Updated 9/9/2019: The version of the cream reviewed below is discontinued, but I’ve got my hands on the new version and will review it soon!
So I was going through my face cream drawer the other day, fondling all the jars and wishing I had more than one face so that I could use more than one of my favorites a night, when I had a stunning revelation.
You guys. I never got around to reviewing the incredible Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream.
I’ve already made a public spectacle of my love for the Miss Flower & Mr. Honey hydrogel masks and given the thumbs up to the Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Essence Oil. And I’ve raved so much about the cream here and there and everywhere that it just sort of became assumed, I think, that I’d already given it an official positive review. (I mean, that’s what I assumed. Whoops.) But I didn’t. So let’s make it official now.
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Purpose: Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream is an occlusive, balm-type moisturizer for use as the final moisturizing step of a nighttime skincare routine.
Best suited for: Normal, dry, or dehydrated skin; especially suitable for very dry climates or living environments.
Do not use if: You are sensitive to bee products, fragrance, olive oil, fatty alcohols, coconut oil derivatives like caprylic/capric triglyceride, or anything else in the ingredients list. Patch test carefully if you have bee allergies.
When and how to use: As the final step of your evening skincare routine, apply a thin layer over skin. Add another layer if desired.
Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream ingredients: Honey extract (42%), aureobasidium pullulans ferment, dipropylene glycol, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, PCA dimethicone, niacinamide, glycereth-26, petrolatum, trisiloxane, glyceryl stearate SE, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, chrysanthellum indicum extract, plukenetia volubilis seed oil, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, royal jelly extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, chamomilla recutita seed oil, pentylene glycol, dimethiconol, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer, PEG-150 distearate, water, raffinose, caprylyl glycol, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, adenosine, arginine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, octyldodecanol, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, sodium starch octenylsuccinate, maltodextrin, calcium pantothenate, hydrogenated lecithin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, pyridoxine HCI, silica, xanthan gum, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, CI 19140 (ingredients via official Banila Co. global website)
CosDNA analysis
Notable ingredients: There’s a lot of goodness in here, and it starts at the top, with that 42% of honey extract. It’s not so much the honey itself that gets me–though you guys know I love me some honey–so much as it is the disclosure of the proportion of honey extract in here. I’ve used plenty of skincare products whose effects made me suspect that the top ingredient in their list (water, say, or maybe mineral oil or petrolatum) was about 90% or so of the final product. 42% is surprisingly low for a first ingredient (yet surprisingly high for a non-filler ingredient!). It leaves a lot of room for other ingredients to actually be in there in meaningful amounts. They may not be, of course, but the chances are better than usual.
In addition to the honey and the royal jelly, Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream also contains a bevy of plant oils and extracts to provide moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Argan oil and shea butter both make an appearance here, along with olive oil, while plukenetia volubilis seed oil is rich in vitamins E and A. (Vitamin A being where retinoids come from.) Niacinamide, adenosine, and the gentle and stable Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate form of vitamin C contribute potential brightening and active anti-aging action.
If you have particularly sensitive, reactive, or acne-prone skin, however, you will want to patch test and introduce this cream slowly into your routine, as it does contain some common known acne triggers like cetearyl alcohol, and it is quite scented. Take a close look at the ingredients and the CosDNA analysis if you’re concerned.
Performance
The Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey line is not for those who prefer the simple, minimalistic, or clinical aesthetic in skincare. This is a flamboyantly luxurious product line whose beautiful excess permeates everything about it, including the packaging. Here, have some months-old, poorly lit, badly photographed unboxing pr0n.
It’s cardboard and easily recycled, so that’s good.
Straight out of the jar, the Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream is unlike just about every other moisturizer I’ve ever tried. Its thick, smooth, ointment-like consistency and slight translucency remind me of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream or maybe even a really silky, luxe variant of Vaseline, except that unlike those products, the Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream smells incredible. Its deep, warm honey fragrance is more sophisticated and not quite as cinnamon sugar-y as that of the Goodal Firming Sleeping Pack that I also love.
The cream is also easier to spread than I expected. It goes on smooth, and I had no problem applying it in very thin layers; despite its initial Vaseline-like appearance, it doesn’t feel gross. It’s not weightless, but neither is it unpleasant. In fact, it settles into my skin quickly, leaving a satiny, non-sticky occlusive film.
The Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream feels supremely nourishing, and it makes my skin look amazing almost as soon as I put it on: plump, bright, moisturized. Overnight, meanwhile, it makes my skin crazy soft, pumped full of deep moisture that gets me through even the driest SoCal days. My face consistently looks extra firm and supple when I wake up the morning after using this stuff. Even my problematic fine line areas, which I feel like I’m constantly having to beat back with my prescription tret and the rest of my actives, always soften up and smooth out after a night with Miss Flower and Mr. Honey.
The one thing this cream doesn’t do is wear well during the day, at least not when I’m wearing sunscreen. Thing is, for obvious reasons, I always wear sunscreen. The Miss Flower & Mr Honey Cream is just too thick to work under sunscreen. I can live with that, however. This cream isn’t cheap, and though it does come in a larger-than-usual 70ml jar, I kind of appreciate being forced to conserve it and not slather it on twice a day.
Conclusion: I have never used another cream quite like the Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream. I fell in love with it the minute I put it on my face, and I haven’t fallen out of love since then–not even after trying out plenty of other amazing creams. I’ve gone through one whole jar and the vast majority of a second jar two whole jars and half of a third, and I don’t see myself being without this product anytime soon. It’s a luxurious skincare experience that makes both my skin and my soul happy. In fact, it deserves to be famous. The only reason it isn’t getting a perfect 5/5 is because it’s a bit heavy for daytime use and therefore can’t be worn 24/7. Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream is the honey cream that other honey creams can only dream of being.
Rating: 4.8/5
Rating scale
1 – This should be taken off the market.
2 – Caused me some problems; would not buy again.
3 – Meh. Neither great nor bad.
4 – Pretty good. Would buy again unless I find something better.
5 – I’ll never be in the market for a replacement unless this one is discontinued.
Where can I buy Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream?
Nowhere since this version is discontinued, but we’ll talk about the updated version soon enough.
What’s your favorite honey cream? How many jars of it have you gone through?