Hello!
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| "so your skin appears fresh and glowing." |
Face masks are a beautiful thing. Not only do they make you feel super pampered (whether done at home or in a super fancy spa), but they also do wonders for your skin - if you find the right one, that is. There's the issue: which one is the right one?
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| "by buying a tube of the good stuff, you get a bang for your buck!" |
I put to the test two different types of face masks, the clay vs the charcoal.
Clay masks are usually a green/grey colour (see here) whereas charcoal was deep grey/black (see below).
Both clay and charcoal masks are usually described as 'pore cleaning' when really what both do is gently exfoliate, hence removing dead skin cells so your skin appears fresh and glowing. They both also are usually described for blemish prone, oily skin.
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| "Both 'draw out impurities', gently exfoliate and are great for acne-prone, oily/combination skin" |
Activated charcoal has been treated with oxygen and is compared to a magnet which draws out toxins and impurities(1). I did find a little goes a long way, and only a thin layer is required - so by buying a tube of the good stuff, you get a bang for your buck!
I was less scared trying out the activated charcoal mask than I was trying out a peel-off mask (see here). These types of rub-off-yourself masks are my preferred choice. I found my skin was not left irritated, I got a good old manual exfoliation by using a muslin cloth to remove the mask, as well as the gentle exfoliation of the mask itself. My skin was slightly more dry than usual but not in a tight, uncomfortable way.
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| "handy-dandy cloths to use when taking of the mask and extra exfoliation for the body" |
The activated charcoal mask I used was by Exposed (link here) whom have an array of acne-fighting products (including a body wash, face scrub, and handy-dandy cloths to use when taking of the mask and extra exfoliation for the body).
I'd say the clay mask does practically the same thing as the activated charcoal mask. Both 'draw out impurities', gently exfoliate and are great for acne-prone, oily/combination skin.
The only reason I'd say the Good Things Clay Mask (link here) is the winner in my eyes, is because I feel my skin personally has that slight more glow after I've used it, and the scent is incredible. If you prefer a fragrance-free version, I'd totally say the charcoal mask is a great substitute for almost the same result.
Tell me, do you have a preference in type of face mask? What are your favourites?
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