Skincare update + Clear Improvement Mask review

While I was away my skin started acting a little confused, so I'm pretty much over my tinted moisturiser phase. It got spotty and yet drier than usual. I washed my face with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser twice per day and ended up using Bobbi Brown Eye Cream on my cheeks and occasionally on my face as my normal moisturiser (Clinique Superdefense) started to go funny about three days after I left home. I also used Clarins Wrinkle Control Sun Cream SPF30 if I was spending more than a few hours in the sun. My sister, who is very sensitive when it comes to body sun creams, got on really well with the Clarins cream. Although my body is fine with sun cream, my face tends to get greasy whatever SPF I put on it (I used Lancome Genifique Face SPF30 while on holiday earlier this summer and didn't really get along with that) even though I didn't really sweat a great deal while in Europe.

I wished I'd brought my Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask with me for a bit of grease relief. On my previous holiday I used it a couple of times to even out my skin's texture as it had started to go slightly bumpy.

When I came home I went to my local Origins counter - while it's going to be a challenge to break up with chemical-laden makeup, I am making a vague attempt to go more natural with my skin and hair care - to get me a new moisturiser and something to sort out my problem patches. I came away with (as I said in my previous quick post) the super-lightweight Balanced Diet Moisturiser, £24, and much praised Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask, £22. 

I used the mask last night on my problem areas and saw some improvement immediately after I removed it. I had about 6 spots each on my forehead and chin and a couple on my nose, along with the classic redness. After the mask the redness had almost completely gone, and this morning half the spots have completely dried up. Fantastic stuff. The Origins lady recommended using it twice per week, which I'll probably do until my skin calms down, when I'll start to use it once a week. So far, so good with Balanced Diet as well. Considering trying an Origins cleanser when my beloved Ultra Facial runs out, but I'm not sure I can bear to part ways with Kiehls.

Initial thoughts: Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask

This is an inexpensive clay style mask with the benefits of avocado, goji berry, green clay, kaolin and willow bark. It claims to make skin "clearer, brighter and smoother, all at the same time". It can be bought from Boots for £5.99 - it's currently on 3 for 2 with loads of other skincare, body products, vitamins and more so now's the time to snap it up if you want to try it for yourself. I completed the 3 for 2 deal with Effaclar Duo by La Roche-Posay and Witch Blemish Stick. I actually bought two blemish sticks by mistake, so I hope they work out for me.

It's a pretty good size tube (100ml, I imagine this will last about 10-12 uses) and a sweet and slightly fruity scent that is familiar but I can't quite place. Thick and opaque, obviously, being a clay mask. It says to apply in a thin layer, but I ended up putting on quite a lot as it was difficult to smooth out evenly without any skin showing through. I left it on for 5 minutes as per the instructions but was aware of a slight stinging after about 3-4. The mask does harden, but not so much that you can't move your face or anything, as I hear some clay masks do. Funnily enough, I decided against posting a photo of the mask in action.

When I began to wash it off the skin underneath was bright pink - my first thought obviously was that I was having a horrendous reaction to the mask, which would be a first to me, as despite my dry cheeks/oily T zone and tendency to get very dehydrated, I've never discovered any ingredient sensitivities. However, the redness quickly went away. Since spotting a little slight sunburn on my chest, I've chalked the redness and stinging up to my sunbathing earlier*.

I wouldn't say my skin was noticeably brighter, but it didn't feel tight or dehydrated and I do think it reduced some of the blackheads on my nose and chin. Just to be sure, I reapplied the mask to those two areas - where I am worst affected by blocked pores - and noticed no improvement on the blackhead front, but my nose did look a little smoother and glowier.

It's recommended to use this mask weekly "or whenever your skin needs a quick, brightening boost". I suspect I'll need to use this after this weekend which I am spending in Berlin with some girls from university. I'll post my final thoughts when I finish the tube, and if I enjoy the mask there are plenty more products in the Good Things range for me to try out. Read more about the company here.

*note to self - SPF 25 in morning moisturiser appears to be insufficient. Oh dear.

Mini haul: skincare

Witch Blemish Stick, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask