We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to face masks: sheet or jelly, gold or biocellulose, charcoal or shea butter? And that’s before you consider fragrance, formula or (we’re being honest here) how selfie-friendly it is.
With that in mind, we asked three marie claire staffers with different skin types to trial the new Purity Exfoliating Clay Mask from philosophy. Inspired by the brand’s cult-status Purity cleanser, the mask is a hard-working blend of white kaolin clay, salicylic acid and natural exfoliants to draw toxins out from the skin and reduce pore size – in as little as two uses.
Although we use face masks on the regular, none of us had ever tried a clay variety before – so we were interested to see the results. Spoiler alert: by the end of the three-week trial, not one of us wanted to give this little tube of glow-giving goodness back…
Sally Hunwick, beauty director
What was your first impression?
I loved the grainy texture of this mask. I felt it polishing my skin to perfection from the first slick of clay.
Was it easy to use?
Super easy and I loved how fast it worked. I could get it done before I jumped into the shower in the morning before work or before I headed out for a Saturday night.
What did you love about it?
This is a multi-tasking product that’s perfect for on-the-go freshness and glow. It’s great for when you feel a bit congested too; you can even concentrate your exfoliation to those trouble areas like the nose to really zap blackheads. I think if you used it long term you’d notice a big difference in skin clarity.
Do you think it suited your skin type?
Yes – I don’t have much of an issue with blackheads but this mask is great for clearing out any pollution and grime build-up in the skin. I applied it to my cheeks, which tend to be drier, and it worked a treat there too.
How did it compare to other face masks you’ve tried?
I love the added exfoliating element (thanks to the special diatomaceous earth in the formulation); it gives skin an extra smoothness kick and would mean you can skip exfoliating with another product. Win-win!
Anna McClelland, digital beauty editor
What was your first impression?
I loved the clay texture – creamy but gritty, with a pleasant but not overpowering smell. You only need to apply a thin layer so I have a feeling the tube will last months.
Was it easy to use?
Absolutely – the one thing I hate about other face masks is that you can barely move when you use them, or they’ll slide off everywhere (never a good look). This one dried quickly and because of its clay consistency, was easy to apply only where you need it (without it travelling down the rest of your face). A couple of times I forgot I had it on!
What did you love about it?
My skin felt fresh and clarified after just one use, without at all irritating my sensitive skin. I like that it didn’t leave me with that tight, squeaky clean feeling (never a good sign) and in the days following it left me with a smoother surface for skincare and makeup.
How did it compare to other face masks you’ve tried?
As a combination skin type, I used to rely on charcoal masks for my detoxifying, blemish-fighting fix – but this seemed to be gentler on my skin and harder on blackheads. I also like that you can control the amount of exfoliation the mask delivers by how much you massage it in – it meant I could focus on problem zones while giving more sensitive areas like my cheeks a break.
Jordyn Christensen, beauty writer
What was your first impression?
How thick the formula was. It gave the mask a really luxe feel before I even put it on my face.
Was it easy to use?
Only having to have it on for 5 to 10 minutes is doable any day of the week. I love a sheet mask but it was so great being able to be active and do things while it was on my face.
How did your skin feel afterwards?
Immediately my skin felt super fresh and clean. I kept making my boyfriend touch my face because it felt so soft. In the days following I really noticed that the smoothness I initially loved actually lasted for days. I also believe it genuinely cleared up blackheads and congestion.
Would you use it again?
Yes, I would definitely use it again. I loved the exfoliation aspect of it, which was obviously the part responsible for my smooth, soft skin. But while the exfoliation worked wonders it also felt a bit harsh for my skin type, so I would probably only use once a week going forward.
How did it compare to other face masks you’ve tried?
I’ve never used a clay mask before. The formula hardening on my face was a new experience that was definitely interesting. I love an exfoliation and I typically use an enzymatic one, but I felt the physical exfoliation takes it one step further to really clear away all the dead and dry skin.
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