Skincare by Moonlight: Honey

Holika Holika Sleeping Pack Acerola as viewed on my pretty mermaid brush

I recently finished my jar of the Holika Holika Honey Sleeping Pack which means it is review time! Of course, this was my first full-size, k-beauty sleeping pack so bear that in mind as we go forward. Prior to this I have used a mini-size of the famous Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, as well as several samples of other sleeping packs. Before I got in to AB skincare I used heavy creams or balms over top of regular moisturizer in order to lock-in my skincare overnight. I think that is why when I first heard the words "sleeping pack" I had an aha! moment. A special product specifically designed to trap my skincare goodies against my face overnight? Sign me up!

Benton, Scinic, Skinfood and Holika Holika honey products

I beelieve I may have fallen for the buzz about honey and then had to hive all of the products

I love all things honey so this sleeping pack was a natural fit for my tastes and budget. It retails for about 15USD generally, and I got mine at Jolse. The cute, glass, honey pot shaped jar holds 90mL of pink, jelly-like mask. For both the price and the experience I find the Acerola version of this sleeping pack to be much superior to the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask. The smell is sweet and fruity without being cloying, unlike the Laneige mask which smelled like urea based foot cream to my nose. I never did figure that out since the Water Sleeping Mask contains no urea anywhere in its ingredient list. Speaking of ingredient lists, check this baby out!

Water, Honey Extract, Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, Arginine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethanol, Methylparaben, PEG-2M, PEG-90M, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sucrose Distearate, CI 19140, CI 17200, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Fragrance, Caramel, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract

The above is taken from the Canadian Holika Holika website, but the formatting was done by me. The brand also states that the Honey Extract and Acerola Extract are present in quantities of 20% each. Iffy ingredients are the ethanol and added colours, but I can see why they would be in there. The alcohol is needed to help the pack to dry and the colours are likely there to give a more honeyed appearance to the finished product. Since I personally experienced no irritation, breakouts, or otherwise negative reactions, I will not be dropping the final score I give. However, as with all things skincare, your mileage may vary.

Holika Holika Sleeping Pack Acerola in its adorable little honey pot jar

Honey Pot Honey Pot Honey Pot

The first few nights I used it were not the greatest. For one thing, I put on way, way too much. I also used my finger to apply the mask which I believe is a mistake. The first time I used a cheap (and adorable!) liquid foundation brush to apply the sleeping pack was like a revelation in itself. I had lovely skin on the mornings after applying the mask with my fingers, but I had plump, glowing, calm skin after I switched to the brush for application. Not only that, but I was using less product and it would dry down more quickly.

Holika Holika Sleeping Pack Acerola swatched on my pale-ass hand

I didn't realize until tonight that I never took a picture of the full length of my brush in all its mermaid tailed glory.

That is probably the one failing of this, and perhaps all, sleeping packs. They take a while to dry down enough that I feel comfortable laying on my pillow. I'm a side sleeper no matter how I try to learn back-sleeping, so skincare smears on my pillowcase can be a real problem. I once applied so much of this mask (I think it was only the 3rd time using) that it still wasn't dry after 30 minutes. And I woke up to a sticky honey face stuck to my sticky honey pillowcase. Not cool, man. Not. Cool. As you can see, I learned my lesson and that was never again a problem. However, even after my thin layer, applied by brush, has had lots of time to dry down it will always remain a little sticky. Fly away hairs stick to my face and pajama lint does too. It's cold where I live; flannels are a must but that means the constant supply of lint they produce is here to stay.

On the mornings after using the Holika Holika Sleeping Pack I have to wash my face. It doesn't need to be a full double cleanse, but it has to be more than just a splash of water before moving on. I sincerely hope that this won't be a problem for the sleeping packs I use in the future but I imagine it will be. Next up is the Missha Misa Yei Hyun Jin Bon Sleeping Pack which I have just applied for the first time tonight. Something tells me my dreams will be hanbangin' *^_^*

Missha Misa Yei Hyun Jin Bon Sleeping Pack

It's so pink! It's so pretty! Pictures don't do it justice with all of its pearlescent and holographic details *swoon*

Will I repurchase this mask? Probably not. Not because of its failings but because there are just too many other great things to try. The Missha sleeping pack that I opened tonight is a 150mL tube which is going to last positively ages. I also have a pile of samples of Cosrx Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask, a decant of the Cosrx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask, and a bad hankering for the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask EX. Okay, you say, but what about the blueberry and canola versions of the Holika Holika mask? Well, I smelled the blueberry one at a friend's house and that smell is NOT for me I tell you what. I find the idea of the canola mask appealing since my house is surrounded by canola fields (fun fact: the old name for canola is rapeseed. RAPESEED) but not appealing enough to pull me away from the lure of sexy new products.

My final rating for the Holika Holika Honey Sleeping Pack Acerola is 3.5 out of 5:

3/5 - I will not be repurchasing this product despite the fact that it appears to be good value
4/5 - I like it. I would strongly consider purchasing it again or even gifting it to a loved one

I like it, I recommend it, I would give it to a loved one, but I'm too entranced by the lure of new things to repurchase this mask. If you've used it, let me know in the comments below! I love seeing how differently the same products behave on different people. If you are curious about my rating system and review process click here.

I am not affiliated in any way with any brands and these products were purchased by me with my own money. I am reviewing them because I feel strongly that more reviews of more products leads to better information for everyone.

March 09, 2018 1 comments

Scinic Honey All-In-One Ampoule was one of the first ever items on my AB wishlist. At the time I didn't know it was going to be a wishlist for Asian beauty products; I had been looking at DIY honey skincare and was not impressed with my kitchen concoctions. I wanted honey on my face but I didn't want just wash-off masks. I wanted all the benefits of honey but I wanted to be able to smooth it on and then move on with my day.

But let's back up a bit here. Why did I want honey on my face anyway? Well, honey has all kinds of skin-friendly benefits like being antimicrobial, assisting wound healing, and drawing water into the skin. One study stated that "clinical trials have shown that honey is an effective broad-spectrum antibacterial agent".[1] This same study went on to show how honey was used on induced wounds (on animals, not for the faint of heart) and also how honey was used on injured humans in hospital settings to assist with the healing of "skin wounds, skin and gastric ulcers, and burns". Of particular interest to me was the mention of "reduced scar formation" since acne scarring is a concern of mine.

Another study reported (behind a paywall): "Positive findings on honey in wound care have been reported from 17 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1965 participants, and 5 clinical trials of other forms involving 97 participants treated with honey. The effectiveness of honey in assisting wound healing has also been demonstrated in 16 trials on a total of 533 wounds on experimental animals. There is also a large amount of evidence in the form of case studies that have been reported. It has been shown to give good results on a very wide range of types of wound."[2]

Not behind at paywall (yay!) is another study saying "Some of the vitamins found in honey include ascorbic acid, pantothenic acid, niacin and riboflavin; while minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc are also present. [...] The other constituents of honey are amino acids, antibiotic-rich inhibine, proteins and phenol antioxidants. It also contains other bioactive substances such as phenolic constituents, flavonoids, organic acids, carotenoid-derived compounds, nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, amino acids and proteins." [3]

So hells to the yes honey honey - get on my face! And now like an infomercial announcer: But wait! There's more!!

Lesions treated with honey show less edema, infiltration of fewer granular and mononuclear cells, less necrosis, better wound contraction, improved epithelization and low glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan concentrations. Moreover, it reduces inflammation and exudation, promotes healing, diminishes scar size and stimulates tissue regeneration.[4]

In other words honey reduced swelling, decreased pus, decreased the death of normal cells, increased normal cell production, and increased the rate that those normal cells were able to close up the wound. All of the studies I perused came to similar conclusions. Honey is a medically useful substance for cleansing and healing open lesions as well as reducing visible scarring.

Since my skincare goals include both healing acne and its scarring, I really wanted to incorporate honey into my routine. But how? I needed something better than the honey in my pantry. Lucky for us all, the internet is an endless and bountiful resource. After reading the reviews on Holy Snails and on reddit I knew I needed this ampoule in my life. I mean just look at the ingredients:

Honey Extract, Glycerin, Water, Niacinamide, Royal Jelly Extract, Propolis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Caramel, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol.

Usagi Tsukino Sailor Moon - pinterest.com

My face when I realized I could have an affordable honey serum

Off I hopped to Jolse where I found this 250mL beauty for about 20 CAD. Twenty bucks for a cult favourite serum with fabulous ingredients, cute packaging, and loving reviews? Ha, my wallet never stood a chance.

In some ways this product was a gateway drug for me into kbeauty and AB. For months prior to this I had been reevaluating my skincare routine but the main thing that kept me from buying anything new was the cost. The serums and toners and anti-aging treatments available to me seemed like nothing more than expensive hype. Everything claimed to create miracles but we already know it's all bullsh*t. Vichy claims to be selling a pure retinol product after all :/

But, kbeauty is a different beast. The innovative formulations, competitive market, and passionate reviewers make it possible for ordinary consumers like me to get my hands on relatively inexpensive products that split the difference between skincare and cosmeceuticals. Sure, any company can make whatever claims they like but bloggers will come at them for the #receipts.

Here are the claims Scinic makes for their product:

Claim No.1 - Makes skin moist and soft with honey extract

Claim No.2 - Replaces the skin (hydrating toner), lotion (heavier hydrating toner), and essence (serum) in your routine by giving you an All-In-One product that let's you skip steps.

Let's see, shall we?

Claim No.1 is certainly true! It really does make your skin moist and soft. Yay to Scinic for keeping expectations low and thus passing with flying colours!! Claim No.2 on the other hand... I mean I guess it depends what you want from your routine. Do you just want soothing hydration? Great, this is the product for you. Do you also want the awesome benefits that honey can deliver? Then step right up! However, if you have skincare goals like reducing hyperpigmentation, fine lines, deeper wrinkles, acne, pore size, and all those other things that plague our faces, well then, this won't cut it. What it will do is keep your skin happy while you use your preferred actives to combat various skin texture issues.

Scinic Honey All In One Ampoule swatched onto my hand

After about one minute the ampoule is nicely absorbed into the skin of my hand

My personal experience with the Scinic Honey All In One Ampoule has been entirely positive. Especially after I decanted it into a refillable squeezie tube intended for airline travel. Then I no longer had to deal with the fuss of a giant jar just asking to be spilled all over my counter tops. The spatula is awesome and I use it for tons of other skincare, but lets be real here. Do you want to dip into a jar every time you use a product or would you rather just squeeze a little out and move on with your routine? You already know what I chose (｡◕‿‿◕｡)

This ampoule (or serum, if you prefer) soothes, moisturizes and supports my skin through all the actives I throw at it. I generally use way too much of it at any given time because I am a chronic skincare slather-er. This works for me because I also don't usually wear makeup or worry too much about cosmetically elegant finishes. It is sticky when left alone but this can be remedied by the application of a moisturizer or cream over top. The need for layers both under and over the ampoule somewhat invalidates the "all-in-one" claim though. Anyway, I don't expect miracles from what is essentially a moisturizing serum with some nice extracts in it. What I do expect is soothing redness and reducing flakiness though increased water content in my skin.

Let's look at how that increased water content happens. First off, Scinic claims that this ampoule contains 90% honey extract. The quality of extracts vary wildly since an extract can be anything from pure, medical-grade honey to one drop of bee vomit in a vat of solvent. For kindness' sake, we'll assume that this is a fairly high grade extract of purified honey. That leaves 10% for the entire rest of the ingredients list. The next two ingredients are glycerin and water which you will recognize as being the primary ingredients in most sheetmasks. Glycerin plus water is a winning combination for hydration, and for me it is really nice to see those two after the honey extract even though they are likely the main contributors to this serum's ability to hydrate. Chances are high that 98% of the Scinic ampoule are made up of those first 3 ingredients, leaving only 2% for everything else. Niacinamide, royal jelly extract, and propolis extract come next and while I am pleased to see them at this party, they aren't the star. I'm not even going to analyse the rest of the ingredient list because the quantities of everything else border on insignificant.

Not insignificant however is the way this ampoule banishes irritation! Just before Christmas of 2017, my young son got a sudden and unusually fierce diaper rash. This was a larger problem than it may seem because we no longer keep any diaper cremes in the house since my son is nearly finished with diapers. His bum was bright red and had several patches of raw skin with what looked like open sores. How did he go from perfectly normal to utterly horrible in a matter of hours?? There is no answer to that question to be found here but I can tell you how I helped him. After carefully and thoroughly cleaning the area, I applied a liberal amount of Scinic Honey All In One Ampoule all over his bum, upper legs, and lower back. I took the time to gently pat it in until it looked absorbed and then let him wander diaper-free until I was sure his skin was dry. The very next day all of the redness was gone and the open sores were no longer open, they were simply pink, raised patches of healing skin. Fast forward a few days and it was like nothing had ever happened. To me, that means the honey in this ampoule is both a great quality extract and able to make good on the claims made in the studies I quoted earlier.

Last on my list of things to cover is the discussion about the scent. There were a few great reviewers who absolutely raved about how this smells like amazing fresh honey. I like the scent too, but um... I live in a honey producing region of the world and I can tell you that no, no it does not smell like real honey. What it does smell like is fresh-made, farmer's market style honey soap. To the lovely individuals who think the Scinic Honey All-In-One Ampoule smells like delicious honey; please get in contact. No seriously, get in contact. I will personally send you fresh honey collected from apiaries near my home. I promise.

Overall, I rate the Scinic Honey All In One Ampoule as a five out of five:

5/5 - I like this product a lot! I will be repurchasing it for the foreseeable future

To see how I evaluate the products I use click here.

Sources:

[1] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2011/526901/citations/

[2] http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534734605286014

[3] https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/honey-and-its-anti-inflammatory-anti-bacterial-and-anti-oxidant-2327-5146.1000132.pdf

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758027/

February 16, 2018 No comments

Social

Labels

Blog Archive