little white truths

I bought this product when Andalou was 40% off at Priceline, and I'm so glad I did because I absolutely love it. I've even given it an HG tag.

Yes it appears to be a cheeky dupe for the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask that everyone loves (reviewed here), but it's a pretty good dupe and it's not as potent as the PTR version so it should suit those who found that one to be too harsh.

Anyhoo. As you may know, I used an amazing cleanser from Andalou last year (I've reviewed that here) and it inspired me to buy up on various products from the brand when they were next heavily discounted at my local chemist.

So expect to see a few Andalou reviews coming up over the next few months, this being the first of them. I must say, if all the products are as good as this mask and the cleanser, I might have finally found my budget skincare line!

Andalou claims/product details:

• Fruit stem cells, vitamin c and glycolic AHA, blended with manuka honey and organic pumpkin (rich in beta carotene), gently dissolve and sweep away dull, dry surface cells, exfoliating and resurfacing for even tone, smooth texture and a luminous complexion
• Skin's truest self is fully realised with a portfolio of nature's most potent bioactives and the innovation that captures it all: fruit stem cell science
• For normal/combination skin
• To use: apply evenly to clean, dry or damp skin; leave for 10-20 minutes; rinse with cool water
• RRP $22.99 AUD for 50ml, but do wait for specials

There's what it looks like below:

Verdict

This is an excellent product and I recommend it.

It's a gel-like mask that's orange in colour and it has a spiced orange scent that I enjoy. A little goes a long way with this and I apply a very thin layer before leaving it on for ten to twenty minutes as directed (my skin is quite dry and sometimes sensitive so I normally opt for ten).

This is one of those masks that stings quite a bit when I apply it. Not in an 'ouch' way, but in a 'this product is working' kind of way. That would be the AHA going to work. Do note, though, that it's potent enough that I avoid using it if for example I've manually exfoliated my face the night before: it can sting too much in that case so I need to use this on days when my skin feels more resilient.

What I love about this is that it works, and it does so without using the manual exfoliation particles that the PTR mask linked above contains - although admittedly that one's working on a few levels and you don't need to massage the particles across your face if you don't want to.

I use this mask no more than once a week (twice max) because I feel that any more than this would be too much for my dry skin. It's quite potent so I don't need to use it more than this, which is a plus because this makes it even better value when you consider that you don't need to use it that often.

All in all, this is a fantastic product that I feel meets all its claims and it's earned a permanent spot in my skincare armoury so I've given it an HG tag. And given the reasonable price tag (especially because you can often find it on special), it's one that I absolutely recommend trying because it won't break the bank - so no big loss if it doesn't work as well for you.

Love.