Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask Review
Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask
This weekend I feel as though all I've done is write about my favourite types of products from my long term favourite brands. In fact, thats all I've been doing this whole week and let me tell you, I've got some fab posts coming up and plenty of plus size fashion inspiration posts for you too.
Yesterday I blogged about the new Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Facial Scrub and today I have another newbie to the ApiClear line to share with you- the Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask. I'd suggest hoping over to that post now if you haven't read it already as I explain a lot about what my skin is like at the moment in that post and please remember, skincare is so personal so what works for me may not work for you and vice versa!
Face scrubs and face masks are my most favourite part of my whole skincare routine because they're the steps that I associate with being in the bath, having a pamper and relaxing. In yesterday's post, I talked about the new video I've just edited that will be live on Tuesday where I talk you through the products I've used up. There was so many body and face scrubs in that empties stash it was quite ridiculous and there was three masks too.
I've tried that many face masks over the years that I really know what I do and don't like in a product and can usually get a feel for the face mask after only a couple of uses. This mask bypassed the 'like' box and fell straight into the 'love' category immediately for me.
The Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask is the PERFECT mask for my skin type. I have very oily skin that is a little dry around my nose, upper lip and either side of my chin. It is also pretty dehydrated. Products that completely strip my skin of all moisture known to man don't tend to work for me as my skin becomes even more dehydrated and goes into overdrive trying to quickly make more oil to replace the oils that have been lost through using the stripping product, therefore resulting in oiler skin than I started with. What I love about this mask is that it removes the excess oil from my face AND moisturises my skin so that my skin is left perfectly balanced.
I have been looking for a mask that I feel just gets my oily skin problems and this one really does. It is so effective and does exactly what it claims to do once or twice per week depending on how your skin responds to it. I personally like to use this mask twice a week if I have been wearing a lot of make up but I think once would be sufficient for virtually make up free weeks. I apply it after I have cleansed my skin using my No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser and I find that it is particularly effective when used after the Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Scrub as this product is very good at exfoliating the skin but I found that it did make my dry areas drier so this mask helps to replenish any potential moisture lost through using the scrub and rebalance the skin.
Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask*
The Purifying Face Mask is a light mineral kaolin clay mask (my favourite kind) that is designed to draw impurities out from your skin. These impurities, or dirt as we commonly call it, are the things that block our pores and can cause dullness, blackheads and spots and I'm sure you'll all agree that we don't want any of those.
I found that the mask was so easy to apply onto moist skin (cleansed skin that is patted dry with a clean towel) and a thick layer was able to be achieved without the product dripping everywhere. It has a lot of substance and a thick, creamy clay consistency!
What I love about this mask is that although it is a clay mask that is able to clean deep down into the pores, it does not dry rock solid on the skin. It does harden however this is only slightly and not in a ridiculously tight way like some other masks I've tried including the Origins Clear Improvement mask, so if you found that a little too tight to bear then I would suggest giving this one a try. Manuka Doctor suggest leaving the mask on the skin for 10 to 15 minutes which I have done however I have also left it on longer while completing several beauty pamper treatments in the bath and found that it didn't become any more uncomfortable or harden any more.
The Purifying Face Mask has lots of natural active ingredients and uses their combined power to deeply clean the skin and balance it at the same time to give you just the right amount of moisture without excess sebum on your skin. Like with all Manuka Doctor products, the ApiClear Purifying Face Mask contains Purified Bee Venom and Manuka Honey. Purified Bee Venom is a super strong combination of enzymes, peptides and amino acids that have proven antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties making it the perfect addition to a skincare product designed for troubled skin because it helps to clean the skin and cleanse it of bad bacteria whilst calming the skin. The mask didn't irritate my skin or cause it to become red or inflamed and it did clean my skin really well, especially the enlarged pores on my cheeks that I often find are clogged easily. The Manuka Honey used in Manuka Doctor products is derived from New Zealand and again, it has proven antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as also being great at moisturising the skin and encouraging the cells to regenerate. I found that after using this mask my skin was left looking and feeling clean but also very moisturised and it looked hydrated, healthy and full of life.
The Manuka Honey in this formula is what makes it so hydrating along with the Vitamin E that it contains. Renowned for its moisturising benefits, the Vitamin E in this mask also has lots of calming anti-inflammatory properties which is probably why it is an ingredient in many skincare products that are aimed at more sensitive skins. Vitamin E is also great at helping to protect your skin against free radicals that can cause premature skin ageing and now that I have hit 26, I am all about trying to slow down the ageing process!
Despite being very effective, this mask feels gentle on the skin and I found that it didn't irritate my skin whatsoever. While I cannot be certain, because of its moisturising and anti-inflammatory benefits, I would imagine it would be suitable for other skin types too as it didn't feel harsh or stripping on my skin.
Other notable ingredients in the formula of the Purifying Face Mask include Witch Hazel which is known for being particularly astringent and used on fragile skin with dilated pores and Grape Seed Oil which is an anti-inflammatory ingredient that is good at evening out skin tone and is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants. There is also Aloe Vera Juice in there too which, again, has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin which is why it is used so frequently in after sun products because it calms the skin.
The ingredients in the formula of the ApiClear Purifying Face Mask really work together to hydrate and clean the skin, particularly deep into the pores, remove excess oil and impurities from the skin to prevent future breakouts and, as I've found from using it, stop existing spots from becoming more aggressive. I love the way that it enables my complexion to look clean and glowing. It is definitely a winner for me!
The Manuka Doctor ApiClear Purifying Face Mask is available to buy online here and here. It is a brand new release and there are only a small number of stockists at the moment but the rest of the line is available at Superdrug and Feel Unique (I've linked some of the other products from the ApiClear line below) and some selected products are also available from Holland and Barrett.
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P.S. At the time of writing, Manuka Doctor have a ridiculous FLASH SALE of 50% off on their whole website until 9am Tuesday. Head to this page to buy the scrub half price!!
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