Face Mask Mini-Series: Week Two

For this weeks Montagne Jeunesse face mask, I chose the Manuka Honey Peel-Off Mask! It contains lots of surprising ingredients, and I was interested to research their benefits and see if they came through with the mask.

Main Ingredients:

• Manuka Honey: monofloral honey from the Tea Tree. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properites. Scientifically proven to stimulate wound healing and promote healthy skin. Contains natural acids that help with the clearing of dead skin cells. Helps draw moisture into the skin.
• Aloe Vera Leaf Extract: Contains antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E that help with moisturising and anti-ageing. Contains hormones Auxin and Gibberellins that provide wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Gibberellin is a growth hormone that stimulates the growth of new cells, helping to heal the skin naturally with minimal scarring.
• Horse-Chestnut Seed Extract: (who knew conkers were good for your skin?!) Contain high levels of saponins make it effective at purifying and softening skin. Can helps to lighten dark circles. Anti-inflammatory.
• Chamomile Flower Extract: Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Promotes skin healing. Soothes acne. Contains flavanoids (antioxidants) that help moisturizing and anti-ageing. The scent is naturally relaxing.
• Vanilla Fruit Extract: Source of the antioxidant polyphenols. Anti-inflammatory. The scent has is a natural calmer and anti-depressant for the brain.
• Jasmine Flower Extract: Contains potent antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Naturally reduces dryness by increasing skin’s elasticity and helping to balance moisture. A cicatrizer: helps fade scars and blemishes. The scent is naturally relaxing.

The first thing I noticed was the fragrance of this mask is really intense; you can smell the caramel, honey and jasmine in it. It’s a lovely and sweet scent, when you get used to it! After I’d used the mask, it also left my skin with a much softer smell, which was really nice.

The mask itself is a transparent yellowy-orange with a gel-like consistency; it looks a bit like squeezy honey! When applying, I found that thin layers were much easier to peel off as they dry more quickly and evenly. It was ready to remove from my cheeks and chin after around 20 minutes, but the extra thick layer on my forehead didn’t peel properly, even after having closer to 30 minutes. The mask is slightly difficult to remove when it doesn’t peel properly as it doesn’t seem to dissolve in water. However, it’s all in the application and there is nothing wrong with the actual product!

The mask didn’t clear my pores like I was hoping it would, but mine are particularly stubborn and I have yet to find a product that works successfully on them. However, it left the rest of my skin feeling soft and refreshed. I used the mask on Friday night, and by Saturday morning I had definitely noticed a reduction in the severity of my spots and they are continuing to heal more quickly than usual. And I’ll admit, the peeling off part is weirdly fun!

Although the formula seems quite gentle and it doesn’t dry and crisp up too much on the skin like other masks, I’m not sure how good this one would be for sensitive skin. The peeling does pull at the skin quite strongly, and this might be too rough for very sensitive skin.

Overall, I am seriously impressed with this face mask. For just £1, it has really helped to moisturise and soften my skin – I’m still feeling the benefits today! All the anti-inflammatory ingredients have significantly cleared up my spots and seemed to have prevented any more major blemishes appearing. It’s also just really good fun to peel off!

Panda Eyes xx