First of all, happy new year to my wonderful followers and any newcomers! I hope you all enjoyed the festive period as much as you could under these circumstances (cough, Covid!). I haven’t been very active on here because, well, life. But I’m back and I’ll be posting more regularly on products and more.
So, I don’t think I was alone on being way too excited for Pharrell’s skincare line ‘Humanrace’ to drop back in November. I also had to endure the long wait for international shipping, so when it got here I was more than ready to abandon any other routine I was currently doing after I’d seen all of the posts from other customers who had already got theirs.
Before getting into the detail of the products, I think it’s only right to discuss the unique elements of the brand itself. Humanrace’s mantra is ‘skincare for everyone’ – and I genuinely feel this is very much the case. The packaging is made from reclaimed waste materials, and the dispensers containing the products inside are replaceable. In an age where the majority of us endeavour to do our best by the environment, it’s refreshing to feel less guilty when finishing a product and being able to replace a smaller element rather than throw away the whole thing. I was also very pleasantly surprised to find that braille was featured on the routine kit’s box as well as each individual product. This really speaks volumes about the thought that had gone into achieving the goal: ‘skincare for everyone’. Pharrell’s ambition was to create skincare that everyone can use regardless of gender, race or any other obstacle that might dissuade someone from looking after their skin.
The line includes a cleanser, an exfoliator and a moisturiser.
So let’s begin…
The aesthetic
I’ll be completely honest and say this isn’t pretty skincare. Some products and brands jump out at you solely for how they look, and this isn’t one of them (at least not in the usual way). The intense green packing disrupted by a white text goes with the brand’s overall aim as it isn’t the usual type of product marketed towards just women – it’s pretty basic and unisex/uni-anyone (that a word?). However, it’s definitely not unpleasant by any means. It’s just different!
The Rice Powder Cleanser
This is the first powder cleanser I used and I’m not going to lie, I kind of love it.
To use it, you wet your hands, pop a bit of the powder onto them and rub them together. This instantly turns it into a gorgeous, light lather that is a real treat to use. One thing to keep in mind though, your hands need to be wet enough to ensure the powder turns into enough of a lather, otherwise the cleanser doubles as an exfoliant with the grainy texture. This isn’t really an issue though as it’s super easy to make sure it’s used properly.
There’s not really any scent to it, so irritation from perfume isn’t really a concern. On that note, any form of irritation seems to be pretty unlikely (on my skin, at least). It’s really gentle and does a great job. My skin feel clean and fresh without feeling dry and stripped.
The ingredients on the front include fruit AHAs, Snow Mushroom and geranium. Delving a little bit deeper into the list, the first ingredient is Kaolin, which is a clay. This is perfect for oily and combination skin as the ingredient gently extracts oilsimpurities without upsetting the skin. Think about it, clay masks are MASSIVE when it comes to brightening and clearing the skin, so including this gentle but effective clay in the cleanser is a stroke of genius. The next ingredient is, unsurprisingly, rice powder. It’s a very, very mild exfoliant (hence my earlier comment around the texture and lather!), and the rice also absorbs sebum making this cleanser DOUBLY great for oily skin. The list goes on with wonderful ingredients, so I won’t go through them all and make this go on as well…
I’ve been enjoying using the cleanser everyday as advised by the brand.
The Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator
This has to be one of the most gentle exfoliators I’ve used, it really is gorgeous.
Firstly, I love the dispensing method! Pushing down on the top of the dispenser provides the perfect amount to use on your face, so you’re not using too much or too little. It’s kind of therapeutic pushing down on it…
Anyway, the texture is almost cream-like so using it is a very pleasant experience. Again, I haven’t experienced any irritation while using it so it’s ticking all the boxes so far.
On the face of the product, it lists 8% Glycolic Acid and 2% fruit AHAs. This ingredient list also contains rice powder, and as far as I’m aware there is no issue with using this ingredient in both the cleanser and exfoliator as it’s so gentle and the exfoliator isn’t meant to be for daily use. The combination of chemical and physical exfoliation in this really makes it special. It also contains lotus leaf, which Humanrace describes as a “natural antioxidant that protects skin from free radication damage and environmental aggressors such as pollution and UV rays.” It really packs a punch.
My skin appears brighter and really smooth, without feeling like it’s gone through something to get there as it can do with some skincare. I use the product 2-3 times a week, aiming for 3.
The Humidifying Cream
Last but by no means least… the moisturiser.
I can’t get enough of this. From just the first use my skin was noticeably softer – I’m talking REALLY soft. The consistency is enough to have me swooning at it is; it’s super light and absorbs really well. There’s no heavy residue that makes you feel like you need to wash your hands after touching your face (although, we all know we shouldn’t be doing that right now as it is…)
Like the cleanser, the cream contains snow mushroom which is amazing when it comes to moisturising. The ingredient list also boasts hyaluronic acid and squalane to really draw in that hydration and keep it there. Perfect for this time of year, and my skin is really reflecting that. Another interesting addition which I had not heard of before is ‘adaptogens’. Humanrace state that the formula is adaptogenic: adapting to your skin type. Of course I can’t validate this but so far I believe the brand is very transparent and has good intentions, so I trust it. Plus, I will reiterate: my skin is loving this so I wouldn’t discount any of the benefits posed by Humanrace.
Overall this is a brand I can honestly say I stand behind, and would recommend to anybody. It’s a bit pricey, as are most products these days (especially celebrity-brand products) but it’s worth it. I bought the 3-step routine for $100 (plus shipping and duties), but the cleanser, exfoliator and humidifying cream are priced individually at $32, $46 and $48 respectively. The refills are $30, $42 and $44, which collectively cost more than the 3-step routine which is something I would hope Humanrace will change and perhaps do a refill set at a similar discounted price.
A couple of things to add: some of the positives the brand highlights is that the products are vegan, cruelty free, dermatologist tested and microtear safe. I think it’s safe to say this really is a universal brand that anybody can enjoy.
I’ve been using the brand for a month and these are my thoughts, feelings and experiences so far I’ll leave it there for now and update if anything changes. As usual, please don’t take anything from l my review as advice as I am not an expert – just an
enthusiast!
In A Beauty World 
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