Super Facialist Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Pore Purifying Clay Mask

Good Day Everyone,

Towards the end of last year I noticed that my skin was looking particularly dull and I’d started to have occasional breakouts. Now that’s quite a big deal for me as I’ve been blessed with my mum’s good skin genes (thanks mum!) and so I’ve hardly ever had spots or breakouts. I think all my anaemia and health issues from last summer had started to take a toll. Also, now that I’m well into my 30s, looking after my skin has become more of a priority. In fact, one of my goals for 2015 is to improve the condition of my skin and hair. As some of you may know, I’ve experienced significant hair loss as a result of being severely anaemic, but luckily now that the anaemia is under control, I’m hoping that my hair issues will improve too :o).

On my last trip home to England I picked up quite a lot of skincare products (there'll be a haul video coming next week) and amongst them was this clay mask. This is the Super Facialist Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Pore Purifying Clay Mask by Unna Brennan (now that is a looong name!), a UK based facialist with over 15 years skin care experience. I picked this mask up along with a hydrating rose mask also from the Super Facialist range which I’ve reviewed here. The mask costs £8.99 and you get 125ml of product. It is regularly on a 3for2 offer at Boots which is when I picked it up.

I have been using this for about seven weeks on a weekly basis and I love it, yep that’s right I used the ‘L’ word. I have only recently started to get into masks as, I’ll be honest, I pretty much neglected my skin in my 20s and so I don’t really have anything to compare this to (yet) but I love the effect so much so that I would definitely repurchase this.

I feel that this mask gives my skin a deep clean where it pulls out all the gunk from inside my pores, you know, all that dirt and bad stuff that causes spots. The mask contains a number of key ingredients that help to detoxify the skin. I did a bit of googling so that I could explain the role of the key ingredients as I like to understand how they work;

• Salicylic Acid declogs pores by breaking up cells that stick together in the inner lining of skin pores thus helping to remove blackheads and whiteheads. It helps people with oily and acne-prone skin by reducing oil and being an anti-inflammtory it helps with the healing process of breakouts and evens discolouration from old spots.

• Niacin (vitamin B3) helps to improve blood flow to the skin cells which results in increased oxygenation of the skin.

• Dead Sea Mud is rich in a range of minerals that improve the condition of the skin. It also absorbs oil and helps to eliminate toxins from the skin.

• Avocado Oil is a great moisturiser and is rich in antioxidant vitamins such as A, D and E which improve the suppleness of the skin thus minimising fine lines and wrinkles.

• Acacia Honey has antimicrobial properties which helps to fight acne causing bacteria and it removes oil and bacteria from clogged pores. It is also soothing and hydrating to the skin.

The mask has a reasonably strong scent of clay mixed with a bit of herbal freshness and I find that it does linger for a while even after I've washed the mask off. Personally I don’t find the scent over powering or unpleasant at all but if you are sensitive to scents then it may be worth having a sniff before purchase :o).

The mask comes out as pale grey clay that is very easy to spread as it is quite soft and creamy. I use this once a week, although the instructions say that it can be used twice a week. I apply an even layer on my cleansed face and neck. The instructions say to leave it on for 5mins but I usually end up leaving it on for about 10mins and haven’t had any adverse effect as a result. The clay does harden over time as it dries, making it almost impossible to speak, and you can forget about smiling ;o).

After 10mins I take a warm wet flannel and lay it on top of my face and press it onto my skin to soften the clay, making it easier to remove. I then use the flannel in circular motions to gently rub off the clay and wash my face using warm water.

Afterwards my skin looks clearer, my pores are reduced, blackheads have been removed and my complexion looks brighter and more awake, if that makes any sense? The mask doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight or stripped and I have dry skin. I do follow up with a moisturiser but on the odd occasion where I’ve forgotten to moisturise this hasn’t left my face feeling too dry. 

I did notice that the first few times I used this mask, the day after, I would wake up to find a couple of small spots, white heads, on my chin and/or around my nose. I think that was just the mask pulling out all of the dirt and dead skin cells that had built up inside my pores. The spots cleared within a few days. More recently, I haven't been developing any spots after using this mask so I think regular use is helping to keep my pores unclogged.

I love the effect of this mask so much that I’ve even got my hubby using it. He has combination skin and is more prone to spots and so this really helps to keep his pores clean and remove the excess oil from around his t zone. As he has sensitive skin he only keeps this mask on for 5mins because any longer and he feels it stings ever so slightly.

I’ve been very impressed with both masks that I've tried from the Super Facialist range and it’s great that they are so affordable. I did pick up some more higher end masks on my recent trip home and I'm looking forward to trying those over the coming weeks, primarily to see how they compare to these and determine whether they’re worth the hefty price tag!

Have you used this mask or any other from the Super Facialist range? What was your experience? What is your favourite mask?

Love Sheen xxx

Super Facialist Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask

Good Day Everyone,

Since living in Japan, a climate with seasons for the first time in three and a half years, I have been very aware of the toll the cold winter is taking on my skin. My skin is naturally on the dry side. I’m not sure why this is, maybe it’s genetic but I’ve been a psoriasis sufferer since my teen years and that is a dry skin disorder so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. My skin also gets dehydrated very quickly and we all know that dehydrated skin emphasises any fine lines and wrinkles all too easily.

So with my dry skin concerns in mind, I stocked up on a few skincare products when I was home last month, as well as picking up some products that I have used in the past that I love. Whenever I try a new skincare product I like to use it for at least a whole month before forming any firm opinions on it just so that I’ve used it during the time of the month when my skin is at its best and worst…. I’m sure you ladies know what I mean ;o). 

Today I wanted to share my thoughts with you on this Super Facialist Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask by Una Brennan. There’s been quite a bit of buzz around the Super Facialist range in the online beauty and skincare world given its affordability. Una Brennan has over 15 years of skincare experience and is now a sought after facialist in the UK. Her range, the Super Facialist has been designed to address specific skin concerns. I picked up a couple of products from the range in a Boots 3 for 2. The masks costs £8.99 but is regularly on offer at Boots and you get 125mls of product in the tube. I have been using this moisture masks for the past 6 weeks on a weekly basis (occasionally twice a week) and I really like it… a lot. I won’t go as far as saying I love it as I don’t have anything to compare it to since I’ve only recently started to get into masks but it’s something I would definitely repurchase. 

The mask contains a number of key ingredients that work to hydrate the skin and improve its appearance and texture, namely;

• White willow extract which is good for removing old skin cells that cause dullness in one’s complexion, making way for new skin cells due to the presence of salicylic acid in the white willow extract.

• Vitamin E, an anti-oxidant which is good for mopping up free radicals that cause dryness, fine lines and wrinkles, thus helping to repair and protect the skin.

• Urea, a humectant which in effect is a moisturising agent because it absorbs water and promotes the retention of water in the skin.

• Marshmallow extract, given that the only marshmallows I know of are the type to go into a hot chocolate, I had to do some Googling to fully understand it’s role. Apparently marshmallow root extract, which is the type contained in this mask, has a soothing and softening effect on the skin. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties and is used to treat dry skin conditions.

The mask has a strong rose scent which can be a bit over powering upon application but eases over time. It is not unpleasant to the extent where it would put me off from using this mask but if you are particularly sensitive to scents then it is worth bearing in mind and perhaps smelling the product before parting with your money.

The mask comes out as a thick white cream that is easily spreadable. I use it once or twice a week, as per the instructions, depending on how dry my skin is. The instructions say to apply a ‘generous’ layer on to cleansed face and neck. I'm sure we will all have a different interpretation as to how much a generous layer actually is and that will certainly affect how long this product lasts. I don’t go crazy with it, but at the same time I ensure it covers all of my skin.

The instructions state to leave it on for 5mins, but I’ve always left it on for about 10mins and not had any adverse effects. Over time my skin seems to sort of absorb some of the product because when it comes to taking it off, there are some patches on my face/neck where there is less product than when I applied it, as you can see from the photo above. After 10mins I rinse it off using a damp flannel and some warm water. 

This mask leaves my skin feeling soft, supple and hydrated. However, the effect that has really impressed me is how my skin glows after using this mask. My face is left looking incredibly radiant, bright and glowy, and the best thing is that this radiance lasts. I still see it in my skin the next day. 

Even my hubby noticed and commented on how great my skin looks. When I asked him to describe it he said it looked like I’d just had a very expensive facial because my face was glowing, my skin looked soft and bouncy, like a baby’s bottom and just altogether happy and healthy. Now that’s a pretty comprehensive description from my hubby ;o).

Over the weekend my hubby was complaining about how his skin looked dull and greyish. So I pulled this face mask out and he loved the effect too. Now we have face mask sessions together lol. He may not want this knowledge out in the public domain, but as I explained to him, men need to look after and pamper their skin too. Skin is skin at the end of the day, irrespective of whether it’s on a woman’s face or a man’s…. that certainly made him feel a bit better about it ;o). 

The mask is apparently suitable for even the most sensitive of skins. I don’t have sensitive skin and so can’t vouch for that but my hubby does. He hasn’t had any issues with it, however, he has only used it a couple of times so far. 

Have you tried this mask or any other products from the Super Facialist range? What was your experience? What would you recommend from the range? 

Love Sheen xxx

Feet Favourites

Good Day Everyone,

Today I wanted to talk about a few products that my feet have been loving lately. Since moving to Japan we walk a lot more than we used to in Singapore. In Singapore, there was a bus stop right outside our apartment block and the public transport system is all in English which made it very easy to just jump on the subway or the bus. In Japan it is extremely difficult to travel on the buses if you don't speak or read Japanese. Taxis are super expensive here. As a result, hubby and I walk almost everywhere. All this walking and the colder weather started to take a bit of a toll on my poor arthritic feet.

Feet are one part of my body that often get neglected when it comes to beauty and skincare. With all the walking, I noticed that I'd started to get very dry heels, and not only that, but the soles of my feet were becoming dry and flaky (eeeww, I know!). This led to me finally cracking open (haa haa see what I did there ;o)) the Soap & Glory Heel Genius foot cream that I had in my stash. This foot cream has worked wonders, I kid you not! After just a few uses it was goodbye to dry flaky soles and hello silky smooth skin. I know there's a lot of hype around this foot cream within the beauty world but I can honestly tell you that the hype is justified. After all, how many beauty/skincare products have a '93% would repurchase' percentage on MakeupAlley... Not many let me tell you ;o)

The foot cream is a pale sky blue colour with a slightly fruity come minty/menthol scent. It's not in the least bit overpowering. Even if you aren't particularly partial to the scent, it's going on your feet which is about as far away from your nose as possible on your body ;o). The cream has a balmy consistency and it sinks into the skin well without leaving a greasy residue. I tend to massage this into the soles and sides of my feet in the evenings, as well as a tiny bit around my toe nails, before popping on my comfiest, fluffiest socks and letting the cream do its magic. I don't wear my socks to bed, even though the packaging does say to pop on cotton socks and let the cream soak in as you sleep. In the morning I wake up to the softest skin my feet have ever had. It really is genius!

This brings me nicely on to the second thing that my feet have been loving lately and that's my fluffy, bright pink, Christmas socks.Whilst at home, instead of wearing slippers, I wear these socks that enable my feet to feel the heat coming through from the underfloor heating. I picked these socks up from H&M here in Japan and they are lined with this fleecy fabric.The inside of the socks is incredibly soft and oh so warm. I tend to wear these in the evening, after putting on my Heel Genius foot cream. Together, these two items not only keep my feet warm but in tip top condition. The socks were so comfortable that I picked up a blue pair for my hubby and told him that I got them from the men's section. It was the only way to get him to wear them ;o). Now we are one of those couples with his 'n' her matching socks lol.

Since I developed arthritis in both my feet and toes, I've been unable to wear shoes with any form of a heel. This was fine in the warmer climates of Singapore where I lived in flat sandals and ballet flats but the weather in Japan is similar to England, which means it's pretty cold right now. Ballet flats just don't cut the mustard when it comes to keeping my feet warm. The cold goes right through the soles of my shoes and so my feet are constantly freezing. When I was back home last month, in my ballet flats, trying to navigate the street puddles, I finally decided enough was enough... I needed some warmer shoes, or ideally boots. After spending two days trawling the shops trying to find boots that were completely flat but failing miserably, I came across these in H&M. They're basically a spin off of the UGG boots but without the hefty price tag. I'll be honest, they're not my favourite style of footwear but they are sooo comfortable. Most importantly they keep my feet nice and warm, and dry. I've been living out of these since we got back to Japan. They're all I where when I go outside and they'll be pretty much all I wear for the next three months or so until the warmer weather arrives :o).

I hope you enjoyed this little post. What are your feet liking these days? Have you tried the Heel Genius foot cream? What did you think of it?

Love Sheen xxx