Everyone knows Swisse for their vitamin range. "Tired? Stressed? You'll feel better on Swisse!" Personally I am a big fan of their Zinc+ which really helps to keep my skin clear when I commit to taking it regularly and has really helped to keep colds at bay so far as the weather starts becoming colder (touch wood!). In terms of their relatively new skincare range though, this charcoal mask is only the second external care product I have tried from them - the first being a deluxe sample of their hydrating toner which I really enjoyed. I picked this one up at the Priceline 40% off skincare sale for an absolute bargain as it has been a while since I've used anything but hydrating masks on my skin.
The Manuka Honey Detoxifying Facial Mask is a naturally absorbent mask that promises to purify and detoxify the skin leaving it feeling smooth and hydrated.
The mask comes packaged in a squat little amber jar and is pale blue-grey in colour (I love the colour of it!), drying down to a whitish grey. The texture is typical gluggy clay and is a little grainy to the touch. It smells a bit medicinal to me (the boy "quite likes it") and not like honey as I was mistakenly hoping! It is really easy to apply and smooth over your face, with no real roughness or exfoliating properties.
I apply this all over my face after cleansing and leave on for 10 minutes as recommended. No longer otherwise the mask really dries down and tightens on the skin. For someone with dry skin like me, this is taking it too far and leaves the skin feeling badly dehydrated. During the drying down process, the mask really sinks into your pores which makes for interesting viewing in the mirror! I find it relatively easy to remove with a warm damp flannel by rehydrating the mask and then gently wiping off.
Immediately after removing the mask, I find my skin does look brighter and plumper. Any breakouts are brought to the surface and in particular the first time I used the mask, two yucky little bumps on my chin came to a head after the mask. I make sure to rehydrate with a serum or oil and a moisturiser after use because clay really has a drying effect on the skin and I certainly disagree with Swisse's claims that this mask will leave your skin feeling hydrated. Uh, nope! I have been using this about once a week since purchasing and, whilst it has not performed any miracles, it feels great to apply when you're having a bad skin day to help clear up breakouts a bit faster.
The base of the mask is actually aloe vera gel rather than water, which is probably a good thing given that the mask contains two types of clay, kaolin and white, as well as tapioca starch and charcoal powder as absorbents to help clear oily skin. Glycerin is included to bring some hydration back into the formula. There are plenty of antioxidants in this mask: oat bran extract, manuka honey, and seaweed extract are the main three. Salicylic acid, citric acid and eucalyptus oil are included to aid in clearing the skin. Basalm of Peru oil is included as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, as well as adding a fragrance factor. Xanthan gum and Irish moss are in the formula to help thicken the mask. Dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol are included as preservatives.
Not being a huge clay mask fan, I was happy to see that this one helped with purging my skin of some yuckiness and I am glad to make the effort to use it every once in a while. Hydrating masks are still my one true love though.
Price: $17.99 (Priceline) [$0.26/g]
Rate: texture, efficacy on breakouts
Hate: scent, messy, drying if left for too long (though I haven't met a clay mask that isn't!)
Verdict: probably not a repurchase for me, just because I hardly use clay masks so I'd like to try something new if/when I ever run out of this one
Have you tried this clay mask from Swisse? Are there any masks you would recommend I try next?
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