Face masks really are the only skincare products that claim to produce instant noticeable effects and I think this is why they have blown up so much over recent years as the emphasis on skincare has increased tenfold over the last decade. Clay masks are nothing new, but generally clay masks are marketed as being detoxifying or purifying. L’Oreal have created 3 face masks for 3 different results, each using a blend of three clays. The Glow Mask (£8) is the one that caught my eye, as the other two masks – Detox Mask and Purity Mask – have been done before, whereas a radiance, glow-inducing clay mask is completely new to me.
What struck me the most was the unusual hue of the mask, it looks like crushed brick which is certainly unique. You get 50ml of product in a nice weighty glass jar, at least it feels like glass, I don’t care for the packaging much. It looks great, but it can make application messy and unhygienic if you use your fingers to scoop out the product. You can use a plastic spatula or even a foundation brush and paint it onto clean skin but I use my fingers so a tube would be better suited to me. There is a seal separating the product from the lid so that goes some way to minimise the bacteria contaminating the product.
Onto the mask itself, the “powerful three clays” are: Kaolin which absorbs impurities and excess sebum; Montmorillonite which helps eliminate imperfections and Ghassoul more commonly known as Rhassoul (so I don’t know why L’Oreal have chosen to call it Ghassoul, maybe to make it look like it is completely new?) which helps clarify the complexion because it is a clay rich in minerals. A few years ago I actually underwent a Mud Rhassoul full body treatment, I remember my complexion was terrible at the time as a result of exams, stress and poor choices, but the treatment was an ultimate pick me up. I was flabbergasted at how better, clearer and brighter my skin looked after the intensive treatment. Read about the experience here.
To Use: Simply apply the mask with your preferred tool (for me it’s my fingers) onto dry, cleansed skin. I applied an even layer all over my face and neck, avoiding my eyes but dabbing a little on my lips. Can’t hurt. I left it on much longer than the recommended 10-15 minutes. I don’t have very sensitive skin so this mask didn’t bother me at all, it tingled slightly at first but that disappeared quickly. There is a scent to it but for me it was very faint and not lingering. In total, it must have remained on my face for about 40 minutes before I washed it off. If you have sensitive skin I wouldn’t recommend wearing it for that long of a period. The most alarming characteristic is how it looks on the skin, every time I looked in the mirror I thought I had been badly burned without realising.
Once you have left the mask to sit for however long you choose, rinse off with warm water. The mask doesn’t dry down on the skin and you can visibly see the slightly gritty texture which when you rinse it off works to exfoliate the skin. After removing it my skin felt palpably softer, smoother and overall looked healthier. I wouldn’t say it was glowing but perhaps if I did use it multiple times a week as suggested I would have glowing seraphic skin. I did apply this mask shortly after waking up so the effect of the mask might have been more significant for me. I do like that it isn’t drying as it meant that I could drink tea, talk and eat without worrying about ‘cracking’ the mask. The jar it comes in is meant for 10 uses only, so if you did use the mask 3 times a week as implied you would whiz through this fast. I would recommend buying in bulk if you think this mask is for you. Most stores, Superdrug and Boots for instance, more often than not have an offer on like 3 for 2 so that would be an ideal opportunity to snap up as many of these as you can. I see myself repurchasing for sure. I wish it was bigger so one jar would last months rather than weeks but very decent for the price.
Thank you so much for reading. I am back to blogging properly now, apologies for the flaky behaviour the last few days. My cousin got married so we were in Sunderland over the weekend, but not it is back to normal. Posts every other day, as always follow me on Bloglovin’, all my links are below. My SnapChat is alittlekiran if you’re interested, I don’t post too much but would love to connect with you guys, Take care.
What face masks do you love or want to try?