REVIEW| L’ORÉAL PURE CLAY GLOW MASK

 

I love a good DIY mask however when I saw that the L’Oréal Pure Clay Masks had finally hit our South African shores, I simply had to get one. These masks were some of the most 'talked about' products of 2016, so naturally when more than one beauty blogger says buy it, I oblige. I decided to get the Glow Mask and so far it's fit perfectly into my pamper routine. 

Along with the Glow Mask, L’Oréal has launched two other Pure Clay masks, namely a Detox Mask and a Purity Mask. Each mask is designed to brighten and exfoliate, detoxify and clarify, purify and mattify, respectively. I picked the brightening and exfoliating mask because I want skin that looks and feels healthy, luminous and smooth. In my skincare stash, I always aim to include products that can help clear the remnant dark spots from monthly breakouts and revive my often stressed out and lacklustre skin. 

Catching up on the latest beauty trends while the mask dries

According to L’Oréal, the magic behind the Pure Clay Glow Mask is a powerful blend of three pure clays including Kaolin, popularly used in clay masks due to its ability to absorb impurities; Montmorillonite which is said to eliminate imperfections  (I researched and yes, it’s often used to purify water of heavy metals and pollutants and is a natural disinfectant) and Ghassoul, which I recently learnt is a Moroccan lava clay that has been used religiously for centuries by Moroccan women to eliminate impurities and add luminosity to skin and hair. Red Algae is another key ingredient in the mask, its purpose being to brighten skin. In Japanese skincare, it is favoured for its ability to replenish the skin’s natural water reservoir and enhance its moisture-retention capabilities.

Fine exfoliating granules in the Glow Mask help remove dead skin and improve skin texture

What I have enjoyed the most about this mask is that although it dries quickly, it doesn’t feel stiff and uncomfortable like most clay masks and once I’ve rinsed it off, my skin feel quite moisturised and refreshed. If you have sensitive skin, the exfoliating granules might be a bit too harsh for your skin as they do feel like they give you a good scrub. Furthermore, the mask has a distinct rosewater scent which I quite enjoy but might not work out well for those whose skin reacts to fragrances. With regards to the ‘glow’ effect of the mask, I haven’t experienced anything significantly amazing – it simply moisturises your skin and doesn’t leave it looking mattified. I’ve only use the mask twice a week (for the past two weeks) and so far I’ve really enjoyed using it. It’s fairly inexpensive and feels like it doesn’t strip the skin of its natural moisture which my combination skin and I appreciate.

Glowing skin loading

The range of Pure Clay Masks retails for R149 and is available from cosmetics retailers including Clicks, Dischem, Edgars and Foschini.

Have you tried any of the other masks? Let me know how you feel about them in the comments section below.

‘Til next time,

V