Mask Must-Have: Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque

aesop

My friend Sergio hooked me up big time by managing to convince the lovely people at Loading Bay to sell me one of their famous Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque’s before the official launch date (which I think is still set for June 2014).  This clay-based masque is suitable for all skin types, but works particularly well on dry and/or sensitive skins – ding, ding, ding, jackpot!

Aesop uses both plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients of the highest quality – particularly those with high quantities of anti-oxidants. This mask contains, amongst other things, purified clay to draw out impurities, aloe vera to ensure that your skin stays moisturised (nothing worse than that tight post-mask feeling), and rosehip and parsley seed extracts to deliver a big dose of anti-oxidants to perk up your skin. The texture is very fine and smooth, and a little goes a long way, so you only need a small amount to cover your entire face. The smell is absolutely gorgeous too, really herbaceous and bursting with lavender (my favourite).

The masque tightens as it dries, as clay masques do, and it sinks deep into your pores to draw out the impurities – just look at this:

pores

After about 20 minutes you remove it with a wet cloth and you’re done. Removing this masque is a cinch compared to other clay masques I’ve tried – the formula softens instantly on contact with water and gently melts away, so you don’t need to scrub your face to get it off (which sadly is the case with the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask).

The results: unbelievably soft, clear, polished skin. It zaps any existing blemishes and pulls out all the gunk that sits in your pores – it truly is amazing. It also seems to prevent those blemishes that lurk ominously beneath the surface from ever seeing the light of day. What I love most about this mask is that, although powerful, it is also incredibly gentle and I have been able to use it about twice a week without any adverse reaction. What more could a girl like me ask for, eh?

Available exclusively from Loading Bay for R490.00  (from June 2014, but will confirm).