Is Volition Beauty worth the hype?

I love a breakthrough beauty concept. So when I learned Volition Beauty offered crowdsourced products, I knew I had to try some.

Instead of creating products on its own accord, Volition Beauty sources ideas from its online community. Once a product idea garners enough votes, it’s created in the lab and sold through the company’s website — with a growing selection available at Sephora.

Its products scored Sephora’s Clean seal of approval and contain ingredients derived from strawberries, snow mushroom and celery. How could I not be intrigued?

I tried the Strawberry-C Brightening Serum and Illuminating Body Milk.

First impressions

Right away, I was impressed by the heavy-weight glass containers. Not only do they look beautiful on any bathroom vanity, they’re reusable — unlike much of the beauty industry’s single-use plastic packaging.

I was struck by how fresh the serum smelled and felt on my skin — true to the product’s marketing, it felt almost as if I rubbed juice from actual strawberries on my skin. I applied it at night, and the next morning my skin looked calmer and clearer without any dryness or irritation.

The serum’s ingredients list also caught my attention right away. I love that it contains sea water, since swimming in the ocean always calms my skin. And it does, in fact, contain extracts from fresh strawberries, as well as cucumber water and Kakadu plum.

Complete ingredients list

As for the body milk, I was surprised to find a chunky, pudding-like texture in the jar but pleased when it glided onto my skin. It’s unscented and feels luxurious and hydrating.

At first it’s a pearlescent shade that blends into a gilded pink. It’s definitely pinker than it appears on the brand’s product page.

After the honeymoon period

I’ve used the Strawberry-C Brightening Serum two to three nights per week for about three months, and it’s kept my skin clear. It didn’t noticeably fade hyperpigmentation I have on my cheeks, but overall my skin looks smoother and clearer than it usually does after a muggy summer.

The Illuminating Body Milk may not be an everyday body lotion — it definitely has a bit of a holographic finish — but it’s great for strobing down the center of your legs, décolletage and tops of your shoulders. It also made my skin feel really soft and smooth.

I don’t recommend it for olive skin tones and deeper, though. The pale, frosted finish seems best-suited for fair-to-light, cool-to-neutral skin tones.

The verdict

I’d definitely recommend giving this brand a try, based on the two products I reviewed. The quality ingredients, packaging and innovative products are definitely worth a look. And if you’re in the market for a new serum or lotion, these two are top picks in my book.

Volition Beauty frequently asked questions

• What products can I buy from Volition Beauty at Sephora?

  Sephora currently sells a limited selection of Volition Beauty products, including the Strawberry-C Brightening Serum, Snow Mushroom Water Serum and Celery Green Cream with Hyaluronic Acid + Peptides, among others.

• How do I submit a product idea to Volition Beauty?

  Go to Volition Beauty’s website, hover over About us and click Submit an idea. You can also vote on others’ ideas by selecting Vote.

• Is Volition Beauty cruelty-free?

  Yes! All Volition Beauty products are cruelty-free, and many are vegan.

  They’re also formulated without sulfates, parabens and synthetic fragrance.