Did you know that Rihanna dabbed on Egyptian Magic for shooting her “Bitch Better Have My Money” video? This rumour was enough to get this cream into all the most popular beauty blogs and magazines. If Rihanna’s using it, it must be good right?
Maybe… This is still a science-based blog, so celebrity endorsements alone don’t cut it. We’ll review the cream with our lab tools. But it’s hard to resist the hype, isn’t it? Rihanna isn’t the only celeb fan either. Since Egyptian Magic made its debut more than 25 years ago, it’s been a staple in celebs’ beauty stashes. Rumour has it, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes and Lauren Conrad all use it, too.
What makes this cream, made by tweaking an ancient Egyptian recipe, so special? Let’s find out:
- Key Ingredients In Egyptian Magic Cream: What Makes It Work?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Packaging
- Perfomance & Personal Opinion
- How Does Egyptian Magic Cream Compare To Aquaphor And Vaseline?
- What I Like About Egyptian Magic Cream
- What I DON’T Like About Egyptian Magic Cream
- Who Should Use This?
- Does Egyptian Magic Live Up To Its Claims?
- Is Egyptian Magic Cream Cruelty-Free?
- Price & Availability
- The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
- Dupes & Alternatives
Key Ingredients In Egyptian Magic Cream: What Makes It Work?
OLIVE OIL TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Olive oil is a staple – both in my pantry and my skincare routine. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants and oleic acid, olive oil is incredibly moisturizing. Its fatty acids (like oleic) create a barrier on the skin that holds moisture in, keeping it soft and hydrated for hours. Plus, its antioxidants help you prevent premature wrinkles. Here are a few highlights:
- Resveratrol: It fights free radicals and protects against UV-induced damage.
- Vitamin A: It reduces + prevent wrinkles, boosts collagen, treats acne and fades dark spots.
- Vitamin C: It prevents wrinkles, boosts collagen and brightens the complexion.
- Vitamin E: It moisturizes skin and fights free radicals.
Oh, it helps protect skin from UVB damage, too. Is there nothing it can’t do?
Related: 4 Skincare Uses For Olive Oil
BEE-DERIVED INGREDIENTS TO HYDRATE AND SLOW DOWN PREMATURE AGING
Egyptian Magic Cream contains everything bees make. Literally. The cream has:
- Honey: A thick, golden liquid bees make from the nectar of flowers. It hydrates skin, fights off free radicals (the nasty molecules that give you wrinkles and speed up aging), soothes irritations and inhibits the growth of bacteria (possibly P.Acnes, too!).
- Bee Pollen: The pollen bee collect from flowers. It’s rich in antioxidants that help slow down premature aging.
- Propolis: A brownish, resinous substance bees collect from tree buds to seal small crevices in their hive and protect it from cold weather and predators. Like honey, it has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Royal jelly: The creamy, white secretion honey bees feed to larvae to help them grow healthy and strong. It’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that slow down aging and hydrate skin.
- Beeswax: A natural substance made by bees to build the walls of their honeycomb, it has emollient properties that make skin softer and smoother. It also helps to thicken the texture of skincare products.
P.S. Bee-derived ingredients are safe for most people. But if you’re allergic to them, this cream isn’t for you.
Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Honey In Skincare
Texture
I wouldn’t call the texture thick, but it’s definitely not lightweight or runny. It’s somewhere in between, but it does feel a bit tacky and takes a while to sink in – even on dry skin. I mean, it’s made up of oil and waxes – nothing else to give the cream a smoother, silkier feel.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free. I like that. Fragrance is one of the most irritating ingredients used in your cosmetics. Yes, it makes creams and lotions smell divine, but if they give you a rash, you wouldn’t use them anyway, right? Having said that, the cream does have a natural, slightly waxy smell that comes from the ingredients.
How To Use It
It’s multipurpose, so you can use it all over your face and body as a moisturiser. Just make sure to warm it up between your palms first! Once it turns into an oil, massage it on your skin. A little goes a looooooooooooong way. The jar will last you for ages. Here are all the ways you can use it:
- Moisturizer: It definitely keeps skin soft and hydrated from head to toe.
- Holistic acne treatment: There’s some anecdotal evidence that honey and propolis can help with acne, but they’re not a substitute for anti-acne remedies like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.
- Lip balm: It feels slippery on the lips, but it gives them a beautiful shine and keeps them soft and kissable for hours.
- Eye cream: It moisturises from head to toe, remember? That includes the eye area, too.
- After-sun moisturizer: I haven’t tried this personally (it’s winter here in London), but it’s got what it takes to soothe skin after a long day in the sun.
- Hair mask: I don’t like using this on my hair because of its texture. But it does make it softer.
Packaging
Egyptian Magic cream comes in a big (118ml) white, red, and blue jar decorated with Egyptian symbols. It’s definitely eye-catching! I’m not a huge fan of jars because they’re not the most hygienic. If you don’t wash your hands well before dipping your fingers into the pot, you may transfer some bacteria and impurities into it, making the product spoil faster. Still, I totally understand why Egyptian Cream went with a jar. Trying to put a texture like this into a tube would be an absolute nightmare. To be on the safe side, just use a spatula to get the product out of the jar. Problem solved.
Perfomance & Personal Opinion
Egyptian Magic Cream is one of the most moisturizing creams I’ve ever used in my life. I don’t use it on my face because I’m not a huge fan of the texture. It takes a while to absorb and, in the meantime, it feels a little tacky. I don’t like that feeling on my face. But on my body? Love.
The skin there is so hard, only the richest body butters can keep it soft and smooth from morning till evening. This cream does the same – and more. It deeply moisturises skin, heals any flaky patches and prevents your skin from becoming dry – all without clogging your pores and giving you pimples.
How does it differ from Vaseline or Aquaphor? The texture’s lighter and absorbs more quickly. Plus, it’s all natural.
Related: Salicylic Acid VS Benzoyl Peroxide: What Is The Best Acne Treatment?
How Does Egyptian Magic Cream Compare To Aquaphor And Vaseline?
Egyptian Magic Cream is a thick salve, just like Aquaphor and Vaseline. Are they all the same thing? Should you just go for the cheaper option? Or is there something special about Egyptian Cream that makes it stand out from the competition? Let’s find out:
- Egyptian Magic VS Aquaphor: The key ingredient in Aquaphor is petrolatum and mineral oil. They’ve been highly refined to remove all impurities, so they’re neither toxic nor carcinogenic. They work by creating a protective barrier on the skin that keeps moisture in and germs out. Mineral oil is safe, but unlike olive oil and honey, it has no antioxidants to provide anti-aging benefits. But, if you’re allergic to bee products, Aquaphor is the safer option. Oh, Aquaphor has a thicker texture.
- Egyptian Magic VS Vaseline: Vaseline is the simplest product in this list. It contains only one ingredient: moisturising petrolatum. This makes it the safest option for sensitive skin. The fewer ingredients a product contains, the less likely it is to cause irritations. Plus, petrolatum is highly refined, so all toxic and irritating impurities are removed from it. That’s not the case with olive oil and bee derived ingredients. They can contain resins, pollen, and other impurities that cause allergies and irritations in sensitive skin. Both creams are very moisturising and create a protective barrier on the skin that keeps moisture in, but Egyptian Magic goes the extra mile. It also has antioxidants that fight premature aging and a thinner texture.
What I Like About Egyptian Magic Cream
- Fragrance-free.
- Super moisturising.
- Multi-tasking, can be used as a moisturiser, lip balm, and even hair mask.
- Jar is huge and will last you for ages.
What I DON’T Like About Egyptian Magic Cream
- Texture feels tacky and takes a while to absorb.
- Jar packaging is suitable for the texture, but not the most hygienic.
Who Should Use This?
This cream is best suitable for dry skin, especially those who are looking for an all-natural moisturiser. If you have sensitive skin, do a patch test first. The natural impurities (like resins) in honey and olive oil, may irritate your skin.
Does Egyptian Magic Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Multi-purpose skin cream with a magical touch. | It is multi-purpose. |
| Our unique process combines six of nature’s most moisturizing and healing ingredients to create a balm unlike any other. That’s it. No additives, preservatives, fragrances, chemicals or parabens. | True. |
| Hydrates and repairs skin from head to toe. | True. |
| Use as a moisturizer, holistic acne treatment, lip balm, eye cream, after-sun moisturizer or even hair mask. | It can’t single-handedly treat acne, but it is a good moisturizer for skin, eye area, lips and even after-sun. |
Is Egyptian Magic Cream Cruelty-Free?
The company doesn’t test on animals and doesn’t outsource the process to third parties. But it does contain animal-derived products. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, look for another salve.
Price & Availability
$26.00/£30.00 at Look Fantastic and Selfridges
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you’re looking for a multitasking, natural cream for dry skin you can use from head to toe, Egyptian Cream is definitely worth a try. It’ll last you for ages, too.
Dupes & Alternatives
- Medicine Mama’s Sweet Bee Magic Healing Skin Cream (£38.02): The formula is pretty much identical to Egyptian Magic. It has the same ingredients, but in different concentrations. It’s super moisturising, but it smells more like oil than honey. Available at iHerb.
Ingredients
Olive Oil, Beeswax, Honey, Bee Pollen, Propolis, Royal Jelly.
