Mask off!

With so many masks on the market and the constant barrage of Instagram videos showcasing the peeling of these masks with the famous key word #charcoalmask I couldn’t help but try something for my skin. With the stress of work and everyday life my skin was looking slightly dull (probably because I was in dire need of a relaxing holiday). I’d also noticed that my skin was breaking out more than usual probably due to stress and diet but as all women do I rushed straight to the skin care aisle to try and find a quick solution!

Activated Charcoal was the latest craze to take over the beauty industry, it is known to draw out dirt and other micro-particles to the surface of skin and this in turn will help you to fight acne and achieve a flawless complexion! Obviously I was sold, however I wanted a mask that wouldn’t pull at my skin, don’t forget your skin on your face is very sensitive and the last thing you want to do is apply a mask which you have to peel off- would you apply duck tape all over your face and pull- I think NOT!!

L’Oréal had just bought out their range of pure clay masks, one mask that had caught my eye was the detox mask. It contained three ingredients:

Kaolin - A highly effective natural clay, known to absorb impurities and excess sebum.

Montmorillonite - Rich in minerals, a clay recognised for helping to eliminate imperfections.

Ghassoul - A pure clay highly concentrated in minerals renowned to help clarify complexion

The first time I used this mask was after a weekend trip to Paris. All the excessive Vino and Paris pollution had not helped my skin at all so I decided to use this on my return to help clear my skin. It went on beautifully- the mask has a lovely cooling effect on the skin and I applied an even layer all over my face avoiding not to get too close to the eyes.

You could see it hardening after a few minutes as the colour started turning a pale grey and it felt very tight on the skin, You could also see small beads forming around particular porous areas such as the nose which I assumed were impurities being drawn out the skin so yes I was impressed. Once everything had dried and tightened on my face I then removed the mask with a flannel and warm water. Removing the mask was an easy process and my skin felt super soft afterwards.

However, the next morning is when I saw the purge literally take over my skin. Small pimples were visible around my forehead and painful spots under my skin on my cheeks. Obviously I went straight into panic mode and spent the next week battling the pimples and as I saw it full blown acne that had appeared on my cheeks. I convinced myself that this was a good thing and all of the impurities had been bought to the surface. My skin had settled things were clear and a month later I used the mask again. The same thing happened, my skin purged and I battled for the next few weeks to try and get things to settle. I’ve never had a breakout such as this before. I haven’t used the mask since and I don’t think I ever will again.

I know it’s difficult to find a detox mask that won’t purge your skin but I spent more time battling with the pimples and painful under skin spots than actually enjoying the so called benefits of a clearer complexion of this mask. Sorry L’Oréal but I don’t recommend this mask- I wanted to love it but my skin literally rejected it!