Favorite product of the month: Origins Charcoal Mask

A few weeks ago I read about this mask on another blog and looked further into it, only finding/reading great things anywhere I looked. Since it boasted with pretty much everything I want/look for in a skin care product and Origins also happened to be having a free shipping special, I decided to give it a go :).

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. origins.com. $22.

"Activated charcoal works like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore cloggers, white china clay absorbs environmental toxins..."

I am attracted to anything involving deep pore cleaning, as I have monstrous-sized pores and oily skin, leaving me with continuous cloggings. (You're welcome for the mental picture.) I have tried numerous masks in the past that claim to clean deep and have never found worthy results... til now.

I LOVE this stuff. I use it 2-3 times a week (you can use it once a week, but I think my skin just needs it more often). After I apply the mask, I allow it to completely dry (as directed), and then rinse and gently rub with a damp cloth. I can actually SEE a difference in my pores afterwards. They are cleaner and tighter. Not only that, I can tell a difference in oil control. Typically after I rinse my face, it only takes a couple hours before I see little oil drops peeping through. After the mask, however, my skin is oil free for much longer. And it's not that it totally dries my face out in a harsh way... actually it's the opposite. The mask, while super-clarifying, is also somehow moisturizing at the same time. My face feels soft and purified afterwards. And there's no better combination.

For $22, sure, a bit pricey for those of us who are bargain-hunters, but I foresee this product lasting me a long time. You get 100 ml in the bottle, you only need a small amount for each application, and it's not to be used every day. So there ya go. Worth it.