Impulsive online purchases are a huge gamble with luck. Cheap prices and cute packaging draw me in and the next thing I know it arrives on my doorsteps and greets me in reality. My expectations weren't high since Papa Recipe is a new brand to me. Both products in the Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Pudding Set far exceeded any minuscule expectations in their own respects.
oo35mm 's Description:
Made with all-natural ingredients with honey and propolis as key ingredients directly from mother nature. This pudding type peel off pack removes skin impurities, leaving skin glowy and nourished. The cream is full of nutrients that replenish and hydrate the skin to build a barrier against possible irritants for stronger, healthier skin. Experience the rich nourishment directly from nature with a burst of intense hydration without the heaviness or stickiness!
Directions
Mask
After cleansing, apply over desired areas evenly. Leave on 10-15 minutes, then remove from bottom to top gently. Rinse off any leftover mask and proceed with skincare routine.
Cream
After skin/toner or after using the peel off mask, put a small amount of cream into your hand and apply it around your face. If your skin is especially dry, apply another thin layer of cream.
Ingredients
Mask
WATER, POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, HONEY EXACT (10,000PPM), CARICA PAPAYA (PAPAYA) FRUIT EXTRACT, PROPOLIS EXTRACT, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, ALLANTOIN, DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, MICA, FRAGRANCE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CI 77491, TIN OXIDE, GOLD
Cream
WATER, GLYCERETH-26, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PEG-240/HDI COPOLYMER BIS-DECYLTETRADECETH-20 ETHER, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, HONEY EXTRACT (10,000PPM), PHELLINUS LINTEUS EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA (PAPAYA) FRUIT EXTRACT, PROPOLIS EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN, HYDROXYETHYL UREA, POLYSORBATE 80, ARGININE, AMMONIUM LACTATE, USNEA BARBATA (LICHEN) EXTRACT, UREA, ZANTHOXYLUM PIPERITUM FRUIT EXTRACT, CARBOMER, PULSATILLA KOREANA EXTRACT, SODIUM HYALURONATE, FRAGRANCE
Mask 60 ml // Cream 25 ml
Papa Recipe (Korean retail): ₩30,000
BeautyBoxKorea: USD $21.48
BBCosmetic: USD $14.99
Amazon: ~USD $13.00
Sasa: ~USD $12.00
Honey extract. An effective antibacterial ingredient and wound healer. Raw honey is a source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes.
Propolis extract. Has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory qualities. Good for wounds and irritations.
Papaya extract. Contains Vitamin A & C and enzymes for exfoliation and antioxidants. Can help clear dead skin and lightening discoloration.
Packaging
Mask // Comes in a highly flexible plastic tube with a screw on cap. I like the cute designs on the packaging and appreciate the fact that there is negative space to let the transparent tube peak through. I would prefer if the cap was a flip-top one instead.
Cream // Comes in a clear plastic jar. I won't comment too much on it since it is just a sample. It is what it is and serves its job.
The peeling mask only comes in this set, in one size. The cream is available in a larger size.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
Mask // Clear with some specks of gold-like particles. It is super sticky and tacky. it feels and smells exactly like honey. Thus, the formulation is difficult to spread.
Cream // Transparent gel with a tinge of yellow-orange color. It has an interesting texture: jello-like and keeps its shape after it is scooped out of the jar. But after a while, the indent in the jar will flatten out by itself and the glob that is in your hands will start to become runnier. Just like the mask, it smells just like honey. Unlike the mask, it is neither sticky nor difficult to spread.
How I Apply
Mask // Spread an even layer across my entire face (avoid eyebrows and hairlines) after cleansing. Thin layer dries in 10-15 mins. Thick layer dries in 25-30+ mins. I found that I waste a tad less if I directly squeezing the product onto my face and spread versus putting it on my finger and then applying.
Cream // Generously scoop some onto my palms. Rub it between my hands to liquify. Gently smooth throughout face and pat cream in.
Thoughts & Recommendations
Mask // Compared to all the other peel-off masks (charcoal, egg, Japanese, Korean, etc.) I have tried, this Honeyed Pudding Peel Off Facial Mask is unbelievably easy to remove. It is the first peel-off product that my pain intolerant skin can handle. The mask comes off in one piece as long as I wait patiently for the entire thing to dry. I didn't experience any pain as the dried mask is very elastic and soft. My skin isn't red or irritated afterward either.
However! I am not sure if it did much for removing deep-rooted impurities. It seems to pick up the most superficial layer on my face. But the most stubborn dry patches, especially around my mouth, always remain. My pores also don't look less clogged. While my skin feels softer after the mask, it definitely doesn't feel "nourished" like the product promised...a moisturizer is needed as a followup.
Cream // For something that is formulated with honey, I thought it would be pretty tacky and heavy. Kudos to the brand for formulating and accurately describing the Honey Pudding Cream as something that leaves no heaviness or stickiness. The cream sinks into my skin quickly and leaves it feeling plump, moisturized, hydrated, nourish, etc. You name it, I felt it at one point! I think the cream set a new mark in the moisturizing game for me.
Albeit, I did try the small jar of cream out mostly in the humid and hot summery NYC days...I wonder how it would fair in the cooler and drier weather? Even with the humidity, the cream does tend to lose its magical touch throughout the day on the driest areas of my face (i.e. chin and surrounding lower jaw area).
I would very highly consider repurchasing this if I am looking for a peel-off mask in my routine or want a highly nourishing cream. BUT I am not sure if it is worth paying the original retail prices (₩30,000 - close to USD $30) for the set. I would have a serious mental debate even if the set was ~USD $20. The mask was nice but not that nice. Although I really enjoyed using the cream a lot more than the mask, a regular full-sized jar of it costs ₩56,000 - close to USD $56...with that tag it is a pretty luxe product. If I never find a better performing & more affordable moisturizer or I find that specific cream available for a lower price (~USD $30, plus or minus) I would come running back at full speed to this moisturizer.
Brands seem like they are dropping oils left, right, and center in the skincare world. Western brands are especially invested in cleansing oils, finally. But I think the big stars to come out of it are the facial oils. Just about everyone in the beauty world seems to be raving over Sunday Riley's oil concoctions and Drunk Elephants' marula oil. At $40s-70s price point, however, those are products I haven't gotten on board with. The Ordinary's 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil is a one-ingredient star with a low price and many potential benefits, what's to lose from trying it?
Deciem's description:
Water-free, alcohol-free, silicone-free, nut-free, vegan, & cruelty-free
This formulation uses 100% pure Rosehip Seed Oil that is both cold-pressed and organic. Rosehip Seed Oil is rich in linoleic acid, linolenic acid and pro-vitamin A, all of which degrade when the oil extraction process involves heat. While cold-pressed extraction is complex, it preserves all of the quality of this important oil which has been shown to reduce signs of photo-ageing and many other skin conditions.
Note: Supplied in UV-protective packaging.
Directions
Apply once a day to the face, ideally at bedtime after application of water-based treatments.
Ingredients
ROSA CANINA SEED OIL
Oil 30 ml
Deciem: USD $9.80
This is only my second time using a facial oil, the first being Josie Maran's Argan Oil many years ago. It isn't that I actively try to avoid using oils; I love using cleansing oils for double cleansing. The non-wash off oils never caught my attention again after the big argan oil hype.
After researching about The Ordinary, I found a ton of people also sang praises for the rose hip seed oil. They said it is fast absorbing and helps with their acne scarring. Plus, oils are generally great for combating flakiness which I do have a ton of despite my cleansing and moisturizing routine. So I inevitably became intrigued.
Benefits of topical rose hip seed oil
"Dry" oil
→More linolenic acid than oleic acid
→Lighter in its consistency
→Sinks into skin better without oily residue
Anti-inflammatory
→Good for sensitive skin, wounds, & burns
Has tons of vitamins & antioxidants
→Helps decrease environmental damage
→Protects against sun damage
Have essential fatty acids
→Hydrates skin
→Stimulates cell regeneration (repairs skin)
→Reduces scars and fine lines
→Improves skin tone and texture
→Restores elasticity
Packaging
Some of The Ordinary's products come in amber-tinted UV-protective bottles. I think the darker bottles help to slow the degradation of certain ingredients when it is exposed to sunlight and heat. Since this is 100% oil (free of preservatives), it probably needs to be in this type of packaging to better preserve the integrity of the product for a longer period of time. Rose hip oil is also supposedly more perishable of the facial oils.
Like other The Ordinary bottles, the pipette does not reach the bottom. Completely finishing the oil will be impossible. At least I won't be losing much in terms of cost?
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
Rose hip seed oil is bright yellow in color. The tinge doesn't show after my skin absorbs it all in. There is a scent but nothing overly floral. It also isn't very pleasant yet doesn't linger long.
I cannot even technically say the "formulation is runny" since this is 100% pure oil. But yes, rose hip seed oil is very runny. It will leak right out of the pipette without having to actually press to dispense the product. Because I don't always use a full dropper of oil every time I reach for this bottle, I have wasted many drops as I brought the pipette to my hand and as I tried to put the pipette back into the bottle. I have learned to have my hand, dropper, and bottle all very close together and speed is definitely key. Is there a better way to store and dispense oil products?
Since the oil is so thin in consistency, my skin soaks this up fairly quickly. Patting and pressing the oil in helps it absorb way better than to just lightly rub it in. After the rose hip seed oil does sink in there isn't a heavy or slick feel at all. It is slightly tacky but it doesn't translate to oiliness when I touch it or press a tissue against my face.
How I Apply
Mix // My preferred method. I'll add a few drops to moisturizer, sleeping mask, foundations, etc. Anything to shave off some waiting time between products is always a plus.
Direct application // I rub a few drops of oil between my hands and proceed to pat and press it onto my face. If I want to only target specific areas (patches of flakes or burns), then I will dab a drop of oil, spread it a little, then let it sit and adsorb on its own. Sometimes I use it after a moisturizer, sometimes I use it in place of one—it depends on how many product I have already applied.
Mask - Treatment // On rare occasions, I have used this as an overnight treatment for my scalp. I pump a whole pipette of the oil into my hands and run it right straight through the roots of my hair. With that amount of oil and the dirtiness of my scalp, the rose hip seed oil never sinks in. Washing after is a must.
Thoughts & Recommendations
I thought a lot about whether to wait until I finished the entire bottle before sharing my thoughts. I have been using the rose hip seed oil for 5+ months now, so I feel like I have an okay understanding of how I like the product (even if I may not have seen the longer-term effects...yet. Fingers crossed).
The oil seems to help soften flakes and rough patches. Using it as a hair mask worked well for my dry flaking scalp too. It is important to note that this isn't a magical product in the sense the flakes will automatically be gone after one use. Flakes need to be exfoliated off and regularly!
As far as hydration and elasticity-wise, my skin has felt softer and more plump while using, but it is difficult to say if it is solely due to the oil or other new products I have introduced into my routine.
It is probably too early to see results for any reduction of scars, fine lines, and sun damage production. Those type of skin concerns usually is the most stubborn to tackle. As long as the rose hip seed oil doesn't break me out, which it didn't, I won't count slow-producing effects as a negative.
With that said...I have used the oil on burns (from hair tools and kitchen incidents) and it seems to help alleviate some of the pain and blisters quicker than when I don't.
One of the only things that bother me about this bottle of rose hip seed oil is the fact that weird plastic-like pills start to form around the opening and pipette pump after a while. I assume it is just the dried oil but why is it turning into something plastic-y? It is hard to clean off all the residue and the pills could fall into the bottle, increasing contamination if any.
Oils are good for all skin types. I can see people with oily skin liking rose hip seed oil more since it is so lightweight and sinks into the skin well. When I finish this, I wouldn't repurchase this exact item from The Ordinary. It isn't because I don't like using rose hip seed oil; I want to try some of the other oils they carry (marula and/or squalene to be exact). All the oils are supposed to help the skin in different ways but for me, they're all rich hydrators. Unless one completely blows my mind in terms of results I will try a few different varieties in the near future rather than stick to one. I like having a bottle of facial oil around nowadays just in case my skin needs the extra oomph or say if a new cream isn't as moisturizing as originally thought.