My skin has been going cray-zee lately and I’m not freakin’ kidding. I’ve written numerous times about the fact that I have very, very oily skin, which is still the case but lately it has been looking super parched. I chalk it up to stress at work because your girl has been guzzling water constantly, maintaining a strict nightly skincare routine and minding my business. Yet, there was still something missing. I’ve been trying a number of oils and serums to combat this frigid weather that just won’t let up, but nothing has really given me the boost I needed until recently. I owe this discovery to my mentee Kiara. We met for drinks a few weeks ago and she was so kind as to bring me a gift (to which I instantly felt horrible because I came empty handed like a jerk, smh) and it happened to be this little gem by the brand LXMI (pronounced: Luxe-me). I had seen the packaging before in numerous round-ups, but never really bothered to read into it, because you know these days kitschy packaging is everything. Let’s just say, don’t judge a book by it’s cover because this product is the real deal.
LXMI utilizes a signature ingredient, Nilotica, which is a rare form of nut that produces shea butter only found in Uganda. The particular product that I received from Kiara was LXMI’s Pure Nilotica Melt ($48), which is a super luxurious balm-to-oil that can be used as an overnight mask or throughout the day as needed. I was immediately intrigued by the fact that this product is a mask that can be worn overnight, which is generally the way to receive maximum benefits. So as soon as I got home that evening, I gave it a try.
Using a tiny spatula that comes with it, you scoop the product out and apply onto your face. The balm glides on as a silky butter and as you rub it in the micro crystals dissolve into a super soft oil. I looked like I just walked out of a class of Hot Yoga, my face was super shiny. My boyfriend David looked at me like I was crazy, but when I woke up I knew it was worth it.
Let. Me. Tell. You. I was not expecting it to work that quickly. Literally the next morning I looked in the mirror and I had a new face. Okay, not a new face but it looked as though I just had the best night’s sleep of my life. My skin looked brighter, more hydrated than I had seen it in a long time. On the website it says that 96% of users experience more hydration within 8-hours, and they are not lying.
Aside from the fact that this product works wonders in just a matter of hours — it also gives back, which is something I absolutely love. The Founder, Leila Janah, discovered Nilotica while traveling in Uganda and instead of simply using the country for this wonderful resource, she enables the women who help her harvest this product to make 3x the amount of their local average wages. And all of her supply chain is done through non-profit organizations to ensure better, more dignified working conditions.
LXMI is named after Leila’s favorite Hindu Goddess, Lakshmi. On the top of the packaging is a symbol representative of her four hands. Two for receiving, and two for giving. The brand prides itself on giving back, which is doesn’t see as an after thought — and instead more so the core of it’s DNA.