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Whamisa puzzles me - they always nail the packaging, but the contents are a hit and miss for me. Typically marketed as organic, natural, vegan and cruelty free (that part is awesome), they are often full of essential oils and have strong scents that can be irritating to sensitive skin. My skin isn’t sensitive, but this is a good example of how “natural” isn’t always better for everyone and can still cause issues.
A few months ago, I got a whole bunch of Whamisa skincare and haircare and have been carefully testing things one at a time as part of my usual routine. Whamisa Organic Flowers Apple Sebum Treatment, available on Amazon and YesStyle (reward code KBHOBBIT), promises to address excess oil and restore a healthy oil-water balance. It’s made with AHA (malic acid derived from apples), centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid - a full list of ingredients can be found at the end of the article.
How to use:
Apply to dry skin after cleansing (low pH can help regulate bacteria before toner and other steps)
Follow with the rest of your routine
It can also be used as a makeup primer or a spot treatment on the oily areas.
The treatment has a light gel texture and a noticeable herbal scent, which doesn’t linger. I’m a little sad it doesn’t smell like apples… The pump dispenser is a great packaging choice for this, because it allows you to get exactly as much product as needed. It’s easy to spread and dries down pretty quickly. It may cause some brief / temporary tightening feeling on the skin, and people with dry skin will likely not enjoy this. Those with combination and oily skin may find some benefits.
My impressions This is definitely a “special occasion” sort of treatment for me. If used daily, it makes my combination skin too dry and tight, even though alcohol isn’t that high on the list. And in general, I do not mind alcohol in skincare - it’s all about the formulation.
However, if I want my skin to look matte the whole day, at the expense of a bit of temporary dryness, I reach for this pump bottle. Sunscreen and makeup layer beautifully over the top, and I stay 100% shine free until evening, even without any powder or touch ups. I tend to apply this all over the face, but perhaps focusing on just the t-zone would help alleviate some of that dry feeling.
The brand recommends this serum for acne-prone skin, but I would steer clear if I had any active breakouts. Applying so many plant extracts (lemon peel? ugh) to a compromised skin barrier could be potentially irritating.
Yet another confusing Whamisa product - not horrible but not amazing, and for the price it didn’t wow me. The beautiful packaging is its saving grace, making every application feel special. But I wouldn’t repurchase this. And long term, drying out my oily zones makes them rebel in what I call “revenge oil”, so this will remain a seldom treatment for me that I consider more of a makeup step than actual skincare with lasting benefits.
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Whamisa Organic Flowers Apple Sebum Treatment ingredients: *Houttuynia Cordata Extract (35%), *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract (31.9%), *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender)Extract (20%), *Centella Asiatica Extract (4%), *Alcohol (4%), *Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract (1%), Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Erythritol, Algin, Betaine, Hyaluronic Acid, #Pentylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Betaine Salicylate, Levulinic Acid, *Lactobacillus/Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Ferment Filtrate (0.05%), *Lactobacillus/Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Ferment Filtrate (0.01%), *Lactobacillus/Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Rhizome/Root Ferment Filtrate (0.01%), *Lactobacillus/Chrysanthemum Sinense Flower Ferment Filtrate (0.01%), *Lactobacillus/Camellia Sinensis Leaf Ferment Filtrate (0.01%), Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract (*Certified Organically Grown ECOCERT)