GLAMGLOW Mud Mask Reviews

The GLAMGLOW treatment masks had been big hits since the brand first launched its cleansing and exfoliating masks by advertising their success stories, the unique formulas, and the popular use by Hollywood celebrities. Since then the masks were heavily endorsed and widely loved by celebrities and skincare pioneers and enthusiasts. I am not a pioneer on trying new brands and prefer new products from brands I trust and like. One of the concerns that I hadn't tried GLAMGLOW earlier was seeing Fragrance/Parfum on the ingredients list; but since they are free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, and since my beloved NUDEskincare will no longer be available in the US, I am ready to give something new a try.


So with the VIB rogue discount that Sephora is offering, I got the 3 masks in the forms of smaller sizes and 100-point sample (the pictures and links below are for the full size). I couldn't wait but tried them on the same night and the next day!


GLAMGLOW YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Ingredients
-French Sea Clay: Absorbs impurities and toxic substances, while leaving essential natural oils and minimizing pore size. 
-Volcanic Pumice Rock: Multi-level surface exfoliation that you control to clear dead skin cells, smoothing out fine lines and softening skin texture. 
-Green Tea Leaf Pieces: GLAMGLOW® groundbreaking patent pending TEAOXI™ technology delivers fresh Super-Squalene, EGCG super antioxidants, and Polypenols directly into the mud from the real pieces of tea leaf. 

Water, Montmorillonite (Volcanic Minerals), Kaolin (French Sea Clay), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (Purified Clay), Polyethylene, Pumice (Micro Volcanic Rock), Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea Leaf), Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract (Green Tea), Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract (Chamomile), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (Marigold), Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber), Hedara Helix Extract (Ivy), Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract (Comfrey Herb), Lavandula Hybrida Oil (Lavender), Glycerin (Vegetable), Parfum, [Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool], Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Review
I followed the instruction and stirred it a bit to liquefy the paste. Was still a bit thick and dried quickly, making spreading evenly on face a little hard.  Instead of the claimed tingling feeling, my skin had a 'burning' sensation for a minute or so. It could be because of the clay ingredients as I have had similar burning from other clay masks. I waited for the recommended time and then added lukewarm water to start exfoliating in circular motion.  The jar does contain green tea leaf pieces, so be careful not to scrub with the pieces. It left my skin looking clean and feeling smooth, but  I didn't think that it provides any noticeable radiance and glow.  For the fragrance ingredient and burning sensation, I am a bit disappointed.


GLAMGLOW ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment

Ingredients
-Dewdration™: A blend of actives containing hyaluronic acid and citric acid for deep hydration; boosts and locks in moisture for a dewy, youthful look. 
-Hydrapack™: A blend of actives containing botanimoist, moisturizing sugars and acids from apples, oat bete glucan to soothe and calm the skin, and hydraclay to trap and retain moisture in the skin. 
-GreenEnergy™: A blend of actives containing raw honey and ginger root for radiance and detoxifying; coconut provides immediate skin conditioning. 
-Teaoxi Olive Leaf: Delivers naturally moisturizing linoleic acid. 

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Peg-8, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Powder, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Honey (Mel), Allantoin, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hexylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polysorbate 60, Menthoxypropanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract, Kaolin, Buteth-3, Trideceth-10, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Tris (Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate, Tributyl Citrate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Coumarin, Linalool.

Review
A wipe/rinse off mask.  This one has a lovely coconut scent.  It has Sodium Hyaluronate which will help hydrating the skin; it contains honey, coconut, and olive that will help with smoothing and nourishing the skin; it has Tocopheryl Acetate which is conditioning. When I had the mask on, it felt smoothing and that the cream was rich enough to be absorbed by the skin.  I chose to rinse off instead and after rinsing, my skin felt smooth for sure, but then a little dry after a minute or so.  I think it could be due to the multiple alcohol ingredients.  I'd say it's average if you like coconut scent and are looking for a mask that does what it says. Price wise ($69 1.7oz) it stands on the higher side comparing to other brands that Sephora carries.

GLAMGLOW GravityMud Firming Treatment

Ingredients
-Vizitight with a Firming Matrix and Marine Algae Plasma and BioDefine Polymers.: Provide tighter-feeling skin.
-Lunarlift with Soy Isoflavone Liposome and Red Algae Extract: Help skin feel tighter and more toned.
-Cosmiplexion with Icelandic Kelp, Hyaluronic Acid, and Mineral-Rich Glacial Clay: Help skin feel younger and more resilient.
-TEAOXI® Complex with Marshmallow and Licorice Leaf: Help skin look and feel firmer.

Water, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Montmorillonite, Pentylene Glycol, Illite, Polysorbate 20, Canadian Colloidal Clay, Caprylyl Glycol, Althaea Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tapioca Starch, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Colloidal Platinum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alcohol, Ascophyllum Nodosum Powder, Polysorbate 80, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Pullulan, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Coumarin, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163).

Review
A peel off mask.  This one also has a coconut scent.  The consistency was very thick and the gel dries quickly, so apply quickly but evenly. Be sure to avoid eye areas, hairline, and eyebrows.  It did leave a bit burning sensation on my skin as well as I put it on and dried much faster than 20-30 mins on the instruction (and I did apply generously as instructed). I think it could be due to the multiple alcohol ingredients and clay as well.   If you feel like the mask is completely dried, you can start peeling immediately. Be sure to peel upward from your chin.  I was surprise to see that not only it made my skin feel smooth but my pores were noticeably smaller.  I think this is probably a pretty unexpected result. 

In a nutshell, I think the products were efficient enough to provide their claimed benefits, but they also contain a few side effects as well. Personally I don't like fragrance in the ingredients as some fragrance can damage lower skin layer without apparent damage on the surface, causing skin cells to break down reduce collagen production; the alcohol ingredients could be irritating (especially for sensitive skin) and drying, but most of them are not unheard of in skincare ingredients and can help delivering results. In my opinion I most likely will not get the full size product but it's good to have smaller sizes to try, if you decide to get the regular products, be sure to not use the masks more frequent than the instructions recommended. 

Avoid making these mistakes in facial masks!

I love caring for my skin, and I started at very young age.  I always loved facial masks as well, it's sort of a skin care boost to detox, remove impurities, and nourish the skin with 'nutrition'. During weekends I can easily do 3-5 a day! I have used over 50 different masks from various brands, in cream or cloth form, from pharmacy to high-end department store brands.  In retrospect, I have purchased some based on marketed benefits, promotions, or positive reviews, without thinking too much about the ingredients, but I choose them more carefully. (For product ingredients and the benefits of skincare ingredients, feel free to visit ewg.org or paulaschoices.com for individual produce reviews)

In my opinion, facial masks are not absolutely necessary but it is a great way to address specific skin concerns.  However, using facial masks incorrectly will result in wasting the products and your money, or worse, making your skin worse! So whether you're looking to do a deep cleaning or adding some hydration to your face, be sure to avoid these mistakes:

1. Not looking at the product labels - read the labels carefully to make sure that you are not allergic to the products' ingredients

2. Buying the 'natural' marketed labels - Don't get me wrong. I love natural products and try to avoid certain chemical ingredients as much as possible.  But poison ivy is natural but it isn't good for the skin, and ingredients like Retinol (Vitamin A), Hyaluronic Acid (or Sodium Hyaluronate), or Glycerin might sound foreign to you, can be good or even essential for the skin

3. Not cleaning your face thoroughly - Clogged pores and dirt prevent you from getting the most out of the facial masks. Even if you're using a cleansing mask, it's still a good habit to remove the dirt from the surface and let the mask absorbs the impurities from your pores


4. Opting for cream mask because it seems to be cheaper and lasts longer - Cloth mask also does wonders.  When you leave it on your face, it seals the ingredients onto the skin.  For cream masks, apply generously onto your skin, you do need a good amount (more than the daily moisturizer amount) in order for your skin to absorb the essence.

Not following instructions
5.  Leaving the mask on for too long (except for overnight/sleeping masks) - This is a huge mistake.  Cleaning mask with clay and charcoal can dry up your skin quickly.  When your skin is too dry, it can become flaky and cause peeling, or worse, form fine lines!  Even if you are doing a hydrating mask, some masks have intensive formulas that you shouldn't leave it on for more than 5-10.  After the recommended time the ingredients could irritate your skin. So the longer isn't always better.

5b. Using your facial/eye masks as a substitute to your regular skincare products. Facial masks ingredients are formulated for special skin concerns and provide a boost to the skin, but they don't provide the same protection as the regular skincare products (SPF, seed oils for antioxidants)

6. Not rinsing/wiping/rubbing properly - If it says "wipe off excess", use a facial tissue to gently wipe off any residues on your face; for rinsing, use lukewarm water to rinse off completely.  If it says massage onto your skin, use your fingertips to rub the essence onto your face in circular motions.  Be sure to follow the regular skincare routine as instructed.

7.  Talking/Laughing/Eating - Try to relax as much as you can.  Your skin will relax too and absorb the ingredients better.  In addition, if the ingredients are drying, intensive motion on your face will pull your skin and can create fine lines.

8.  Using only one facial masks - I would switch with a few products, or at least try something else and then go back to your favorite.  Once your skin is used to the ingredients, the products will become less effective.

9. Picking one that is colorful and smells like its marketed ingredients - If you care about the ingredients, try to stay away from the colorful ones or the ones that really smell like the ingredients (like 'rose' or 'cucumber').  A lot of times they contain synthetics colors and scents to make the products more 'believable' and don't add any benefits to your skin.  I prefer not having Green-3, Yellow-3, CI-xxxxx (artificial colors) and fragrance/parfum (could be made of synthetics) added to my skincare boost.


So that's it for now! Don't forget to  Happy Masking!

My New Facial Cleanser pt. 2

After introducing my new facial soap yesterday from Cle' de Peau,  I would like to share with you my favorite exfoliating system - the OLAY Professional PROX series.  

I have been struggling with blackhead since I was a teenager and tried different brands (probably more than 20 pharmacy/luxury brands) to get rid of blackhead with not so much success.  I've also tried the nose strip, nose peeling mask, nose masks that claimed to 'melt' blackheads, small electrical scrubber, nose exfoliating pad, you name it etc.  I've had enough of trying for the first few times and say, "I think I finally found something that works!" and then didn't work so much afterwards.  The nose strips are probably works best for sticking blackheads and peeling off, but too much peeling make your pores look bigger.  After hearing about the hypes on professional scrubbing tool - I wanted to give it a try, but even the reviews were great, I hesitated to invest in this. Until maybe last year, I saw OLAY PROX professional cleaning system in a pharmacy and it's only $30 retail, I thought it's worth trying.  

As you might have read from a reputable publisher - effects of OLAY's anti-aging cream is comparable to those that sell for $200+. Although I had not tried the ant-aging cream, but this little scrubber does look simple to use and works gentle on your face.  All you'll need is two AA batteries (included) and an exfoliating scrub (sample size included). The scrub has two speeds, I like to use the fast one on my nose, cheek and chin area; but for forehead and outer areas of eyes, I use the slower movement and scrub gently.  I love the result - and the good thing about this product is that you can bring it to your oversea travels as well since it uses batteries.

After using it, I recommend using a hydrating mask as a follow up - after scrubbing off some skin cell, it's good idea to replenish the skin with some moist as the layer gets thinner, and when you skin is clean it absorbs the benefits of skincare the best. 

Now I use it in conjunction with my new facial soap, my skin stays smooth all the time.  

Happy Scrubbing!

Source: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043OYFKU/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details 

My New Facial Cleanser

After trying numerous of facial cleanser brands, I finally found one that I am really satisfied with - Cle' de Peau Synactif face soap. It successfully remove a lot of dirt, oil and dead skin cell on my face, is extremely mild and makes my skin feels smooth after rinsing. In the other brands I've used in the past, some were good and some were average - most of the time I liked it in the beginning and felt like it didn't work as much as I expected after few weeks.  I've been using the sample of the soap for a few weeks from my best friend, and I love it! It is a little pricey after all but I thought it is worth trying. 

If you're not familiar with this brand, it is the luxury brand product of the Shiseido brands, which you might have heard of. It is a reputable company and the products work on sensitive skin like mine.

For someone with visible pores like me, having clogged pores or blackheads is a big concern, this face soap is great for cleaning some of those nicely. For deep exfoliation, I will  share some tricks in my upcoming post.  Stay tuned :)