An artsy-fartsy photo of the product:
According to its page on the Kiehl’s site, this stuff:
- Helps eliminate surface impurities and toxins from the skin
- After use, complexion appears fresher and more refined, with visibly minimized pores
- Contains Amazonian White Clay, Oatmeal, and Aloe Vera
By “Amazonian,” Kiehl’s means that the clay is from “the Marajó Island at the mouth of the Amazon River,” and not anything to do with female warriors, I think. Apparently this product also contains bentonite, a “colloidal aluminum silicate clay” that is “found in Canada and the Midwest.” Who knew a face mask could be so international? Let’s take a closer look:
The consistency is similar to really buttery frosting or ganache — substantial stuff that’ll stick immediately to your face so you can put it on and still walk around without dripping on things. This might be significant if you’re into multitasking. The smell is rather unremarkable – mineral-y and a little like wet concrete — so if you’re looking for an aromatherapeutic mask, keep looking. Okay, enough of the chitchat, let’s do this.
A thumb-sized blob was enough to cover my whole face, and there was a stinging sensation that [thankfully] faded into a pleasant tingle. I have sensitive skin, so maybe other users won’t feel it as strongly. Twenty minutes later, the tingle’s gone and it’s difficult to smile. Time to rinse.
After washing off the last bit of gray and patting my face dry, I thought that some of my T-zone pores were less visible, my skin tone was somewhat evened out, and that my skin had a nice matte finish. This certainly isn’t as effective as getting an actual facial, but it works well enough to keep your skin in good condition and is ideal for a lazy girl like me. Also, I used this mask for most of winter (average February high: 36F/2.3C), and it didn’t make my skin flaky! I had tried an Olay clay mask before, but stopped because it took like two days for my face to recover from the dryness. This is very important when you’re already battling low humidity at home and work and dealing with a nose that’s irritated by constant tissue usage. Anyway –
Pros: less visible pores, did not make skin flaky
Cons: sort of painful tingling, definitely not the cheapest clay mask on the market
Verdict: I’d buy it again — it did what I wanted it to do without causing long-term adverse reactions.
in reply to morgy85 #
