Hello lovelies! How are you all doing? No surprises here – Beauty Heroes did it again and they brought us another amazing monthly discovery, feat. Ayuna. My immediate reaction was omg yes! I adore Ayuna’s products so SO much. I have a lot to say about this discovery so without any further ado here are my first impressions/review of May Beauty Discovery.
In the May Beauty Discovery* are two full size products from Ayuna: Velo 6-in-1 Suprastratum Protection and The Facial (Low). Check it out here.
VELO 6-in-1 Suprastratum Protection is the Hero of this discovery and was the product I was super excited to try out. I always am when I see there’s a new product from Ayuna. I’m obsessed with this Spanish brand, their products are so mind-blowingly amazing! VELO, which means veil in Spanish, is a living, breathing veil of protection that guards the skin from the exposome (daily environmental aggressors, including pollution, oxidation, dehydration, light, dryness and the proliferation of bad bacteria). It guards the suprastratum, a lessor known superficial layer that plays a very important role in the appearance and health of the skin. Like all Ayuna products, VELO also contains gorgeous ingredients that work so well for my combination skin. If you look closely at the ingredient list you will see that this product includes mineral-based SPF protection and contains ocean-friendly zinc/titanium component that provides a layer of protection against “UVA, UVB, blue (HEV) light, IR, and ultraviolet-B- induced CPD’s (primary induced DNA lesions).” While VELO does not currently have an FDA SPF rating (which means it can’t be called an SPF in the U.S. but based on the regulations requirements, the product is able to make an SPF claim in Europe), AYUNA is currently in the process of obtaining an official SPF designation.
So let’s talk about my first impressions. They weren’t great. Not at all! The first time I tried it, it was just ok but I felt SO underwhelmed by it + there was some pilling. On the second day I applied my makeup on top of VELO and honestly, my foundation, my whole face never looked worse! It was so patchy and streaky and there were orange marks. Omg no! If I wasn’t in such a rush I would wash it all off and start my makeup again. Third day was no better either. In all this time I experimented with different skincare products and what would work best with VELO. I also emailed Jeannie about it saying that sadly I think that this product is not for me. But saying that I also wasn’t ready to just give in and you guys, I cracked it, I found out what is the best way to use VELO.
I have so much to say. First let me say that the secret lies in the Ayuna’s instruction folder. What a shocker right haha. I rarely read the “how to apply”, especially when it comes to creams. But after a few days of disliking VELO it had to be done and oh goodness, I would be spared if I would just read it before use. In line with the whole Ayuna philosophy of skin fasting and using less products it was so obvious how to apply this product: “Use after applying Cream by Ayuna for drier skins and on clean skin for combination/oily skins.” That is it, so simple! I am not a minimalist when it comes to skincare, or just anything in life, although I do try not to horde things. I like to layer products so how did I incorporate VELO into my existing skincare routine? I had to change it up a little bit. First I apply a toner, then a couple of drops of oil (less is more!), a moisturizer and as my last step VELO. This works perfect. What I found is that VELO doesn’t mix well with oil, so I don’t recommend applying VELO right after you’d apply an oil, there needs to be a cream between them. Cream I (Light)* from Ayuna is so perfect to use but VELO also works great in combination with Jane Scrivner OO Cream*.
VELO feels very lightweight and I love that so much. It doesn’t feel greasy or heavy and doesn’t leave any white residue whatsoever. This is a tinted product and if you apply more than just one layer it looks like you have on a foundation with light coverage. It was strange that at the beginning I found this tint to be very orange on me but once I changed up my products I now don’t notice that. I’m so thankful about that because it would really be such a shame if this product wouldn’t work for me. I will say that I have to brush out my eyebrows after I apply it because it looks like I didn’t properly blended in my foundation.
Uf I think I said all that I wanted to say. Know that less is more, less is beauty when it comes to VELO. Learn from my mistakes, don’t overcomplicate your routine and you will immediately love this product. Check out VELO here.
The Facial in Low is the Sidekick aka co-hero of this discovery and this stuff is amazing! I have tried it before, also thanks to Beauty Heroes and their Limited Edition discovery back in December, where we received The Facial in Low and High (I shared it on my Instagram here). The Facial is described as a lotion-to-powder formula. It’s more substantial than a toner and more fluid than a serum. This is actually an acid toner with a combo of alpha amino acids – Glutamic from fermented Sugarcane and Yucca; Succinic from fermented Corn; and Raspberry Cider Vinegar. The Facial is a very interesting product – it’s a water based product with a collodial suspension of time-released acid complex that immediately mattifies skin with a soft, powdery feel. Because of this suspension you have to shake the bottle before use and then apply on your face either by pouring it onto the palm of your hand or on a cotton pad (I recommend reusable organic makeup pads – Beauty Heroes offers these). I apply The Facial with my hands and that works great for me.
This product dries up really quickly on the skin and leaves a matte, almost tight feeling. You definitely need to follow up with another product to get rid of that feeling. Because this was my first experience with an acid toner, I have some things to share on how I layer it. At first I only used The Facial, Cream I and sometimes a drop or two of oil. Then I started to experiment with other products and honestly I didn’t have any problems. Now I mainly use it only in the evening because I found that it doesn’t work well for me in combination with VELO. So in the evening I first cleanse my skin (obviously) and the on clean, dry face apply The Facial, leave it to dry and then I either apply a toner or go straight in with a serum. Then I follow up with either an oil, a balm or a cream, or a mix of them, depends on how my skin is looking. The main thing is that you apply it straight on clean, dry skin and leave it to dry before applying anything else. I use it daily, or almost every day and it works so great for my skin. When I first started using it in December or January I completely feel in love with it. It immediately felt like a product I was missing in my skincare routine. The Facial is exfoliating and balancing aka it helps to reduce bumps and uneven texture on the skin and balances out the microbiome, which means your skin will look healthier and more radiant. I have to mention that in the beginning The Facial can cause some dry skin, patches of dry skin but that goes away in a few days. A beautiful and effective product, and that it something I always expect from Ayuna. Check out The Facial here.
I honestly love all Ayuna prodcts and even though I don’t talk about them often I use them weekly, some even daily. Love, love love!
May Beauty Discovery feat. Ayuna is valued at $252 (!!) and by subscribing to Beauty Heroes you can get it for around $40. You can subscribe here.
Have a great day!
Much love to you all,
Jana xx
*samples generously provided
**this post contains affiliate links