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Herbal Dynamics Beauty had been appearing on my Instagram feed a lot and everyone seemed to have positive experiences with their products, I was intrigued. So, when the brand reached out to me and generously offered me some products to try, of course, I was keen to explore and learn more about the brand. Thank you so much HD team for the opportunity and allowing me to pick my own products to try out!
A little bit about Herbal Dynamics…
Herbal Dynamics, a relatively young but definitely growing fast indie brand started with Amazon in 2017, then built their own website and have since expanded to other retailers.
With almost 50 products and counting, the natural skincare brand focuses on bringing natural botanicals and modern science to deliver results at affordable prices. You’ll find product ranges for most common skin concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles, dryness and dullness, blemish-prone, pigmentation and sensitive skin. In addition to facial skincare products, they also have a small selection of body care products.
This is a cruelty-free brand. All the products are formulated without parabens, sulfate and phthalate.
Why did I choose face masks to try?
In all honesty, I’m obsessed with face masks and when I saw them, they really spoke to me, like they knew my skin concerns — oily/combo acne-prone skin but also dealing with dehydration and compromised skin barriers resulting in the occasional irritations or dry patches. And, who isn’t on some kind of anti-aging regime? They also have masks for lips, eyes and neck in addition to the ones I’ve selected, just in case you are curious.
Before we dive into the products, let’s quickly talk about their packaging. Almost everything is packaged in recyclable plastic, very simple black and white aesthetics. The product labels are very functional, you have the product name and a few ingredients highlighted on the front. There’s nothing fancy and 100% gender-neutral.
Intense Detox® Cacao & Chamomile Clearing Clay Mask
If you have oily skin and suffer from congestions or breakouts, you probably love clay masks as they are great for regulating sebum production and drawing out impurities from within the skin. Needless to say, this is my favourite from the selection. This Intense Detox mask is formulated with:
- Bentonite clay to deeply detox and cleanse and mineral-rich Montmorillonite clay to purifying and balance oil production;
- Antioxidant-rich Organic Cacao Powder to target signs of aging as well as heals and restore skin elasticity.
- Soothing Organic Chamomile Extract to reduce irritations and it’s anti-inflammatory, making it ideal for sensitive skin.
- Salicylic acid, an oil-soluble acid that’s perfect for tackling acne-causing bacteria can go deeper into the pores to remove dead skin cells and excess sebum.
This mask looks quite thick in the jar but it spreads on the skin very easily with a brush. I typically apply after cleansing and exfoliation, so my skin is more ready to allow the mask to do its magic! It has a very delicious chocolate smell, reminds me of Belgian chocolate ice cream. This is a fragrance-free product (it does contain essential oils) so I assume it’s coming from the cocoa powder and the natural chocolate flavour that are listed on the ingredients list.
I’d leave the mask on for 15mins or so, during this time the mask would dry almost completely, it felt tight on the skin but not drying the skin if you know what I mean. Then I removed the mask with a warm washcloth. You can rinse it too if that’s your preference, it’s not one of those that are impossible to get off. As soon as you wet your face, you can pretty much wash it off with ease without any rubbing. I prefer warm washcloth because that’s the lazy girl method, literally takes seconds. Since the mask is so easy to remove, it doesn’t cause any irritations to the skin at all. My skin always felt cleansed and refreshed after, any congested pores or blemishes are easier to extract as well. I didn’t feel I need to rush off and put hydration back on after the mask as skin felt very balanced. I also saw a visible reduction in any redness around inflamed areas, they were not gone completely but a lot calmer.
Available: $24/4 oz.
Youth Refresh® Hyaluronic Acid & Oat Overnight Recovery Mask
If you have followed my blog for a while, then you’d know I love oat as an ingredient, my skin responds to it very well. Oat is like superfood for the skin. It contains anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties so it’s a beneficial ingredient when fighting with acne, but it also has amazing moisturising and soothing properties that make skin feel hydrated and smooth, perfect for repairing skin barriers. Another star ingredient, hyaluronic acid, not only delivering deep hydration, it helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as promote collagen production and plump the skin. Other vitamins and minerals rich ingredients include Tremella Mushroom, aloe vera extract, broccoli extract and rose essential oil, together they work on providing the much-needed moisture to the skin, soothe and reduce inflammation and protects against environmental stressors with potent antioxidants. This mask is suitable for all skin types but those with dry, dehydrated and dull skin as well as sensitive skin will benefit from this the most.
This mask is very creamy like a thick moisturiser. It’s fragrance-free and there’s barely any detectable scent either. I’ve used this for as an overnight mask or when I was staying at home the whole day, I’d do a clay mask in the morning and then applied this and left it on for the rest of the day. As I mentioned, it works like a thick moisturiser so it’d take a bit of time to absorb, I’d suggest applying this at least 30 mins before bedtime, so it wouldn’t go all over the pillowcase. The instructions say to rinse off in the morning, to be honest, there are no residues left in the morning but I always wash my face anyway before I do my morning routine. Overall, this is a very pleasant mask to use and definitely works. I always enjoy having a soothing and hydrating mask on hand to take care of my sensitive skin.
Available: $30/1 oz
RevitAge® Diamond & Pearl Firming Gel Mask
This gel mask focusses on resurfacing, plumping and hydrating the skin using these key ingredients:
- Diamond powder: Act as a gentle exfoliant that will help you polish the top layer of the skin without harshness and bring luminosity to the skin.
- Mother of Pearl: Helps brighten the skin, reducing the appearance of dark spots and pigmentation.
- Acacia collagen: Support skin health and promotes elasticity
- Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrating and plumping the skin for a smoother, more youthful-looking complexion.
- Amino Acids: Helps collagen production and repair damaged skin tissues.
- Roselle Flower: Rich in antioxidants, fights against free radicals and environmental aggressors.
Of all the three masks, this is the only one that contains fragrance. It’s a sweet floral scent, I’d say it’s moderate but if you are sensitive to fragrance then this is one to avoid. The texture is on the runny side of gel-cream consistency, reminds me of an old-school peel-off mask. You’d be better off applying with a brush than dipping your fingers into the jar, it’s less messy. The mask itself has a very iridescent shimmer, most likely coming from both the diamond and mother of pearl powder. When you wash off the mask after 15-20 mins, the shimmer is gone. So, you don’t need to worry about that.
This mask is suitable for when you want a quick pick-me-up before a night out or even mornings when you wake up still feeling tired and skin is looking dull. There’s a very mild cooling sensation on application. My complexion felt refreshed, brighter and more even-looking after using the mask. I couldn’t tell if there’s any firming effect but I definitely looked more awake and well-rested!
Available: $30/2 oz.
My final thoughts
Overall, the 3 masks complement one another very well. They are all easy to apply, the results are effective and what they claimed to be. I’m very pleased with them. One thing I wanted to mention is that they all come in different sizes, so if you are looking at the price per oz, then it’s worth bearing that in mind. I’m very curious about the rest of the brand and see what they have on offer.