May Lindstrom – The Clean Dirt Review

CLEAN INGREDIENT SCORE

May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt organic brightening exfoliant powder has earned our highest Clean Ingredient Score of an “A+” for its 100% natural and organic formula. The Clean Dirt’s formula is comprised of 15 ingredients of which 9 are certified organic, one is certified fair trade and raw, and 4 are natural clays and leavens (the remaining ingredient is l-absorbic acid, a natural isolate of vitamin C). The formula does not contain an additional preservative system due to the naturally anti-microbial and preservative properties of the product’s active ingredients. The Clean Dirt is a vegan-friendly exfoliant. Additionally, the Clean Dirt contains no GMO ingredient, no fillers, and nothing artificial.

PRODUCT DESIGN & EFFECTIVENESS

May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt brightening exfoliant treatment has earned a Product Design & Effectiveness Score of an “A+”. Our team trialed the Clean Dirt for three weeks alongside May Lindstrom’s Blue Cocoon Balm and The Jasmine Garden facial mist.

On first impressions, the Clean Dirt is beautifully packaged in a convenient glass jar with a small threaded top. This packaging makes it easy to dispense an appropriate amount of the product without creating waste or contamination. We love that the bottle also comes stamped with date that the product was made (indicating its freshness). The Clean Dirt is generously filled with 6.76 oz of product, which is more than enough to last several months with periodic use.

Upon opening, there is no denying the signature scent of the Clean Dirt. It has a dark, spicy, cozy scent reminiscent of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and chocolate. (One reviewer noted that the scent is very similar to May Lindstrom’s Problem Solver facial mask.) Working with the Clean Dirt is a little tricky at first depending on your expectations. The product contains baking soda; thus, it foams up and activates upon contact with water. It took our reviewers a few tries to get the texture just right: add too much water, and the product is too thin–add too little water, and the product is too thick. The ideal texture is something reminiscent of a lightweight mousse (which we achieved with a 2 parts mask, 1 part water ratio like 1 tsp mask + 1/2 tsp water). Once the ideal texture is achieved, applying the Clean Dirt is a breeze. Simply apply the mousse all over your skin, massage for less than a minute, and rinse off. The mask as a slightly warm, pleasant, tingling sensation upon application that goes away after rinsing. Our reviewers found the process to be short, simple, and easy to work into their skin care routines. Many of our reviewers chose to use the Clean Dirt while in the shower for even easier use.

When it comes to effectiveness, we found the Clean Dirt to be a powerful exfoliation treatment. In just a few minutes each week, the Clean Dirt was able to show similar results as masks and peels which need to be worn for 20-30 minutes. At the end of our three week trial, the majority of our reviewers reported having “brighter,” “clearer,” and “more even” skin. This includes everything from a reduction in the appearance of dark spots to an overall brighter complexion. The Clean Dirt has all of the power of an AHA/BHA peel without the harsh acids and the pore clearing power of a clay mask without the long wait time. Overall, all skin types rated the Clean Dirt positively. Oily/Combo skin types said that it did a good job at clearing their pores without stripping the skin. For drier skin types, it was just enough exfoliation to remove dead skin without creating more dryness. While the Clean Dirt was generally well tolerated by sensitive skin types, a few very sensitive skin reviewers noted that the texture of the mousse was too abrasive (although some reviewers remedied this by massaging very gently or letting the product sit for a few minutes in lieu of massaging).

ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEW SCORE

Our team analyzed 145 online customer reviews for May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt brightening exfoliant treatment from 7 different online retailers (including stores like Follain, Detox Market, Aillea, and Petit Vour). Across all retailers, the Clean Dirt earned an average customer review of 4.8/5 stars–earning an Online Customer Review Score of an “A”. Overall, there were very few complaints about the Clean Dirt from online customer reviews. Out of all 145 reviews that we analyzed, only 2/145 were one star reviews (one reviewer did not enjoy the process of using the product and the other experienced redness with use). A majority (122/145) of the reviewers for the Clean Dirt left a five star review. On the positive side, most reviewers agreed with our own experiences with the Clean Dirt. Reviewers left comments describing the Clean Dirt as “a gentle exfoliant,” “gets the job done,” ” and “transformative.” There were comments praising the Clean Dirt as just as powerful as their acid masks. On the critical side, there were also comments regarding the learning curve required to “get the texture right” with the exfoliant, the “gritty” nature of the mousse, and some sensitivities with frequent use. See Pros & Cons for more details.