Saved by the Smell: Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream Review

I’ve pollen in love…with Banila Co.’s Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream. The joy factor is off the charts with this honey-scented cream-balm hybrid. You could say that I’ve been honeypotted…and liked it.

One whiff is like a trip to Sweet (Ol)factory.

At press time, I was unable to confirm the nature of the relationship between Miss Flower & Mr. Honey. Rumors are they’re dating but not exclusive as Miss Flower is known to swing both ways and Mr. Honey was recently spotted cavorting with a bear.

Review of Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream

The cream-balm is quite lovely, but what pushes this into the “I’ll have what she’s having” category is the scent.

It’s not pure honey. It’s actually better, like some honey parfum that smells both lighter and more intense than real honey. I wouldn’t say I detect floral notes, but there’s definitely something extra that elevates this while retaining the honey essence that makes me hungry.  And even better? The scent lasts.

Scent aside, the product is really nice and surprisingly lighter than it appears.

It looks like a pot of cloudy Vaseline, and indeed petrolatum is one of the ingredients. However, it’s relatively far down the list–after honey extract and black yeast extract (which total 42%), various silicones, moisturizers, and niacinamide–so the cream is much lighter than it looks. (Full ingredient list below.)

The consistency is like creamy Vaseline. I like to warm it up between my fingertips before smoothing it on. The balm easily thins out (although it doesn’t melt into an oil or anything) and rubs in like a cream. Skin is left smooth, moist, and glossy.

In terms of effects, I’ve used this both day and night (I have dry skin). For day use, I just apply less and focus on the driest parts of my face and use ordinary cream on the rest.

For nighttime, I go HAM and slather a generous glob all over because its occlusiveness helps lock in prior layers of skincare a la sleeping masks. If I time things correctly, this is the last thing I do before I go to bed…and so the residue ends up being my hand cream. 😋  I wake up to smooth, calm, and moisturized skin.

Surprisingly, this isn’t the most moisturizing thing on its own. By the time I wake up in the morning, it’s all but gone–a testament that it sinks in eventually but also a sign that it offers less relief from the winter than, say, Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask, which I sometimes still feel the next morning. A few times, I’ve also woken up with flakes around my nose. Overall, the moisturizing power is medium, and I like to apply a night cream first if I’m using this as a sleeping mask. On the plus side, that means this is suitable for warmer seasons as well.

Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream Ingredients

Click to enlarge ingredients:

The marketing claims–honey loading and cube coating?–are inscrutable yet irresistible. Yes, I would like honey loading, thank you.

It boasts of a whopping 42% of aureobasidium pullulans ferment and honey water. (DHC says the former is simply black yeast ferment: a source of beta-glucan and moisturizing.)

Actually, is 42% a lot or not for those ingredients? Who cares, I already know that I want this in my stash forever and ever.

Pros: THE SCENT. *commence drooling* Moderately moisturizes and also seals in prior layers of skincare. Sturdy plastic packaging in a glam honeycomb shape a la Guerlain’s Abeille Royale line (also honey themed).

Cons: Pricey (often $40-50 although I snagged it for $35 on eBay). One jar should last all winter though. Shiny finish and strong scent–it fades but does linger–aren’t for everyone.