Slathered this on before sleep and woke up looking like a greased doughnut. Cute puffiness, zero glow.
The mistake? Using a cream loaded with blackberry extract at night means your face marinates in antioxidants while you sleep — sounds great, but the texture sits heavy and never fully sinks in before your pillow eats half of it.
It’s Mary & May‘s Blackberry + Squalane Vegan Moisturizing Cream — $18 for 80ml, which is a lot of cream for Korean skincare prices. The claim that made me grab it: “brightening and barrier repair in one jar.” Bold.
Blackberry Extract
Antioxidant-rich enough to fight dullness, but sticky enough to ruin your pillowcase if you use it wrong.
Squalane
Lightweight oil that mimics your skin’s sebum. Sounds dreamy. Feels like a film.
Shea Butter
The culprit. Makes it thick. Good for dry skin, bad for fast absorption.
Photo: Natasha Kendall / Unsplash
Blackberry extract is the star — packed with vitamin C and anthocyanins that fight free radicals. But the squalane-to-shea ratio is off: too much butter, not enough glide.
- Blackberry Extract: Brightens uneven tone, smells like jam
- Squalane: Hydrates without clogging, but sits on top
- Shea Butter: Locks everything in, also locks in shine
- Tocopherol: Vitamin E, calming but not transformative
Photo: Element5 Digital / Unsplash
First squeeze felt like cold buttercream — thick, almost waxy. It melts on contact but takes a solid 90 seconds to absorb. That’s an eternity for AM.
Week two: realized if I pat it in instead of rubbing, it dries down faster. Still too heavy for humid mornings. Unexpected win? It layers perfectly under makeup if you wait 3 minutes.
Photo: Fleur Kaan / Unsplash
After three weeks: my redness is quieter, but my glow is meh. Not dull, not bright — just… moisturized. The blackberry didn’t transform my skin tone like I hoped.
Photo: Alexandra Tran / Unsplash
This cream belongs in your AM routine — but only if you’re dry and patient. Night use is a pillowcase tragedy waiting to happen.