[ENG] I’m from Fig Boosting Essence Review + My Thoughts on the I’m from Fig Line

This review contains PR samples° and affiliate links* Wishtrend kindly sent me the new I’m from fig range a few weeks ago, and today I mostly want to talk about the Fig Boosting Essence, which to me is the clear breakout star from the I’m from fig trio! I’ll also give my thoughts on the other two fig products, the Fig Cleansing Balm and Fig Scrub Mask.

I’m from, one of the in-house brands from the Wish company, started out as more of a skincare secret – mostly through the I’m from Honey Mask* becoming a favourite in the K-beauty community – and has by now managed to reach cult status as a natural skincare brand focused on plant-based ingredients. Mind you, “natural” doesn’t mean much, as we all know by now, but there certainly is something comfortingly minimalist about the I’m from products, with their high percentage of extracts won from Korean native plants such as mugwort or rice, and the earthy, elegantly plain packaging.

The I’m from fig range launched a while ago, consisting of three products: The I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm, Fig Scrub Mask and Fig Boosting Essence. I received all three products and have tried them all by now, but out of the three, the Boosting Essence was so clearly the standout product that I wanted my review to mostly focus on this essence-toner hybrid. I’ll give my thoughts on the other two products at the end of this review though, so skip ahead if cleansing balm and scrub mask are your main point of interest.

For the majority of this K-beauty review, let’s concentrate on why I believe the Fig Boosting Essence to be the best product in this figtastic trio! As always, I’ll start by giving you all the basic info on the product and then let you know what my experiences were using this over the past three-ish weeks.

I’m from Fig Boosting Essence – Fig Extract as a Skincare Ingredient

Alright, so first things first: to me, this isn’t an essence, it is a toner. An essence (again, to me – others may have a different view) is mostly an anti aging, brightening beauty water, usually enriched with fermented ingredients, and usually used either in place of a toner or as an additional skincare step right after cleansing and actives. These types of essences are commonly referred to as first treatment essences, but brands also call them boosting essences, the idea being that the essence somehow “boosts” the efficacy of the following serums and ampoules. Now, because beauty brands love to confuse us, sometimes serums or toners are also called “essence” for reasons I still haven’t fully grasped.

In the case of the I’m from Fig Boosting Essence, I believe the watery consistency is what caused Wishtrend to call it an essence. Since this is a watery, hydrating product packed full with humectants and little to no actives or fermented extracts, I view this as a hydrating toner and use it as such.

Alright, that being out of the way, let’s talk about fig extract as a skincare ingredient. Figs are rather marvellous fruits that I wish grew here in Germany, because the imported stuff just isn’t as tasty as when you can pluck them right from the tree, which I happily was able to do once upon a time when visiting Egypt (where I was also forever spoiled in regards to actually fresh, ripe mangoes) and parts of Southern France. Apart from being incredibly tasty, they are also packed full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and fig extract is said to help counteract transepidermal water loss, i.e. “dehydration.”

I found one rather interesting study done in 2014 which seems to suggest that fig extract can help with dryness, inflammation and even potentially brighten skin, but the researchers only used a very small test group of 11 people, so it’s not necessarily a statistically meaningful result.

Here is the full list of ingredients of the I’m from Fig Boosting Essence:

“Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Allantoin, Betaine Salicylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Octanediol, Tocopherol.”

One of the reasons I love the Fig Essence is that it doesn’t contain any fragrance or ethanol/alcohol – something I know is important to many of you. Apart from the 62.7% fig extract, the essence also boasts a number of hydrators, namely the humectants (“water-grabbing” ingredients) glycerin, sugar extracts glucose, fructose and fructooligosaccharides, and of course good old hyaluronic acid. Algae extract (chlorella vulgaris) is said to be hydrating and soothing, and soybean seed extract works as an emollient (a nourishing and skin-softening ingredient). Panthenol and allantoin are both skin-soothers said to help with redness issues, and betaine salicylate is a less aggravating form of salicylic acid, but also less potent than this classic BHA.

I’m from Fig Boosting Essence – Why It’s the Best Fig Product!

When I received the three I’m from fig products, I instantly gravitated towards the essence – it became clear to me pretty early on that this was the breakout star from the range. Apart from its impressive ingredient list, the texture also drew me to the product, especially when the warmer weather picked up.

This toner is a tad more viscous than water and slightly milky, without any sticky or heavy feeling, and yet, once applied you can still feel how deeply hydrating and even strongly moisturising it is. Dry skin types will definitely love this, as it may be the first water-like toner I’ve tried that manages to provide moisture without the need for a heavy, more viscous texture.

Listen, I like a good, thick hydrating toner like the Klairs Unscented Toner, but especially in summer and with humidity levels rising, it’s nice to have less intense, potentially cloying toner options. Again, to me this isn’t necessarily an essence, and I always use it as my toner step, though sometimes I love layering the Fig Boosting Essence with another toner, for instance my current favourite, the Cosrx Propolis Synergy Toner – also not too heavy in texture.

My skin quickly absorbs the essence, which I like to apply with my hands instead of a cotton pad, and there is no weird film or tacky sensation left after absorption. Apart from its hydrating properties, this also leaves skin with a certain silkiness and velvety softness that I’m loving, and my combo skin is very happy overall.

My Thoughts on the Rest of the I’m From Fig Skincare Range

So, the I’m from Fig Boosting Essence is the clear winner from the range, no doubt! It is a wonderful hydrating toner with nourishing and hydrating ingredients that leaves skin feeling velvety soft and smooth.

Now, as for the other two products in the range… Right, let me start with my least favourite – the I’m from Fig Scrub Mask. Unlike most of the currently popular “skinfluencers” especially on Youtube, I’m not actually opposed to a nice mechanical scrub, so I didn’t hesitate to try the scrub mask. And, yes, it did make my skin feel soft, but it also felt quite abrasive on my face when I washed it off. No wonder, given that this contains ground walnut shell powder, which I consider a too harsh physical exfoliant. I had thought this to be a pure sugar scrub, but the additions of the walnut shell powder plus almond meal is just a bit too much for the face. Furthermore, unlike the fragrance-free Fig Boosting Essence, the I’m from Fig Scrub Mask is heavily fragranced, and I can’t say it’s a nice scent. It smells…perfumy? Just very strong and, to my nose, unpleasant. I also find it too pricey for what it does, in all honesty.

As for the I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm – same problem here, the heavy and not pleasant fragrance. The Cleansing Balm was ok the three times I used it and emulsified and washed off nicely, but I honestly just don’t grab this very often because I cannot get over the smell. There are too many great cleansing balms and cleansing oil options on my bathroom shelf right now that I prefer over this one, so the Fig Cleansing Balm just doesn’t fully impress me. I would say it is ok, but not wowing me like the essence managed to do.

I’m From Fig Boosting Essence, Cleansing Balm and Scrub Mask – Final Verdict and Where to Buy

If you are curious about the new I’m from fig trio, I suggest you focus your curiosity mostly on the essence, which is the clear standout star from the range. It probably works well for most skin types that are dehydrated, but especially you dry skin folks may like this during summer as a way to keep skin’s moisture levels high without having to resort to heavy, thick and cloying textures.

You can buy the I’m from Fig Boosting Essence at Wishtrend* for 35$ for the 150ml bottle, or at Yesstyle* for currently only around 22$.

The I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm is not a bad product per se, I just didn’t like the heavy fragrance. You can purchase the I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm at Wishtrend* for 30$ for the 100ml tub, or at Yesstyle* for currently only around 16$ – a pretty great price.

I personally wasn’t a fan of the I’m from Fig Scrub Mask, which I just find too strongly scented and too abrasive as a face scrub mask. But in case this product speaks to you (I believe many other reviewers are really liking it), you can buy this wash-off mask at Wishtrend* for 32$ for the 120ml jar, or at Yesstyle* for currently roughly 19$.

Let me know in the comments: Why does no one write blog comments anymore?

Take care guys, and stay safe!
Sugarpeaches

°PR Sample, kindly provided by a brand or shop – I am not obligated to write this blog article, was not paid for the article, and my opinions are entirely my own.
*Affiliate Links, meaning I earn a small commission if you decide to use the link to purchase an item. This does not raise the purchase price for you, and it helps me and my blog to grow – so, thank you for supporting me in this way!