Facemask Fails

 

     We've all been there at one point or another, and if you haven't yet, you will soon enough. It doesn't matter what makes you buy it; whether you've lusted after it for a lifetime, bought it on a whim or been pressured into buying it following a hard sell from a sales assistant; sometimes in life we just get hold of a product that just does not work for us, causing disappointment, financial loss and sometimes even pain!

     Today's two featured facemask are unfortunately guilty of this. 

     Now, it should be pointed out here that these are my own opinions based on my own experiences. Just because they don't work for me, does not mean they will not work for you! While some may find a product disappointing, others may consider it a favourite, and therefore you should not be put off from trying it for yourself! This is simply my own experiences of the products; a warning of what can possibly happen!

     For reference, it should also be pointed out I do not suffer from sensitive skin and therefore this reactions are highly irregular for me,

     Now that the housekeeping is out of the way, lets begin!

     So, first up, we have The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask. This product is, of course, a clay face mask for combination/oily skin. This product is actually a best seller for Bodyshop; grey in colour, the Bodyshop claims this mask draws out impurities, clarifying and refreshing the skin. A 100ml tub costs £13, which is big enough to provide a number of applications.  

     I actually bought this after reading some good reviews online, and tried it the very same night I bought it. However, within a few minutes of applying the mask to my face it started to sting. I persisted, leaving it on for the required time. However, once removed, my usually pale skin was very, very red. I have actually tried to use this product since then a few times, but each time has provided the same result, forcing me to shove it firmly to the back of the bathroom cabinet!

     This is the first product i've ever had a problem with; overall I am quite a fan of the Bodyshop, and so I assume that there is just a particular ingredient in this mask that irritates my skin.

     With this in mind and still looking for a nice face mask to use, I tried a Lush best seller next. The Mask of Magnaminty is a face and body mask containing peppermint, and Lush claim that it fights spots and blackheads, returning your skin back to 'top condition'.

     I was eager to try this because I love Lush products, and as I'd heard such good things about the mask already (Check Instagram, literally everyone is talking about how good it is) I decided to take the plunge and pay £5.50 for 125g of product. 

     I assumed that the irritation from the Bodyshop mask was caused by Seaweed, as I'd never used a product containing Seaweed before and therefore assumed this product was safe. However, my reaction to this product was actually worse than the Seaweed mask. And when I say worse, I mean horrifyingly bad.

     The first time I used it I followed the instructions as recommended to me by a sales assistant; I placed the product on my face for ten minutes and waited for the magic to happen, and actually to be fair at first it did. My skin looked noticeably cleaner, especially on my nose where I have a fair few pesky blackheads constantly lurking! Happy, I then used it as a cleanser the next time I used it, as I was advised is possible. I was, again, happy.

     This is where it gets terrifying. 

     A couple of days later my skin became really sore, dry, itchy and red. These words do not do it justice; I woke up and my skin, especially near my hairline on my forehead, was bright red like suburn, so dry and itchy that my skin was literally flaking off from my face (I know, gross!). The pain was pretty unbearable. I soothed it with cream, swapping my usual moisturiser for Nivea cream and absolutely piling it onto my face, which instantly drank it in.

     The next day, the dryness had disappeared somewhat, but my skin was still very red and flaky, looking especially inflamed around my lips creating a very unwanted appearance not too dissimilar to the look of facial herpes. Don't google it, it's gross. This is the inflammation around my lips, on my chin and some of the redness on my cheeks:

   I have since had to buy a hydrocortisone cream, which acts as a mild inflammatory, as well as continue to top my skin up with rich Nivea cream, 

     I don't know if these two masks share ingredients, one of which my skin was irritated by, but reading other reviews online i'm in a small minority of people who have reacted to these products badly. Don't let it put you off, i'm just urging you to be careful; perform a patch test on the inside of your elbow by placing a small amount of product on your skin a couple of times before you apply it to your face; if your elbow skin goes red and bumpy, it will save your actual face from going red and bumpy. I just wish I knew!

     Have you tried either of these products? What are your thoughts? Share your views in the comment section below!