Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer – Test and Review
Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer
The Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer has what I would say is a mild moisturizing effect that also reduces or prevents too much bald head shine. While it did not wow me, it’s a viable option and worth trying out.
Pros
A thick liquid and not runny
The scent is very mild and will not clash with other scents used
A small amount goes a long way
It moisturized for the day and left no greasy after effect
It mattified for the first couple of hours or so
Cons
A bit pricey outside of the USA
Effects may not be ongoing and last long, so daily use may be required
Another one of my men’s grooming adventures has led to finding a moisturizer that works well for my hair-free head and, hopefully, mattifies or at least reduces shine.
The last two moisturizers I tested and reviewed were the Bee Bald Smooth Daily Moisturizer and Headblade HeadLube Matte Moisturizing Lotion. Both moisturized well enough, but the stuff from HeadBlade won out for its mattifying effect.
The next up for being massaged into my balding scalp was the Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer, which kind of looked promising.
Cut To The Chase — It was not a bad cream for moisturizing and helped reduce the dry scalp I had. However, I am not sure if the mattifying effect lasted, but it did mattify for the first couple of hours or so.
Formula 10.0.6 is a small family brand that dates back to 1933. Two sisters from the US now run the show (Hadley and Peyton Bell) with their face and body skin care business. The products are somewhat popular in the US and outside of the US.
Features and Description
The cream is primarily for facial skin, and the makers do not mention bald heads; however, if it can moisturize faces and mattify, then it’s fine to try on the scalp.
Formula 10.0.6 states it is a moisturizer that works to control oil in the skin and reduces shine. They say it is for oily skin and other skin types.
The tube is a standard toothpaste tube type with a pop-open cap. Pop it open and squirt what you need (only a little)!
Ingredients
It’s good to see the cream ticks the Cruelty, Dye, Paraben, and Sulphate Free boxes. They also mention it is vegan!
Full List- Water, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica Silylate, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Dicetyl Phosphate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, Fragrance, Boron Nitride, Bambusa Arundinacea (Bamboo) Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide. R05-15
The cream contains a lot of ingredients, as we would expect from a skincare product, and–Aloe + Bamboo seems to be the stars of the ingredients show–that Formula 10.0.6 touts.
The Aloe Leaf juice provides a moisturizing effect, among other skin benefits, and the Bamboo (Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract) is said to absorb excess oils. You’ll find humectants (i.e., Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol) in the cream, which keep the skin hydrated and moisturized, and a bunch of other ingredients that I won’t bore you with.
The only potential irritant for sensitive skin types I can see would be the fragrance, and I imagine the amount is very minimal–its scent is minimal anyway.
Talking about scent!
Scent
The cream has a mild scent, which I can only work out as a fresh and flowery fragrance. It is very minimal and won’t clash with any other scents used at all.
Using Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free
I applied the cream for about 2 – 3 weeks and used it for five days continually. I used it straight after head shaving with an electric shaver on a few occasions, after showering, and at other times randomly when it came to mind.
I only used it on the top of my head, and at this time, I had quite a lot of dryness on the scalp. I only used a very small amount on each occasion (a small blob) and massaged it into the scalp skin easily.
At first, it got rid of the shine straight away, as expected, and reduced the dryness. It was hard to see if the shine came back at all, but for the first couple of hours, it worked fine anyway, so I had no complaints.
In the photos below, you’ll see a slight reduction of shine, but there was not a lot to begin with, or the photo did not show it very well. Keep in mind, though, that most moisturizing creams, when first applied, will reduce shine.
The texture is not too runny and quite thick, unlike others, which can run out of the tube easily and be a bit messy (HeadBlade HeadLube is like that).
While it did moisturize very well, I would like to have a cream that would make that effect last in terms of the dry scalp I get. When showering the next day, the dry scalp was back, but once I applied the cream again, it went. Maybe I expect too much from a product, but I will explore finding something that has a lasting effect on the dryness.
There was definitely no oily or greasy effect from the cream.
At a guess, while my scalp is dry, I should be using something more oily or with a stronger moisturizing effect at night. So, I can’t blame this cream on that as it is for reducing an oily appearance.
Value for Money
For the wonderful balding gents in the US, they pick up a tube for around $8 (USD), which is a fair price. However, outside of the USA, a tube costs a fair bit more, and in the UK, a tube costs about £17, which is a bit pricey.
If you use it like me–just on the top of your head, then a 2.54fl oz (75 ml) is going to last weeks (maybe a couple of months) when using it most days. If you are covering a larger area like all of the head and face, then, of course, your tube is not going to last anywhere near as long.
Final Thoughts – Verdict
I liked the Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Mattifying Moisturizer. It moisturized well enough for most of the day, and it did reduce shine for the first few hours.
There was nothing that wowed me to think this stuff was great, smelled wonderful, or anything like that, but then again, it was useful and helped the skin on my balding head.
If you have a very dry scalp, as I had while testing this cream, then you might find another type of cream that would serve you better.
If mattifying is your primary aim and you are not concerned about moisturized skin or anything else, then this cannot beat Zero Shine By DermiMatch I used–and nothing else has beat it so far.
While it’s a good choice based on price in the USA, it is a bit costly outside in other countries, which is a shame.
