Hey! I love a good face mask. I tried this Pore-Perfecting Papaya Enzyme one by Alba Botanica ages ago and wanted to give it another try after struggling with it the first time. My skin has been really settled and well-behaved recently, so I feel like I'll get some more positive results with it this time! I really like the idea of this face mask, hence my persistence; it's cruelty-free, natural, and smells incredible! I don't have any other face masks like this one, so I'm keen to give it another go...
So here's the claims:
​- Discover this five minute tropical retreat for an instant skin pick-me-up
- Papaya and pineapple enzymes gently loosen and dissolve dull skin cells and impurities to reveal fresh, vibrant skin.
- Alba Botanica offer a range of natural, 100% vegetarian products packed with potent natural, botanical ingredients formulated to nourish the individualised needs of your skin and hair
- Alba Botanica products are free from artificial colours, parabens, phlthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium myreth sulfate and are not tested on animals.
I told you it sounds good! Basically, it uses very gentle enzyme extracts from real fruits to dissolve dead skin cells, rather than buffing them off with a scrub which can be a bit too rough on sensitive skin types. The last time I tried this (I did a vlog on it a while back) I felt my skin tingle and react to the mask - never a good sign! It was quite uncomfortable to wear and I was reluctant to continue with it whilst my skin was so reactive. However, my skin is much more settled and happy at the moment, so I want to see how it reacts to normal skin!
This mask smells incredible. It's so fruity and fresh! It's a gel-like formula and feels very refreshing and cooling on the skin - a direct contrast to how it feels once it's sat for a while. I do think this mask warms up on the face a bit - assuming it's the acidity from the fruits doing their thang! However, it didn't hurt and it wasn't uncomfortable this time around - though I have to admit the sensation is a bit jarring!
The gel itself it a deep, seaweed green shade, which adds to the natural, exotic feel (in my opinion!) This tub is a really decent size, and very lightweight, making it more practical for travelling (though obviously not as practical as a tube!) Their packaging is all recycled (a nice touch) and features this fun, Hawaiian-themed design.
Did I think my pores were "refined"? Not exactly, but my skin did feel very refreshed and clean afterwards! Maybe with continued use I'd find a change to my pores and the overall texture, but my skin has reacted strangely to this before and I'm not sure how it would deal with continued use of this product. While my skin is settled, it's a great mask for refreshing and sloughing of those dead skin cells - but when my skin isn't at its greatest, this mask tingles and feels a bit uncomfortable. I think I'll continue using this while my skin is good and see how it goes... it smells too good and softens my skin too well to not give it another chance!
You can get it from Naturally Better You for £6.16 - a bargain! Meli X