Note: Get a cuppa ready, this is one loooong post.
Michael Todd is one highly, HIGHLY raved skincare brand on the blogosphere and in YouTube-land. The amount of positive reviews about the range is astounding. Granted, many beauty bloggers and YouTubers were sent Michael Todd products to review so perhaps I’m just cynical about how good the products actually are (I’m sure you’d probably think the same too when I give positive comments on products sent to me for review. Hey, no judgement here. I’d think the same too. 😛 ).
Anyway, I digress. To try them out myself and find out if some of the products are really as good as they’re claimed to be, I hought 4 products in the normal/combination skin range: the Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser, the Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub, the Avocado and Mango Hydrating Facial Mask and the Citrus Spray.
A good thing about the Michael Todd website is that they ship internationally and their shipping rates aren’t exorbitant for the bottles of lotions and potions that I purchased. I paid US$9.95 for USPS shipping to Australia. The downside would be that if you do opt for the cheapest shipping option that is USPS like I had, the package does take quite a while to arrive. Mine was delivered after a minimum of 3 weeks after I placed my order.
I didn’t order any moisturisers, serums or heavy duty creams this time. The way I usually dip my toes in new skincare products would be to try out the cleansers and masks first. These would be skincare items that I can easily wash off after having them on for a maximum of 15 minutes, just in case the heavier duty items don’t agree with my skin.
Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser (RRP US$23.00)
This cleanser is probably the most popular and highly raved Michael Todd product on the blogosphere. The cleansing gel looks like it’s entirely black when dispensed but if you look at it carefully, it’s actually very fine pieces of black bits in clear gel (which I’m guessing is the activated charcoal). When it’s spread on the skin with water, the black bits disappear leaving the gel clear. As for the fragrance, I can’t put my finger on an exact scent. I wouldn’t say it smells like charcoal but it does smell quite spa-like.
I can’t claim that this gel cleanser deeply cleansed my skin and pores thoroughly but I’ll say that it’s one fine cleanser. It feels good on the skin, doesn’t strip the skin dry or leave a detergent-like squeaky feeling on the skin. It didn’t irritate my skin at all and makes my skin feel very refreshed after use. Will I repurchase this? Oh most definitely. The positive reviews on this cleanser was spot on.
Michael Todd Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub (US$18.00)
I don’t remember reading or watching many reviews about this scrub but I thought I’d add it into my shopping basket as well. Every girl needs a facial scrub, doesn’t she? 😛
It’s a thick cream with very fine jojoba wax beads that are used as a physical exfoliating agent. It also contains papaya and pineapple enzymes as chemical exfoliants. It has a delicious fruity scent which is quite sweet but not cloying. The instructions on the tube tells you to be careful not to over-stimulate the skin when using the scrub so I massage this on my skin in slow, gentle circular motions.
I love this scrub. Like the Charcoal Detox, it’s not drying, doesn’t irritate the skin, the beads are not harsh and leaves the skin feeling fresh, smooth and super soft. Will I repurchase this? Oh yes. It smells really good!
Michael Todd Avocado and Mango Hydrating Facial Mask (US$34.00)
This was the reason I finally bit the bullet and placed an order for Michael Todd stuff. Kristina from Pretty Shiny Sparkly spoke highly about this mask, mentioned that it was very good and that it smelled of mangoes. I was sold when she said “mangoes” because next to citrus scents, mangoes are my favourite.
It’s a light lotion and orange coloured like mangoes (although it kind of looks like bird poo in the photo. Hmm). It’s very smooth and creamy. It does smell like mangoes but I thought it smelled a tad artificial like a room freshener. It wasn’t offensive to me. Having said that, sadly this did not work for me as well as it did for Kristina and a lot of people.
The mask was hydrating on my skin but I’d prefer more, e.g. what facial sheet masks do for me. After about 10 minutes of having this on, the skin feels tight as the mask dries. The problem I have with this mask is that it breaks me out every time I use it. Every. Single. Time. I must be allergic to one of the many ingredients in the mask or something because I’d be sure to find a couple of pimples sprouting the next morning after using the mask the night before. It’s such a bummer because out of all the products I purchased and tried out, I expected this to be the best. It turned out to be the disappointment of the lot. Sigh.
Will I repurchase this? Nope. If anyone wants to take this off my hands, please let me know. It probably won’t break you out like it did me but hey, no guarantees. 🙂
Michael Todd Citrus Spray Hydrating Mist (RRP US$16.00)
I must admit, I bought this on a whim. I mean, I already own tubes of thermal water sprays; do I need yet another facial mist? Well, when it says CITRUS on the bottle, oh hell yes I do. 😛
This facial spray smells like a mixture of lemongrass and lime. I didn’t think I’d like it when I first sniffed the bottle (you know how you open the top and just sniff the nose?). But when it was sprayed on the skin, it actually smells really good!
I didn’t find this facial spray to be any more hydrating than my thermal sprays, which are cheaper. It just smells a lot better, that’s all. This can also be used as an aromatherapy pillow spray. I think I prefer it as a pillow spray. 🙂
Will I repurchase this? Probably not. I’ll save my money for other “spur of the moment” purchases instead. 😛
Conclusion
If you’ve gotten this far to this super long post, good on you! Boy, I sure talk a lot, don’t I? 😛
It’s a 50-50 on these Michael Todd products that I purchased. There are two that I really like and two that are just so so. Having said that, I’m now very keen on trying out other products from the brand and this time, I’ll be getting the moisturisers and serums. I’ll be placing another order once the Charcoal Detox cleanser runs out.
If you’re new to Michael Todd and would like to try out their products, do sign up to their mailing list as you’ll get a 10% discount coupon for your order. You can always unsubscribe later.
The skincare products are actually pretty affordable for organic products so they’re definitely worth checking out. Plus the shipping fees aren’t bad either. Australia Post, please revise your shipping fees because it’s ridiculously high.
I was meh on Michael Todd too; fortunately I bought the items on Groupon and didn’t spend too much on them.
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Oh yeah, I heard that you can buy this on group discount websites like OzSale or something like that too (after I placed the order for the products). I was like, hmm, opinion not so high now because why would you want to sell your products in a group discount website? I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I think you kinda cheapen your brand when you sell them through sites like Groupon. Hmm.
Hm, I didn’t think about it that way, that the value is cheapened by selling it at a discount. I just thought that there’s no way I would pay$125 for their face cream when it’s on Groupon for $25 ($25 was too high a price for it anyway)
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It’s like if I see e.g. Chanel nail polish or even OPI nail polish selling at a bargain on group discount websites. The first thing I’d think is “why are they selling it so cheap? How old are the nail polishes? Are they about to expire, is that why they’re trying to get rid of it? etc”
I love the Michael Todd products. When ideel.com was not part of groupon I could purchase all the products thru them. They products are gluten free. I researched all ingredients and have used the products for a while. Remember when you purchase a set for your skin type it is a good idea to remain with the grouping. If you only try this or that you do not recieve the same results. However, now that Groupon has merged with Ideel. They have drop many items I bought from ideel.
I’ve tried a few products and have quite enjoyed them, I mostly love the Blue Green Algae Toner, honestly it’s become one of my can’t live without products! Makes my skin feel so soft and hydrated 🙂
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Ahh that sounds interesting. Just wondering, Anita, I can’t remember if it was you who told me you didn’t get them off the Michael Todd website? Were the products cheaper?
Yep it was me 🙂 I got them on OzSale (they’ve come up a few times now). They were a bit cheaper… I think my toner was $15.00 on OzSale and they charge $18.50US for it on the MT website.
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I’ve been curious about the Michael Todd Skincare line from all of the raves too. I originally saw the brand for sale on Modnique about two years ago but didn’t give it a second look at the time. I love the smell (and taste) of Mangoes too, I wouldn’t have been able to resist either 🙂
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Hurrah for another mango lover! Check out TheBalm’s En Root haircare products. They smell so good of mangoes, good enough to eat! 😛
I must live in a cave because altho I’ve heard of this line, vaguely, I haven’t read any of the reviews, I haven’t seen it at Sephora or Ulta, or on Groupon. And I was not one of the millions of lucky bloggers who received a sample to review, boo hoo. You’re gonna laugh, but Michael (Micky) Todd was one of Elizabeth Taylor’s husbands a million years ago, so that’s what I think of. At any rate, the prices aren’t bad, and maybe I should branch out from my Johnson & Johnson Purpose Facial Cleanser and try this one with the charcoal. I’m all set with masks but maybe I’ll check and see what the moisturizers are like.
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Hahahaha I didn’t know that about Elizabeth Taylor’s husband!
I don’t think this is sold in stores. I think it’s just online (but I could be wrong). I noticed a lot of YouTubers talking about Michael Todd skincare more than bloggers. They must have sent the products to a lot of them!
I’ve seen quite a few youtube reviews and I haven’t taken the bait .. lol. I really want to finish up a bunch of products before purchasing more this year .. 🙂
Monica, http://www.pear-shaped-gal.com
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Oh yeah, much better idea. Please knock that sense into my head too *hide from overflowing cupboard* 😛
ive wanted to try michael todd for the longest time! i was about to order it on ozsale but the pack i had wanted & much of the other stuff sold out 🙁 too bad the avacado and mango mask broke you out. It sounded so promising from the start!
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The mask did look promising from the start. It could be something in the ingredients that just doesn’t agree with me that breaks me out every time I use it. Gah. 🙁
PS: If you wanna try out the mask, shoot me an email? Happy to send it to you. x
You might have a reaction to citrus ingredients like I do. I know that anything with orange in it will break me out like crazy. So it could be the citrus aspect that made you break out.
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I love citrusy products and have used a lot of them. None of them broke me out. Don’t know why this one did. Is it the, God forbid, mango you reckon? GAH.
Very interesting products from a brand I only heard of from you today. LOL. Could you tell me how do you actually use a hydrating mist? I have seen quite a few brands that have this on their list but I am curious as how it is actually used.
I just spritz it on my skin during the day over makeup (if I have any on). I don’t usually pat the “juice” in; I just let it sit there and cool my face down. This is particularly useful during the hot summer months. Which reminds me, I should put the Citrus Spray in the fridge for some extra cool awesomeness 😛
A lot of people use hydrating mists as toners before putting their serums and moisturisers on. That works too.
Too bad about the mask. Lots of people rave about it. I’m looking forward to your future reviews of the moisturizers!!
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I know right? I had high expectations too. Could be my skin doesn’t agree with one or some of the ingredients. Oh well. Moving on to something else! 🙂
Hi Tine! Firstly I wanted to say how much I love your blog 🙂 the style is great informative with a sense of humor.
I have tried some of the Michael Todd products – the honey oat cleanser, the tropical fruit scrub, the blue green algae toner and the pumpkin mask. The cleanser smell citrus which I did not expect. Nice products but not sure if I will repurchase.
Aww hi Kellee and thanks! Really appreciate it! Hope to see more of you here soon. 😀
I claim it! MT products are supeeeeeeeeeeeeer great! I have tried using two of them and I am a very satisfied user since then. I plan on trying out other MT products to experience its magic and I will keep on using them and live happily. Thanks for this post! Superb review it is!
Kara recently posted..Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Cleanser: An Organic Deep Pore Gel Cleanser
Thanks Kara! I’ll be trying out other products from MT. Heard their toner’s the bomb. 😉
I hope that their products are well reviewed. Unfortunately we can’t seem to have our order filled despite paying in January. Their customer service is non-existant. Good luck if you are trying to order online. 🙁
Oh dear sorry to hear that. I’ve not had any problems with their customer service at all and so far, the reviews have been stellar.
I have had some real hits and misses with Michael Todd, the Charcoal cleanser in particular did nothing for me! Except dry my skin out. There have been some that I love though, the Honey and Oats cleanser is a firm favourite of mine <3 <3
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I’ve read a lot of rave reviews on the Honey and Oats cleanser. Definitely need to give that a go!
I SO WANTED TO LOVE THIS BRAND DUE TO THE BRUSH. CLARISONIC JUST P’d me off with all of their COMPLETE UNITS REQUIRED
for addressing skin needs. Simply changing brushes would hsve been all that was necessary. I wrote and told them so! bynphone, as well!:
Michaell Todds brush came along a couple of years later on a super deal so I bought a boatload. Brusg
h is great, skincare as good as avg dept store upper end but less expensive. Retail on all devices ALL very reasonably priced for us avg. women! It still bothers me, anyway, that SUPER SALE MARKDOWNS happen so often !! 50-60% discounts!!! Overall, I would recommend, just watch for sales from the website snd sign up to be notified. He does also sell mini sizes, which few will, so you csn try before buy! Quite generous. I guess I have a little paranoia since super markdowns used to mean something big is about to happen (i.e.) product improvrmrnts 31 days after I buy!! ha !
sazz