Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s empire continues to grow. Adding to his multitude of lifestyle brands, Rocky recently made his foray into skincare with the release of Papatui. The brand pays homage to Johnson’s grandfather, Papa Tui, who instilled the “power of personal presentation” in the iconic entertainer, per Men’s Health.
We’ve dedicated two weeks to using Papatui face care to see if the brand is worth it. VIBE will examine the face cleanser, toner, eye cream, and moisturizer to determine how practical the products are, how they feel and smell, and, of course, what they do to the skin. All of that will be considered in my rating of 1-10.
My Skin Was Dry
The first product on the docket is the unscented Papatui Hydrating Facial Cleanser. It is a clear gel-like substance. Two to three pumps were enough to clean my face properly.
Upon first use, the product dried out my sensitive skin and made my cheeks and T-zone tingle. Interestingly, Papatui claims that “98% of Men tested said the formula was gentle yet effective and left their skin feeling clean.” My face did feel clean. However, I appeared noticeably flushed after the first wash in the mentioned areas.
Irritation intensified
Cracking open the witch hazel-based Papatui Rejuvenating Facial Toner, I was met with natural, earthy notes. I applied three drops to a cotton swab to distribute evenly across my face. Toners work to tighten pores, restore the skin’s pH balance, and conduct a minor exfoliation, FYI for the guys who don’t know. The product’s official descriptor claimed that the toner was supposed to “enhance skin & improve areas of dry, flaky skin.” But, I found that it only exasperated my already irritated cheek and t-zone area. In fact, the toner made my skin ever drier. It also stung a bit when applied to said areas. The toner did do a great job of picking up leftover dirt that the cleanser left behind, collecting grime on the cotton swab. Still, my skin was thiiiiiirsty for moisturizer. Which brings us to the next portion.
Finally, Soft Skin. Sort Of.
The moisturizer was easily the best part of my skincare routine thus far. There was no residue or greasiness. After using the Papatui Restoring Facial Moisturizer, my skin was almost refreshed. Almost. My skin looked flushed.
I have very sensitive skin, so I usually prefer something heavier to retain the moisture. I was surprised at how much I loved this product’s featherweight texture and weight. The cream-based moisturizer’s lightness makes it a perfect candidate for the spring and summer. However, the creamy product did fail to keep my face refreshed and moisturized on the days that NYC’s weather leaned on the colder side. My susceptible-skin folks may want to look elsewhere for a moisturizer in the winter and fall months because this probably won’t do. I mean, look at the side-by-side comparison.
Undereye: Surprise MVP
Honestly, the real MVP of the routine was the brand’s Awakening Eye Gel. The 0.5 fl oz of glory worked like wonders underneath my eyes — packed with hyaluronic acid, ectoin, and caffeine. The eye gel rehabilitates the skin’s moisture barrier, balancing out its natural water levels to achieve more hydrated, smoother, and firmer skin. Immediately upon application, I felt a minty freshness that screamed, “Bro, wake the hell up!” Perfect for those days that you feel that nagging puffiness under and around your eyes. The roll-on balm also made my eyes look slightly brighter, balancing out my tone.
2 Week Analysis
After two weeks of using the Papatui routine, my cheeks have remained dry. A bummer. The toner has continued to give my skin a difficult time. Flakiness and slight discoloration have appeared on my cheeks, with a slight red hue. I almost quit using the toner on my skin because of how harsh it made my skin feel. It was pretty bad. The moisturizer has been a tad inconsistent due to the sudden change in weather in New York City. I noticed my skin looking a bit grey and devoid of that healthy glow I get from Fenty. But still, it holds up okay.
Lastly, the eye gel continued to do its job. I haven’t noticed drastic changes in vanquishing my dark circles, but it works wonders to provide you with a gentle wake-up boost consistently around the eyes. Papatui could be better, but it’s not up to par with what I’m used to. The products were too harsh for my skin and too inconsistent. That said, I’ll give these products as a routine a 6/10.