We all know that beauty is more than skin deep, which is why ingestibles have been one of the most exciting categories in the beauty and wellness space in the past few years. For every skincare cocktail there is, there now exists a literal cocktail of powders, tinctures, and liquids that do from the inside what the organic lotions and potions promise to do on the outside. But if you’re like me, someone who has put forth earnest energy in trying all the Moon Juice Dusts (Brain Dust, Sex Dust, Beauty Dust… there’s even a dust for the Spirit?) and purchasing an esoteric ancient herb recommended by Los Angeles health gurus on Instagram, you’ll probably find all the information out there pretty confounding. Unlike a cleanser that tells you what skin type it’s suited for or a face oil that has an obvious density that will either agree with your skin or not, ingestibles are a bit like the wild west. It’s hard to say what exactly they’re doing once you take them in the same way that a salad is good for you but you can’t go to a mirror after eating one to see results, and if they’re not working, it might not be immediately obvious the way your skin might react to a harsh exfoliant.
I’ve tried them all. From the statuesque Super Elixir by WelleCo founded by supermodel Elle MacPherson to the blue and gold single-ingredient creations of Sun Potion and the aforementioned Moon Juice, whose creations are ubiquitous in this space. Some, I liked and some were so-so. But it wasn’t until I experienced headaches after taking a cocktail of herbs recommended by an industry-recognized retailer in the space that I realized these tonics, like an improperly formulated skincare product on skin, could just as easily fuck up your body. It sounds obvious in hindsight, but I think so many of us just fall into the complicity of following a recommendation. So I started doing my research with the same questions that I asked of my skincare brands, who is making this? what are their qualifications? what are the ingredients doing? why is this good for me? what are the potential risks? And you know what happened? I had to stop taking all of the supplements because none of them could get past my vetting in a way that made me feel confident and secure of what I was putting into my body.
Then in July, my friends at Garçon’s World told me about MIJA – a nutraceuticals brand made with 100% plant-based ingredients, whole-foods, and so on. Been there, done that. But they insisted I try MIJA’s hero product, Superstar, because their entire office loved it. So I did and it arrived just few days later – all eco-sustainable/biodegradable packing materials (nice!). Upon opening the box, I was immediately drawn to the packaging, something about it just felt so thoughtfully created and just holding it made me feel happy.
First Impressions
I mixed 2 teaspoons of Superstar, as instructed, with some room temperature water and added manuka honey and a squeeze of lemon. The powder resembles matcha (the base is pure, organic, ceremonial-grade matcha and moringa leaf) and is quite water-soluble. I didn’t expect the taste to be so satisfying but it really felt like a treat. It’s a fruity profile of lychee and honeydew melon that tastes decidedly better than anything I’ve had from Moon Juice, The Nue Co, or Sun Potion, and yet more natural without the overpowering flavoring found in WelleCo and The Beauty Chef. I’m not kidding when I say this – but within 10 minutes, I felt a zen vibe take hold where everything just seemed to chill and I felt optimistic and positive. As I was thinking to myself of first impressions to later share on my blog, an e-mail came from the founder of MIJA, Sarah Koszyk, that explained why she created MIJA and what made their first and currently, only product, Superstar so outstanding – and everything became clear.
About MIJA and Sarah Koszyk
Sarah Koszyk is a registered dietician and nutritionist. What this means is she had to get a bachelors degree, then a masters degree, followed by a residency program (she did her program at the renowned Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital), and just to draw some distance between this and say a “wellness expert” or “holistic guru” – Sarah’s expertise is covered by health insurance because she’s recognized as a medical practitioner, which won major points for me since…. absolutely none of the other nutraceuticals are founded by people with directly relevant degrees of this magnitude. Sarah has her own private practice in San Francisco where she’s basically the go-to wellness expert for the Silicon Valley elite as well as professional athletes. And remember how much I loved the taste of Superstar? Not surprising coming from the woman who is also a published author of 5 books on delicious, nutritious, healthy eating. After a couple back and forth e-mails with Sarah, it became clear why she created Superstar. Most supplements on the market today, she explained, fall into two categories:
They either focus on a single issue (gut health, pH, proteins, skin, etc.), resulting in the need to purchase many to see any meaningful holistic benefits. This is not only inefficient but can also result in nutrient imbalances. Or formulas try to throw everything in, which overloads the body with things it does not need and not enough of what it does.
As Sarah explained, the body is not a single-issue system, it is complex and responsive. Envisioning Superstar as a hero product that is scientifically backed and can be safely beneficial for everyone as a comprehensive supplement, she utilized her extensive experience working with clients as data points to deep dive into the universal nutritional gaps and dietary shortfalls. The resulting product is a complex of anti-inflammatories, full-spectrum vitamins, and antioxidants, beautifying minerals, pH-balancing herbs, gut-healthy microflora, omegas, stress-relieving adaptogens, plant-based proteins, and hundreds of health-boosting phytonutrients delivered in a 100% organic, vegan, gluten-free formula.
The Results
I’ve been using Superstar daily for over a month and I have to say that there are noticeable benefits in many areas. Most surprisingly, it has really improved my digestive and gut health where I no longer feel “heavy”, lethargic, or bloated after dinner, I’ve been getting more restful sleep where I wake up refreshed and energized even if the hours slept are the same and my skin looks really even and toned like I’ve been doing micro-current treatments every night for the past month. My partner who I asked to test this out with me is also fairly convinced that this is helping to turn back what he thinks is the beginning of his receding hairline and after he pointed this out, I noticed that I wasn’t losing as much hair as I was. Although this is not a diet supplement, because it tastes so satisfying and is filled with good ingredients, it feels satiating so I’ve actually lost about 4-6 lbs (depending on the day). Finally, it puts me in the zone as far as creative kicks go and I find myself writing most of my e-mails in the morning after I drink it to get myself in a calm-focus state.
These were the results that I experienced, and reviews on their website are similar. You may be wondering if there is some synthetic drug in here, but it’s actually all superfoods like goji berry, turmeric, Chaga mushroom, camu camu, and lucuma. We all know superfoods are good for you but I think it took someone like Sarah Koszyk, a medical professional rather than a self-professed guru or influencer, to come along and get the right superfoods sourced from the right local suppliers in the right formula with the right concentrations using the right extraction processes (their process was created in a San Francisco-based performance lab to ensure high absorption and full bio-availability of the nutrients) to create something exceptional. That’s a lot of things that have to go right, which means what MIJA has accomplished with Superstar is truly spectacular. I’d easily rank Superstar as the best supplement I’ve used and my top pick as an all-in-one supplement. Superstar retails for $78 per jar which can easily last over 2 months, you can get 10% off if you sign up for their newsletter but when I told Sarah that I was planning to write a review, she generously offered a 15% off code for my readers that will last all month long: BEAUTYIDEALISTLOVESU
**Update: I’ve been getting e-mails that you’re seeing this out of stock sometimes, and I know they’re trying to make this as fast as they can. The good news is that they’re also available at Ayla Beauty, which offers 10% off when you sign-up for their newsletter.
I know this almost doubles as my journey through ingestibles, so I want to hear about your experiences in the comment section!
*I am not paid nor compensated for my review, and my discount code is not an affiliate link, I just really really love the product and think it’s one that is spectacular and worth sharing.*
Oh I’ve never seen a supplement with matcha as the base before, especially since I ordered a matcha that was ceremonial-grade (not even certified organic) that was about $70 for 1 oz, it’s so expensive so this looks good. Thank you for the code!
Author
I totally know how expensive really good matcha can cost! I used to purchase those $140 for 3 oz ones and could not find one that was certified organic either. The one used for Superstar is not only certified organic and ceremonial-grade (the highest grade), but also lab tested for all contaminants including metal and radioactive which most, if not all others are not. So you’re really getting a quality product.
I’m not really loyal to any supplement brand, Beauty Chef is perhaps my most purchased but you’re right, the taste can feel a little artificial. This looks very promising and I look forward to trying it.
Author
Yes! Have you ever left the supplement soaking in water for over half an hour? WelleCo and Beauty Chef start to lose all taste because the artificial flavors wear off and then it tastes kind of stale. But this one does not, the taste is actually coming from the bioavailable superfoods.
I saw the Green Derm share this too a few weeks ago and it’s not every day that a product would have both of your stamps of approval. How long did it take for you to receive your order? I just placed mine and can’t wait.
Author
Mine was sent in the mail the next day. And arrived in 2 days? It was pretty fast!
Thanks for the review! I also tried many supplements. So far I like Moon juice pearl power, the Beauty Chef glow power, crush tonic and vital protein collagen supplements.
Author
Yup Beauty Chef Inner Glow was one of my go-tos that I think has been reviewed on here as well. I think you’ll like Superstar! Also – I tried a few Vital Protein Collagen but they’re all animal-derived and then I read some studies about actual collagen supplements and how the body doesn’t necessarily know how to process it, basically if you want to amp up the collagen content, they’re saying Vitamin C is the best and safest way to do it. So Superstar is all plant-based protein and contains high amounts of Vitamin C (Camu Camu is a Vitamin C powerhouse that is even used in skincare as a Vitamin C serum).
Hi! I got it in the beginning of September and I am almost done with it! I am using the 2 tsp as instructed too. I have to be honest that I didn’t love the taste right off the bat but got to really like it after a few times. Since I am still taking other supplements, I can’t tell if there are any specific improvements from this yet but I just ordered another one to give it a longer trial!
What a small world! I subscribe to your blog and saw this post. As I was reading I was like “omg I have to check this out” and then went to their website, and realized that Sarah used to do wellness clinics at Facebook (at least when I worked there). She really is the real deal, and I’m so happy to see she’s in our “green” world. Thanks so much for sharing about this, I am so excited to get my bottle!
Author
That is amazing, I had no idea she did clinics at Facebook! Sarah was really sweet and knowledgeable when I spoke to her, she really taught me a lot about so much like the commercialization of probiotics and alkaline diets. I think you’ll really like Superstar, let me know what you think!
Fabiana, it’s so great to see you back! I always love posts from you especially when introducing a new product. You’re the one who introduced me to African Botanics, Yuli and so many products from Kahina’s Cleansing Oil to the MV Organics moisturizer which I love. Thank you for vetting and cutting through the noise to find things truly worth our time and money. Mija looks every bit as good as your post indicates and I’m happy there is a 15% off to sweeten the deal, thank you!
Author
Thank you, Lisa! I’m so glad that my recommendations were helpful. I started this blog because I felt like no one was giving me the useful information that I needed and everything felt like a press mouthpiece wrote it. Every time I make a recommendation, I do think “am I telling this in a way that would be helpful to someone like me?” Let me know how you like the Superstar!
My experiences are like yours, tried a lot and took a Sun Potion blend that burned through my adrenal glands that were already wearing down due to stress. And the experience was so bad that I actually went back to synthetic vitamins for a long time. I totally agree that many products like Moon Juice dusts just make me feel like… what’s the difference if I buy spirit dust and not brain dust or sex dust, right? I think a product like MIJA’s Superstar is exactly what is needed to cut through the all the bullshit and have a bottle on it’s way to me thanks to your 15% off!
Author
Yes! Some supplements are just not properly formulated and can cause adrenal fatigue, increased restlessness, and bring things even more out of balance. And it’s your body that we’re talking about, not just some superficial redness on the skin surface that can go away! This is important! So I was really happy when Mija was introduced to me, because Sarah is someone who in her private practice literally treats all the above problems that people get from normal life and through their dietary imbalances.
I have been pretty loyal to Beauty Chef, but know what you’re talking about in relation to the sugary flavoring. For some reason, Sun Potion and Moon Juice just don’t agree with my system. The only thing I feel when I take any of their stuff is.. not so great. Some give me nausea, others the jitters. I think my body might just be really sensitive to a lot of things. I am trying the debloat digest from Nue Co because it’s just a few ingredients, it tastes like spiced up curry powder though so, unfortunately, I rarely use it. Going to give Superstar a try for the debloating, especially if it tastes better.
Author
I think Sun Potion and Moon Juice can sometimes be too much. Like a face oil made with a heavy hand on essential oils or heavy base oil, the proportions are off. That’s probably why you’re feeling the imbalance sometimes. I know that Brain Dust and that Sun Potion with the maca and he shou wu didn’t make me feel too great. I actually have a jar of The Nue Co’s Debloat and yes it’s like 3-5 ingredients and is pretty much spices galore. The magic sauce in that though is the Turmeric which contains curcumin that aids digestion and ginger which is really good for the digestive track, and both of those ingredients are in Superstar so I think you’ll like it.
I want to purchase as it sounds amazing, but where is the 15% off code? and where to purchase? Thanks
Author
The code is “BEAUTYIDEALISTLOVESU” and if you click any of the links for Superstar, it takes you right to the product page:
https://mijanaturals.com/product/superstar/