Clear as Mud – Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque

I love the luxurious feeling of a mask, any mask. Though empirical evidence on what masks can do vary greatly, there’s a therapeutic effect from this self-pampering ritual which is undeniable. I have at least 9-10 masks in my overfilled medicine cabinet and fridge (I leave a tofu face mask in the fridge for hot summer days like these)

The mask de l’heure is the Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque from Kiehl’s. The Kiehl’s store is insanely addictive because of its cute, homey, artisanal packaging and lovely combinations of natural ingredients (calendula toner please!) The price point of mostly $20-50 is also right there in my sweet spot.

This mud mask promises to shrink your pore and clarify your skin. And yep, it does tighten your skin and soak up oil like a napkin on greasy pizza. Look at the opaqueness:

After rinsing it off I feel like my skin is smooth and clean clean clean. Now for those with dry skin it *may* be too drying. But I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry cheeks and my cheeks are just fine.

The texture is very nice and smooth, not grainy or rough like a lot of clay. And the smell is lovely and not “clay” like Queen Helene. For $20-something the Kiehl’s mask is not bad at all. And there is a LOT of it in the container.

The verdict is: worth it. For a price of a good lunch you can do about 50 or more self facials! Especially since summer is here, this mask will absorb all that excess oil and dirt in 15 minutes 🙂

Pros: tightening effect, nice faint fragrance, super smooth texture, calming effect and not harsh for a clay mask
Cons: doesn’t come in any smaller sizes so you’re gonna commit to a huge container for $23. I like smaller sizes because I like variety and travel-friendly packaging