First Impressions| Indian Healing Clay mask

17 September 2015

First Impressions| Indian Healing Clay mask

posted by SamJoy Jordan

Hello, lovelies!

I hope all is well with all of you reading this. I've been dealing with a crazy schedule since the beginning of classes, and I'm unfortunately still trying to strike a balance between schoolwork and sleep.

Yes, sleep. I hope none of you are having this problem! If you are, let's figure it out together? Send me suggestions!

Before I kick off this first First Impressions post, I would like to take a moment to say that the pores on my face feel like they're being suction cupped one by one to an extreme level--and that's a good thing! (It's like having tiny octopi on my face...) With all the stress I've had the past few weeks, this deep clean is a treat that I welcome with open arms.

So, how did I come by Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals' Indian Healing Clay mask? A few months ago, I received a $60 Amazon gift card for participating in a study at school. I thought to myself, "What could I possibly get with this money?" First thought was KOREAN COSMETICS in flashing neon lights. I hopped onto Amazon and added two items to my cart that I've been wanting to try after watching Jenn's (clothesencouters) vlog on YouTube. I'll talk about them in the future since I'm still waiting on them to arrive.

After I added the Korean cosmetics to my cart, I looked into Skinfood's Black Sugar Mask. I was so close to buying it but stopped myself because it occurred to me that maybe I could make my own--maybe. That said, I looked at the recommended products that others bought and this Indian mask popped up on the list. I clicked it and it had a 5 star review from over a thousand users. It also had a subscription option since, I guess, it's so popular. Because of how cheap it was, I decided "what the hey?" after I kept coming back to it over the course of last week up until last night.

And into the cart it went.

First package of two or three!

It shipped in one day and is now sitting on my face as I type this post. I probably should have done more reading because I did not know that it would come in powdered form and that I would have to mix it with water in order to form the mask. I followed the instructions on the container and began to mix away in a disposable cup with a disposable spoon since I had the feeling I would screw up the first time.

Be careful when opening!

I did.

The first mask came out too thick and adding more water did nothing to the hardened ball of clay in the center of my cup. I tossed that out and started again using a smaller portion than the first attempt. This one didn't work, either. Third time's the charm when I eyeballed everything and scored with a decent mask! I massaged the mask onto my face and washed my utensils.

When I first applied to 20 minutes later.

Final thoughts...

This mask is doing wonders right now. I'm past the recommended 20 minute mark and can still feel the little octopi sucking away at my pores. Once I get the hang of mixing the clay properly, I know I'll enjoy this more since I'll be able to apply it quicker than tonight. And by apply I mean smearing mud all over my face as if I was a little kid and having fun with it!

Five minutes later...

Washing this mask off was easier than washing, say, Queen Helene Masque Mint Julep. You could tell that you were washing actual bentonite clay without anything added off of your face. This just proved to me that this is the real deal and that the label on the container is 100% true. My face definitely feels softer and smoother, my pores smaller before I rinsed off today's sweat and makeup. I'm extremely happy with this purchase! Yay, impulse buys!

My face is a little red, but that's normal for me. I seem to have a natural blush.

This was not a sponsored post. You can buy the mask here.

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Pure Mud Mask | Review

22 August 2015

Pure Mud Mask | Review

posted by SamJoy Jordan

"Hey, it's face mask Friday!"

Imagine the look on my younger brother's face (last night) when I told him to wash up and slap on a face mask. Hard? Well, he's not one for doing much for his face--he's all about the hair, so when I told him the aforementioned he sighed and went back to his computer games.

That sigh did not stop me from putting on a mask. The mask that I'm talking about today is a mask that I've had in my possession for about four months now. I thought I was going to write a review on it after having it for a month, but I became lazy with putting on my masks since school got in the way of me sticking to a consistent skin routine. And so, four months later, I'm finally writing this review that I have put off for quite some time mainly because I had mixed feelings about this mask--and laziness.

I had mixed feelings with this mask because when I first smothered my face in it, there was an immediate burning sensation. It was to the point that my eyes were watering (see below).

Yes, I'm pouting... It stung quite a bit.

I would have to roll a paper towel around my index finger and gently wipe the area under my so as not to accidentally wipe off the mask. Even though I adjusted how much I applied (as you can see here, I put on a rather thin layer of the mask), it still stung. It wasn't enjoyable. However, as time went on, I could feel the mask drying out and tightening my skin. I didn't notice anything different about my face except for the firmness that normally results after using a mud mask.

So, what is this mask, you may ask?

It's the PURE & Essential Minerals Dead Sea Mud Mask by PURE & Essential Minerals. I was given a code by BrandBacker to use on Amazon to get a free 6 oz (full size) sample of this mask. It usually runs around $25 so getting it for free was a nice plus. 

This mask boasts that it uses mud taken from the Dead Sea infused with essential oils that help make the skin look radiant and blemish free over a few weeks. So, by looking at the ingredients below, we can see that the product is backed by this claim. An added bonus to this is that it's cruelty free! *claps*

So many oils...

Upon opening the jar, you see the mud mask. No joke. It's just mud, so nothing special aside from the fact that it's a little putty-like due to the presence of xanthan gum in the ingredients. When you apply it to the face it honestly feels like you're playing with mud...that stings. There are granules in the mask to help with exfoliation, so definitely adhere to the instructions by rubbing it into the skin when you're ready to remove it. With this mask you get to clarify your skin naturally and get a little scrub action that helps improve blood circulation in your face and neck. I definitely enjoyed the scrubbing once I got over the initial sting.

All in all, I'm okay with this mask. Will it be the first one I would grab for Face Mask Friday? Nope. It really won't. I don't enjoy the stinging and would stay far away from it since I have the option to do so. Would I recommend it? Maybe. It depends on the person I'm talking to, especially how well they can tolerate the stinging sensation for the sake of beauty. If that were anywhere else on my body, that's acceptable but not on my face.

For this, I would have to rate this a 3.5/5.

Ah! I almost forgot about the smell: It smells like men's product to me. I wonder if anyone else thought this?

This was a sponsored post.

Until next time!

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