Fresh Vitamin Nectar Mask (full size 100ml for $62)
Oh boy, what an underwhelming product. "Underwhelming" is a bloody compliment too. I mean, considering there is an affordable Kbeauty dupe too (a mask by Skinfood) that literally looks like jam too and does almost, if not exactly, the same thing. Sorry, Fresh, keep the product, I ll keep my money. Thanks.
Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask (full size 100ml for £77)
I love this mask, honestly. It's so cooling (the cooling feeling lingers on even after you take it off), the texture is creamy and my skin feels supple and soft afterwards. I couldn't fault it even if I tried.
Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy (£29.50/$36 for 10ml)
Again, so many promises, so little provided in reality. Had I thrown the product into the rubbish bin, it would have still done exactly the same thing as me putting it on my lips. You see, it dries down relatively quickly, and then... Nothing. Yup. I am still wondering what this gimmick is supposed to do. .
Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash (full size 125ml for $33)
I personally wouldn't call it a face wash, but a physical scrub. And since I am not a big fan of physical exfoliation (due to potential micro-tearing), I try to stay away from such products. From time to time, I still use it, of course, but will probably give the rest to my mum.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (full size 150ml for $38)
First of all, why a face wash needs to cost more than $20 is beyond my understanding. My (basic) understanding is whatever you wash off within 2 minutes does not need to have real skincare benefits in it. Don't get me wrong, it should not destroy your skin, but it should just do its job, and the "real" skincare products like essences, serums etc will do the actual job of giving my skin what it needs. Maybe I am delusional and we really need $38-face-cleansers... Let's get to the product as if the previous paragraph of constructive ranting was "totally" not meant for the product in question (ahem). This gel-like cleanser is enriched with amino-acid rich soy proteins, cucumber extract, and rosewater; all seemingly there to make your skin more elastic, soothed, balanced and calmed (in the period of 60 seconds while you wash your face and then rinse the product off). Now, as a cleanser, it's not bad. Because it is on a more gentle side, I feel that I require more product to make my skin feel clean. It doesn't strip your face of oils, don't worry. It also performed surprisingly well on the brush test and the brow-pomade-on-wrist test. So, there you have it. Thank you for reading.
Fresh Rose Face Mask (100ml for £52)
Yes, it's time again to review a Fresh product. If you have been here for a while, you would already know that I tend to find Fresh products over-priced, and slightly more on the average side in terms of quality. But it's time to review one of their iconic products: this face mask with real rose petals and pure rose water. It is supposed to: cool, soothe and hydrate. In order to do that, the creators added: rose petals and rose water (to soothe and tone); cucumber extract and aloe vera (cooling, calming, soothing); and a "smart" algae Porphyridium cruentum (although no one probably measured the algae's IQ) to hydrate our beautiful skins. And then, of course, there is the dupe: The Body Shop British Rose face mask. Well, guys, I hate to admit it to you, but... This Fresh mask is better. Yes, it's double the price of the TBS one. Yes, I know. But this mask really delivers on its promises. It really cools, soothes and hydrates-- and leaves my face "fresh", which is something I was lacking in the cheaper alternative. Do I think the face mask is expensive? Oh yes, I am not delusional. But at least it actually works.
Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 (full size £19.50)
Spare me the marketing jargon-- it's not a treatment, it's just a normal lip balm. For almost £20, I am expecting it to be beyond perfect. So, the question is, did it meet my expectations? Absolutely not. As a lip balm, it's decent. Yes, it moisturises for a while, however, maybe not for the 6 hours it claims. But then again, nothing can still beat the Rituals lip balm. But a lip tint? Seriously? How white do my lips have to be for the colour to show? Look at the second pic, I swiped the balm like 10 times for it show a slight hint of colour. Worthless in that department. The only good thing is that it has some SPF.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (full size 150ml for $38)
First of all, why a face wash needs to cost more than $20 is beyond my understanding. My (basic) understanding is whatever you wash off within 2 minutes does not need to have real skincare benefits in it. Don't get me wrong, it should not destroy your skin, but it should just do its job, and the "real" skincare products like essences, serums etc will do the actual job of giving my skin what it needs. Maybe I am delusional and we really need $38-face-cleansers... Let's get to the product as if the previous paragraph of constructive ranting was "totally" not meant for the product in question (ahem). This gel-like cleanser is enriched with amino-acid rich soy proteins, cucumber extract, and rosewater; all seemingly there to make your skin more elastic, soothed, balanced and calmed (in the period of 60 seconds while you wash your face and then rinse the product off). Now, as a cleanser, it's not bad. Because it is on a more gentle side, I feel that I require more product to make my skin feel clean. It doesn't strip your face of oils, don't worry. It also performed surprisingly well on the brush test and the brow-pomade-on-wrist test. So, there you have it. Thank you for reading.
Product Review:
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask (100ml for $62)
A new day, a new mask. Have you ever smelled Aqua Marina from Lush? Okay, wait, let me rephrase slightly: "Have you ever smelled Aqua Marina from Lush and not gagged?" Don't worry, this mask doesn't smell that bad, but it does have a distinct seaweed smell (reminds me of some Japanese food). This creamy yet chunky mask promises "to combat signs of tired and overstressed skin, revealing incredibly smooth and radiant results after just one use". With kombu seaweed, red algae, and lotus seeds. First of all, this product is overpriced. Significantly. But the good part is that it is a good mask-- yes, my skin felt smoother and more even after it. It did moisturise well too. However, since it does have scrubby bits, it is also a physical exfoliator, which might not suit everyone's wishes. Of course, I will not buy the full size.
Product review:
Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner (200ml for $45)
Hyped up product-- are we going to love it or are we going to hate it? Somewhere in between, actually. I personally feel slightly bad for giving such indecisive reviews, but that's exactly how this product makes me feel (we are not looking at the price!). So what is it? "A revolutionary toner with real rose petals and hyaluronic acid that minimizes pores while increasing hydration by 46% for 6 hours", says Fresh. Yes, the presentation is beautiful-- or disgusting, if you don't like soaked up rose petals floating around. I do also understand that the rose petals will block the "hole", so their presence is actually not desirable. But it photographs well, and we are all suckers for good photographs, right? Bottom line, I do not think this toner is worth $45. Go buy The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid, if this is what you are lacking. But on the other hand, I don't mind this toner, it is enjoyable to use, it doesn't bother my skin (other people have reported an allergic reaction to it, just so you know). It is fragranced. Enough said.
Product review:
Fresh Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil (150ml for $43)
This is a cleansing oil-- your first step in removing makeup. It does that without irritating the skin nor the eyes. But what do we see here? Oh yes, $43! I understand that Fresh keeps overcharging significantly for their products, but $43 for 150ml of product is simply not explainable. I always go back to Babor-- a higher end German skincare brand. Their 200ml of Hy-Öl (cleansing oil) costs around $24. That oil is really good-- no worse than the one you currently see on the photo. Oh, and for those who will go and say "but maybe Fresh is using more expensive ingredients in their product", my answer to you is follows: "when toilet paper is made out of gold, it kinda doesn't add much to the primary purpose of that paper".