little white truths

I've been using this mask for ages now and it's also on my Project Pan list, so I don't have a huge amount of product left and it's definitely time to write this review before I finish my tub.

I bought it ages ago as part of a Peter Thomas Roth mask set, which I grabbed because it was on sale and I was interested in the famous pumpkin mask in particular, but I also didn't have many masks at the time and I'd heard good things about this brand so I thought why not.

I must say, I'm pleased now that I bought the set because I wouldn't have discovered this little mask otherwise. I love it. What's extra surprising about this is that I didn't like the other gel mask in this set at all (the PTR Rose Stem Cell Mask, reviewed here), so I was expecting this one to be just as bad. It's not. It's great. Huzzah!

• A refreshing, cooling, moisturising and calming gel mask 
• Helps soothe, hydrate and detoxify dry, inflamed and irritated skin
• Ultra-gentle 
• With botanical extracts of cucumber, papaya, chamomile, pineapple, sugar maple, sugarcane, orange, lemon, bilberry and aloe
• Natural enzymes help soften skin while botanical extracts comfort and protect skin against free radical damage
• RRP $56 AUD for 150ml, but do shop around

I absolutely love this mask, which is saying a lot because I'm super picky with face masks: if it doesn't work brilliantly, then I don't want to waste time on it. This one's never a waste of time.

It's indeed a gel mask and it's green in colour and quite thick to the touch. You can store it in the fridge if you want to boost how cooling it is, but I don't bother with that because I think it's cooling/refreshing enough on its own.

The product does have a very slight 'gel' scent that's quite refreshing/cooling on the nose, and although it does smell a little like glue to me (not super appealing ; )), I'm only aware of the fragrance if I hold the tub up to my nose so it shouldn't bother most people.

What frequently surprises me about this product is just how hydrating it is. I guess this is partly because I didn't like the PTR Rose Stem Cell Mask mask at all (and that one's meant to be hydrating) and also partly because I don't expect gels to be hydrating: gels tend to be lighter and better for oily/combination skin than they are for dry skin like mine. But this one's great.

I'm not quite sure how this mask does what it does, but it plumps up my skin beautifully and makes it look and feel like it's had a massive drink. My face always looks less lined and brighter after using this, and the effect lasts a good while so it's a great product to use in the morning under makeup. I can always tell when I've used this because I look a bit more healthy for most of the day.

You can use this a couple of times a week or every day for a more intensive effect, and I've tried it both ways. I've discovered that I get just as much from the product if I use it every second day as I do if I use it every day, so I've been using it on alternate days since there's no point rushing through a good product.

On the claims: yes it's refreshing, cooling and calming; yes it hydrates and soothes dry, irritated skin; yes it softens the skin; and yes it's extra gentle. I haven't noticed any impact on break-outs, however, so I wouldn't call this a detoxifying product: it works better for adding moisture, rather than dealing with blemishes - or at least that's my experience.

Overall, this is a fantastic mask and I recommend it. Yes it's pricey, but a little goes a long way with this and even my 50g tub is lasting an eternity - despite frequent use - so I feel the value is there.

Not quite an HG product, but gosh it's close.

Love.