Review: Elemental Herbology Facial Detox Mask

A girl can never have too many detox masks - that is, unless they don't work, and having tried out a great many myself I was beginning to get a little bit disheartened. There have been a couple that have seemed to do the job pretty well at first, but sadly they have later decreased quite considerably in effectiveness, and then there are others which just don't seem to make much of a difference at all.

Enter, the Elemental Herbology Facial Detox Purifying Facial Mask.

I was lucky enough to receive the Elemental Herbology Weekend Facial kit for my birthday, which consists of three 30ml travel-size masks: The Facial Detox, Facial Glow Radiance Peel and Biodynamic Facial Souffle - all of which I will be chatting to you about in due course.

As I'm sure you all know by now, I have quite problematic skin at the moment, and it's something that has been going on for the past few months, so needless to say, I was thrilled at the prospect of having another weapon against breakouts and blemishes.

The Facial Detox is a clay-based anti-bacterial mask which aims to reduce excess sebum and decongest the pores, giving the skin a really deep-down cleanse. It's recommended for oily or congested skin, and personally this only really applies to my t-zone, so I have been using it on that area alone and giving my cheeks the swerve.

Mineral rich organic Amazonian clay is responsible for helping eliminate toxins from the skin, while essential oils of eucalyptus, cedarwood, lavender and rosemary help to balance the production of sebum. Add to that some oat flour and allantoin to gently exfoliate and resolve congestion, and you are pretty much good to go. As an added bonus, this mask is also packed with Manuka honey, aloe and calendula to soothe the skin, meaning that your skin will never feel stripped or dry after use. And it doesn't stop there, with secret weapons kombuchka to visibly reduce pigmentation (something we could all do with after a nasty breakout) and anti-oxidant rich fig extract and malachite to help protect against pollution and environmental extremes. Phew, this certainly is one multi-tasking little marvel.

I apply this to my t-zone in the evenings as often as required, which at the moment is about 2-3 times a week, and leave it to dry for roughly fifteen minutes (it has a pleasant herbal scent, which I personally quite enjoy). I then remove it with a warm, damp muslin cloth or flannel, and continue on with the rest of my skincare routine. If I have a particularly angry breakout on the go then I will apply this directly onto the offending blemishes and leave it on over night, and I really do find that this works wonders in terms of reducing redness and shrinking them in size. Generally, using this mask on a regular basis really helps to keep things under control, and minimise the longevity and severity of breakouts. I definitely find that I break out more often when I get lazy and don't bother using this mask as I think my skin is ok, which is proof that it really does make a difference.

New favourite clarifying mask? I think so! I've been rationing this one out, but I am definitely going to be caving in and purchasing the full-size 75ml tube, which is available from Feel Unique for a slightly pricey £28. It's certainly not the cheapest I've tried, but then I do think it's worth paying a little bit more for something that really works than settling for a more affordable option which just...well, doesn't.

(If you fancy picking up the afore-mentioned Weekend Facial set then that one comes in at £30, and is pretty good value if you fancy dipping your toe in, as you get to try three of their products which individually are a lot more costly.)

The Facial Detox mask has fast become a secret weapon I can't live without, so whether you're suffering from annoying breakouts or just a bit of excess oil then this one is for you.

Have you tried anything from Elemental Herbology?

If so, what is your favourite product?

xx

Nourifusion Multivitamin Clarifying Mask: Review

Just a quick review for you today.

I've been using the Nourifusion Multivitamin Clarifying Mask with vitamins A,C and E for a good couple of months now, so I thought that it was about time I shared it with you.

This is a clay-based mask, with a thick, pastey consistency. It's green in colour, and has an almost menthol, medicinal scent which I find to be really quite refreshing. 

I've been using this product as part of my weekly pampering sessions. It goes onto the face in a thick layer, and is left to dry for 15-20 minutes before being removed. I usually take it off with a muslin cloth as I find that this is more thorough and ensures that no residue is left on the face.

When I apply the mask, I do on occasion notice a gentle stinging sensation, but it has never irritated my skin and doesn't feel at all uncomfortable. For me, it's just a sign that the mask is doing it's job and is probably due to it's astringent properties.

One thing I have noticed with this mask is that if I have a spot brewing, the day after use it has come out in full force. At first, I saw this as a bad thing as I thought that the mask was upsetting the balance of my skin and causing blemishes to appear, but after a few more tries, I realised that it was just ridding my skin of the impurities that were already there. It's a shame that, as with all clay masks, you've got to suffer a day or two with a couple of spots, but in my opinion they are much better out than in - no one likes the threat of an impending spot on the brink of a special occasion.

This mask not only claims to remove impurities, but also to absorb any excess oil produced by the skin. While my face does feel lovely and clean and soft after use, I can't say that I have noticed much of a difference with regards to the oil. 

In terms of pores, I don't really have any open ones, but I do have some awful blocked pores on my nose. I say awful, but they are probably not all that noticeable to anyone else. I know they are there though, and I have struggled to rid myself of them for years now, so I was a little disappointed to find that this mask wasn't able to make much a difference there.

The mask comes in a big 125g tube, so it does last you quite a long time despite having to use a thick layer on each application. 

All in all, I'd say that this is quite a nice mask to include as part of a weekend pampering session. It feels pleasant on the skin and is enjoyable to use, but I certainly wouldn't brand it a miracle mask.

If you would like to get your hands on it then head on over to the Herbalife website now. Although you can browse through a catalog of their products on there, you can't buy them directly through the site. However, you can leave a message and a representative will contact you  pretty speedily to sort you out with your products.

If you would like any further info on this then please let me know in the comments below - I've kept this one fairly short and sweet because I've been suffering a fair bit from anxiety symptoms over the past few days, and it's making it really difficult to get anything done - or at least to give it my full concentration.  If anyone has got any recommendations on that score then please feel free to share those too.

Do you use face masks as part of your skincare routine? What's your favourite?

xx

Mini Skincare Haul: Herbalife/Nourifusion

Just a quick post to show you the new Skincare bits I've picked up this week. I will be writing full reviews of them in due course, but for now just a sneak peek for you.

I have been looking for a good new anti-aging day cream, as well as a night one. I am not exactly drawing my pension just yet, but as they say, prevention is better than cure, and I am starting to worry that I really should have started this a bit earlier! Anyway, I decided to try out the Skin Activator from Herbalife, which is a brand I have never tried skincare from before, but have read great reviews about. The Skin Activator is a daily replenishing cream, so since I got it, I have been applying it in the mornings before my makeup.

The second thing I purchased was, surprise surprise, a face mask. Most  of you will have noticed that I have been going a bit mad for facemasks recently, and I have been trying out countless homemade versions over the past few weeks. But what I really wanted was a clay mask, as my T-zone has become a little bit oily and I've suddenly started getting the odd blemish. In the end, I decided to go for the Nourifusion Multivitamin Clarifying Mask, which contains orange and eucalyptus oil and witch hazel. It claims to deep-cleanse the pores, removing impurities and excess oil, which sounded like just what I need. I have already used this mask once, but I want to try it out a few more times before I spill the beans and share my thoughts.

Have you bought any new skincare products recently?

xx

Desire of the Day #6: Laura Mercier Deep Cleansing Clay Mask

Have you noticed that I have become a little bit obsessed with facemasks lately? Well, I have. I have been going a bit mad of a weekend, throwing together DIY mixtures and slathering them onto my face, and all to no avail. I think what I really need it this Deep Cleansing Clay Mask, by Laura Mercier, as I always find clay masks to be a lovely treat when my skin is really in need of some extra care and attention. As I have mentioned, my t-zone seems to be a little bit oily at the moment, which is unusual for me, and my forehead is not happy at all, and clay masks are great for drawing out impurities. The only downside, in my experience, is that they tend to 'draw them out' onto the skin's surface, as I often end up with a couple of spots after using one, before they disappear and give way to lovely smooth, clear skin. I think this is one for a quiet weekend when I am happy to hide away at home!

Do you use a facemask? Which one is your favourite?

xx

Weekend Wishlist

So, I hope you can forgive me for not providing the direct links and the prices for this week's Wishlist. The reason for this is that my internet is playing up yet AGAIN, but I won't go into the boring details too much as you've heard it all before. All I will say is that I have extremely limited connectivity that keeps cutting out, making it very difficult to put together a  post for you at all. To make things easier, I have chosen all of this week's must haves from Topshop, so if you head over to the new in section then you should be able to find all of these lovely bits, bar the Ren face masks, which you can track down over at Ren's own site, here.

I'm finding that my Wishlists have become a bit of a mad mix over the past week or two, as while I am still busy lusting after pretty Summer pieces, the Autumn/Winter trends currently hitting the shops combined with the rubbish weather have got me also eyeing up some cosy jumpers and printed jeans to snuggle up in. I love these dusky pink heart-print jeans, and think they would look great now with white basics and sandals, continuing on into the Autumn and Winter with cosy knits and boots. Speaking of cosy knits, I'm a little bit in love with this lovely pony-print jumper. It does actually look quite thin though, again making it a versatile piece  suitable for year-round wear.

Topshop have got some gorgeous new nail polishes in at the moment, including this Crackle Topcoat in Black Dynamite, and the beautiful lilac/purple glitter polish in 'Firework'. But my favourite find of the week is, without a doubt, these gorgeous studded leopard-print shoe-boots. You can't actually see the stud detail very well in the picture, but if you look closely then you will see them decorating the toe area. I love a good statement boot, and live for them in the Winter when clothes tend to be from a darker colour palette, as they can be a fantastic way to brighten things up a bit and add interest to an otherwise basic outfit.

I am absolutely itching to try both of these Ren facemasks, as lately I have been really enjoying having a bit of pamper time, but as I mentioned in this month's Beauty SOS, I am yet to find the perfect product for my skin. Really, I am looking for both a clay mask to combat any oiliness and clear up blemishes (I don't get many, but my skin has been misbehaving a little bit recently) and a lovely, luxuriously moisturising one just for a treat. I have been hearing whispers about Ren's masks for a while now, and one of you recommended I try the Invisible Pores Detox Mask, but while having a browse on their website, the Glycolactic Radiance Mask also caught my eye. So there you go, call me greedy but I want them both!

I just would like to say in advance that I don't think I'll be doing a 'Week in Pictures' post this Sunday, as it takes a bit of work to edit and put the photographs together, and obviously with my current internet woes this would prove quite difficult. Instead, I'll be posting a couple of other things I had already prepared for other days, and then maybe next week when I have got things sorted I will be able to get the missing post up. You will still be hearing from me on a daily basis though, as luckily I have been very organised this week and written lots of posts in advance, so I will be able to just publish those from my phone.

Hope you've had a great week and are enjoying a weekend of relaxation and release.

Have you been watching the Olympics?

What's on your Wishlist this week?

xx