Between writing hit songs like “Watermelon Sugar” and his latest “As It Was,” Harry Styles transformed himself into a beauty entrepreneur. Pleasing, the beauty brainchild of Styles is an eclectic selection of nail polishes and skincare products. So far, Pleasing has two collections: Perfect Pearl and Shroom Bloom, the most recent addition to the line. To see if Styles is as good at being a beauty boss as he is a musician, I took Shroom Bloom for a test run.
What does Harry Styles like?
Credit: Reviewed / Sara Miranda
Pleasing’s Shroom Bloom collection is designed to evoke the feeling of relaxing in a park on a spring day.
Shroom Bloom offers three products: the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum, the Hand + Nail Balm, and The Shroom Bloom Nail Polish Set, each of which has packaging designed “to evoke the feeling of lounging in a park on a spring day. ” Perhaps the most exciting part of the lineup is The Shroom Bloom Nail Polish Set, which retails for $65. This is an expensive price tag for nail polish, meaning you’re paying a premium for the name. Styles on the products, regardless of their quality. The collection includes four nail colors: “Sprouting” (mint green), “Tender Bud” (mute beige), “Vine Ripe” (apple red), and “The Whole Universe” (an iridescent, shimmery white). The nail polish quartet also comes with stickers with designs of flowers, butterflies, and mushrooms. The green shimmer shade Sprouting and the shimmery white The Whole Dewniverse are also sold separately for $20 each.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TRU_06_KOALA_11B_SHROOM_BLOOM_QUARTET_1132_D-2000-28e87d1e72ac4787b626a1c8862e6b64.jpg)
On the skincare side of the lineup, the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum, which costs $35, serves as an overnight skin treatment that contains aloe to hydrate and lock in moisture, malic acid to exfoliate, camellia extract to soothe, and salicylic acid to curb the appearance of pimples. It is housed in a 0.94-ounce cup-like bottle and has a dropper. On the flip side (pun 100% intended), the $25 Hand + Nail Balm hydrates the skin, thanks to ingredients like shea butter, snow mushroom, and apricot. This cream comes in a 1.7-ounce aluminum tube. Shop the Shroom Bloom collection at Pleasing.com
How I Tested the Shroom Bloom Collection
I first searched for the Shroom Bloom collection with its skin care products and tried the Hand + Nail Balm. To see if it met its moisturizing requirements, I rubbed a dime of the balm into my hands twice a day for a month.
Then I turned my attention to the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum, which I applied to my face once or twice a week for a month. As per the instructions, after cleansing, I placed three drops of the serum on each part of my face and massaged it for about three minutes until it was completely absorbed. I followed it up with my current go-to moisturizer, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Face Moisturizer.
Meanwhile, I ran two tests on the Shroom Bloom Polish Set: one for application and one for wear. I applied a coat of Shroom Bloom Polish in Sprouting, and I noticed how well – and how long – it wore. Now I’m ready to spread my thoughts.
Hand + Nail Balm
No matter how much moisturizing hand soaps or creams I use, my hands will always be dry. After a day – two applications – with a dime of the thick, creamy Hand + Nail Balm, my hands finally felt like they had been released from their perpetually parched condition. On the days when I didn’t rub the hand cream into my skin right after waking up, my hands felt like they could scream because they weren’t getting their daily dose of moisture. This hydrating hand treatment is the ultimate pampering my hands have been looking for all my life! I’ve used other Hand moisturizing treatments, like the Fenty Skin Hydra’Reset Intensive Recovery Glycerin Hand Mask. Still, unfortunately, the moisturizing effects disappeared after a few hours of wear, unlike The Hand + Nail Balm, which managed to make my hands feel. Soft and smooth all day long. Buy the Pleasing Hand + Nail Balm at Pleasing.com for $25
Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum
Over the years, I have noticed changes in my skin type. Once as dry as a desert, my face skin is now dry (especially around my eyes) and oily, otherwise known as combination skin. With that in mind, I was excited to try the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum, which contains moisturizing and acne-fighting ingredients like aloe and salicylic acid. I’ve included the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum as an exfoliator in my routine because it contains malic acid, an element that “exfoliates dead skin cells.”
Luckily, this skin treatment left my face feeling as smooth as marble, so it’s safe to say that this serum helped turn over dead skin cells. I continue to be impressed by its ability to gently exfoliate the skin without making it dry, like many exfoliators I’ve tried. Plus, it seemed to have eliminated a significant amount of oil production down the sides of my nose and forehead — a boon if you have a combination oily skin type. Since it is gentle on the skin, I think all skin types should try this treatment.
Its skin-soothing properties remind me of my all-time favorite, the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator, a powder-based exfoliator that also leaves skin feeling silky smooth. Unfortunately, Dermalogica’s formula carries a hefty $62 price tag, so in my opinion, you’re getting a pretty good deal with the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum for $35, as it’s comparable in function and results.
The Shroom Bloom Polish Set
Credit: Reviewed / Sara Miranda
I loved Sprouting’s mint green shade and the pack of stickers in the Shroom Bloom Polish Set.
When testing the polish, I chose Sprouting over the other colors because it was the color that most flattered my skin tone. When I decided to try brushing the gorgeous mint green shade over my nails, I was disappointed to see that the runny consistency made it difficult to apply evenly and cleanly, especially for people like me who clean their nails—Not painting often enough to have a great hold on the skill. I used the age-old trick of applying the polish in a straight line down the center of my finger with the accompanying brush, but the polish only settled halfway down the center of my nail. Am I too dramatic to say I almost shed tears over this botched nail polish? Maybe, but I didn’t want to let that get in the way of seeing how it wore.
So I decided to take the nail polish on a recent manicure appointment to have it applied by a professional. I also asked the manicurist to put two flower stickers with the Shroom Bloom Polish Set—three sticker sheets in all—on two of my nails. The results looked much better, although it took two coats and a clear top coat to get the nail polish to look tip-top.
For the first four days after the manicure, the two coats of Sprouting held up, and the Fuschia flower decals didn’t budge either. On day five, chipping followed. The tip of my right middle finger was the first victim, followed by my left index finger and left middle finger. When I get a regular manicure instead of a gel, I usually don’t see any chips after wearing it for at least a week, which is why I was sad to see it fade before a week had passed.
Is the Pleasant Shroom Bloom Collection Worth It?
Yes, but it depends on how you want to use some products.
My excitement about the Shroom Bloom Polish subsided after learning that the formula is not beginner-friendly, in addition to it starting to crumble before I wore it for a full week. At $65, I don’t think it’s worth spending that much money for a nail polish set considering the quality of it, but if you love one of the a la carte shades, I think it would be wiser to pay $20 to spend on Sprouting or The Whole Universe. I don’t think it’s a great option for those who want to do their manicure at home, but if you’re willing to spend a little extra money for a nail technician to paint them, you can take advantage of it.
That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the Hand + Nail Balm’s quality and the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum. The Hand + Nail Balm hydrated my hands as no cream has ever done, and the Acid Drops Lucid Overnight Serum gently exfoliated my face without the burning sensation that comes with many exfoliators. Overall, it’s best to invest in Shroom Bloom’s skincare offerings if either one appeals to you because of their respective prices.
Reviewed’s product experts have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Prices were correct when this article was published but may change over time.
