posted content, I started admiring the products and reading the LILY DE MAI blog as well. Whereas most skincare lines’ blogs exist simply to promote products, the LILY DE MAI blog covers a range of topics pertinent to sensitive skin, and the content is consistently first-rate and highly educational. Reading it, you realize that LILY DE MAI not only understands skin but truly understands and cares about sensitive skin. For too long, those of us with sensitive skin have largely had to choose between gentle products that basically sit inert on our skin or products that are “sensitive” in name only–and sting or burn when applied. LILY DE MAI is sensitive skincare without compromise, offering visible benefits and gentle care simultaneously.
When I reached out to founder and formulator Sara Runser, I discovered that she brings a wealth of expertise to her craft; she is a Formula Botanica graduate, as well as an esthetician and aromatherapist and has spent years studying skin from many angles. Ms. Runser knows sensitive skin firsthand as well as theoretically. As Ms. Runser said in a previous interview, “My own struggle with sensitive skin was the inspiration for LILY DE MAI. . . . . I couldn’t find the type of products I wanted, so I created them myself. Traditional sensitive skincare products have some helpful ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid, but they are full of potentially harmful ones like PEG’s, parabens, and sodium lauryl sulfates. Green, clean skincare lines have beautiful organic oils, botanical extracts, and essential oils but they’re lacking the clinically proven active ingredients that have an enormous benefit for sensitive skin. I don’t believe people should have to choose between green, clean or clinical skincare. Harmful ingredients should always be avoided, and the most effective ingredients from both nature and science should be used to formulate the best products. That’s what I did with LILY DE MAI.” Indeed, a large part of LILY DE MAI’s considerable appeal is that the line delivers sensitive skincare without making us choose green versus traditional or gentle versus clinical. With each LILY DE MAI product, Ms. Runser proves that we need not sacrifice striking results because of sensitivity.
LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare mindfully excludes all harsh and questionable ingredients (e.g., sulfates, parabens, phthalates, PEGs, silicones, ethoxylated compounds, mineral oils, petroleum, drying alcohols, abrasive exfoliants, and synthetic fragrance and dyes); instead, the line embraces biocompatible skin-identical ingredients like ceramides and plant sterols, clinically-proven age-defying actives like vitamins and peptides, and organic botanical extracts and oils, all skillfully combined in high-performance yet gentle formulations designed for soothing, hydrating, brightening, and anti-aging results. Key to LILY DE MAI’s high-performance products is an understanding of how skin works. With extensive training in the function and structure of the skin, LILY DE MAI founder Ms. Runser understands that a well-supported skin barrier is paramount for beautiful, healthy skin, particularly for those of us prone to sensitivity. A weakened barrier leaves skin vulnerable to all sorts of troubles, including irritants, bacteria, and moisture loss. LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare products truly support, replenish, and strengthen the skin barrier to deliver transformative results, promoting calm, hydrated, glowing skin.
I was fortunate to get the chance to try three full-sized LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare treasures, RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser, BLISS-NMF Transformative Moisture Mist, and SANCTUARY Vita 3 Anti-Ox Defense Serum, and I have quickly become very attached to having all of them in my routine. My skin was red and irritated when the LILY DE MAI products arrived, and I can’t tell you how wonderful it felt to apply them and experience comfort rather than stinging and irritation! As someone who has sensitive skin plus additional inflammation related to lupus, I can vouch for the fact that LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare is wonderful in terms of both application and the aesthetic experience—beautiful textures and natural fragrances (from the botanical actives) in formulas that feel lovely on application even when skin is uncomfortable, inflamed). Let me tell you about each product I had the pleasure of using.
RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser
Do you want to fall in love with cleansing? Then you must try LILY DE MAI RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser. RENEW has changed the way I view cleansers. For the first time ever, I do not view cleansing as the least exciting step in my routine, and I actually look forward to it. Until I tried RENEW, I did not realize how much using overly harsh cleansers was harming my skin—stripping the barrier and leaving my skin more vulnerable to dehydration, acne, inflammation, and signs of aging. RENEW is a rich, gentle cream cleanser that feels hydrating on contact yet cleanses beautifully. It maintains the skin’s pH and supports the skin barrier while effectively but gently removing debris, dirt, and pollution. Unlike most cleansers, RENEW is soap- and surfactant-free; as a result, RENEW does not strip skin of its natural oils or harmfully alter the skin’s pH (which leaves skin more vulnerable to bacteria and impairs barrier function). The result is clean skin that is moisturized, calm, and balanced.
RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser is the first cleanser I have ever used that provides actual comfort on application–to the extent that I find myself making excuses to delay washing it off. I didn’t know that a cleanser could be soothing, but with Aloe, Chamomile, Calendula, and Oat, RENEW feels luscious and calming on contact. Along with its Ecocert-approved emulsifier for effective cleansing, RENEW nourishes with a blend of organic Sunflower, Argan, and Avocado Oils and rich Shea Butter. Panthenol and Hyaluronic Acid boost hydration. Everything about RENEW makes me want it to linger! So much more than your typical cleanser, this gem is a multitasker; RENEW is frequently used by LILY DE MAI fans (including myself) as a hydrating and soothing mask, and it can even double as a light moisturizer. It delivers a great clean along with nourishment, hydration, and soothing benefits. RENEW is the first cleanser I have used that really provides my skin something rather than just depleting it, and I didn’t even know a cleanser could do that! RENEW provides this luxurious hit of soothing nourishment upon contact that is paradise for my sensitive skin, and even when I leave it on quite a while, it never becomes at all drying. I think it’s safe to say that RENEW is my favorite cleanser ever. I adore it!!
RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser Ingredients: Deionized Water, Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) Oil*, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) Seed Oil*, Propanediol**, Glycerin*, Cetearyl Olivate**, Sorbitan Olivate**, Capric/ Caprylic Triglycerides, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) Butter*, Argania spinosa (argan) Oil*, Persea gratissima (avocado) Oil*, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe barbadensis (aloe) Leaf Extract*, Calendula officinalis (calendula) Flower Extract*, Chamomilla recutita (Matricaria) (chamomile) Flower Extract*, Avena sativa (oat) Extract*, Allantoin, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Natural Fragrance, Ascorbic Acid**, Benzyl Alcohol** Salicylic Acid**, Sorbic Acid**
* Certified Organic **Ecocert Certified Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Gluten Free
BLISS-NMF Transformative Moisture Mist
BLISS-NMF Transformative Moisture Mist is such a high-performer that it may revolutionize what you expect from a mist. It has for me. Prior to trying BLISS, most toners/mists struck me as totally optional, falling into two camps: mildly pleasant, nice-smelling spritzes with watered-down ingredients (i.e., only a half-step above regular water) or harsh and stinging medicinal toners that strip skin of its natural oils and impair the skin barrier, ultimately leading to dehydration. Not BLISS! BLISS provides skin with skin-identical (i.e., most like components naturally occurring in skin) Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs) like Sodium PCA and Hyaluronic acid; these NMFs keep skin plump and moist by attracting and retaining hydration. Niacinamide in BLISS brightens the skin and prevents blemishes, while Yeast Oligopeptide and Soy Amino Acids replenish the skin barrier and boost collagen production. Finally, a blend of 7 soothing organic botanicals—Licorice, Green Tea, Irish Moss, Aloe, Chamomile, Calendula, and Oat–calms sensitivity and reduces redness.
I love that this is a highly functional, reparative powerhouse that provides significant, lasting hydration and repairs the skin barrier, all in a deceptively light spritz. When it comes to making a lasting impact, BLISS is a big step up from other mists I have used. It smells heavenly and feels cooling and refreshing even on irritated skin, and its hydrating powers are above and beyond any other mist I have tried. I find that if I spritz it on after cleansing, I can even get by without moisturizer without feeling tight or dry, which is not something I have experienced with any other mist/toner to date.
BLISS-NMF Transformative Moisture Mist Ingredients : Deionized Water, Rosa damascena (rose) Flower Hydrosol*, Niacinamide, Sodium PCA, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Yeast Extract*** (and) Soy Amino*** Acids, Glycerin*, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) Root Extract*, Cameilla sinensis (green tea) Leaf Extract*, Aloe barbadensis (aloe) Extract*, Calendula officinalis (calendula) Flower Extract*, Chamomilla recutita (Matricaria) (chamomile) Flower Extract*, Avena sativa (oat) Extract*, Chondrus crispus (Irish moss) Extract, Montmorillonite, Illite, Kaolin, Mentha piperita (peppermint) Leaf Oil*, Natural Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol**, Salicylic Acid**, Sorbic Acid**, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer**
* Certified Organic **Ecocert Certified *** Non-GMO Cruelty-Free, Vegan, Gluten Free
SANCTUARY Vita 3 Anti-Ox Defense Serum
SANCTUARY Vita 3 Anti-Ox Defense Serum is a lovely antioxidant serum with so much to recommend it. Let’s start with its dynamic Super Fruit Complex that features skin-protecting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory Pomegranate, emollient and UVB-protective Red Raspberry, hydrating and wound-healing Rosehip, nourishing and fatty-acid-rich Cranberry, and healing and hydrating Sea Buckthorn Oils. Together, SANCTUARY’s Super Fruit Complex provides an exceptional blend of protective antioxidants, nourishing phytosterols, skin-protective polyphenols, anti-inflammatory tocopherols, anti-inflammatory carotenoids, protective bioflavonoids, detoxifying chlorophylls, skin-enhancing vitamins (e.g., A, C, E), and nourishing fatty acids (including linoleic, a-linoleic, oleic, punicic, and omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9). Not only doe this powerful blend nourish skin and improve tone and elasticity, it also but helps to protect skin against negative exposures from our environment, including pollution and UV rays.
In addition to the incredible Super Fruit complex, SANCTUARY also features an amazing form of Vitamin C that is both highly active and perfect for sensitive skin: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. This stable and non-irritating Vitamin C Ester is proven to provide incredible anti-aging benefits by providing antioxidant protection, boosting collagen production, fading hyperpigmentation, and minimizing inflammation. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (TA) has special advantages over other forms of Vitamin C in that TA: is powerful yet non-irritating to sensitive skin, penetrates all the way to the dermis (where it can exert maximum benefits) and is highly stable in formulations and in the air. Despite being less irritating than L-Ascorbic Acid, Hema Sundaram, MD., a Board-Certified Dermatologists states that TA provides five times greater collagen production and twice the suppression of matrix metalloproteinases (enzymes that degrade important structural proteins) [than l-ascorbic acid]. Thus, with TA, SANCTUARY provides the ideal form of vitamin C in terms of potency, stability, and lack of side effects.
As if the blend of TA plus the Super Fruit Complex were not already impressive enough, SANCTUARY also provides potent antioxidant, collagen-boosting CoQ10 as well as precious oils and botanicals like Watermelon and Shiso Oils and Rhatany CO2. The result is an incredible blend of valuable ingredients that combine synergistically to provide a wealth of skin benefits–from calming to rejuvenating to protecting to hydrating and strengthening. The potent formula is nonetheless gentle on contact, with a light oil texture that sinks right into skin. SANCTUARY is a beautiful daily investment in overall skin vitality and health.
SANCTUARY Vita 3 Anti-Ox Defense Serum Ingredients: Perilla ocymoides (shiso) Oil*, Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) Oil, Rosa rubiginosa (rose hip) Oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) Oil*, Rubus idaeus (red raspberry) Oil*, Punica granatum (pomegranate) Oil*, Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) Oil*, Argania spinosa (argan) Oil*, Calophyllum inophyllum (tamanu) Oil, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C ester), Hippophae rhamnoides (seabuckthorn) CO2*, Krameria triandra (rhatany) Root CO2, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) Leaf CO2 Extract*, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) Oil, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)*, Cymbopogon martinii (palmarosa)*, Thymus vulgaris (thyme ct. linalool)*, Leptospermum scoparium (manuka), Pogostemon cablin (patchouli), Commiphora myrrha (myrrh)
* Certified Organic Cruelty Free, Vegan, Gluten Free
CONCLUSION
LILY DE MAI’s tagline “The Purity of Nature + The Power of Science” is an apt description of what you can expect from the line’s formulations: the best of natural and clinical actives expertly blended to visibly benefit sensitive skin. With LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare, you are not forced to choose between clean and green versus innovative science, because the line incorporates both. Moreover, you are not forced to choose between gentle versus high-performance, because LILY DE MAI is carefully crafted to deliver dramatic benefits and visible results without irritation, with careful attention paid to issues of sensitivity. Every ingredient in LILY DE MAI RENEW Restorative Calming Cream Cleanser, BLISS-NMF Transformative Moisture Mist, and SANCTUARY Vita 3 Anti-Ox Defense Serum has been meticulously researched and selected for its gentleness and clinically-proven ability to soothe, hydrate, minimize signs of aging, and promote skin’s vitality. All three LILY DE MAI products feature gorgeous, highly-effective blends of scientifically-proven clinical actives and luscious botanicals that deliver benefits without drawbacks.
- RENEW is my favorite cleanser ever, nourishing skin as it effectively cleans.
- BLISS is the first mist I have used that is as high-performance, indispensable, and hydrating as a great serum.
- SANCTUARY is the ultimate high-performance antioxidant serum to protect, fortify, and bolster skin against the elements.
LILY DE MAI Sensitive Skincare offers transformative results, gently and healthily, such that even highly temperamental skin visibly benefits—without irritation or side effects.
As a special treat for my readers, use the code SENSITIVE15 for 15% off any LILY DE MAI purchases!