First, let’s talk about the application experience. The mask has a light, whipped texture that feels really nice on the skin. It does tingle a bit upon application, but it’s nothing too uncomfortable. Before I applied the mask, my skin was a bit red around my cheeks and nose. I’ve been dealing with moisture-barrier damage for the past year or so, and my skin has taken some time to recover. That’s why I’ve also been careful not to overdo it on masks that exfoliate or contain harsh ingredients. I love that Darden’s mask is great at clearing congestion with ingredients such as bentonite and kaolin clays. It doesn’t contain any BHAs or AHAs, so you can use this in place of exfoliating one or two nights a week. It even helps repair the skin barrier with hydrating ingredients like squalane.
After letting the mask sit for 15 minutes, I rinsed it off with warm water and noticed that the redness around my nose was gone instantly. A day later, I also noticed that the size of an inflamed pimple on my cheek had reduced significantly. I think I may have just found my perfect weekly face mask. Although I love trying new things, it’s nice to streamline my routine when I find something I really like, and this one is a winner! What’s also great about this mask is that it’s gentle enough for skin conditions like eczema. It can even help calm a lot of the redness and irritation that can come with it fast. I really appreciated that this mask didn’t dry my skin out at all. It does leave your skin looking matte thanks to the clay elements, but I never had that tight, dry feeling I usually associate with a clay-based mask. Overall, if you’re looking for a do-it-all face mask to add to your regular skincare routine a few times a week, I can’t recommend this one enough.