I’m From Honey Mask – Review

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The I’m From Honey Mask is a premium wash-off mask that contains 38.7% of natural honey. It provides the skin with moisture in addition to being skin-benefiting nutrients. The mask’s goal is to nourish skin that has become sensitive, dry, and irritated as a result of external stresses.

I’m From Claim:

This wash-off mask contains 46.44g of natural honey to offer deep moisturization and nourishment. Real honey makes the skin supple while also providing elasticity and soothing care. The mask also effectively removes whiteheads and provides exfoliation to create the look of a clear complexion.

I’m From Brand Overview:

I’m From is a Korean skincare brand that prides itself on ingredient transparency. The concentration of all ingredients are disclosed and the farm where the raw materials were sourced from is even included on the packaging of each product.

Who would benefit from this mask?

While this product is recommended for all skin types, don’t use it if you’re allergic to bees, as it contains bee venom.

Appearance and Scent:

The I’m From Honey Mask truly has a texture that is fairly comparable to honey. Soft, gooey, and a little sticky, but simple to spread. Even the mask has a honey-like scent.

Packaging, Size, and Expiry:

The packaging is a transparent glass jar and comes with a spatula to make the application easier. The bottle contains 120ml of product and expires 12 months after opening or three years after the date of manufacture. Storage of this product is important as like the honey that we eat, this honey mask might harden, separate or crystallize over time. This is normal and doesn’t affect the product’s efficacy, just use the spatula to mix it up again. And don’t store in the fridge, as this will speed up the crystallization process, store at room temperature to get the most benefit from this product.

Cost and Number of Uses:

The cost is NZD $54.00 or USD $38.00. I have found this mask has lasted me about nine months with weekly use.

How to Use:

I use a spatula to remove the equivalent of about one teaspoon of substance once or twice a week (morning or evening). I then use it on my clean skin (face and neck) in a medium layer, avoiding the eye and lip area. I either apply it with the spatula or with my fingers. You can leave the product on for between ten minutes and an hour because it doesn’t dry (I like to leave it on as long as possible). I simply rinse it off with warm water when an hour has passed. Usually, I rinse it in the shower and clean it to get rid of any potential sticky residue. After patting my skin dry, then I continue with the rest of my routine.

Wishtrend TV (on YouTube) also says the mask can be used in the following ways:

• As a treatment for split ends and damaged hair when combined 2:1 with honey oil and left on for 20 minutes.
• As a lip scrub by combing 1:1 with sugar or a sugar scrub and massaging it into the lips for five minutes (I personally don’t recommend you physically exfoliate for anywhere near this long!).
• As a shaving emollient by mixing charcoal soap 2:1 with the mask, and using as a shaving cream to prevent stinging or irritation.
• As a cuticle moisturizing pack when followed with honey oil massaged into the cuticles.
• To relieve dark circles by mixing the honey mask with a few drops of honey oil and leaving on for 20-30 minutes.
• To relieve dry skin by mixing the mask 1:2 with a serum and applying to the skin.
• As a deep moisturizing treatment when mixed with a moisturizer 1:3 and left on overnight.

Application order:

Cleanser -> I’m From Honey Mask -> Toner -> Serum -> Moisturizer -> SPF (daytime) or:
Oil cleanser -> Cleanser -> I’m From Honey Mask -> Toner -> Serum -> Moisturizer (nighttime)

Formulation Science:

Honey’s versatility is one of its best qualities. It is sustainable, natural, and long-lasting. It is excellent for people with acne or skin irritation since it possesses antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Honey is a particularly effective moisturizer for people with dry skin. It is excellent for wounds, exfoliating, and moisturizing purposes in addition to aiding in anti-aging.

Ingredients:

Honey, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Microcrystalline Wax, Polysorbate 20, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Beeswax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Corylus Avellana (Hazel) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Water, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propolis Extract, Beta-Glucan, Bee Venom, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin

Ingredient Analysis:

Honey is well known for its biological, physiological, and pharmacological activity.  It has been used for thousands of years by many cultures to treat wounds and other diseases. Honey’s active components include glucose, fructose, flavonoids, polyphenol, organic acids, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins. It works in skincare as a skin-conditioning agent and humectant packed with antioxidants which helps to soothe skin and any irritations by creating a protective barrier.

Disteardimonium Hectorite is a form of altered clay that functions as a viscosity-controlling agent, thickening the formula so it is spreadable.

Sunflower seed oil comes from the Helianthus annuus plant seed.  It is a skin-conditioning and emollient agent that is high in antioxidants. The linoleic acid in this oil helps the skin to retain its moisture and sunflower seed oil has been shown to improve stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin) integrity and improve hydration and enhance the skin barrier repair mechanisms.

Macadamia nut oil is collected from the nuts of the macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia), a native Australian plant. As the oil is highly stable, rich in fatty acids and an anti-inflammatory that moisturizes the skin and penetrates to the deepest layers of the skin, making it perfect for dry, mature and sensitive skin.

Beeswax is the wax structure that forms the honeycomb where bees store honey.  Its often used in cosmetics due to its hydrophobic (water-repelling) protective properties and its efficiency at healing bruises, inflammation, and burns.  It also exhibits antifungal and anti-microbial action that is enhanced when combined with honey.  Beeswax is composed of hydrocarbons, free fatty acids, esters of fatty acids, and fatty alcohols. It acts as a humectant that helps reinforce the skin’s natural protective barrier and lock in moisture, making it great for acne-prone skin.

Corylus Avellana (Hazel) Seed Oil, hazelnut oil nourishes the skin and helps to lock in moisture. This non-comedogenic oil also protects the skin against free radical damage.

Bambusa Vulgaris Extract is also known as Bamboo extract which is packed full of antioxidants and is rich in silica which stimulates the production of collagen thus improving skin elasticity and reducing sagging.

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, also known as lotus water is hydrating, improves skin elasticity and fights free radical damage. It can also help to control sebum and oil production.

Snail Secretion Filtrate also known as snail mucus smoothes and soothes irritated skin whilst also keeping your skin hydrated as it is a humectant.

Bees venom is a natural alternative to botox which firms and smooths out the skin as it stimulates blood circulation, encouraging the production of collagen and elastin.

Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract protects the skin from free radical damage and functions as a chemical exfoliator to get rid of dead skin cells and brighten dull skin.

Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract This extract has moisturizing and soothing properties, it also gets rid of excess oils in the skin and masks scents in the formula.

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract Pomegranate extract has antioxidant properties and fights free radicals. It also stimulates collagen production, great for improving skin elasticity and keeping the skin firm.

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract.  The active compound in Eucalyptus oil is antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in nature. 

On this blog, I generally don’t recommend using any products that contain essential oils as these have been shown to cause reactions that can range from contact dermatitis to immediate or delayed hypersensitivity. While this formula does not contain any pure essential oils it does contain extracts. The difference is that to make an essential oil, the plant’s primary aromatic components (leaves, flowers, and roots) go through a steam distillation process to extract the oil. By comparison, extracts are made by cold-pressing or soaking a plant (usually in water, oil, or alcohol) to produce a liquid resembling a tincture. They are used as infusions to produce a concentrated liquid version of the plant. Extracts can be used in greater quantities and generally are kinder on the skin than essential oils, even though their benefits might not be as concentrated as those of the plants from which they are derived. While extracts are considered to pose a lower risk of sensitivity, however, anyone with skin sensitive to essential oils may choose to avoid extracts also.

pH Analysis:

I got a result of pH 5.6. The Wishtrend website says the pH will be between 5.5 and 7.5.

pH Analysis:

The pH result I got when I tested the serum is within the pH range of healthy skin (range 4.0-6.0, average 4.7), however, the Wishtrend website claims this serum is within the range of pH (5.5 and 7.5), which is a reasonably large range for a single product with the higher end being outside the range of healthy skin. There is always the potential for variation in pH results between different pH meters and different batches of products. This is why I personally like to test each product I use on my skin rather than rely on what the manufacturer claims. Learn why the pH of skincare products is so important here and why it is so crucial for the overall health of the skin.

Results:

I find this mask makes my skin softer. It slightly moisturizes my skin and slightly brightening, but that’s about it. To be honest, I don’t notice any significant improvements to my skin after using this mask, even after an hour. I don’t want to be too harsh on this though because my skin is in such good condition and I have found the core products and routine that works for me, so now I tend to only notice incremental changes when I introduce new products. I did however use this several times before reading the INCI list and seeing that bee venom is an ingredient (I’m very allergic to bees), but nothing deleterious happened and I have continued to use the remainder of the jar, so if you are like me and rush to use a new product before doing a tougher look at the ingredients, it is unlikely to end badly. However, I still must recommend you don’t use this if you are allergic to bees or sensitive to any of the other ingredients in the formula.

Overall Impressions:

While a lot of people love the Honey Mask, they comment that they find it difficult to wash off. It’s a lot easier to get it off in the shower as opposed to in the sink. Washing it off with a microfibre cloth or using a silicone face mask applicator to remove the bulk of the residue helps to remove the bulk of the mask.

While the honey is undoubtedly good for acne-prone skin, it’s a shame they didn’t also include propolis in the formula, as this clinical study on acne using propolis showed a highly significant clinical efficiency in treating acne vulgaris that can be considered an effective, safe alternative medicine for the treatment of acne.

I do, however, like the convenience of this mask, and don’t personally like the drying feeling of any mask that dries down completely. It’s a sticky consistency that takes a bit to get used to, but I like being able to go about my day while doing some self-care for my skin. I think this mask is better suited to those with active inflammatory skin conditions, but it’s a nice mask all the same.

What I Liked:

• Contains an impressive list of ingredients
• Fragrance, essential oil and alcohol-free
• It doesn’t dry out, so you can leave it on the skin for a very long period (up to an hour)
• it doesn’t drip so you can keep your usual daily routine while wearing the mask
• I’m From is a vegan and cruelty-free brand

What I Disliked:

• The glass packaging is not travel friendly
• The product may have a higher than optimal pH
• The sticky texture may be off-putting to some
• Is harder than most masks to wash off

References: 

• Wishtrend website
• Honey, propolis, and royal jelly: a comprehensive review of their biological actions and health benefits.  Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017
• Royal jelly protects against ultraviolet B-induced photoaging in human skin fibroblasts via enhancing collagen production—Journal of Medicinal Food, 2011
• Honey, propolis, and royal jelly: a comprehensive review of their biological actions and health benefits.  Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017
• Honey, propolis, and royal jelly: a comprehensive review of their biological actions and health benefits.  Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017
• Milady Skincare and Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary, 4^th Edition, 2015
• A review of Eucalyptus globulus: An new perspective in therapeutics.  International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, 2015