Not so long ago I caught wind of a new face mask circulating the blogosphere. I quickly grabbed my notebook and scribbled down a note of Hollywood California Glam Glow and then briefly forgot about it. That was until I was making a rather quick purchase of the last Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm in Space NK and out of the corner of my eye caught a glimpse of Glam Glow on the counter, willing me to purchase. Before you know it I am throwing it at the assistant not even taking in the £25 price tag attached to it.
I am not going to lie to you ladies but I failed to research the mask, not even read a review but something inside of me told me I had to have it, so with it ticked off 'the wish list' leads me to this post. A clay mask, Glam Glow originated from the Hollywood film industry where it is used in between shoots to give skin the WOW factor. If its good enough for an A lister then its good enough for me right? Aside from the minuscule jar the product actually smells rather delicious with a hint of aniseed, black jacks anyone? After exhaling the scent for a few moments, it was onto the nitty gritty of applying the mask. The directions state to mix well before use, the pots not big enough to delve a spoon into and there is no way I am wasting this by getting my fingers into the jar, so after a brief thoughtful look around the bathroom I grabbed a clean bobby pin and got stirring. It does not liquify as the instructions state but it does make the product that little more pliable. Under normal circumstances I would apply with an old foundation brush purely to lessen the mess and reduce wastage but this was a major fail with this mask and I had to result in an albeit rather messy application using ones fingers. Do not. and I repeat do not apply with freshly manicured nails or you will spend an age cleaning your finger tips. I found the trick to applying was smooth over in a thin layer rather than slather it on. Adding a tiny and I mean tiny bit of warm water helps spread the product a little easier as it does have a habit of drying the moment it hits the skin. Once applied leave it for 10 minutes. It will sting, not as much as I had imagined though, and I am rather partial to 'the sting', its that feeling that the product is doing something. I can, however imagine that if you have sensitive skin then this could be a tad painful. In fact if you do have sensitive skin I'd highly recommend either avoiding the product altogether or try to get hold of a sample beforehand and test on a small area of your face. Once ten minutes is up, rinse. Its not the easiest of products to remove by far and advises that you use a cloth to remove in circular motions which allows the product to gently exfoliate your skin thus leaving a 'glowing' complexion. I have to say my skin did feel pretty good after the initial use, ridiculously smooth and soft but nothing greatly more than my usual REN Pore Minimising Detox Mask. So would I buy again? I personally think this is one of those products you buy and stash away for the big nights out rather than a general weekly mask. Purely on the price alone and the fact it failed to give me the wow factor. Now don't get me wrong I liked the product and the price didn't bother be initially. I am used to spending 20 plus quid on a decent face mask. They are my vice. I don't smoke, I have a bottle of wine at the weekend so figure that splurging on skincare is an investment. What did disappoint me though was the amount of product that you get. A mere 15ml. Having used this twice already, by my guessing theres 2 mores uses left, at a push. If you are however looking for a skin tingling detox mask then a more purse friendly alternative I would recommend is Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed which gives the 'sting' without breaking the bank.
