Review | Palmer's Purifying Mask

*Miracle product alert!*

My skin has been going through a pretty rough time recently. I've been working really hard at confronting my anxiety and taking positive steps forward but because it's involved a lot of emotional digging and determination I think my skin has gone haywire as a result! 

This morning I decided to treat my skin to some TLC. I purchased Palmer's Purifying Mask (£5.99 at Superdrug) a month or so ago but have only just got round to testing it out, and I wish I'd made use of it sooner! I know I often fall in love with beauty products, and I don't want to sound like an over-eager blogger who can't differentiate between good/great/life changing (well, in the beauty side of life!) but believe me when I say that in terms of sorting out my skin this mask really is life changing! My skin had gotten so rough and red from bouts of dermatitis and acne that I'd honestly forgotten what it felt like to have 'normal' soft skin on my face, particularly on my chin and forehead. After using this for the first time not only did my skin look far less red, to the extent that my mum commented on how healthy my skin looked, it felt like 'normal' skin again; smooth, soft and not at all rough. A real miracle product. 

Here's a heads up on my crazy skin and its complicated requirements *sigh* I suffer from outbreaks of dermatitis on and off, particularly on my chin and forehead. Along with these unsightly rough, dry, flaky patches my chin is acne prone, involving both under the skin cystic spots and blackheads. When dermatitis and acne combine I find it really difficult to control or shift either one. Products designed for spot prone skin dry mine out even further, while products targeted at very dry skin aggravate spots. I've found the best method of cleansing for me is using a hot cloth cleanser every evening, as it gently sloughs away dead skin and flakes while soothing spots and leaving my skin well nourished. I love using face masks for an extra deep clean but have found lots irritate my sensitive, crazy combination skin which is frustrating. Not this Palmer's miracle though!

The key ingredients in Palmer's Purifying Mask are kaolin clay for deep cleansing and sweet almond oil for softening. There's a handy ingredients chart on the back of the tube detailing other main ingredients and how they benefit the skin, which I love as it makes it so easy to see whether or not it might meet your skin's needs. Alongside kaolin and almond oil are moisturising cocoa and shea butters and antioxidant Vitamin E. If you've used any of the other facial skincare products in the Palmer's range you'll know that they actually have a floral white lily fragrance, rather than chocolatey cocoa butter, which I'm a little bit saddened by because I love the original cocoa butter scent! But I guess it might be a tad overwhelming applied to the face. I've used the sensitive skin facial wash gel and calming lotion before and loved those too, so I suspected the mask would be suitable for my skin, but I didn't realise just how fab this it would be!

I applied a light layer to my chin, forehead and nose and left it on for ten minutes to let it work it's goodness. It feels completely comfortable on my sensitive skin and although it hardens slightly it isn't too tight and it doesn't hurt, which is a problem I've had with other clay based masks. I then removed it gently with a warm muslin cloth. The results really are instant. The red inflammation on my chin was almost entirely gone; the skin was no longer rough in texture at all, and all bumps and blackheads had reduced in size. I ran my finger back and forth over my chin in wonder; how did it work so fast?! I honestly can't remember a time when my skin has felt or looked as soft and healthy as normal skin does. Plump, healthy, smooth skin. The results last, as my face still feels incredibly soft now, hours after and with a layer of make-up on. Because of how smooth my face feels I was able to apply foundation with ease, with no flaking or clumping. Everything looked better, from foundation to concealer to powder. 

I am totally head over heels in love with Palmer's Purifying Mask. I can't promise it will be a miracle product for everyone who uses it, but it definitely is for me. I feel like I've finally got my skin back, even if the results don't last forever. I feel much more confident today, as the redness is gone and my skin feels so much purer and healthier. It looks so much better than usual! I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a gentle yet effective mask on a budget, as not only is it brilliant for sensitive crazy skin like mine it's also very affordable at only £5.99. I won't be without this from now on! 

Browse Palmer's products here

Imogen x 

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