I asked my 10-year-old daughter to help me with this review by letting me take a video of her opening my Minimo Glow Skin Brightening Turmeric Face Scrub. After unscrewing the cap and removing the protective covering, she immediately plunged her finger into it, then promptly licked said finger.
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I was like, “Ew, no!” and expected her to run to the sink to wash her mouth out, assuming it would taste like soap. But she was like, “It’s sweet!” and went for another helping. Don’t worry I stopped her, but after that, I couldn’t not taste it myself and she’s right, it’s not bad.
This is not usually how I test my beauty products, and I’m not suggesting you eat your face scrub. But I had to assume that if it tastes good, it must be made of pretty good ingredients. Turns out, at least for this product, that is indeed the case!
Minimo Skin Essentials launched in 2016 and is a women-led, black-owned, made-in-USA brand that’s obsessed with natural, non-toxic ingredients.
The Turmeric Face Scrub is made with organic turmeric, an antioxidant that provides a natural glow, raw Manuka honey to soothe and hydrate, plus organic cinnamon to nourish dry skin and promote an even skin tone. It also includes chamomile and lemon extracts, as well as oils that won’t clog pores.
I have to say this is the most creative use of natural ingredients I’ve encountered in a while, and that goes for the entire line of Minimo products.
I know “natural” is a generic term, but in this case, I mean ingredients you immediately recognize, rather than unpronounceable rearrangements of mysterious molecules. The Minimo face scrub is made of things you probably have in your pantry, formulated in unique ways to clean, soften, and even out your skin tone.
It all adds up to a powerful but gentle (no bleach like some products) exfoliator that naturally buffs away uneven skin tone and dark spots caused by breakouts or scarring. Reviewers also say it has also lightened their under-eye circles, and some have even used it to lighten other parts of their bodies including elbows and feet.
The first time I used it I found out quickly that you need less than you think, so I recommend starting with a dime-sized amount. I gently scrubbed with the heart-shaped applicator and left it on for about three minutes (the instructions say you can leave it up to 10).
I have a teardrop-shaped discoloration on my left cheek that comes and goes. I didn’t expect a single use of the scrub to have any effect, but the discolored patch of skin visibly changed from a brownish shade to pinkish. It also had a rough texture which is now smoother. Needless to say, I’ll be continuing to use this product regularly and monitor my progress.
P.S. it also comes in Lemon Cake scent!
I’m also loving Minimo’s Velvet Cleansing Butter Balm with babassu butter and eucalyptus. I have broken up with face wipes, so I’m always looking for a gentle but effective way to remove my makeup at the end of the day.
It’s pretty thick and unyielding when you first dip into the pot, but after massaging the product between your hands, it gets more malleable. Because of the eucalyptus, it has a menthol scent and feel on your skin, which made me nervous to get it around my eyes. But I needed to get my mascara off, so I risked it. Luckily it was not a problem, and the mascara was eliminated.
After you massage it into your skin, get your hands wet and then massage some more. It will pleasantly foam up a bit and dissolve the makeup and anything else your face has collected during the day. After rinsing it off I made my husband touch my face to feel how soft it was.
I’m not the only one excited about Minimo—thousands of reviewers on Amazon as well as the brand’s website have given them five-star reviews. So if you’re looking for effective products with ingredients you can pronounce, this line might be for you.