Review: Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask for Dehydrated Skin

I am back! No, I haven’t left SoLoverly; things got pretty crazy after I started the last leg of my Masters so I took a bit of a break until my studies were done. Kahani and Syen have been terrific about it but I am now back and ready to pick up the burden. :P 

I mentioned back in May that the Clarins HydraQuench Mask was part of my winter routine. My skin dries out like leather during cold months and my regular sheet masks (My Beauty Diary Aloe and Apple masks) simply aren’t up for the fight against winter. The Clarins HydraQuench serum helped a lot but I still needed something more to amp up the moisture levels for my skin.

Kahani had previously reviewed the Clarins HydraQuench Mask waaaay back in 2010 and her review sent me waffling around the block and back trying to decide if I should purchase it or not. My soft spot for Clarins (and a Strawberrynet discount) won out in the end.

Autumn/Winter Skincare Routine

(Would have taken a better picture but my camera died on me)
L-R: Olay Complete Moisturising Lotion, Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum,
Clinique All About Eyes Serum, Natio Eye Gel, Clinique MoistureSurge

Winter is just around the corner for us in Australia and I have been tweaking my skincare routine to deal with the change. While summer is all about sunscreen, exfoliation and brightening products, my winter skincare routine revolves around hydration.

Products that I have left in my routine are Clinique MoistureSurge, Natio Eye Treatment Gel and a Clinique All About Eyes serum. The latter was part of a Clinique travel exclusive set and I have only just started using it since the weather started getting chilly. I can't say if it has improved the area around my eyes but it feels quite refreshing especially on days when you didn't have enough sleep.

Review: Yes to Carrots Exfoliating and Soothing Mud Mask

I have been quite a good girl lately, taking care to apply my mask every now and then.


While my favourite zit-buster is still this Himalaya mask, but everyone and then it's nice to have a little something different. And that's when I bring out my Yes to Carrots Exfoliating and Soothing Mud Mask (for normal and dry skin).

It's nice enough to use, but does it really work? Read on to find out.

What's Your Number: Face Masks

Hello lovelies,

Since I had previously already asked you to count your blushers, lippies and body lotions, today we're gonna do the math on face masks.

Unlike my previous posts where my numbers might have caused a few of you to go into semi cardiac-arrest, today's post, I am quite sure, will do no such thing. I only have 10 kinds of face masks, and most of them are of the affordable drugstore variety.

So read on for the breakdown!

1. Bayer Aspirin - aspirin mask
2. Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack
3. St Ives Timeless Skin Mineral Clay Firming Mask
4. Kose Seikisho Mask White (peel off mask)
5. Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask
6. ~H20+ Face Oasis - Yes, it's a moisturiser. But slap it on a little thicker to make it a hydrating mask too!
7. Parrs Thermal Mud Warm Face Pack - a gift from my dear cousin in NZ.
8. Yes to Carrots Exfoliating and Soothing Mud Mask
9. LUSH Mask of Magnaminty
10. Himalaya Herbals Purifying Mud Mask (not photographed)

It would seem that I've got quite a few I haven't gotten down to reviewing. So anyway, what's YOUR number?

My Favourite Things: LUSH Mask of Magniminty

I was never one who really believed in jinxes. I mean, yeah, I know sometimes I say things like, "I hope I don't jinx myself." But I never really believed I would.

And then I really did.

Speaking to a relative (lovely teenage girl with pimply issues) the other day , I was sharing with her about how finding the right skincare product is the secret of having a gorgeous glowy skin.

And how having since met the right products for MY skin, it's been behaving so well, and I've been having a blast.

"I hope I don't jinx myself," said I. And boy I sure did.

Perhaps it was also a new product I tried which my skin clearly wasn't on friendly terms with, but shortly after that conversation, my skin erupted. It started with a huge zit on my nose, and just as that one died, another one started on my chin.

And just as that one was dying, I could feel another popping up along my jawline.

Thank heavens I have a new friend in LUSH's Mask of Magnaminty.

I knew it was time to start masking, but instead of go-to Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack (which I recommended to the relative, and she later reported back saying it has helped her skin a lot), I decided to give Ms Magnaminty a shot. Just this week alone, I've used it twice. And am very happy with the results.

Perhaps it's also the insane heat this past week or so, but my face has just been very, veeery unhappy. Besides the huge zits, my skin has little little rash-like bumps, and is dry and flaky. But still oily. It wants to be both Saudi and Sahara. Because it's greedy like that.

Application and product description

Applying with my fingers straight from the pot (I know it's not the most hygienic, but the alternative is too troublesome), I spread it out on my face, slapping on a little more for the problem areas.

Let it set for about 20 minutes, then apply a bit of water to the now-dry face mask, and use it as a scrub. Finally wash it off thoroughly.

First off, the smell. Let me warn you - it stinks! Well, in the tub anyway. Thank heavens (as Kahani assured me), it doesn't smell quite so bad on. No idea why, but it's a good thing. Apart from the mint, there are a heap of other scents, which is just beyond me to describe. But yea, it stinks.

Texture wise, it applies just okay. It doesn't spread at thickly or as easily as the Neem but that's not really much of an issue. You'll just need to do a few more finger dips and go over your face another round or so until you're satisfied with the coverage.


(A greenish paste with grains in it, it doesn't look much better than it smells.)

As it has little grains of what I believe must be ground Aduki Beans in it, you might wanna do the applying at your sink, or risk sowing ground Aduki Beans on your dressing table. But once on, it's fine as long as you don't touch your face. I usually spend my "setting time" reading in bed. And I love the cooling sensation it gives my skin while its on.

It washes off very easily, much easier than the Neem too. And the results? Calmer and happier skin. With ingredients like bentonite gel, kaolin and honey, I'm happy to note the mask dried up my existing pimple, and pretty much killed the up and coming one. The rash-like bumps calmed down a little and my skin is generally improved.

Price

Kahani and I bought a big tub from Hong Kong and split it. And I really can't remember how much it cost, but I remember it was a rather pricey purchase.

I'm really happy to note that in the UK (where I'll be heading quite soon), it's rather affordable at £4.25 for 125g, and £7.50 for 315g. Now I'm wondering if I should get a back-up tub.

Conclusion

I really do love this stuff. It kills the zits and works great in keeping my skin calm and happy. And if reasonably priced, won't burn a big hole in the pocket. Not bad at all, right?

I think I'll go mask now.

Review: My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask

Heck if I know what "polyphenol" means but I finally gave the My Beauty Diary masks a go and I gotta say that I am really impressed.

If you have not heard of the My Beauty Diary (MBD) masks (seriously, what rock have you been hiding under?), they are an immensely popular sheet mask brand from Taiwan. I am not sure how many types there are -- I think the number comes up to over 20 -- but they do have some interesting sorts such as natto and sake.

Anyway, I picked up a box of 10 in Apple at a mini Guardian warehouse sale for RM39.90 (normal retail price being RM49.90) some weeks ago. Black Pearl was sold out and I wasn't in the mood for Mixed Berries or Cherry Blossom extracts. Plus, the Apple MBD mask claimed to be the best for tackling that bane of my life: open pores.

I am not the type who goes gaga over face masks, especially sheet masks, but this really has done me in. I have never used a face mask which brightens and moisturises this well before. My older sister also made an off-hand comment that my pores seemed to be smaller of late. This coming from my sister... Well, it has to be the truth.

Another thing I like about this mask is that it isn't sticky or strongly scented at all. Most sheet masks leave this awful sticky residue on the skin which I end up washing off lest it dries into a weird film on my face. MBD seems to sink quite quickly into my skin without any residue, leaving me free to seal in the essence with some moisturiser.

The shape of the mask is quite big so I imagine that it should be able to fit most facial shapes without much problems. I found it a bit large but it wasn't anything some folding couldn't handle.

Would I repurchase? Ooh, yes. But in different variaties, I think. I am quite keen to try out Black Pearl, Natto, Sake and Rice.

Does anyone have any other recommendations?

Review: Purederm Sheet Masks

Remember these Purederm masks I bought in Vietnam at the beginning of the year? I finally finished the last of them last month (I bought 2 or 3 of each) and think I can do a fairly decent comparison review.

Now, Purederm has a pretty wide selection of face masks so I had trouble deciding with ones to choose. In the end, I bought 3 different types: Herbal, Red Ginseng and Pearl.

Red Ginseng and Herb contains 23ml of essence, which is standard across the range, while the Pearl mask contained 19ml. 23ml is still pretty generous (beware, the mask driiiips you remove it from the sachet) and I always had extra essence leftover for another mask (Just stick a facial mask sheet in the sachet and leave it refrigerated overnight in a ziplock bag).

The sheet is pretty thick so you don't have to worry about it tearing as you remove it from the packet. I had some problems with the fit of the mask -- too short to fully cover my forehead and a little wide at the sides -- but it wasn't too much trouble to fold and adjust.

The essence used for the masks was a bit too sticky for my liking so instead of massaging the residue in, I usually tissued everything off instead. Even so, my skin sometimes felt uncomfortable (especially with the Herb and Red Ginseng masks) and I often found myself rinsing the essence off.

Compare and Review
Performance wise, the Herb mask did absolutely nothing for me. Other than soothing a developing pimple or two (fine, I give it credit for that), I felt that the essence simply sat on my skin like a bump on a log. It performed okay on the moisturising front but I couldn't really experience the full effects as I kept rinsing my face and applying moisturiser afterwards.

Red Ginseng was a huge disappointment for me. I was expecting more from it as it was really popular with the Korean expatriates in my area. Although it performed a little better than the Herb mask -- I didn't feel the need to rinse this off all time and it was moisturising -- the fake ginseng smell threw me off completely. My boyfriend thought that something in the garbage can was kicking up a stink.

I am not big on fragrance and the scent of the Herb and Red Ginseng masks drove me absolutely wild. The Pearl mask had synthetic scent to it as well but it was bearable compared to the other two. Synthetic herb scents are horrible.

My favourite out of the three was the Pearl mask. It didn't smell too bad and was both moisturising and brightening. I usually mask at night and the brightening effect was able to last for the next two days. No wonder they only put 19ml of essence in this mask. The brightening effect might have been able to last a week if the sachet contained 23ml of essence.

Would I repurchase again? Maybe. I would get the Pearl mask again if it was cheap so I can add it to my travel kit (sheet masks are so convenient for travel) but otherwise, I think that there are better products out there.

I bought these from Ho Chi Minh for about RM2.50 each.

DIY Beauty/ Beauty Disaster: Carrot Face Mask

This isn’t so much of a tutorial than a warning. Always, always, ALWAYS do a patch test first before you decide to try anything, especially when it comes to DIY kitchen stuff. Your brilliant guinea pig here went all gung ho, decided not to patch test and owie, I ended up with rashes all over my face.

But you are still willing to give this a try and want to follow in the footsteps of Sung Hye-Kyo,* the recipe is... 3 portions grated carrot, 2 portions yogurt and 1 portion flour to bind it all up. If you have forgotten your ratios from school, think of it as 3 teaspoons carrot, 2 teaspoons yogurt and 1 teaspoon flour.

Of course, you don’t have to follow these proportions strictly. I used very much less and still ended up with rashes. *sigh*

Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off to hopefully clearer skin.

Anyway, what this mask is supposed to do – if it doesn't give you rashes, that is – is help clear up acne and brighten up your complexion. It seems that Song Hye-Kyo attributes her perfect skin to this face mask and does it a few times every week.

Takers, anyone?

* For non-Korean drama fanatics, she’s a Korean actress who shot to fame after acting opposite Rain in Full House.

DIY Beauty: My Guilt Free Chocolate Fix

Kahani refuses to post the cockroach facial video I sent her so I am forced to settle for something a little more mundane. *sigh*

We all like chocolate, yes? Milk, white, dark… I am partial to dark chocolate myself. A bit of chocolate keeps me happy and since cocoa contains anti-oxidants, it alleviates the guilt a leeetle bit. However, eating too much of it does make my tummy feel a little sick and unhealthy. So when I found a DIY recipe for a chocolate face mask, I jumped for joy. A guilt free chocolate fix!

And there is something terribly indulgent in the idea of slathering chocolate all over one's self.

I have been using this mask for the past few months. It works a treat during summer, leaving my skin is dewy all day, but not so well during winter as the dry and cold air is zapping moisture out of me. This is definitely a HG summer mask for me.

I decided to post this recipe in the form of a collage. It makes uploading so much easier and you can just copy the image to your desktop for easy reference. Here goes:

You can substitute the milk with yogurt instead. It's easier to mix with the cocoa powder and the lactic acid in the yogurt leaves my skin feeling softer compared to using milk.

Tip: One of the things I do while using a DIY mask is to cover my face with cling wrap. After I poke eye and breathing holes in it first, of course. Dying for the cause of beauty is not the way I want to go.

Using cling wrap means that the mask doesn't dry up, it sinks in better and I can shower with a face mask on. I get added oomph as the heat from the hot water and the cling wrap creates a sauna like effect which means I step out of the shower with baby soft skin. And I don't have to wait out the full 15 minutes before washing the mask off.

Do not let your neighbours, family members or significant other see you wearing cling wrap though. My sister once screamed the place down and told me to sleep with garlic and a crucifix in case Chucky came to claim me for a bride.

Review: Himalaya Herbals Refreshing Fruit Face Pack

My adoration for the Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack is such that I now hold all its other products in higher esteem (which as far as the Acne-N-Pimple Cream goes was a terrible mistake. It did nothing. *sighs*) So, when looking for a more moisturising mask to use in between the Neem mask, I of course turn to good 'ol HH again,

This mask is described as a mask for blemish-prone, normal to dry skin. It promises to exfoliate, deep clean, fade blemishes and even minimise wrinkles! With ingredients like Apple, Cucumber, Fig and Papaya it sounded so yummy I snapped it up immediately.

How it works
Primarily, with the inclusion of the acid, Pectin, from apples, this is an AHA mask that exfoliates your skin chemically. So although it is less drying than the Neem mask, it isn't more gentle. In fact it stings slightly when applied and my face looks redder after this mask, and calmer after the Neem mask.

It does contain "Fullers Earth" so it absorbs excess oils, shrinking blackheads and allowing the AHAs into your pores. And as it is exfoliating, it will also help fade blemish scars and (a bonus for some, not for me) it will makes your face fairer by causing your tan to fade faster.

Experience
I was petulantly disappointed that the mask didn't smell like some glorious fruit salad! After all the ingredients did sound so very yummy. Instead it smells...well... like nothing much. Very natural, and not unpleasant, just rather blah.

It rinses off a lot more easily than the Neem face mask does, so it's also good to use when I'm too lazy to scrub and scrub and scrub.

I was not blown away by the immediate results this mask gave. My skin did feel smoother but not radically so, and at least it wasn't dehydrated. But over time I find that this mask's exfoliation properties helps increase the efficacy of the Neem mask and other facial treatments I care to use. It has also helped fade the brown marks left by bad blemishes.

Conclusion
Although not an outstanding can't-live-without-it favourite, at RM24.90 this large tube does make a great buy. It's a good staple to have in my beauty arsenal and it definitely helps clear my skin up - if more gradually than my impatient self would like.

Review: The Natural Source hi-shine super shine mask

About a year ago (or maybe two years ago), I came across The Natural Source, and I've been terribly curious to try it out. After hemming and hawing a while, my willpower finally creaked and I ended up getting the Hi-Shine Extra Body Conditioner (hmm.. I seem to have a thing for conditioners) and the Hi-Shine Super Shine Mask.

We'll talk about the Super Shine Mask today, shall we?

Made in Australia, it boasts to be "a protein packed hair-glossing treatment for all hair types. It brings dull, tired and stressed hair back to life and gives the hair an incredible softness, fluidity and glossy appearance".

But does it hit the mark? Read on to find out.

Among its active ingredients are wheat germ protein (a combination of lipids, pure mineral salts and vit E); silk protein (to coat hair with fine, protective glossy film) and and panthenol (to boost tissue reproduction and a supplement to nourish and strengthen hair roots and strands).

According to Wiki, panthenol, which is a provitamin B5, is pretty commonly used in hair products as it's known as a humectant and moisturiser. It lubricates the hair follicles and make strands appear shiny. All sounds terribly good, doesn't it?

But for all its goodness-sounding stuff, I can't say that I've seen a mark improvement in my hair after using it. My hair does feel soft and smooth, and my brother says it smells like "cocoa butter" (don't know where THAT came from!), but I definitely don't see any super-shine at work.

I'm not saying it's bad, don't get me wrong. It's just that I don't think the RM70-ish/150gm jar price tag is justified. I kind of expect a lot for that price. With that said, however, it is quite lovely to use.

My hair has just been looking a little dull lately what with late nights, and just feels a little tormented. So what better time than this to whip out some protein goo (which looks and smells like yoghurt, if you ask me) for a little pick-me-up, right?


This stuff has the consistency of err.. hmm.. really thick congee (?), so just a little will do. For my hair length, I only need one teaspoon, which is already moooore than sufficient. I know cos I actually use a clean teaspoon to scoop out the stuff from the jar!

Leave it in shampoo-ed hair for about 15-20 mins, and rinse. Pretty standard stuff.

Overall, it's not bad. I do like it, but I can't say I love it.

So unless my hair suddenly becomes super-shiny when I hit the bottom of the jar, I doubt I'll be getting another one.

Favourite things: Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It

I have a bad habit of falling in love with something (and sometimes, someone) and then changing countries resulting in much love-lornity and moping. And gosh-darnnit I've done it again. Boo.

But who wouldn't fall for what has to be the best scrub ever. EVER. It exfoliates with fruit acids, polishes with micro-fine particles, and doubles up as an oil-absorbing and deep-cleansing mask with green kaolin clay. And it's even gentle enough for twice-weekly use.

After using it only twice, my skin is calm, clear and my acne scars are fading. Fading I tells ya!

Oh how I love the Soap & Glory line. Their products work great, smell amazing (well this scrub is more minty and chemically than yummy, but heck I love it anyways), and have the cutest puns. And I've gone and moved to a country without Soap & Glory!

Which is tragic-er now I have this to be addicted to as well as Hand Food. Oh woe is meeee....

For those of you lucky enough to still be living in the land of S&G, it's £6 from Boots or Harvey Nichols.

Product Review: Milk of Magnesia as a Mattifier

While I adore glamour and pretty packaging in beauty products, I care more about bang for your buck, and products that work. Milk of Magnesia (or Cream of magnesia) as a mattifiant is perhaps even more unglamourous than Monistat Chafing Gel as a primer, but it works!

Recommended by Paula Begoun and Tyra Banks, I've come across this product time and time again in beauty forums and on Makeup Alley, but until now I've never tried it. Mostly I've been afraid it would break me out like most mattifiers I've tried ( The Body Shop Tea-Tree Matte and Boots No 7 Shine-Free Makeup Base to name two), but also the idea of using a laxative on my face was just... ew.

But my oily skin is so frustrating to me that I at last caved in and bought a bottle of Boots Cream of Magnesia for £2.75. I've been trying it for the last week, and here's my review.

How to Use
Give the bottle a good shake. Then using your fingers, apply a light layer as evenly as possible on your skin, after toning and moisturising, before concealer and foundation. Allow it to dry, and you may notice white streaks here and there. Rub with fingers to smooth out. Dampening your fingers speeds this process along but it's not really necessary. Allow to dry completely before applying foundation over.

I have heard that MoM does not always work well with liquid foundations, but works wonderfully well with powder and mineral foundations. But you'll have to experiment to see what works for you.

A thicker layer of MoM works as an oil-absorbing mask. Spread it on, allow to dry and rinse off for tighter-feeling oil-free skin.

How it works
Milk of Magnesia, or Cream of Magnesia is essentially liquid magnesium hydroxide, a harmless, inert chemical that absorbs oil but won't irritate your skin. Some preparations contain mint or cherry flavouring. While this may be fun, I prefer the scentless flavourless generic type because it's cheaper and less additives = less irritating.

Verdict
Initially, I was pleased, but not very impressed. It did stave off the oilies for perhaps an hour or two longer than not using it. This on its own isn't bad, No7's Shine-Free Base didn't seem to do anything, cost about £9, AND it added the crowning indignity of breaking me out. So, if MoM could stave off the oilies for a bit I wasn't going to complain.

However, daily use of it seems to be decreasing the amount of oil my skin is producing. Online reviews warn that some women found their oily skin becoming parched and dry with prolonged usage, so I should keep an eye on my skin, and stop just before it dries out.

Also, absolutely no breakouts whatsoever has been caused by MoM. So, I'll keep using and post an update if anything drastic occurs. But for now, I have an effective, non-irritating mattifying primer that's cheap as chips. I may find a prettier bottle for it though. *winks*

The most famous brand of MoM is Philips Milk of Magnesia (pic) retailing at Boots for £3.25 but cheaper, generic brands can be obtained.

My take on the Ginvera Marvel Gel with Green Tea

After seeing Kahani's pleading look, and reading Zara's post on how marvelous this gel is, of course I'd run out to the nearest drugstore in town and get a tube to try (and yes, one for Kahani too).

However, my take on this after two tries is somewhat disappointing.

Maybe it's just me, what with my oil glands on constant overdrive, but after two tries, it just didn't seem to work for me. While my skin felt really good (it felt clean and smooth and fresh) right after exfoliating with the Marvel Gel (and cleansing with my regular cream cleanser), my entire face just seemed to oil up a mere hour or so after.

Definitely not good.

Then again, it could also be partly due to the insanely hot and humid weather here in Malaysia. So I'll be sending both tubes to Kahani (lucky girl), and hopes she has better luck with it than I did.

Maybe the dry English weather might be good for something after all. *grin*

PS: I bought both 30ml tubes in a twinpack for RM28.80 (~£4) in total.

For convenience sake: Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack

Like Kahani, one of my favourite masks is the aspirin mask. You can read how she gushes about it here. But the one downside of that mask is that it takes time to prepare - all the pounding and mixing. And there are days when you just don't have the time (or mood) for it.

Enter my second favouritest mask - Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack.

First off, it comes in a huge tube, so you don't have to do any pounding and mixing, which is totally great for someone who likes things convenient (who doesn't?).

It's made for "oily and pimple-prone skin", so it sounds perfect for me. I discovered this mask after falling in love with this cream cleanser, so I thought I'd give it a shot, with high hopes that it would help clear up my facial blemishes.

It lists Neem (Azadirachta indica), Fuller's Earth (Multani mitti) and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) as its main ingredients. Citric acid, which is known as an astringent and antioxidant, is pretty high up the list too. However, it also lists sodium methylparaben and sodium proplyparaben further down the list, so you decide if it's for you.

The mask is thick and dark green in colour, with a strong herbal scent. While I'm okay with it, please do take a whiff before bringing it home. I apply it directly with my fingers from the tube, spreading it on evenly. (It makes me look like a green monster, and I think I remember freaking my brother out once. tee hee hee). I leave it on for about 15 minutes, and after it dries, wet it just a bit again to exfoliate before washing it thoroughly off.

Just a word of caution though, as the tube is near finishing, it tends to have sudden squirts of air when you're squeezing the mask out. And that can have semi-disastrous results as bits of mask go flying into your mouth, eyes, hair, T-shirt etc. So a handy tip: squeeze the amount you need into a bowl first before applying it onto your face. So even if the tube decides to fart, it'll be farting into the bowl and not your eyes.

I (try to) use it once or twice weekly, and so far it has done a pretty good job. I find it soothes and calms my skin down, and helps subside blemishes. And just to prove that it works, a few weeks after I started using this mask, my colleagues complimented my skin for having cleared up a lot. Not bad, huh? Used regularly, it also helps in the oil-control department, and helps clear up pores.

I'm on my second 150ml tube now, and I've been getting my supply at the local drugstores in Malaysia for RM21.90. It's also available at Himalaya Herbals free-standing stores. Girls in the UK, take note, I just found out that Himalaya Herbals Direct is currently having a sale, so go check it out here.

I've also recently purchased the Purifying Neem Face Wash, which I will review soon. Promise.

PS: My brother (late teens, has acne, very tall, bright and *cough vain cough*) also uses this, and he'd like to add that "it definitely helps control new pimples from occuring".

Kiss and Makeup discovers: Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel!

How the lovely beauty editor, Zara of Kiss and Makeup discovered the wonders of an Asian product I have chosen to ignore, I'll never know. Ginvera has long been available in Malaysia and its products have always been hit and miss for me. The Avocado wash broke me out and the entire line seemed rather cheap and mumsy to me.

Well enter the benefit of fresh eyes. Click here to read why Zara thinks this gel is indeed marvellous - and why i'm kicking myself for never trying it. It's only available in the UK for £15!!

Syen, send me a tube pleeaaassseee....*looks pleading*

Aspirin Mask: The best exfoliating mask in the world!

*Edit (02/08/2009) DON'T crush the pills! Just let them soak in a tiny amount of cetaphil/water/aloe vera gel and VOILA. They moosh easily into a paste. So handy!

Here's something I discovered on the wonderful MakeUpAlley, that's well-known to American girls but remains undiscovered for most Malaysians (probably due to the popularity of the very unacidic Panadol).

The Aspirin Mask.

(warning: if you're allergic to aspirin, please be smart and don't try this)

Think about it, Apirin is synthesised from Salicylic acid, now go read the lables of most anti-blemish skincare, the ingrediants are usually either Benzoyl Peroxide, or Salicylic Acid. As a mask, aspirin exfoliates, and when you wash it off - scrubs.

I've found that used once a week, in combination with Differin (which also functions by exfoliation) my skin tends to stay happy and clear. If I get lazy (because this mask can be quite a pain to make), I pay for it in clogged skin and blemishes.

As a one-time beauty journalist with acne, I've tried just about every blemish-fighting scrub and mask on the market and I've never found anything to beat this. Best of all, it's so cheap it's virtually free!
Here's my favourite recipe:

• 3 Aspirin Tablets (Use uncoated if you can, all I can get here is Bayer's)
• Cetaphil cleanser (or any other gentle gel cleanser, for drier skin try Dove)
• Aloe Vera gel (I love Fruit Of The Earth, huge tube at dirt cheap prices)

1. Crush the aspirin tablets into a fine powder with the back of a spoon. Squirt in some Cetaphil and aloe vera gel and mix it up into a paste. Slap the paste onto your face and let it sit until I dries (you can tell because you'll start snowing).
2. (Warning: Avoid applying the mask under your nose or when it dries you won't stop sneezing!)
3. When the mask is dry, dampen it with some water and gently scrub your face paying close attention to your t-zone and other blemish-prone areas.
4. Rinse off and marvel at your buttah-smooth skin. It's a good idea to apply a gentle light, oil-free moisturiser after use. I prefer Eucerin's Skin-Regulating Cream-Gel for Acne Prone Skin.

Syen: For ingredients, I usually add about half to 3/4 of a teaspoon of honey to the recipe. Honey's great for your skin too!