Intro
Beauty Pie is one of those brands I’ve always been sceptical on. Could the products REALLY be that good?
Usually, the more something is hyped up on Instagram, the less likely I am to look into it. However, too many people I follow have said how much they love Beauty Pie (and these are people who I respect the opinion of!) for me not to give it a go.
I went with the £10 a month option, giving me a spending limit of £100. However, as this was my first month this was doubled to £200. I spent all of my allowance, give or take £40 on the following 4 items.
JAPANFUSION™ HYDRA PREP LOTION (STEP M1)
I currently LOVE K-Beauty products (more on that in another post) and given the name this kinda made me think of a “first essence”. When you look at the ingredients list it does share some similarities in terms of its promise to “Optimizes the efficacy of your full skincare routine, hydrate and soften the skin”.
First thing I did was decant a small amount of this into a spray bottle. Judging by the texture there was no way I could do this with my hands, and a cotton pad soaked up all the product and left none on my face.
I noticed while decanting this, that mine had some small brown “bits” floating in it. I did email customer services who responded quickly to say this was normal…. hmm.
I’ve used this product for a month now and although I don’t hate it, I don’t love it either. The smell reminds me of baby powder (not a fan) and I find it dries with a tacky finish. This is supposed to be your “starter” product, to set you up for the rest of your routine, and I just didn’t find it created a nice base for other products.
It does contain some nice hydrating ingredients; emollients such as Squalene and humectants such as Glycerin to lock in that moisture, but those are pretty much covered in my moisturiser already, I don’t need it here. I have seen in reviews some users see this as a moisture boost they can spray on during the day, given it’s tackiness this didn’t work for me.
I’m guessing it’s the fermented yeast that provides the “optimisation” for the rest of the routine, but honestly it’s such a popular ingredient in K-Beauty and other products do it so much better.
Cost wise it was £9.40 (includes % of the membership fee) with an RRP of £25
This is one I will probably give to a friend. I totally see why people love it with its cute smell and pink bottle but it’s not for me.
JAPANFUSION™ PURE TRANSFORMING CLEANSER
A “gel-to-oil-to-milk cleansing balm”. Now I already have a favourite cleansing balm, I have loved it for YEARS. So it was always going to be a big ask for me to love this… BUT. I. DO.
I have always found that most cleansers leave my skin feeling dry and tight after use. I usually can’t wait to get something hydrating on my skin. This, however, leaves my skin soothed and nourished.
I’ve been using this as my morning cleanse (if required) and my first cleanse in the evening and it does a pretty good job of removing makeup and my SPF. I love the point at which is turns from gel to oil, it feels so nourishing rubbing it around my face.
It’s fragrance-free which I love. I would have hated if they had gone with the same fragrance as the prep lotion.
The price was £7.57 for 100ml which I think is reasonable. I don’t like to spend much on cleansers that are going to stay on my face for mere minutes, I save my pennies for the actives and serums later on if I can.
This is a product which I will definitely be repurchasing. I think I may have to stock up on a few tubes in my next order.
PLANTASTIC™ MICROPEELING SUPER DROPS
They claim it’s “The best thing for keeping breakouts at bay, skin looking bright, pores-refined and tight”
Now I should start by saying that I may have totally misunderstood the purpose of this product. I was expecting an exfoliant, not on the same level as Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos, but a lighter, daily variant. However, I think from reading what others have to say, this is more for topical use on ache than an exfoliation treatment.
Now I don’t consider myself an acne sufferer, I’m currently having a bit of a purge from my retinol, but normally, I’m a 1 spot every few months type of girl.
I can be forgiven for thinking it was predominantly an exfoliant though. It does contain Salicylic Acid, a “lighter” BHA. Well the “plant” version anyway, Willow Bark Extract, and it does contain other fruity acids.
“Peeling drops” I think is pushing it. If you are used to any kind of stronger BHA/AHA exfoliant like me, these really aren’t going to cut it.
The price was £10.21 for 50ml. You really do get a decent sized product for your money and the packaging it very good quality. If you are new to chemical exfoliation this might be a good one to get you started.
TRIPLE HYALURONIC ACID & LIPOPEPTIDE SERUM
I did go through a phase recently of using a hyaluronic acid as a starting base for my skincare routines. However, when that ran out I decided not to replace it, I had found that it’s in almost everything these days. I liked the sound of this and thought it might work in place of the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra I loved so much.
First off, it isn’t a replacement for B-Hydra. That’s not the product’s fault, it’s performing a completely different role and it’s not a gel for a start, my bad!
Anyway, this serum packs in three weights of HA alongside ceremides AND Peptides, it’s proclaimed “A miracle-serum for super glow-y, dewy, healthy-looking skin. “
Yes and no in my opinion. I think with skincare you are often in danger of doubling up and as I’m using a peptide rich moisturiser (containing 9 of them vs the one in this) and a serum with ceramides already. This is probably one step too far, and just overkill for me.
Now if this product was amazing, I might have been tempted to sack off them both and replace with this, but it just wasn’t.
Again like the prep lotion I found it really tacky and just not pleasant to use. I’ve taken to mixing it with other serums to try and make it a little less tacky but once it’s done I won’t be replacing it.
The serum costs £16.48 for 50ml, again the size and packaging are lovely and a pleasure to use, the product not so much. If you aren’t using any other serums this is a great starter one with some really great anti aging ingredients.
Beauty Pie verdict after month 1
I’ll admit it, I was disappointed, the hype got me. The products on the whole aren’t awful. They do have some really nice ingredients and formulas.
If I had discovered Beauty Pie 12 months ago, I probably would have thought they were great. But in the last 12 months, I’ve discovered so many other amazing products for a similar price point. Many that have worked better on my skin and with nicer formulations for me.
One thing I will say though, the marketing model is clever. I think the products are worth the money you pay, in the case of the cleanser I probably would pay slightly more.
The RRP prices though are laughable. Apparently, I saved £121 off RRP…. They are high to make you think you’re getting an amazing deal rather than just a good one.
I have a 3-month subscription with Beauty Pie so I look forward to trying a few more. I really want to give some of the makeup a try, maybe another serum and definitely the cleansing balm.
You can sign up to Beauty Pie here. Used my referral code “Hannah Dell” to get your first month free!
