This sounded like a good idea. But, then, why does it hurt so much?!
Let’s fast forward to 30 minutes earlier. It was Sunday night, the day I pamper my skin with a sheet mask. This time, I had decided to do something different.
Spring has sprung and my skin isn’t on the dry side anymore, so I figured it was safe to try a charcoal mask. The only thing that put me a little off was the mess. Geez, taking off a charcoal mask can take ages and leave black blobs all over your bathroom. Cleaning that up wouldn’t be that relaxing!
That’s when I remembered about Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Mask. The black goop is supposed to dry so that it peels off in one go. No mess. Yay!
What could possibly go wrong?
What’s In Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Mask?
CHARCOAL TO ABSORB EXCESS OIL AND IMPURITIES
Charcoal is carbon soot treated in a way that punctures holes all over it. Think of is as a sponge.
Charcoal is super absorbent. It soaks up dirt, toxins, excess oil and random crap from the skin, giving it a good clean. But, can it remove the gunk stuck inside the pores, too? Yes and no.
Science proves it can, BUT the study was done using a solution made of only powdered charcoal and water left on the skin for several hours. It did the trick.
A mask like Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Mask works a little differently:
- It only stays on the skin for 20-30 minutes
- There are plenty of other ingredients in the mask so the charcoal won’t be absorbed as quickly
It’s likely the peel off mask will get rid of some impurities in your pores, but won’t do as throughout a job as you’d like.
FIY, charcoal is for oily skin oily. If yours is dry, this is something you can cross off your skincare list.
Related: The Best Skincare Routine For Oily Skin?
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
Sebum is your skin’s natural moisturiser. Absorbing the excess is cool. Absorbing too much can be drying.
Glycerin is here to keep the balance. As charcoal does its oil-absorbing job, glycerin attracts moisture from the air into your skin, helping it to stay hydrated during the process.
Related: The Complete Guide To Glycerin In Skincare
Need help creating the best skincare routine for you oily skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Oily Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
Texture
Black goop.
Fragrance
Clean and subtle.
How To Use It
Apply all over your skin. Wait 30 minutes before peeling it off.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Masque is a black goop that’s a bit messy to apply. This is something you want to do in the bathroom when you know you won’t be disturbed for half an hour at least.
(Pretty rare occurrence when you live in a flat share but the alternative would be scaring all my flatmates off – bottom line, you don’t know wany anyone to see you with this on).
I let the mask work its magic for 30 minutes while I was relaxing with a good book. Sunday nights are the best.
Finally, it was time to take it off. I wondered if it’d be like Little Ondine, the nail polish that was supposed to come off in one peel but wouldn’t budge from my nails until I attacked it with half a bottle of acetone (it’s not like I can put acetone on my face).
I touched my skin until I found a piece of the mask that came off more easily than the rest and… #WTFOuch!
Good news: a huge chunk of the mask was coming off in one go.
Bad news: it hurts. A lot. It’s like peeling a plaster off your skin. Be careful when you apply the mask, ladies. You don’t want it to get stuck to your hair. Trust me on that one!
It took a few minutes but the damned thing was finally off my face. And my bathroom was still clean. No mess. Yay for that. My skin looked great, too. Smooth, clean and refreshed. And in pain.
Ok, it’s not excruciating pain. It’s not pleasant, but it’s bearable. But you shouldn’t bear it. Anything that pulls at the skin in this way is NOT good for it.
If your skin’s sensitive or has active acne, pulling the mask off so violently could irritate it even more.
Lesson learned: peel off masks are NOT as good an idea as they sound. Stay away!
Who Is This For?
No one. Please, don’t use this!
Who Is This NOT For?
I don’t recommend this to anyone.
Packaging
White and grey pack. Not the prettiest, but it’s practical.
Does Masque Bar Luminizing Charcoal Peel Off Mask Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| This peel off mask helps to detoxify, purify and deep cleanse. | It removes excess oil and impurities, but it can’t detoxify or purify. No skincare product can do this. |
| Its deep cleansing ingredients draw out dirt and oil. | True. |
Price & Availability
$9.99 at Masque Bar
Do You Need It?
Absolutely not! Stay away!
Dupes & Alternatives
- Clinique City Block Purifying Charcoal Clay Mask + Scrub ($28.50)
- Paula’s Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask ($30.00)
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Alcohol Denat., Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PVP, Methylpropanediol, Charcoal powder, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum (Fragrance)
Ever try Boscia’s black peel off mask? I did, and I was in tears peeling it off. Here’s the reason: it grabs onto all that super fine baby hair you never knew you had, and rips it out by the roots!
Katy, ouch! I’ll steer well clear, thank you!
Sounds terrible!!!! But that´s probably what causes the pain. Thanks for pointing out!
Better stick to normal sheet masks, I think!