Montagne Jeunesse's Black Seaweed Peel Off & Hot Spring Sauna Masques!

Suffering from stress-induced breakouts has become way too common for my liking recently. Dissertation is taking its toll on my skin, leaving it blotchy and in desperate need of some TLC. Just as I was about to begin my daily moan about the state of my face in my bedroom mirror last week, I received an email asking if i'd like to review two new products from face mask geniuses Montagne Jeunesse and I could not have come at a better time!

This Black Seaweed Peel Off Masque* jumped out at me straight away as i've always had such great results from products that feature seaweed. The seaweed this mask contains is black Laver, all the way from Wales (fancy!) along with crushed Sea Blackthorn berries. I was in need of a deep clean, so knew this would be ideal for me. The mask is easy to apply, and with its distinct, dark colour its easy to ensure an even coverage. You are told to apply and leave for 15-20 minutes then to simply peel off afterwards. I could feel the product cooling my skin while I waited, however in future I would suggest to perhaps leave it on for over 20 minutes if possible because it didn't dry at all! I could only peel off about a third, leaving me scraping away at it with a damp flannel. With that aside, the end result was really great. My skin felt squeaky clean (the same effect you can achieve after a good facial scrub, but without all the effort!) and I could feel some of my under-the-skin spots beginning to come to the surface. I would definitely try this masque again, I just wish it was a bit easy to remove - ahh well, nothing good ever comes easy! 

I thought i'd be generous, so I gave the Hot Spring Sauna Masque* to my fellow blogger and housemate Beth to try. With exfoliating Bamboo and chopped Ginger used to open up your pores, give them a deep clean and brighten the skin, this was the ideal mask for her as a fan of polishes and heated scrubs. The application process was easy, and as it was worked into the skin the heat element kicked in instantly. The product had a refreshing fragrance, but the highlight was definitely the removal process after the 10-15 minute waiting time. The product needs to be rinsed off with water, and as the water is worked into the skin the Bamboo kicks in and the product becomes a polish. We were both really impressed with this masque as it differs from the regular 2-in-1's as with this product you can actually feel the two elements working with your skin due to the contrast of the heat and the exfoliating element. Overall her skin looked really vibrant, fresh and hydrated - what more could you ask for? 

For a very reasonable price of £1 I will definitely be grabbing these again. What I love about Montagne Jeunesse is that they have something for everyone, and although they aren't always perfect they are great value for money and are always ideal for a girly night in or as a treat at the end of a busy week.

You can view the full range of products on their website here or purchase from your local Boots, Superdrug, Claire's or supermarket!

Lush's 'Mask of Magnaminty' Mask

Okay, so there's one thing you need to know about me... i'm a massive worrier. Whether it's university, my job, my friends or finances, my mind is never completely blank. Not only is it extremely irritating when it comes to attempting to switch my brain off to get a decent nights sleep, it also wreaks havoc on my skin on a regular basis.

Stressed-induced spots are common, so i've been on the hunt for an 'industrial strength' mask or scrub that stops spots in their tracks and gives me on less thing to worry about. To be honest, i'd never heard of Mask of Magnaminty before receiving it as a birthday present from my flatmate, but what its made for is exactly what i've been looking for!

Designed for those spots "that take two days to come up but five days to bugger off", this peppermint mask is not just for spots on your face, but on your back, and any other spot-prone faces for that matter! With added added kaolin, honey, vanilla absolute and ground aduki beans, Mask of Magnaminty promises to rid your skin of stubborn spots and fight outbreaks. I fortunately don't suffer from outbreaks anywhere but my face, so I tried this product as a regular face mask.

One thing I will say is that it applies like cement. It is so thick, so slapping on a generous amount was really fun as I ended up with a mask that was about two inches thick that made me look like the Wicked Witch of the West! The peppermint cools your skin instantly, so I would definitely recommend following the instructions when it comes to not applying anywhere near your eyes. It is instructed to leave the mask on for 5-10 minutes which I found quite daunting, as i've never left a mask on for more than five minutes and I was afraid it would dry out my skin too much. I definitely wouldn't recommend having this mask on whilst walking around the house, as your face gets so cold. The cooling peppermint mixed with the ever-so-slight breeze that hits your face as your walking around your house is not a good combination!

After five minutes, the mask had completely hardened, meaning that after ten I did have trouble washing it off. The ground aduki beans lightly exfoliated my skin whilst I was removing, and the kaolin had helped draw out any impurities. After washing the product off I found my skin felt hydrated and quite tight; a similar feeling you receive after a professional facial treatment. For about half an hour after applying my face still felt cool, and I had found that one of my spots (to be information alert!) had actually been drawn out from being an extremely irritating red bump!

For £4.95 I would say this should be a staple in every spot-sufferers cosmetics kit. It's refreshing, hydrating and leaves your skin feeling squeaky-clean and impurity free. Peppermint is a natural stimulant, so this mask is perfect in the morning when your skin needs a little pick-me-up. Due to its thickness i'd only recommend using this once a week, but I can definitely see myself reaching for this after a heavy night or when i'm struck down with a spot before an evening out!

You can purchase Mask of Magnaminty at your local Lush store or online here from £4.95 for 125g.

Montagne Jeunesse's Blemish Mud Face Mask

It's got to the stage now where vegetarian skincare brand Montagne Jeunesse doesn't need an introduction or explination. I have done many reviews in the past of their various products, but I always get excited when i'm introduced to something new of theirs.

Blemish Mud is part of their Mud spa range and aims to brighten the skin whilst combating imperfections. As you've noticed I have pale skin, so any small blemish is noticeable so this masque is perfect for me.

Containing soothing Aloe Vera and Willow along with Witch Hazel and Rosemary, this product has a thick consistency (hence the word 'mud') which makes it quite difficult to remove from the packaging. It doesn't have a particularly nice scent, but to be honest this masque's aim is to target your problem areas, not to be fruity and fragrant so it didn't really make a difference. I'd also found that the masque was so thick that you could get away with stretching the packet to two applications. Instantly cooling, at soon as it was applied it felt as though it had been left in the fridge for hours in preparation - it definitely woke me up and the thickness felt really luxurious and indulgent on my skin!

After the 15 minute application time, the mud had transformed into a hard clay that made me look like a character out of 13 Ghosts when I tried to smile and loosen up the masque. It was relatively easy to remove, and my skin immediately looked brighter, felt smoother and was squeaky clean. It had definitely brought the redness out in my blemishes, but since application more blemishes have actually appeared - it didn't seem to help reduce them in any way. It is advised to be used weekly, but i'm not convinced after my first application that it has actually done anything. For just £1.09 its great for a general pampering masque, but i'm not overally satisfied with the results it promises.

I have been advised by Montagne Jeunesse to follow up this deep cleanse with a Cooling Cucumber Peel-Off Masque - so stay tuned to see whether this next product lives up to expectations!

You can purchase the Blemish Mud Face Masque for £1.09 at your local supermarket, Boots and Superdrug or on their official website here.

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spa Range

I don't think there's any better way to pamper yourself at home than a good, deep-cleansing face masque. These have become a regular occurance in my weekly skincare routine, and it gives me something to look forward to and enjoy at the end of a hard week.

The Clay Spa range* from vegetarian face mask and body treatment company Montagne Jeunesse promises to deliver a unique, enhanced cleansing experience usually specially sourced clays infused into naturally sourced bamboo fabric, making it an intense cloth face masque. It's no secret that Montagne Jeunesse are a favourite of mine, i'm such a fan of their deliciously fruit masques but i'm an even bigger fan of their ethos for 'Conservation of Energy, Protection of Animals and the Environment' - There's no excuse for the harm of animal when creating beauty products, so a vegetarian-approved, natural brand will always get a thumbs-up in my book!

Firstly, how great is this packaging? Vibrant and fun, I love the idea of it being packaged as a present, complimenting the idea of an indulgent gift for yourself.

The box contains an interesting timeline on the history of the company, as well as the two face masques in the range: 'Glacial Clay Spa' and 'Dead Sea Mud Spa'. It's great that these products are completely different, ensuring that the experience varies with each masque.

Dead Sea Mud Spa
I decided to use this masque first on a night where my skin was particularly dry and worn from the day, as it featured nutrient rich seaweed and kelp, giving it that 'Dead Sea' feel to it. I also loved the idea of it including real mud, as it reminded me of professional spa treatments.

I was hesitant when I realised that both masques were cloth, as i've never really tried one before but had heard very mixed reviews. I must admit, when unfolding the cloth it was was pretty intimidating. You're faced with a round piece of cloth with roughly cut holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. At first glance I questioned whether the 'one size fits all' theory really applied, but once positioned over my eyes and mouth I found that you can easily manipulate the masque so that it molds around your face (I had to fold it over slightly at the top so it didn't touch my hairline, but that wasn't a problem!)

You apply the masque after cleansing, leave to develop for 10-15 minutes (I chose 15 because I wanted maximum results!), massage your face to relieve any stiffness and rinse off the excess clay from the masque. All I can say is wow. My face felt clean, smooth, refreshed and hydrated. Beautifully soft, it was just what my skin needed. Despite it containing seaweed, it didn't have too much of a scent, and was really easy to wash off with cold water.

Glacial Clay Spa
This mask was definitely the most fragrant of the two, due to the inclusion of red grape and arctic cloudberry juices. It was really cool to the touch, and felt so refreshing on my skin. There isn't as much to say about this masque as the concept and application is exactly the same as the Dead Sea Mask, but I found this masque a lot more enjoyable purely because it was slightly fruitier and felt a lot less intense on my skin.

In future, I would use the Glacial Clay Spa weekly, switching to the Dead Sea Mud Spa when my skin needs an even deeper cleanse. Overall I found this to be quite a luxurious treatment, and I really enjoyed that the cloth didn't slip or dry out, continuing to work its magic right up until removal!

The Clay Spa range will be available from Boots from mid-August, closely followed by Asda in September and is priced at an incredible £1.50! If you don't want to wait until then, the masques are available for purchase now on the Montagne Jeunesse website. You'd be crazy not to give these a try, trust me - you'll love them.

Browse (And hopefully purchase!) Montagne Jeunesse's skincare and clay spa range here.


Be sure to vote for Sophie Says for the NEXT Newcomer Blog Award at this years Cosmopolitan Blog Awards HERE!

Review: Etat Pur Prescription

I recently entered a giveaway on Holly Arabella's blog, with the prize being a personalised solution from skincare specialists Etat Pur - and guess what? I won!

Etat Pur provide skincare products that are tailored for specific types of skin, and by using their personalised solution questionnaire, it allows customers to be educated on what types of products they should be using in their daily (and nightly) routine. To be honest, i'd never heard of this company before reading Holly's review, but I was instantly intrigued by the idea of being personally guided through hand-picked products as there are so many different skincare products out there it's enough to make your head spin. Etat Pur can recommend products targeting at different skin problems, ages or skin types - which means you really can find what suits you.

I was absolutely thrilled, purely because I never win anything. I was told to go onto their website and complete their questionnaire, which looks like this:

 

(The questionnaire is longer by the way, my screen just isn't big enough to view it all at once!)

From there, I was given a list of different products ranging from cleansing waters to spot treatments, and within a week or so I received this in the post:

Clockwise from top left: Purifying Cleansing Gel | Express Purifying Mask | Micellar Purifying Cleansing Water | Salicylic Acid 70 | Salicylic Acid 300 | Enoxolone | Oat

As you can see from the products I was sent that I focused quite a lot on cleansing, which is what I chose to be of great importance to me on the questionnaire. This is because I am obsessed with having clean and clear skin at the end of the day, as there is no greater beauty sin than leaving your make-up overnight (Seriously, you're asking for trouble!). I also find that my nose and general T-zone area gets quite red easily and I hate having spots, so I wanted to focus on those aspects too as well as ensuring that all the product were suitable for oily and sensitive skin. A tall order, right? You'd like to think so!

This review will be in two parts, the cleansing treatments and then the problem skin treatments, purely because with the skin treatments results are expected after days of ongoing use, so I cannot give an accurate review. But here's a few words on some of the products I did receive:

Purifying Cleansing Gel

 This light cleansing gel gently foams, removing excess subum (oil) and purifying your face without drying it out. It's great for sensitive skin as it's so fine and doesn't include any nasty chemicals. I like to use this in the morning because after rinsing off it feels as though you've just applied a face mask - your skin feels so nourished and ready for the day. It doesn't contain any soap or alcohol, so if you accidently get some in your eye it won't sting! This is great as it doesn't leave your skin feeling too heavy, so i'm not afraid to continue to tone and moisturise afterwards.
Purifying Cleansing Gel is priced at £7.70.

Express Purifying Mask

I was really excited about this product as i'm such a huge fan of face-masks. This 5-minute clay mask removes excess sebum as well as absorbs other harmful toxins, and unblocks pores. You only need a thin layer so 50ml goes a long way, and afterwards my skin felt rejuvinated and well moisturised. It's suitable for all skin types, but is recommended twice a week for combination to oily skin, and once a week for normal to dry. It leaves your skin feeling silky smooth, and without a single trace of dirt or make-up.
Express Purifying Mask is priced at £7.50.

Micellar Purifying Cleansing Water

This has been by far the most used and loved product that I received. It removes make-up and cleanses the face in a single wipe, which basically eliminates a step in my nightly skincare routine! It's alcohol and soap free, removes excess sebum, and is even suitable for removing eye make-up. It makes your skin feel clean and refreshed, as well as prepped for your toner and moisturiser. I can say nothing but good things about this! I tend to use this at night as it removes my make-up, and then use the gel in the morning, but they're both equally as great so it really depends on whether you feel like running to the sink to rinse or not.
Micellar Purifying Cleansing Water is priced at £7.40.

Like I said, once I have tested the spot and redness treatments as directed I will post my review, so stay tuned! But for now, click here to visit the Etat Pur website and fill in your personalised solution questionnaire. I highly recommend trying out some of their products, whether your new to skincare or you feel like your current products just aren't cutting it - trust me, these will!

Thank you so much to Holly Arabella, Etat Pur and Wizard PR for this amazing giveaway gift - I'm so pleased with it and I can't wait to try out some more of their products once it's time to stock up again!

Review: Good Things Five Minute Facial Face Mask

Ever since going on holiday, i've sort of become obsessed with spa treatments (I treated myself to a traditional Turkish bath, full body massage and hot stone massage!) and have since then aimed to find the perfect products to be able to recreate that experience in the comfort of my own home.

Good Things is a skincare brand that aims to provide quality skincare products to young people. Their philosophy is to educate in taking the appropriate steps to ensure that young skin has a great start in life. With a selection of cleansers, moisturisers and masks, it's great for people who are beginners in looking after their skin.
I'd heard great reviews on the 'Five Minute Facial Face Mask', and I have a weakness for the few hours following a face mask where you can't stop feeling how seriously smooth your face is - so I had to get my hands on this Five Minute Facial Face Mask. I was also curious to see how much difference it would make to my skin in just five minutes.

The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, the curls remind me of the doodles I used to do in the corners of the pages in my books at school. It's so simply labelled - no crazy vitamin names (apart from the sodium laureth sulphate listed as a 'free from', which is commonly found in soaps and shampoo's and can cause hair loss, as well as skin and eye damage!), which gives the indication that the product will be simple to apply and would not intimidate first-time users.

The mask contains superfruit extracts; an ingredient found in all Good Things products. In this product the superfruit is goji berry, which is used as an anti-inflammatory and is a natural skin energiser that keeps your skin soothed and energised. Other Good Things products use superfoods such as strawberries (and strawberry seeds!) and wild cherry extract which sound quite exotic, and it makes products much more appealing as they contain ingredients that are safe to eat!
 It also contains avocado oil which is rich in vitamins A, D and E which are great for keeping skin smooth and well moisturised.

The actual mask is really easy to distribute, but once it's on, it's on. It was completely dry within a minute, which is incredible, as most masks take at least twice as long and you have to wait for double the time to be able to feel the full effects of it. I accidentally left a little bit on my nails when I was spreading a thin layer (that's all it takes) across my face, and it was rock solid and was quite hard to budge. In other reviews it has been said that the smell is quite overpowering, but I disagree. When I was walking around my house with the mask on my mum had to back away from me, but I honestly didn't see the problem! It smells of berries and has a scent of the clay you'd find in face masks. I think it smells amazingly fragrant and it didn't bother me at all.

I cannot rate this product enough, my skin felt softer than it ever has done, and it was in just five minutes. Even though I cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day my skin felt cleaner than it ever had done. The product claims to brighten the skin and it definitely did, but that also brought the redness out in it aswell. It felt quite raw, as I had to almost scrub it off with a flannel. Once it had hardened it was quite difficult due to the thin layer, but once i'd patted my face dry with the softest towel I had, my skin calmed down and I was left with fresh, squeaky clean skin.

It is advised to use weekly, or whenever your skin needs a quick boost. Personally, i'd love to use it every morning as I think it would provide a great base for makeup, and the fact that it takes literally five minutes is almost unbelievable. However, I think this would be a great face mask to use at the end of the week to prep yourself for the week ahead so this will become a regular occurrence every Sunday, and for £5.99 it won't break the bank to work it into your skincare routine.
To apply, spread a thin layer onto your face - avoiding the eye area - after cleansing.Wait for 5 minutes for the mask to dry, then use a hot damp flannel to remove the mask.
You can purchase Good Things Five Minute Facial Face Mask at your local Boots, Superdrug and Sainsburys. You can also click here to visit the Good Things website and read up on other skincare superfoods!




Good Things Five Minute Facial Face Mask, along with other Good Things products are available at your nearest Boots, Superdrug or Sainsburys. Click here to view the entire Good Things range, and read up on superfoods!

Review: New Montagne Jeunesse 'Very Berry' Face Mask

I had a few hours spare this morning, so I thought i'd have a mini pampering session before leaving for uni. I chose Montagne Jeunesse's new face mask because they're a well known face mask brand, and it was only £1 in Asda! 

Montague Jeunesse is an all-natural face care brand that pride themselves on being eco-friendly and against animal testing. They use lots of juicy fruits in their masks and have such a colourful selection for all skin types. 

I chose their newest mask, 'Very Berry', which includes the juices of blueberries and cranberries which are packed full on antioxidents. It also includes soothing Aloe and Peach Kernel oil which deeply cleanses the skin.

I love the colourful and fun packaging, and instead of plain numbered instructions there are simple images that show the four easy steps in applying the mask.

At the bottom of the packet it says: "We're vegetarian and animals are our friends - that's why we don't bash bunnies or add bits of animals!"

I think that natural beauty products are vital, and everyone should be concerned of the welfare of animals and whether they end up either in or testing our beauty products!

When I began applying the product, I realised that it's actually one of Montagne Jeunesse's face mask creams, as oppose to a mask. They're designed to be slightly thicker to target dry skin and deeply cleanse and soothe. Because of it's thickness it was very difficult to squeeze out of the pouch, so I ended up scooping it out with my finger and applying it. There was certainly a large amount, so in the end it was slapped onto my face! It smelt absolutely gorgeous, and my skin felt instantly refreshed even before i'd finished applying it. 

After fifteen minutes I attempted to wash it off, but because of it's thick consistency it was really difficult. I ended up scrubbing my face which left it really red, so after using a damp flannel I looked in the mirror to find my skin looked really healthy, clean and cleansed.

Even though it was difficult to wash off, i'm definately using the product again. Unlike other face masks it didn't leave my skin feeling tight and restricted. 

You can purchase 'Very Berry' on their website here and it retails at £1.09 online, although if you go to your local Asda quick it's only £1 as it's a new product. It is also on offer on their website as 4 face masks for the price of 3, and there's free delivery if you spend over £7.50. I'm definitely going to have a browse - I really like the look of their self heating masks and scrubs, and it also has a 'Skin Guru' feature on their site that determines your skin type and recommends what masks would be right for your type. 

I can't wait until my next mask!

Review: Lush's 'Catastrophe Cosmetic' Face Mask

I love Lush. I simply can't get enough of it. It's eco, unique and smells incredible! So when I wanted to have a relax on one of my rare nights off from work, I knew I had to get a Lush face mask. I was told to get this particular face mask as it was specific to sensitive and oily skin, and it contains antioxidants that help soothe and calm spots.

One of the key ingredients are fresh blueberries, which I love because you can actually see little chunks of fresh ones when you put the mask on your face. It also includes talc and camomile (Perfect for sensitive skin!) and almond oil to soften your face.

To be honest, it doesn't look too attractive, but trust me, it's great! It comes in such a small pot you'd think you'd need to use the entire contents, but there's so much packed in there that there is enough for as least three uses! I had to put it on quite thickly, but to be honest I didn't want to miss a chance of it soothing my spots so I layered it on thick. I kept it on for five minutes and then washed it off with warm water. Instantly it felt like my face had been cleared of all the rubbish and I was left with a fresh new layer of skin! It felt as though my face had never been as clean as it was right then! My spots weren't as red and I couldn't stop feeling my cheeks.

It retails at £5.50, which may seem a bit steep for some. But for three usages, I think it's completely worth it. The only negative comment I have is that as it has to be kept in the fridge it starts to bring the moisture to the top so you have to pour the liquid away, unless you like a more watery mask!