Detoxify | Could this be perfect for oily skin? The L'Oréal Pure Glow Charcoal Clay Mask (Review + Demo)

Hi guys I'm back with another review and this time it is the L'Oréal Pure Glow Charcoal Clay Mask. It was my first time trying this and I feel like I'm so late to trying out charcoal products but I'm so glad I am finally reviewing it. There are DIY masks you can make with some charcoal powder but as I'm a newbie to this, I decided to start off with using one of the pre-made formulas I found in the drugstore! So if you would like to know the science behind 'charcoal' keep on reading!

The Science Behind Activated Charcoal 

Activated charcoal is used in medical emergencies, its used to treat many drug overdoses! When a person ingests a large amount of toxic substances, it is sometimes used to stop the substance from being absorbed from the stomach into the body, which can be severe and life threatening. 

It also has become widely available in cosmetics, because of it's ability to soak up unwanted toxins, chemicals and bacteria from the skin. It is also very porous and is able to trap millions of these substances into its tiny pores. It is also used to treat insect bites and to remove unwanted substances that are found in your skin, thats how potent it is!

My First Impressions:

My first impression of this product was really good! It's a really compact size (50ml) and comes in a glass jar. I thought it'd have a weird smell, but it actually smells nice, wth a light fragrance. It has a grey, black colour and the consistency is quite thick and it spreads easily, but it does dry very quickly, so you have to apply it to your face quite quickly. I also noticed that a little goes a long way, I used about a teaspoon amount and it was enough to cover my entire face.

In regards to the price, I purchased this for £7.99, which I think is a reasonable price, as I've used it once and it seems almost unused. I also like the fact that it has a jar lid and a cover inside, it really will help to maintain its freshness. 

Applying The Charcoal Clay Mask:

So after applying the charcoal mask to my skin, it dried with 20-25 minutes which was quite quick. Within 5 minutes, I felt it drying already and my skin felt tight and it was quite interesting watching it activated on my skin as it started to change to a lighter grey colour. I was definitely amazed at its drying potential and it looked like a visible chemical reaction was happening on my face.

Step 1. Dampen face and apply a generous teaspoon size dollop all over. (Please note* it dries quickly)

Step 2. Take if off with wet face sponges in circular motions.

3. Wash off with luke warm water and towel- dry.

4. Lightly apply a water-based cream and a oil. (See below what I used)

Final Review:

After washing it off, I could immediately see my pores were really cleansed. Not only could I see a difference, I could feel a difference too. It really did feel like the mask soaked up all the impurities out of my skin, including any oil and moisture present. After touching my skin, I could feel it was quite dry, so I quickly applied the Aloe soothing day cream and the Inner Senses 7 Wonders Panacea Oil to add and seal in the moisture. My skin usually gets quite dry, so a soothing moisturiser is always a must for me!

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Would I use it again?

Yes I would, I have to be careful not to use it too often because it is very drying. But I will keep it handy, for when I have a lot of oil build- up on my skin and need a super- deep cleanse. At the moment, I imagine I would reach for it, every 10-14 days. And in the summer months, I would happily use it more frequently.

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Who would benefit from this?

I really think, someone with large pores and oily skin would love this! It really draws out impurities, so if you have acne and need something with bacteria and oil-attracting abilities definitely try it out and see if it works for you. I also did feel like it made my skin a lot firmer! 

Overall, I am very satisfied with this product! When judging it as a skin impurity extractor I would give it a score of 4/5. But bear in mind, this is based on my current skin state, which right now is on the dryer side. So although my impurities were drawn out, so was any moisture present. But with a great moisturiser I did find that it was able to restore the imbalance in my skin.

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I really enjoyed writing this post was really fun! It's actually my first time including pictures of me using the product and I think it might be a new thing on here. Please comment if you'd like to see more posts like this and I hope you liked this review! Love you lots Jx

Sources:

1. https://draxe.com/activated-charcoal-uses/

2. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/activated-charcoal-uses-risks

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1306980/