I have to come clean—I didn’t expect the Moon Dusts to work.
Honestly, the majority of people I talked to about my dusting experiment didn’t either. Moon Juice has become a mainstay of the Venice wellness scene—the boutique is pretty well-known here, and most people in LA understand that sipping on a healthy green juice or smoothie in the morning can make you feel a lot better than a sugary coffee drink.
But the Moon Dusts kick the weirdness up a notch compared to green juice. The cute pots of grey herbs and pulverized “superfoods” claim to improve everything from your mood to your sex life. Try explaining this to friends as you measure out a tablespoon of your Moon Dust and add it to your coffee—the skeptical eyebrow raises are next-level.
So there’s that—do the special herbs and powders work? And then there’s Amanda Chantal Bacon.
As Moon Juice’s founder, Bacon has proven to be a bit polarizing, despite her angelic face and otherworldly demeanor. While her empire has a very positive reputation amongst health-conscious Angelenos, in more mainstream circles people are still a little wary of her “magic” potions and powders.
I’ve never met her IRL, but honestly the more I learn about her belief in crystals, meditation, and $12 nut milk, the more I love her. Plus, I’m always down to try weird stuff if it promises to improve my skin, make me feel good, and cause my boyfriend to roll his eyes.
A daily regimen of Moon Dust hits all three criteria, which is why I was so stoked to try it. Because I’m currently a month away from running the New York City Marathon, I decided to add the Power Dust to my coffee or smoothie every morning. Happily, I also picked up a few single-serve samples of the Beauty Dust, Brain Dust, Dream Dust, Spirit Dust, and Sex Dust that I planned to try should the appropriate situation present itself.
Day One
I’ve never woken up so excited for it to be Thursday. I jumped out of bed, ready to blend up my Power Dust-infused smoothie. The jar is cute, and the label says:
An ancient elite formula to support your peak performance, stamina and longevity, while aiding in healthy recovery. Imbibe this athletic, adaptogenic potion to regulate the body’s vital energy, healthy metabolic function and maximize your ability to withstand stress and injury.
‘K. I like all of those things, and Power Dust really sounds perfect for my exhausted body—I’ve been training for the marathon for months, and it’s finally hitting me. I add a scoop to my vegan protein smoothie (I use Daily Harvest smoothies in a pinch) and once I blend the whole thing up I realize I can’t taste it at all. That’s a good thing, in my book.
I don’t realize that I feel different until I’m halfway through my day: I’ve powered through a yoga class, six hours of work, and an interview without a break or stopping to eat. So far, Power Dust is like healthy Adderall—I even have the energy to fit in a speed running workout after work.
Day Two
TGIF. I wake up at 6 o’clock, make my Power Dust drank, and plow through work like it’s nothing. It’s Friday, so I have tons of interviews. Although I love talking to people, I’m a full-fledged introvert and find I’m exhausted after a day of meetings. However, I get through three calls and an in-person chat and feel amazing—no introvert-hangover here. Power Dust, thanks for doing your thang.
It’s Friday night, so my boyfriend comes over. Part of the reason I love him so much is that he always accepts my weirdness—like when I suggest that we drink the Spirit Dust together so we can have a “spiritually connected” date night. He does, and remarks that it tastes like, “old protein powder.” Could be worse, I guess? We gaze into each other’s eyes for a bit while listening to records, and then promptly fall asleep on the couch before 10 p.m. while watching Netflix. Spiritually connected AF.
I convince my boyfriend to drink the Spirit Dust with me so we can have a “spiritually connected” date night
Day Three
Time to truly test the Power Dust—Saturday is my long run day. Instead of making my usual hearty smoothie, I mix the powder into coffee (I don’t like eating a lot before I run). Somehow I manage to run 20 miles and still feel really good … Maybe this stuff does work.
Day Four
The thing that I like the most about the dust is that I really can’t taste it at all, even when it’s mixed into tea or coffee. Is there something wrong with my tastebuds? Not sure. Anyway, because of this, I’m able to enjoy my Power Dust in my coffee during a brunch outing. Dumping a packet of grey dust will get you some weird looks, but I figure we’re in LA and there’s bound to be people eating stranger things than I am.
Dumping a packet of grey dust into your coffee will get you some weird looks
Day Five
Why hello, Monday morning. I make my Moon Dust drink, this time mixing in Brain Dust with the Power Dust … because Monday, right? While I don’t notice any major changes thanks to the Brain Dust, I notice that I’m able to sit through an unusually long commute home (90 minutes to go 10 miles seemed very excessive to me …) without losing my mind. Is is the magic mushroom powder in the Brain Dust, or the sweet sound of Ira Glass’ voice that calms my inner rage? Jury’s still out.
Day Six
I’ve decided that while Amanda Chantal Bacon may be a witch, she’s totally a good witch—this Power Dust works. Not only have I managed to stick to one cup of coffee a day (almost exclusively drank for the taste, not the caffeine) but I’ve had the energy to do a few evening workouts. Normally, I’d never dream of trying to fit in a tough running workout after a long day, but it seems that the Power Dust has made the experience a bit more manageable.
When I get home late after a workout, the last thing I want to do is cook so often I’ll throw a Daily Harvest smoothie into the blender and call it dinner. Just for kicks, I mix the Sex Dust into my chocolate avocado smoothie (it’s basically healthy chocolate ice cream, FYI). According to the package, the dust is a “warming elixir [that] sends waves of sensitivity and power to all the right places.” Sounds … intense? I wait a few minutes to see if anything happens (tingling limbs, a sultrier voice, inexplicable power over all men in a five-mile radius, etc.) but alas, nothing. I end up falling asleep at a reasonable hour in some decidedly un-sexy pajamas, but I get a great night’s sleep. Perhaps I can thank the relaxing Sex Dust?
Day Seven
Made it one week, and it’s safe to say that I’m a fan of the Moon Dusts. Here’s the thing—I get that there might be a bit of the placebo effect at play here. But the ingredients in these powders also have scientific data to back them up. Schizandra berry, one of the ingredients in Power Dust, has been found to have antioxidant-like properties that “increases endurance and accuracy of movement, mental performance and working capacity.” Pretty legit.
I’m happy to report that I was totally wrong about moon dusting—I’ll definitely continue with the Power Dust, especially because I’m just three weeks away from the New York Marathon. As for the other formulas, I suspect that when they’re taken more regularly you’re likelier to see results. I’ll stick to the Power Dust for now, but who knows. Maybe the Spirit Dust will end becoming a regular part of my meditation ritual.
