Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Product Review- Puretopia Purify and Revive Deep Cleansing Clay Mask ( plus my facemask routine)

Back to real life and regular posting, this time with a face-mask review of the Puretopia Purify and Revive Deep Cleansing Clay Mask (what a mouthful!). Down the bottom I'll also run through my general routine with masks, when I use them, why I use them etc. I really like a mask, as a way to press the re-start button on my skin a bit. Clay is great for drawing out any toxins or impurities, and making your skin receptive to whatever you put on next. Clay masks are a bit harsh in their effectiveness, so for that reason I only do one once per week, and not on the same day as an acid cleanse. 

In a nutshell
Pros: Good ingredients, ethical company, terrific price
Cons: A little harsh on the skin. 
Price:  $14.99 for 125 ml
Purpose: Clay mask, for use once per week. 
Packaging: Functional, easy to use, easy to travel with. More hygenic than a pot style mask. 
Re- Purchase? Yes, although I may also look for a less harsh one. 

Review
The good thing about clay masks, is that the active ingredient (clay) is dirt cheap to produce. So you don't have to shell out much, for a decent product like this one. 

I really liked what I saw on the packaging, Sulfate and Paraben free, and with some terrific ingredients: Niacinamide which is killer for fighting spots (Which is why I grabbed this mask for my Spotty Skin SOS), Rosehip which is a terrific antioxidant to even out skintone and treat any scars or marks, and Shea which is a deep moisturiser plus Kaolin Clay which is the standard for clay mask clay . All up, the specs looked good. 


I was also pleased with the tube packaging- although it might be easier to control how much you get out of a tub, I don't love digging around in the same pot with my fingers each time. It doesn't seem hygenic as a tube where the first time you touch the product, you're using it. That said, if this was a more expensive product, I'd worry that the last scerricks could be wasted in the tube. Overall, for a cheapie, like the tube.

It's a softer, think moisturiser type consistency, which is a bit different to other masks I've used. Plus it's white, which is quite good if you're trying not to stain your washcloths. 

While it may come out of the tube looking soft and gentle, this is quite a strong mask. You will get a tingle when you apply it, so I would suggest carefully avoiding your eye area, and not using it on sensitive skin.

After a few seconds, it will dry to a more subdued white mask. I've now realised the only times my face appears on this blog is under a mask, sorry 'bout that.


Give yourself 10-15 minutes to go and relax You'll most likely find me watching Please Like Me or The Dreamhouse on iView. 

After the ten minutes, I use two goes of a hot washcloth to clean this mask off. The first go around I pick up all the physical traces of the mask, then I go in again to make sure it's all gone.

I've noticed that I'm a bit pink once this mask has come off, which I put down to the strong Niacinamide.I haven't had any ongoing irritation from this mask though, so I just take precautions (not using on sensitive skin, and only once per week). 

Overall, a great price for a good performer. I've found that my skin improves after using the mask, and using it regularly helps to keep blemishes away, although I'm still cautious about not over-using it, given the tingly feeling and my skin's sensitivities. 

And now.... My Face Mask Routine

I do Facemask Thursday as I like to think I'm clearing out work-week-gunk and getting my skin excited for the weekend, plus on Thursdays I don't usually have much on, compared to Friday nights. I figure, if I've gone to all the effort of a mask, I'm not going to put makeup back on my poor face. 

On a Thursday I will
1. Cleanse and remove makeup
2. Apply the mask to clean skin, wait requisite time etc
3. Remove the mask
4. Cleanse again 
5. Apply serums then moisturisers etc

I do this because my skin can be quite sensitive, so while I like the effectiveness of a mask, I don't want it lingering on past the ten minutes. Plus the mask prepares my skin nicely to suck up all the goodness from whichever serum I apply next. 

So that's all from me about masks- if nothing else, they make a nice afternoon/evening of pampering, and an excuse to put your feet up for 10 minutes and relax. 

1 comment:

What do you think? I'd love to hear....

Feel free to use OpenID if you'd like to be a product-holic anonymous