Note from Fiddy: Originally published on May 7, 2015, this review was updated with a revised rating and some new observations on 2/23/16. New content is in purple.

Hi, honey! (´ε｀ )♡

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I’ve developed a slight honey problem. The problem is that I can’t get enough of it on my face (this goes for propolis, too). It started when I fell hard for the Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr Honey hydrogel masks. Now I’ve got propolis extract in my COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol and honey, royal jelly, and propolis extracts in my Shara Shara Honey Bomb All In One Ampoule. I’ve been bingeing hard on honey and propolis sheet masks and testing out two different rich honey creams. Let’s not forget the unbearably adorable Skinfood Honey Pot Lip Balms I’ve been carrying around like a grossly disproportionate Winnie the Pooh. Nearly a year later, my bee fetish continues to rule my routine–in fact, I think I’ve got more bee in my stash than I have snail. And my honey infatuation led me to the I’m From Honey Mask, the topic of our review today.

But first, lemme talk a little about honey!

The benefits of honey in skin care products

What makes honey such a great skincare ingredient?

Think of honey the same way you might about snail mucin. It’s not so much about any single unique and magical component as it is about the sum of the substance’s parts. Those fat, fuzzy, happy little honeybees that I back away from in very large steps whenever they buzz too close to my head produce a potent natural moisturizer packed with skin-friendly humectants, emollients, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and healing properties of honey make it useful for just about every skin type and concern. Hell, it’s pretty much as perfect as any truly natural skin care product can be.

Thing is, I’m not really a fan of the idea of slopping actual honey onto my face. It is rather sticky. I’d rather drizzle it on a hot buttered biscuit any food and put it in my mouth. And I’m a firm believer in the idea that science can improve upon nature, taking a great ingredient and adding complementary actives and extracts to make the final product even better. That was my thinking around the time that my finger slipped on the keyboard and put this mask in my Wishtrend cart the first time.

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Affiliate links in this review are marked with an asterisk(*).

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Review: I’m From Honey Mask

I’m not usually a fan of the wash-off type moisturizing masks. I generally find sheet masks and hydrogel masks more than adequate to satisfy my skin’s hydration needs. But sheet masks and hydrogels are usually more humectant than emollient, and since my daily chemical exfoliation involves a controlled temporary weakening of my skin barrier, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a richer moisturizing mask option in my arsenal.

These days, my skin is much drier and more in need of moisture than it was back when I first wrote this review. When I purchased a fresh jar this time around, my thinking was something along the lines of “if I liked this mask back then, I bet I’d love the shit out of it now.” Tretfaces have some intense moisture needs.

Purpose: Wishtrend touts the I’m From Honey Mask as a skincare all-kill, claiming that it will nourish, moisturize, soothe, smooth, and brighten skin, improving elasticity and reviving the appearance of tired complexions without irritation or potentially harmful ingredients.

Best suited for: Dry, combo-dry, and normal skin.

Do not use if: You are sensitive to plant extracts, plant oils, vitamin E, or anything else in the ingredients list. Also do not use if you are allergic to bee stings, as this product contains bee venom.

When and how to use: Immediately after cleansing, scoop a generous quantity of I’m From Honey Mask out of the jar using the provided spatula. Spread over face and allow to absorb for 10 minutes to 1 hour. Wash mask off with water and continue with the rest of your post-cleansing routine.

I’m From Honey Mask ingredients:  Honey, caprylic/capric triglyceride, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, disteardimonium hectorite, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, pentylene glycol, 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

Notable ingredients: Remember how I said that I firmly believe in science’s power to improve on natural substances? I’m From Honey Mask is a near-perfect illustration of that process. This mask delivers a hefty dose of honey. 38.7% whole organic honey, in fact, rather than the more common honey extract (“Bit of a honey + water,” according to Wishtrend) found in other honey-themed products. And the honey is just the beginning. Hydrating plant extracts and emollient plant oils amp up the mask’s ability to plump and soften skin, snail mucin contributes additional humectant and antioxidant power, sophora angustifolia root extract helps to lighten dark spots and brighten overall skin tone, and propolis extract brings some extra healing oomph to the mix. Bee venom is said to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles by relaxing the muscles of the face; I have my doubts about the truth of this, but unless you’re allergic to bee stings, it shouldn’t be a problem.

CosDNA analysis

Performance

I. Love. Using. This. Mask.

Seriously, it’s one of the most pleasurable masking experiences I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, and I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing a lot of pleasurable mask experiences.

I’m From Honey Mask is a smooth, glossy cream with all the density of pure honey but almost none of honey’s stiffness or intense stickiness. It spreads easily and smoothly on the skin and stays put, not melting or running even after being worn for a full hour. I’d describe the sensation of it on my face as satiny. It feels smooth and luxurious, and the thickness of the product prevents it from drying out while in use, allowing my skin to drink in as much of its goodness as time permits.

Because of the large amount of organic honey in this mask, batch colors can vary slightly, and a small amount of separation may happen. I stirred mine a little with the spatula the first time I opened it, and it’s been perfectly creamy and blended ever since. It smells, as you might have guessed, like honey. My second jar wasn’t separated at all, though I did still give it a stir before using, just in case.

I use this mask in one of two different ways, depending on the time I have and what I need. In the evenings, I apply it after cleansing and let it sit for a full hour to really soak up all the skin benefits of the honey and other ingredients it contains. In the morning, it also works beautifully as a quick 20-minute moisturizing mask. Both ways leave my skin soothed, even-toned, velvety soft, smooth, and lustrous. I did the morning thing today, and now, at midnight, hours after my evening cleanse, I still can’t stop stroking my cheek. It just feels so soft!

I last used the I’m From Honey Mask early in summer 2015. Now, in February 2016, my skin has changed somewhat. I’ve gotten older, of course, and the prescription tretinoin battling valiantly against the reality of my age has left my skin drier than it used to be. That may be why, when I used this mask for the first time again tonight, I fell so hard for it. Harder than I did before. My skin after an hour with this mask and some gentle rinsing is unbelievable. All the adjectives I used in the paragraph above still apply, and I also notice an unmistakable plumpness to my skin, especially around my eyes and on my forehead, a dry zone that generally shows fine lines more than the rest of my face. The other trouble zone down by my mouth is firmer. I’m sitting here spontaneously revising this review because I need to share these observations with you guys, like right now. And I’m revising more slowly than I should be, because I keep jumping up to go look in the mirror again.

Conclusion: I really like am shocked at how much I now love this mask. While there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about the concept or the ingredients, the use of such a large amount of pure honey instead of extract sets it apart from much of the competition. The results it delivers after just one use are absolutely stellar, especially for skin battered by stress, fatigue, actives, aging, or general dryness. As an added bonus, it comes in a moderately sized jar that looks like it will last me many monthslasted me about two months with regular once-weekly use, a good amount of time as long as I don’t go hog wild and start using it every single day. Which, let’s face it, is a tempting thought.

The complaints I have with the I’m From Honey Mask are actually more complaints about the wash-off mask format in general than this mask in particular. The extra step of washing off the mask after use makes it less convenient than sheet masks, hydrogels, or sleeping packs. I’d rather use this mask in the morning so that I can flaunt the full results all day, but even I don’t have the time or inclination to commit to that extra rinsing step very frequently and this time around, I probably will use it in the morning quite often. Additionally, the slight residue that the mask leaves behind may be problematic for people with oily or easily congested skin. Despite these minor issues, however, I’ll definitely be using up the rest of my jar, and unless I find an even better honey mask, I’m sure I’ll buy another.

My only other complaint about the I’m From Honey Mask is the price. Exclusive to Wishtrend, this product is a little on the pricey side for a wash-off pack. I do obviously think the mask is worth it, however, given that I’ve bought another jar and plan to use it often, and then buy another jar after that, and so on until the end of time or I find a better product in this category, which seems unlikely.

Rating: 4/5 4.8/5

Rating scale:

Where can I buy I’m From Honey Mask?

• Amazon Prime*

 

Do you prefer DIY honey masks, or premade ones like I’m From Honey Mask? Tell me what you think of honey masks in the comments!