Review: Laneige » Pore Minimizing Pack

Laneige as a brand makes me think of crystal clear skin. With the name meaning 'snow' in French it's no wonder that their brand focuses on water to keep skin healthy and lively! I've really grown to love Laneige and after visiting the Amore store awhile back, I received a generous amount of samples of their Pore Minimizing Pack. I couldn't wait to try it out and yes, I absolutely lucked out with this one!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Laneige
Product » Pore Minimizing Pack
Size » 100ml
Cost » $20 USD
Website » www.laneige.co.kr/en/main.do
Would I purchase the full version? » Yes!!

I really don't have anything bad to say about this clay mask! It smells sophisticated and feminine and spreads on with a consistency of a lotion or BB cream. I loved this aspect of the mask because it wasn't so thick as many other clay masks I've tried in the past. I was actually really surprised by the consistency! I agree with all the claims Laneige makes about this product and have experienced excellent results. I'm definitely on the more obsessed side when it comes to dealing with my pores and this mask helps a lot!

The Pore Minimizing Pack honestly does dry in only 3-5 minutes. You don't need to leave it on longer than that to get results. Laneige says you only need a nickel-sized amount to spread around, but in reality you need more than that for your entire face. A little does go a long way, however, and you don't need to lay this on thick to get results.

Laneige's Directions:
♡Sooth skin with toner and apply a nickel-sized amount over your face, avoiding the eye area. Cover your entire face with an opaque layer.
♡When the pack dries after 3~5 minutes, rinse off with water and sooth skin with toner.
♡You may use this product on the entire face, but it can also be used on problematic areas with excess sebum secretion.
♡Use it 1~2 times a week, but you may increase the frequency according to your skin condition.

Ingredients: water, kaolin, butylene glycol, magnesium aluminum silicate, sodium methyl cocyl taurate, titanium dioxide, moroccan lava clay, melia azadirachta extract, protease, salycylic acid, chlorphenesin, xanthan gum, glyceryl stearate, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, phenoxyethanol, alcohol, disodium edta, fragrance

Sorry I know this photo doesn't have the best lighting, but as you can see it dries to look like I'm wearing way too much sunblock haha. I accidentally put extra on my nose so it looks more white there. The amazing thing about this clay mask is that my face doesn't feel super tight while the mask is dry! Yes, it is a little stiff, but only slightly (it is a clay mask after all). I can still move my face around and it isn't nearly as thick as other clay masks! The mask doesn't turn out looking cracked while drying.

This is SO easy to wash off! Lukewarm water works best and once the water hits your skin the mask just wipes off! My skin feels incredibly smooth after and my pores are significantly smaller. You really can notice!! One troubling thing I've experienced with other clay masks is struggling to wash it off which causes me to pull at my skin. This results with my skin looking red and feeling irritated and tired. But NOT with this mask!! The Laneige Pore Minimizing Pack is amazing in that it is very light for a clay mask and has never left my face looking red or feeling irritated either.

Also, this helps to pull out impurities and toxins from your skin. It makes blackheads especially easier to remove and I can just tell that my skin feels cleaner from within. This does help a little bit with sebum control and exfoliation, but I mainly like it for minimizing my pores. Another great thing about this mask is that it doesn't suck any moisture out of your skin! I'd recommend this for any skin type and for those if you with oily skin to use more often throughout the week. Overall, I love the Pore Minimizing Pack from Laneige and will definitely be purchasing the full version of this product!

Love,

Review: Skinfood » Black Sugar Mask Wash Off

There is so much hype around the Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off that I had to give it a go! Plus, being a fan of all things sweet, I definitely had to try a mask that lists caramel as one of it's ingredients! Needless to say, my curiosity finally got the best of me.

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Skinfood
Product » Black Sugar Mask Wash Off
Size » 100g
Cost » $17 USD in store
Website » eng.theskinfood.com
Would I repurchase? » Probably

The Black Sugar Mask comes in a simple container that many of Skinfood's masks come in. The cap screws off to reveal a second lid that helps to keep bacteria out of the product. The concoction inside is so thick that if you turn the container upside down it won't even move! It isn't hard or sticky, but you'll have a lot of trouble getting this out of the container without a scooper as it is slightly dry and quite dense.

Keep in mind you have to apply this to a dampened face to get it to spread, otherwise you could very well end up damaging your skin. Once applied, I looked like a had a really horrible tan because of how brown it is! Ha, after about 10-15 minutes the mask should be washed off with lukewarm water. Before I wash it off, I wet my hands and gently scrub my face with the sugar granules as a mild exfoliant. The key here is to be gentle!

I have heard numerous rumors about the smell of this mask, but to me it smells exactly like lemongrass. Not quite the scent you would imagine for a Brazilian sugar mask, but I personally like the smell. Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at the first 5 listed ingredients and what they actually do for your skin:

» Sucrose Cocoate: A mild cleansing agent with conditioning and moisturizing properties.
» Glycerin: Attracts and holds moisture.
» Candelilla Wax: Anti-inflammatory agent.
» Macadamia Seed Oil: Promotes radiant skin.
» Lanolin: Skin protectant.

Full Ingredient List: Sucrose, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Lanolin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Sorbitan Laurate, Butylparaben, BHT, Caramel, Parfum

Skinfood claims that the Black Sugar Mask promotes smooth, glowing skin. While I would agree that my skin feels smooth after each use, I would not ever say it is glowing. This mask is not very moisturizing and it does not feel cool or hot when applied. Also, I personally prefer a peeling cream for exfoliation as they are much more gentle and (I think) more effective.

However, I'm not sure if it's entirely due to this mask, but my skin seems to be less oily during the day after applying! This is also great for blackheads and it has seemed to help with diminishing my pores. My skin feels healthier and firmer after each use as well, so for that I would think about buying this again. I think this could be used every day, but ONLY if you are extremely gentle and cautious. Overall, I don't see exactly what all the hype is about, but I do like the way my skin feels after using the Black Sugar Mask Wash Off :)

xo,