Happy Easter all! I hope everyone has had a fantastic long weekend and got to nibble on a little bit of yummy chocolate today.
Origins is a brand I have only recently familiarised myself with, and I have to say I am quite pleased with their brand ethos, which includes formulations without parabens, pthlalates, mineral oil and other nasties, as well as positive commitment to the environment. It has been a very long time since I have used any kind of clay mask, so I was very excited about this product!
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Price: $34, available from Mecca Cosmetica.
Product Plus: Activated charcoal draws out impurities while Lecithin dissolves them.
Application: Create a smooth even layer over face and leave until dry to wash off. (Approximately 20 minutes).
Fragrance: Quite a light fragrance; a really light charcoal scent which is not overpowering.
Thoughts: I wouldn’t use for particularly dry or sensitive skins, and wouldn’t overuse in winter for normal skins. The mask is a creamy, thick consistency that is easily spreadable into an even covering and doesn’t drip. Once applied the fragrance is pleasant and not too strong as it does take a good 20 minutes to dry properly. You want to see cracking! It felt very calming while on. White China Clay is soothing as well as ideal for drawing out impurities and assisting with oil control. Active Charcoal is on board with this also, and is reputed to clean skin deeply with added benefits for acne.
It was a bit of a pain to wash off the whole face and after this my skin felt rather raw from having to wash for so long (like, a good 5 minutes!). Once off though, the skin looks firmer, tighter and refined. I had a little redness where I had to really give it a good scrub to get it off but overall a really clarified and even tone was left. The problem for me was that this caused quite a breakout in my skin a couple of days after use. It was to be expected, but it is something for those prone to breakouts to be aware of.
Conclusion: I have mostly used it at a time where I had a few breakouts anyway, but many of these times it drew many more breakouts to the surface. Clear Improvement Mask is a really good way to cleanse your skin particularly if it is oily and I really did enjoy the soothing effect it had the day after use. For skin that can handle it, a weekly use could have amazing clarifying effects. You could pop on an overnight hydrating mask afterwards if you find clay masks too drying for your skin type, or even just restrict use to the t-zone to help clear out those pores if you have problems with blackheads. I think I will be using this every couple of weeks to really give my skin a great cleanse, so luckily this mask has a 24 month expiry period!
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Disclosure: Origins are a brand owned by the Estée Lauder Companies, so while Origins as a brand is cruelty free, their parent company tests on animals when required by law (ie. to sell in China). I purchased this product myself.
Another Origins product, the No Puffery Cooling Mask For Puffy Eyes, has now been added to my wishlist! Spending so much time studying and in front of a computer always leaves my eyes puffy and tired. Looking forward to trying this one soon!
What Origins products have you tried?
beauty ratatouille 