As much as I hate to admit it, I am a sucker for things that smell like honey; more specifically, things that smell like the Papa Recipe Honey Bombee masks. I picked up the Sana Honeyshca All In One Serum and Gel from Everyday Beauty Lab in NYC. I knew it was an empty buy but it smelled so good!
And it was cheap ($16.99 for the serum and $18.99 for the gel)!
And there was a sale (BOGO 50% off)!
And… honey! Hellloooo! 😏
My first thought after using this was why on earth did I buy both of these if it’s an “all in one” product? Then after some meticulous research, I figured out what was meant by “all in one.”
The serum (150 ml/5.07 fl. oz) is supposed to be an all-in-one booster, serum, face lotion, emulsion. The gel can function as a 5-in-1 lotion, serum, emulsion, cream, pack (I am assuming sleeping pack).
So basically, I could have just gotten one of these, depending on what I really want to use it for, since three of the functions overlap. But impulse buys don’t work that way! Ultimately, both are these are meant to moisturize.
The serum has a lightweight consistency and all I need is one pump for my entire face. I use this as a primary or first moisturizer and it’s enough for my oily skin if I am just lounging about in the house or on warmer days, but winter calls for something heavier; I don’t think this will be enough on its own for those with dry skin since it sinks into your skin about four minutes after use. My face is left relatively soft. At this point, I would follow with a heavier moisturizer, that moisturizer sometimes being the Honeyshca All in One Gel. That said, I seldom use both of these in the same routine.
Honeyshca All in One Serum Ingredients |
The gel (150g/5.3 oz.) smells exactly like the serum and is different in texture, consistency, and feel. The gel is a lot thicker and comes in a large jar. I was surprised to see that there was no spatula with this gel, would have come in handy since you get a lot of product. It’s sticky, but moisturizing and still feels sticky after several minutes of having on the gel. I prefer not to use this as a sleeping mask because while it’s moisturizing, I don’t find it to be as moisturizing as other basic sleeping masks that I have.
Honeyshca All In One Gel Ingredients |
Royal Jelly, not to be confused with propolis, although similar, is associated with many amazing properties when ingested (I suggest reading this study on royal jelly and propolis). There is so much material backing up this claim. On the skin, it has collagen production, wound-healing properties, and even photoprotection properties.
Royal Jelly is pretty much last on the list in both the serum and the gel, so I’m not sure there’s even enough in it to do any of those things, which is kind of surprising because now I’m wondering what the heck is making the gel so sticky. In theory, I am an advocate for royal jelly. I advocate its use (unless you’re allergic)! Ultimately, if you are just looking for a basic moisturizer that smells great, this may be for you. I do find having both the serum and the gel to be redundant, especially if you often use sleeping masks.
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