The byproducts of a skin allergy and drugstore sales: two too many backups of skincare in my stash. I hadn't bought beauty goods from CVS, Walgreens, or RiteAid in over 3 years. I stocked up on so many skincare and makeup items from the time I studied abroad and on my big Asia trip that local shopping was quite unnecessary. As I depleted the basics like toner and moisturizer in my stash, I still found myself gravitating towards Asian brands just out of habit. Then that allergic reaction happened and I forced myself to go on a skincare diet of sorts with some non-fancy and inexpensive beauty potions.
The CeraVe brand and especially their PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion seemed to be highly recommended by dermatologists, at least according to a bunch of forum threads I came across when searching about treating the allergic reaction I had in April. Reviews were generally high praises for how gentle and moisturizing the lotion is—exactly what I was looking.
Then you know...drugstores and their BOGO 50% deals, CeraVe's Eye Repair Cream found it's way in my hands as well. It made the best use of the 50% off as it was closest in price to the lotion ($16.29 versus $16.49). I didn't want to commit to 2 bottles of the moisturizer without having tried it. Plus, CeraVe always has a $2 manufacturer's coupon on their website.
June came around and Bestie C kept me updated every week on the status of stock at our local CVS after I lamented about how impossible it was initially to track even one bottle of the PM lotion in our neighborhood. I wasn't too interested in the idea of having multiple back ups but another BOGO 50% sale on CeraVe, $2 manufacturer's coupon, $4 off $14 CeraVe brand at CVS, and $5 off $25 at CVS changed my mind immediately. My second haul came out to be as if it was BOGO Free, an impressively better deal when compared to my previous purchase!
Despite having a bunch of backups, I won't rule out the idea of buying non-drugstore brand moisturizers in the near future. It is just nice to have something on hand which works with my skin, isn't too expensive, and I can fall back to if sensitivities do happen.
Despite the scarce number of reviews for May Coop's Raw Moisturizer, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the rest of the Raw line since their Raw Sauce is beloved by so many people. The moisturizer is the most affordable cream in their lineup to incorporate the star ingredient: Acer Maple Water. Keeping within the same range isn't a priority. It is more likely to happen if I hear good things about any one item, adding a sister product seems like a no-brainer.
Peach & Lily's description:
The Raw Moisturizer is a unique formula moisturizer that contains a powerful combination of 70% maple tree sap, aloe, baobab tree and cactus extracts that easily absorb into the skin. Leaves skin feeling deeply hydrated and smooth. Perfect for all skin types.
If the Raw Sauce is the perfect prepping agent to ensure your skin will drink the following steps of moisture and nutrition, the Raw Moisturizer is the perfect seal, holding everything in with a silky non-sticky finish perfect for both morning and evening wear. Take full advantage of all the steps of your skincare routine, from start to finish.
Directions
Apply as the very last step of your skincare routine to seal your skin for maximal moisture retention.
Ingredients
ACER MONO SAP, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, GLYCERIN, BUTYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE, HEXYL LAURATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, POLYSORBATE 60, NYLON-12, BETAINE, BEHENYL ALCOHOL, ARACHIDYL GLUCOSIDE, ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL, VINYL DIMETHICONE/METHICONE SILSESQUIOXANE CROSSPOLYMER, SILICA, DIMETHICONE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, WATER, STEARIC ACID, PEG-100 STEARATE, PALMITIC ACID, GLYCERYL STEARATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, TRIDECETH-6, SODIUM ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, MINERAL OIL, FRAGRANCE, ZEA MAYS (CORN) GERM EXTRACT, TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) FLOUR EXTRACT, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) BRAN EXTRACT, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) SEED EXTRACT, PANTHENOL, OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA EXTRACT, FRUCTAN, CARBOMER, ALOE ARBORESCENS LEAF EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED ADANSONIA DIGITATA EXTRACT, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, PAEONIA ALBIFLORA ROOT EXTRACT, LUFFA CYLINDRICA FRUIT EXTRACT, HEMEROCALLIS FULVA FLOWER EXTRACT, CITRULLUS LANATUS (WATERMELON) FRUIT EXTRACT, BETULA ALBA BARK/LEAF EXTRACT, BAMBUSA VULGARIS EXTRACT, ACORUS CALAMUS ROOT EXTRACT, SOPHORA ANGUSTIFOLIA ROOT EXTRACT, EUGENIA CARYOPHYLLUS (CLOVE) FLOWER EXTRACT, EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS LEAF EXTRACT, CITRUS PARADISI (GRAPEFRUIT) FRUIT EXTRACT, CITRUS JUNOS FRUIT EXTRACT, XANTHAN GUM, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, DISODIUM EDTA, TROMETHAMINE, PROPYLPARABEN, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, ISOBUTYLPARABEN, ETHYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN
Peach & Lily (80ml): USD $40
Ingredients
Unlike the Raw Sauce, the Raw Moisturizer only has 70% maple tree sap. Peach & Lily mentions a bunch of other extracts. However, those are listed further down on the ingredients list—meaning amounts used are small and benefits typically minimal. For those with sensitive skin, the moisturizer does have silicones, mineral oil, fragrance, and parabens.
Packaging
Nice packaging is the one thing I can confidently say I love about May Coop. Frosted glass jars are such a pleasure to look at every day. Although it doesn't matter so much for a jar per say, I generally appreciate see-through properties of glass packaging more as I can tell when the product inside is running low.
May Coop's Raw line has a bunch of different moisturizers:
Raw Moisturizer 80ml - USD $40
Raw Concentra Day Cream 50ml - USD $48
Raw Concentra Night Cream 50ml - USD $65.
I chose the Raw Moisturizer because of it's clearly larger size and cheaper price. The biggest difference ingredient-wise between the three are their maple sap percentages (70% vs. 90% vs. 80%) and various additional extracts. The fact that May Coop decided to balance out the lower percentage of maple sap with more product is very much appreciated.
After having gone through a majority of my tub of Raw Moisturizer, I am curious of just how much more moisturizing the extra percentages of acer mono sap really is in cream form. Would it really be worth the extra money and less product for a higher concentration?
Color & Scent
There is a scent to the cream. I can't place my finger on precisely what it is. It definitely isn't mapley as one would expect nor is it overpowering. Regardless, the fragrance doesn't linger once applied.
How I Apply & Finish
The moisturizer is very lightweight - it is heavier than a gel but far lighter than most creams. My skin takes it in really well. I can easily apply a generous glob of product (2-3x shown above) and my skin would drink it right up without leaving any stickiness. It might not be heavy enough for those with drier skin though. The moisturizing-ness doesn't last all day for my driest and flakiest parts. Raw Moisturizer would be just right for normal, combination, and oily skin.
Even when I wake up, my face, for the most part, feels moisturized without being oily. It is normal for me to feel some kind of leftover tackiness in the mornings but I didn't have that with this moisturizer.
I have also used this very generously (heaping dollop) and moderately (stingy scoop) on various occasions. Like with Raw Sauce, this cream shows better results when a liberal amount is applied. I would recommend using more than "just enough" to cover the face.
Peach & Lily accurately describes the finish as "silky non-sticky finish". I assume this is a result of all the silicones it is formulated with in addition to the maple sap being able to sink into the skin more easily. The moisturizer even spreads like a typical silicone-based primer would. There is definitely a visible lack of the moist look minus the pore-smoothing effect.
Thoughts & Recommendations
For comparison's sake, I have applied the Raw Moisturizer on half my face and neck before. It was weird because the moisturizing difference didn't look drastic. The side with moisturizer did feel softer and smoother but it could very well be all the silicones.
My skin looks less oily of late. I cannot tell whether or not this moisturizer is the reason for it or if my skin is still in cold & dry weather mode. There are tons of reviews that claim this cream is mattifying and keeps their oilies at bay. I won't argue with that because it does have a satiny finish after applying. What I can say from my experience is the Raw Moisturizer is slightly lacking in the deep moisture department for my combo-dry skin. My face looks just right in the oily spots throughout the day but for the drier and flakier sections, it just isn't enough—very similar to the Raw Sauce in this respect.
Maybe I just used this moisturizer during the wrong seasons? Maybe I need to find a way to better exfoliate those darn dry flakes from my face? I wonder if my opinions towards May Coop's Raw Moisturizer would have been any different under different circumstances. It is a great product in the areas that aren't overly troubled and I have never tried a moisturizer of all things to have such a satin finish. Chances of me repurchasing are kind of low right now; perhaps if my skin gets oilier in the summer I might consider Raw Moisturizer as a tried-and-trusted option.
Whenever there is a new hyped up product in the beauty world that I end up trying, I always hope I will love it the same way everyone else does. I can see why there is so much affection for May Coop's Raw Sauce. The essence came up a tad shy of being on my LOVE IT list.
Sephora's description:
What it is formulated to do
This essence helps effective ingredients penetrate into skin, thanks to its unique maple-tree sap base. The innovative formulation is packed with nourishing botanical complexes, along with ingredients possessing antioxidant properties, which neutralize free radicals and support natural skin cell regeneration. This luxuriously silky liquid has a smooth, non-sticky texture that quickly absorbs into the skin for an instant boost of hydration, resulting in skin that's not only healthier-looking, but better able to obtain the benefits from any product applied afterwards. It’s further enriched with unique, botanical, herbal, and floral complexes to intensely hydrate and promote a radiant complexion.
What else you need to know
Maple tree sap particles are almost the exact same size as our bodily fluids (even smaller than water) and enable the formula to easily absorb deep into the skin. The essence intensively hydrates and delivers critical nourishment to skin, creating a healthy-looking glow from within. It also helps prep skin to better absorb subsequent products, such as serums and moisturizers, so that you get the most out of both your morning and evening skin care routines. This product is cruelty-free.
Directions
After cleansing and toning, apply to face and neck in upward and outward strokes with your fingertips or a cotton pad. Pat remaining product into skin until fully absorbed.
Ingredients
ACER MONO SAP, ALCOHOL, GLYCERIN, PEG-8, SEA WATER MARIS AQUA (SEA WATER), BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, WATER, BETULA ALBA BARK/LEAF EXTRACT, CASTANEA SATIVA (CHESTNUT) BARK EXTRACT, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT EXTRACT, PINUS SYLVESTRIS BARK EXTRACT, RIBES NIGRUM (BLACK CURRANT) FRUIT EXTRACT, VACCINIUM VITIS-IDAEA FRUIT EXTRACT, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) FRUIT EXTRACT, TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) FLOUR EXTRACT, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT, ZEA MAYS (CORN) GERM EXTRACT, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) SEED EXTRACT, ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) BRAN EXTRACT, BIOSACCHARIDE GUM-1, PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, METHYLPARABEN, CARBOMER, ARGININE, PANTHENOL, CREATINE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRUCTAN POWDER, DISODIUM EDTA, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, PARFUM, SODIUM HYALURANATE, CI 15510
Sephora and Peach & Lily (150ml): USD $43
Peach & Lily (40ml): USD $14
Retailers categorize this as a 3-in-1 product: toner, essence, emulsion. I would only call the Raw Sauce an essence at most. Like I mentioned in the previous Kate Somerville toner post, I associate toners as being residual dirt cleaners and pH balancers (whatever that is supposed to mean). Essences in my books are pat-in and leave-on watery-like products that aim to at least hydrate and better prep the skin amongst other skin benefits. Essences can be a type of toner but not all toners are essences. Emulsions, technically speaking, are when two liquid components that don't normally mix well are combined together (i.e. oil + water)—which would categorize most serums, lotions, and creams as emulsions. In the skincare world, where there are a bajillion and one terms for everything, I classify emulsions as a runnier-type light lotion that tends to be milkier in color.
While I prefer to have a separate toner, essences and emulsions are interchangeable product types in my routine in the sense that I don't have to incorporate both steps at any given point unless I feel like being excessive. Whether I have an essence or emulsion on hand largely depends on the time of year or just how I feel when I go skincare shopping. If I want something lighter, essence. If I want something slightly heavier but still not that heavy, emulsion. My other exception is if I choose to forego a cream-type moisturizer, then I will use both an essence and an emulsion.
Most of the info I found on acer maple water (acer mono sap) benefits for the skin usually references to May Coop Raw Sauce. They all say the sap is small in molecular size which evidently penetrates the skin better. Some articles and blogs say the maple sap also has antioxidants and minerals for better hydration.
*I came across a May Coop Raw series leaflet on the interwebs. If anyone is interested, click here. But take it with a grain of salt since it is their marketing material.
Packaging
Everything about the packaging is luxurious. Okay maybe except for the box and the lid, those can use some improvements. But I digress. The frosted glass bottle is wrapped in a canvas pouch straight out of the box. It is very hefty and doesn't feel cheap at all.
It has a traditional screw-on plastic bottle cap. New bottles will come sealed with a plastic stopper. The spout itself also has a stopper with a small hole to help control the amount of product that comes out. Since the essence is quite runny, it flows out easy enough.
I would personally prefer something with a flip-top to shave off the time it takes to open and close the product. But I do understand why May Coop decided on what it currently has; a screw-on top looks a little fancier and users are meant to take their time to appreciate and apply the essence since it is on the pricier side.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
The consistency is thicker than water but not extremely viscose. It is surprisingly not sticky for something made with maple water. The essence sinks into my skin quickly and doesn't leave any residue. This could be due to two main factors: 1) May Coop claims maple tree sap is about the size of our bodily fluids so our skin will naturally absorb it more easily. 2) Alcohol is the 2nd listed ingredient.
There is some debate on the alcohol content though. Peach & Lily says the Raw Sauce is made up of 93% maple tree sap which would imply the remaining 7% consists of everything else, therefore making the alcohol negligible. Some people say the Raw Sauce could not possibly have 93% concentration of the maple tree sap ingredient because then it would practically be pure syrup which, in turn, would be way too sticky. Who's to say for sure which is true but from actual use, the alcohol doesn't seem to be doing harm to my skin (as of now). It doesn't dry me out or make me feel more sensitive.
I don't think the essence has a strong scent. I read many reviews and there are people who say the alcohol is very intense. I have to sniff really long and hard to pick it up. It is there, but I think I apply the essence so quickly and the product soaks in long before my nose is even irritated by it.
How I Apply
Typically I will use around 5 drops (quarter sized amount) per layer that I apply. I prefer to pat in at least a blob of product on my face and do a separate round of patting for my neck. Raw Sauce is a great product for layering (i.e. 7 Skin Method) for those who don't find the alcohol too irritating. My skin seems way more hydrated and bouncier after applying even just an additional layer versus only one—it feels almost as if I have applied nothing when I only apply it once. I would not recommend using this with a cotton pad because it seems like a waste of product. Raw Sauce isn't meant to clean up the skin like traditional toners do.
Thoughts & Recommendations
I used this exclusively when I was recovering from the facial allergic reaction and loved how lightweight and fast absorbing (or evaporating) this was. Because of the itching, I needed moisture but without the feeling of having anything on my face, which this delivered. It didn't provide the deepest hydration though—if there are flakes, continuous use will gradually soften it but it won't magically make it seem less apparent after applying, which is what I was hoping for.
I cannot tell if it really does help with the "better absorption of subsequent products." Sure, the Raw Sauce is so lightweight that it doesn't seem like it is creating an extra barrier between my skin and the next step in my skincare routine. However, whether or not my skin takes in the next product better is debatable.
In my opinion, May Coop's Raw Sauce is great for normal, combination, and oily skin types. It just doesn't seem enough for drier & dehydrated skin—people with those skin types would probably have to use way too much product to achieve similar results and most likely wouldn't like the alcohol in it. Considering how much I have to use to get good results and the cost of a bottle, I probably won't buy it again. It was a nice reintroduction to the essence step in the skincare routine for me though. I may look into other pat-in essences with more skin benefits besides just hydration and better absorption and something that is truly formulated without alcohol.
