This product was sent to me for unbiased review by Beauty Korea. For more information, check out my sponsorship policy and list of current sponsors. xoxo, Fiddy Snails

Have you ever watched a news story about the movement to legalize marijuana in the U.S. and thought to yourself, “That’s nice, but what I’d really like to do is smear the green stuff all over my face”?

No? Really? Never?

That’s okay. The thought never crossed my mind either. Then the super-sweet Janet of Beauty Korea got in touch with me and offered to send over a jar of the recently released Mari Huana cream for review. I lol’ed so hard at the concept and presentation (almost as hard as if…well, you know) that I just had to say yes. I’m glad I did. I’ve discovered a dependable new cream for my dry tret nights and a new source for major hauls. That’s pretty win/win, if you ask me.

So what is it about Mari Huana cream that Beauty Korea hopes will get consumers hooked?

Purpose: B&B Korea Mari Huana Real Nature Hemp Seed Oil Cream is a moisturizing cream that promises to soften dry skin, lighten skin tone, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

Best suited for: Dry and dehydrated skin.

Do not use if: You are sensitive to  glycols, fatty alcohols, olive oil or olive oil derivatives, fragrance, or anything else in the ingredients list, or if you have some kind of a problem with smearing the oils of the cannabis plant on your face, which you shouldn’t, because it categorically will not get you high and has never been illegal, so don’t worry about that. Just being around that kind of smoke often gives me a raging headache, so I wouldn’t use this cream if it had any psychoactive effect.

When and how to use: As the last step of your nighttime skincare routine, gently spread a small amount over face, neck, and chest. Massage or pat in if desired.

B&B Korea Mari Huana Real Nature Hemp Seed Oil Cream ingredients:  Water, cannabis sativa seed oil (10%), glycerin, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydroxyethyl urea, niacinamide, polysorbate 60, stearyl alcohol, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, sorbitan sesquioleate, ceteareth-60 myristyl glycol, dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, sodium polyacryloyldimethyltaurate, glyceryl caprylate, perfume, hydrogenated polydecene, myristyl alcohol, allantoin, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, tocopheryl acetate, trideceth-10, adenosine, disodium EDTA, sodium hyaluronate, theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract

CosDNA analysis turns up a few low-level potential irritants and acne triggers, so patch test and introduce slowly if your skin is sensitive or reactive.

Notable ingredients: Unlike the disappointing 1% donkey milk content of the otherwise stellar Freeset Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream, which I reviewed in Part 1 of this series, B&B Korea’s Mari Huana cream isn’t playing around with its star ingredient. Cannabis sativa seed oil is the second ingredient in the list, and it makes up a generous 10% of the product. Chances are good that whatever the benefits of l’huile de stoner are, you’ll see them in the product. And there are plenty of benefits there to chill out stressed-out complexions. Hemp seed oil contains a variety of moisturizing and antioxidant omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have been found to alleviate skin dryness and itching associated with dermatitis. The fatty acids also help skin retain more moisture.

In addition to the hemp seed oil, Mari Huana cream contains several other plant oils with similar emollient and antioxidant properties, Between those oils and humectants like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, the cream seems to be a well balanced moisturizer for the dryest of dry skin. Niacinamide and adenosine support the whitening and anti-aging claims.

Performance

According to my dealer, I mean sponsor, Mari Huana Real Nature Hemp Seed Oil Cream is made by the same company that produces the famous Guerisson 9 Complex Horse Oil Cream. It shows in the packaging: Mari Huana Cream comes in a very similar circular box with holographic authenticity stickers on both the outer packaging and the jar within. Even the jar lids, metal with raised logo and lettering, look the same. And I found the performance of the cream to be similar as well, which is good news for people who really want to use the Guerisson 9 Complex product but aren’t comfortable with smearing horse fat on their faces.

Mari Huana is an airy but firm cream with a subtle, fast-dissipating powdery-floral fragrance and a rich whipped texture that I have a very difficult time describing. It’s kind of like tub margarine, but easier to scoop and spread, and also kind of like vanilla mousse, but not quite as fluffy. The fragrance and texture are pleasant. You can definitely feel the richness of the oils it contains.

The high oil content of this product makes it a particularly potent strain of moisturizer, especially when used over other moisturizing steps. I’ve been reaching for this jar on nights when my face feels especially parched and rough, and just a touch of it is enough to fully soften my face even when it’s at its most dehydrated. I also had a nasty little eczema flare-up on my chest and found Mari Huana cream a real skin-saver. In fact, it’s the only cream I have that beats my donkey milk cream for overnight moisture retention. Morning readings using my digital skin analyzer show that Mari Huana prevents nearly all Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL) from my skin, with hydration scores only 1-2% lower than what they were when I went to bed the night before.

This cream has an interesting tightening effect, too. On mornings after I’ve chosen it for my nighttime moisturizer, I wake up to skin that’s not only silky and comfortable, but also noticeably denser and firmer-looking. I like that a lot. It’s pretty addictive.

With that being said, I generally prefer moisturizing creams with a higher water and humectant content and fewer oils, or at least less oil in general. My skin doesn’t take well to heavily oil-based moisturizers, which tend to sit on the surface for hours without fully sinking in. I have the same issue with the Mari Huana cream. Even when I use the tiniest amounts, it leaves me with a high sheen that takes all night to fade. I don’t think I’d ever be able to use this during the day. I didn’t notice any particular brightening effects either, not even with nightly use of the cream in isolation on one of my two tan-line-riddled feet. I don’t consider that a problem, though. For me, a moisturizing cream is meant to moisturize. Any other effects are bonuses. I have specific products and skincare steps formulated to do things like fade hyperpigmentation and don’t expect a moisturizer to shoulder that load.

Conclusion: For most people, B&B Korea Mari Huana Real Nature Hemp Seed Oil Cream will be limited to night use because of the high oil content, and the skin-lightening ingredients don’t seem present enough to deliver noticeable results, but as a night cream, it’s a standout. Even when used very sparingly, it deeply moisturizes dry skin, creates a barrier against moisture loss, and noticeably (if temporarily) restores tightness and elasticity. I’m definitely grateful for it anytime that my face feels unusually dry and tight.

Rating: 4/5

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Where can I buy B&B Korea Mari Huana Real Nature Hemp Seed Oil Cream?

Apparently, I may be the first person in the US to try Mari Huana cream! It was sent to me for review by Beauty Korea Mall, a Korea-based webshop that launched a little over a year ago. Beauty Korea offers a pretty spectacular selection of Korean cosmetics and, in my experience as a regular customer, gives great sample service, too. Beauty Korea sells the Mari Huana cream for $20 USD for a 70g jar.

What do you think of hemp seed oil in skincare products?