Max And Me….and me

November 15, 2016 (updated May 18, 2022) — Written by

bottles of skincare styled on a wooden background with herbs and greens

Some skincare lines are organic and nontoxic and then there are others that go above and beyond bringing a product that is untouchable in purity and performance. Say hello to Max and Me.

I have been DYING to share Max and Me with you guys ever since I met creators Max and Tanja at iBE this past August. I was first introduced to them at the Beauty Heroes reception the night before iBE and then got to chat with them the following day at the main event. To say their energy radiated would be an understatement. It drew me in and before we even had a chance to speak and I could tell this beautiful couple was the real deal. Passionate, intentional and busting at the seams with positive energy.

me with the founders and creators of max and me skincare at the indie beauty expo
Me, Max and Tanja

This energy shines through in their oils as well. Using rare ingredients with a high level of vibrancy, Max and Me is designed to awaken the beauty of your skin and your soul. These oils are intended to bring an intense light into each chakra creating a balancing effect and allowing the qi to flow freely. Benefits of using these oils manifests as joy, creativity, clear intuition and glowing skin.

Okay I can’t attest to the qi flowing freely because, well, I haven’t officially met my qi yet – I mean I do yoga a few times a month and I try to meditate but I just can’t make IT happen. I did however want to mention this special quality for those who do connect. BUT what I can talk about is performance and glowing skin which is OH. SO. GOOD.

the whimsical max and me paper packaging adorns a sleeping forest nymph
Max and Me’s gorgeous packaging

These oils are hand-blended in small artisanal batches and filled in violet glass bottles/jars, so the content is protected from external influences. Carrier oils and essential oils are sourced from farmers, coops and distillers who carefully harvest wild plants or practice organic farming. Max and Me is also certified BDIH which has established one of the strictest standards in the world for natural cosmetics.

They also work with an extended team including a kinesiologist and vibrations expert, an extracting biochemist + homeopath, a renowned dermatologist and a Japanese kinesiologist Shinobu experienced in Asian healing methods and beauty rituals – so cool right!?

Purity & Grace Cleansing Oil

max and me skincare packaged in a black miron bottle
Purity and Grace Cleansing Oil, 50 ml, 69.00

Okay I’m just going to come right out and say it, Purity and Grace is one of the BEST oils I have ever used. I walked away from iBE with a tiny sample and was practically licking the inside of the bottle to get it all. A full size was a must after this tease.

This cleansing oil goes on like silk with absolutely no drag or pull. I’ve been tempted several times to just leave it on or use it as a moisturizer. It is so gentle, smells amazing and removes all the day’s grime and makeup with ease. I also love that Max and Me says this oil not only cleans your skin but clears your energy and purifies the mind.

I take a few pumps and massage into skin rubbing all parts of my face including my eyes and neck to loosen all makeup and dirt. Then with a warm, wet cloth I cover my face and wipe the oil and accompanying dirt off. My skin is SO refreshed after using this oil – plump, happy and glowing. Let’s look at the ingredients and some of the energetic properties in this oil to get a better sense of why!

max and me skincare styled on a wooden background with white roses and green gourds

A Peek At Purity & Grace’s Ingredients

  • Organic Neroli – cleanses all your chakras
  • Wild mountain lavender – cleanses and clarifies skin and metaphysical being
  • Wild and organic Hyssop decumbens – has been used in cleansing rituals since ancient times; ensures metal clarity and purity
  • Wild and organic mountain Juniper – cleanses body, mind and soul, resolves and transforms old habits
  • Wild and organic Atlas Cedar – connects the energy of the heavens and earth

And to hold all of these are a few cold-pressed carrier oils:

  • Organic Apricot Kernel Oil – to moisturize and remove makeup
  • Wild harvest South African Marula Oil – moisturizing and an outstanding antioxidant
  • Organic Polynesian Tamanu Oil
  • Organic Sesame Oil – intensive cleansing effect
  • Organic Seabuckthorn Fruit Oil – protects skin from damage due to radiation and sunlight

Quality and performance is the name of the game here. Amazing, right!? You will also see components of essential oils listed in the ingredients like Linalool or Limonene for example. These ingredients are a big no-no if they are being added in as what’s called isolates meaning these components have been chemically extracted from the whole essential oil and added into a product in high concentration. They rate super high on EWG and they can be pretty dangerous.

Max and Me does not use isolates. These ingredients are naturally occurring in the essential oils they are using in their formulas.  I talked to Tanja at length about her ingredients and they are super clean, thoughtfully sourced and pure.

To clarify, I talked to Amy Galper of The New York Institute of Aromatherapy about what the deal is with these ingredients because this gets super confusing – sometimes you see Linalool and it is an isolate and sometimes you see Linalool and its naturally occurring. How can we tell?! She says,

The EU directive requires that if an essential oil is included as one of the ingredients in a cosmetic, it must also list some of the molecules that compose it.  It would be like listing an orange as one of your ingredients but then also listing Vitamin C…but the vitamin C wasn’t added, it’s just naturally occurring in the orange.

The bottom line is we still need to ask when we see these ingredients listed. But it is also helpful to know the US does not require these components to be listed separately where the EU does.

Second bottom line? Highly recommend this cleansing oil.

Enchanted Face Oil

max and me skincare with it's black bottles and white labels is very clean and elegant feeling
Enchanted Face Oil, 30 ml, 116.00 – and other goodies

Okay you guys know how much I love a good face oil and this one does not disappoint.

Here are some of its highlights:

  • Wild + Organic Moroccan Argan Oil – rejuvenating, repairing and renewing
  • Wild South African Marula Oil – super moisturizing
  • Cold-pressed organic Chilean Rosehip Oil – rejuvenating and regenerating
  • Pomegranate Seed Oil – antioxidant
  • Macadamia Nut Oil – skin smoothing
  • Evening Primrose Oil – makes skin softer and smoother

All of this combined with organic and/or wild crafted Jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose, champaca, wild mountain lavender, sandalwood and frangipani.

This goes on so smooth you guys. Recommended for all skin types, a dropper full of oil rubbed into face goes on light and assimilates leaving face feeling moisturized. An effective weight for both morning and night. After a few weeks of use, my skin feels balanced, bright and hydrated. Also love that it is packaged in dark glass. Another strong recommendation – this one is already empty. Shop it here.

Sweet Serenity Mask and Wash

max and me skincare in miron jars exposes rich oils and colors and buttery textures

I also got a sample of their Sweet Serenity Mask and Wash. I flew through this sample in a hot sec – it’s the burnt umber one shown in the picture above – it was so good I had to share. First off, the essential oil combination with cacao and honey inspires an instant calm. The consistency is a micro-grain whip that you mix with water to form a smooth paste. You can either use it as a wash or leave it on for 30 minutes as a mask. I LOVE the texture – a ultra-fine grittiness that makes a master exfoliant.

This mask goes on wet and dries to the touch with out any pull or noticeable reaction – you can’t really feel it working. But take my word for it, it is working it’s tail off to bring you an even skin tone and a brighter complexion. It has some clay in it too but it is no where near drying – and actually skin is more hydrated and moisturized post-treatment compared to pre – a magnificent blend of active ingredients.

Coveting a full size – GAH, I ams a sucker for a good mask!

Totally check these guys out – you can see more on Max and Me’s full site here or you can shop their line at Beauty Heroes where members get 15% off!

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

27 Comments

  1. Reply

    BioTwins

    Hi ???? these products are so lovely ????
    Thank you for the amazing opportunity on Instagram ????
    bio-twins.blogspot.it

  2. Reply

    Vanessa Curtis

    Hello Lisa!
    Your blog is fascinating to me!
    We share the same big passion for green ethic cosmetics ! I’m always looking for new organic brands and I love testing and reviewing the products that most win my heart.
    Grace & Beauty oils intrigue me a lot. They talk about naturalness, sustainability, beauty and respect. I wish I could try some soon 🙂
    My love for organic oils started at 20 when I was studying natural sciences at university and then grew up thanks to a long amazing journey to India, land of spices, magic and big hearts.

    Thanks for this nice giveaway! My IG is vanigliagram

    Vanessa Curtis from Italy

  3. Reply

    Vivian

    Connected through IG! Thank you for sharing!!! @chocoviv

  4. Reply

    angela

    I’m totally loving this! Max and Me products sound like it would do well for my skin! 🙂

  5. Reply

    Blissfully Organic

    These all sound SO amazing! I would LOVE to try these so much! Thanks for sharing great brands !

  6. Reply

    Rachel

    Max & Me have been one of those brands I’ve wanted to try for a while but haven’t had the chance. Their ingredients sound amazing! Thank you so much for the lovely giveaway ❤
    (IG handle: vineripebeauty)

  7. Reply

    Christinaalycebeauty

    These products sound wonderful! Thank you so much for the chance to win!

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