Gentle Clay: Review of Freeman Sparkling Pear Pore Cleansing Mask

Affiliate Links

In my previous post I mentioned that I'm going to finish up my current clay mask before I repurchase my old favorite. The product I'm currently working on in the Freeman Feeling Beautiful Sparkling Pear Pore Cleansing mask, which is described on the tube as "whipped clay." When I googled this stuff to find the ingredients, I found that it's no longer available on ULTA or the other usual spots, though you can still find it on Amazon, and you can get the small packet version from Walmart. This is what happens when I take months to test something before reviewing it. But I took photos, so I'm going to post them, damnit! I'll try to keep it brief.

The texture of this mask is certainly lighter than most clay masks, and you can see in the photo below why. It's definitely "whipped"--there are little air bubbles throughout.

The texture makes it easy to spread, but it also means that I need to use more to get the same even layer I would from another mask. As a result, I've been going through this tube pretty quickly.

The lumps below are bubbles, not chunks.

It doesn't feel bubbly or anything on the skin (i.e. no "sparkling"). It feels like your usual oil-absorbing clay mask, except it never quite dries completely, and you don't get that tight feeling in your skin as it dries as a result. On the plus side, I also don't get the sting in my eyes as the moisture evaporates that I get from many other masks. It's also easier to rinse than a really dry clay mask.

So the application is pleasant, but because it's not as dry, I haven't found it as effective as some other options. It does absorb surface oil and make me feel less greasy for a while, but it doesn't quite suck out the dark goop from my pores the way Freeman's Avocado and Oatmeal mask does, for instance.

It's also highly fragranced. I was expecting (i.e. dreading) a fake apple/pear scent, but fortunately for me, it smells more like rose. That might be a deal breaker for some, although the fragrance rinses away with the mask.

Overall, if you can find a tube of this, you might like it if you find most oil-absorbing masks to be too aggressive. Personally, I much more highly recommend the Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal clay mask (reviewed here), for the same price, to get more effective oil absorption and temporary pore minimizing, without drying out your skin.

Have you tried any new masks lately that I should know about?

Smoothing Smoothie: Freeman Banana Oat Instant Smoothing Mask

Affiliate Links

I had a mini tube of REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask that I used up recently and loved. My skin doesn't really respond to what is supposedly the most powerful form of AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid) found in skincare: glycolic acid. That means that all of the Paula's Choice AHA products do nothing for me. Lactic acid, on the other hand, does work for me, and so that's why I think the REN mask made my skin feel so incredibly soft and smooth after each use. Unfortunately, it costs $55 for a full size bottle (or around $30 from Amazon, so if I ever do cave and buy it, I'll get it from there).

In the meantime, I had a gift card for Bed Bath & Beyond to burn, and after some responsible purchases like a shower head and a butter dish, I saw tubes of this Freeman Banana Oat Instant Smoothing Mask on the end of an aisle marked down to $2. Lactic acid is high on the ingredients list, so I picked one up. (For more info about how AHAs work, see this useful post from Lab Muffin.)

Before using it, I searched for some reviews. I discovered that a lot of people reported serious irritation and redness after using the mask. In fact, on the back of the tube, in very fine print, there are instructions to patch test the mask before use. I rubbed a little into the inner side of my elbow and left it over night. I didn't have any reaction to it, so I felt comfortable using it on my face the next day. I would highly recommend testing any product with high levels of chemical exfoliants or other unfamiliar ingredients before use, however. You never know what your skin might hate.

This mask comes in a fairly thick gel format, and it has an artificial banana fragrance. Unlike the obnoxious fake melon smell of Freeman's sleeping mask, however, this was mild enough that it didn't bother me, despite the fact that I usually dislike fake banana. The mask is easy to spread, and I haven't experienced any irritation when I use it. It does, however, make my eyes water, which is something that I have noticed on occasion with other masks. I think that as they dry and some of the ingredients evaporate, those sort-of fumes will sting my eyes a bit. But I am prone to watery eyes in general.

The instructions say to leave it on for "up to 7 minutes," and you probably shouldn't go any longer, since it's pretty potent. After rinsing it off and applying moisturizer, as instructed, my skin feels extra soft and smooth, and it stays that way for a couple of days. That lactic acid really does its thing. I've also used this mask a couple of days after my 1% retinol treatment, when my skin is extra flaky, and it does an excellent job of exfoliating away the flakes.

While the results from this Freeman mask aren't quite as dramatic as with the REN, I'm quite satisfied with it. It usually costs a little over $4, so getting something almost as good as that for less than a tenth of the price is pretty fucking fantastic in my book. I'll add the Banana Oat Instant Smoothing Mask to my list of other favorite Freeman masks, along with the Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask and the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask.

Do you use any AHA products? What else is good out there?

Do I Need This? Overnight Masks or Sleeping Packs

Disclosure: Affiliate links.

Welcome to the latest installment of my Do I Need This? series. In these posts, I offer my experience and opinion about whether or not I think a product or technique is worth it. Obviously, you don't really need ANY beauty products, so the answer to the question is always going to be no, to some extent. But is it going to change your life (or face)? Is it going to make things easier? Are you going to notice any difference at all? That's what I'm getting at. You may disagree with my verdict, because we all have different bodies/faces/brains/desires, but I'll try to offer a starting point, at least.

Masks are having a moment. There are masks out there that claim to do just about anything you could possibly want. They come in creams and clays and sheets and gels and who knows what else. There are even masks for your hair and lips and various other body parts. One of the types of masks that brands are really pumping out right now is the overnight mask, also called a sleeping mask or sleeping pack--the latter especially from Asian skincare brands.

Do you need a sleeping mask?

Short answer: No. There are some nice ones out there, but you probably already have products that you can use in a similar way.

My cheap favorites: the best skincare for $10 or less

Disclosure: Affiliate links.

Here is the long awaited (by me) sequel to my cheap makeup post: skincare. As with the makeup, these are all things I've tried and repurchased because I liked them so much. Trusty and reliable! There are other good cheap options out there, of course, but I'm not going to vouch for anything I haven't used. Please leave your suggestions in the comments, though.

Some categories, again, are missing, because I don't use that type of product (e.g. toner), or I don't have a current favorite, or my favorite is a little more expensive (e.g. targeted products like retinol, or exfoliants, or my favorite sunscreen). And because I like to experiment with new things, I don't have all of these products on hand to photograph at the moment. You should keep in mind that I have combination-oily skin that is not particularly sensitive, and that I don't usually like fragrance in products I put on my face. If you have a different skin type, your results may vary (though you may find some of these things effective anyway).

That's enough preamble and disclaimer. Here's the list:

Favorite Cleanser: I'm using some Paula's Choice face wash at the moment, but my favorites are from Neutrogena.  I especially like the Redness Soothing Gel Cleanser and the Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser. They do a great job of removing oil and makeup without drying out my skin. The latter comes in a really big bottle for $8-10, so it's an especially good value.

Favorite Facial Wipes: I try not to use these too often because of the waste, but a few times a month when I'm too tired to wash my face properly or when I'm traveling, they are handy. I've tried a lot of brands, and my favorite are the Simple Cleansing Wipes. They are unscented and they remove makeup effectively without causing dryness. They also have a very soft but durable texture (make sure you get the regular ones, not the exfoliating variety). The cheapest place to get them online is in a pack of two (50 wipes total) from Amazon for about $7 (and right now there is a $1 off coupon).

Favorite Makeup Remover: I don't use actual makeup remover on my eyes most of the time (only when I end up with a free sample somehow). Although dual phase formulas can be very effective, I don't like the oily residue they leave behind. It tends to cause milia around my eyes even if I wash it off. Instead, I wash my face first, and then I spread a small amount of Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion (about $10) on my upper and lower lids and wipe it off with a dry tissue or cloth. It removes all the makeup residue and--bonus--my eye area is left moisturized. If I have a lot of waterproof mascara caked on my lashes, the lotion doesn't remove it instantly, though it does clean up any that has transferred to my skin. And I have a huge bottle of decent, gentle moisturizer that I can use for whatever other purposes I want. (You can also use moisturizer like this as a cleanser in a pinch--or if you find most cleansers drying. Apply it to your dry skin and massage lightly, splash on water and massage some more, and rinse.)

Favorite Daytime Moisturizer with Sunscreen: This isn't my sunscreen. As I said above, the everyday facial sunscreen I use costs more than $15 (though a bottle lasts me a year). But I work from home, and some days I don't get out of the house until after dark. On those days, I like to just use SPF in moisturizer for a little protection and one less step in the morning. I'm a big fan of the Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15. I tried to go without it when I finished my last bottle, but I really missed it, so this is my second. As the name suggests, it's not fancy, but it does a great job of moisturizing and absorbs quickly. It doesn't burn around my eyes like lotions with higher (chemical) SPFs tend to do. This is the theme here: it does what it's supposed to do very well and doesn't do anything I don't like. It's cheapest on Amazon, where it's around $8 (I've seen it in stores for up to $14).

Favorite Acne Spot Treatment: Lots of people like benzoyl peroxide for acne, but I tried to get it to work for years and it never did anything for me other than bleach my sheets and towels. I've found tea tree oil more effective. I dip a q-tip in it and dab it on individual zits. With oils like this, there's a lot of variation in strength (even though they all say "100%" on the bottle, they are actually diluted), so look for good reviews. I've been using the Mason Natural Tea Tree Oil ($8) for a few years with good results.

Favorite Facial Oil/Anti-Aging Treatment: I love rosehip oil. It does all sorts of wonderful things for your skin, no matter what skin type you have. (Read more about it from Lab Muffin.) The only downside for me is that I have to avoid my eye area with it, or at least use it sparingly there, because my eyes don't like oils and again with the fucking milia. You also have to read reviews of this stuff, because the quality and potency will vary between brands. And make sure it doesn't smell like roses--it's not made from rose petals. In fact, it usually smells a bit like cooking oil. I've had good luck with the Aura Cacia Rosehip Oil ($7) and Life-Flo Rosehip Seed Oil ($6). You only need 2-3 drops for your entire face, so a bottle lasts a long time, at least until it spoils.

Favorite Mask: Hands down, Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask. Reviewed here. It really absorbs oil and helps to clear pores without drying out my skin. Love it, and it's $4 for a huge tube that never ends. I've tried more expensive clay masks. This is better.

Favorite Lip Balm: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick ($2-4). It looks like a glue stick, smells subtly like white chocolate, and keeps my lips super soft all winter. My favorite, forever. This enormous tube lasts a long time, as you can tell from my beat-up photo. Do not make the mistake of buying the teeny Palmer's lip balm with the sunscreen in it! That one is bitter and a fraction of the size for the same price. If you can't find the giant Swivel Stick with the other lip balms, look next to the Palmer products in the lotion section (or at Shopper's Drug Mart in Canada, sometimes it's with "ethnic hair care"). Or get it from drugstore.com for less than $3.

Favorite Hand Cream: I love, love, love Caldrea Hand Balm in the Ginger Pomelo scent. It's way better than the more expensive hand creams I've tried (ahem, L'Occitane), though it might be a tad splurgy at $10 a tube. But it smells amazing, and moisturizes extremely well while still absorbing quickly and not being greasy.

Favorite Foot Cream: O'Keeffe's Foot Cream ($5). Reviewed here. Put a very small amount on your feet before bed and they will be softened up significantly by morning. In a few days of using it, all the rough skin will be gone. It's really good. I don't recommend using it on hot and sweaty nights, because it has a slightly greasy feeling, and I think that's gross when I'm already sticky.

These are the best of the (cheap) best in my opinion, but I'd love to hear about any other affordable skin care you'd recommend--especially if you have a different skin type, since I can't really evaluate things that don't suit mine.

(Note: The title originally said "under $15," because when I started writing, I thought that the Simple moisturizer was over $10. But everything on the list can actually be found--in the U.S.--$10 or less. Excellent!)

Coal Miner Chic: Review of Freeman Feeling Beautiful Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask

Disclosure: Affiliate links.
The Charcoal and Black Sugar Mask is my second favorite of the impressively affordable masks from Freeman. It's not as miraculous as their Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask (reviewed here), which was the first one to show me that masks can actually do something. But this one is still great, especially since it does double duty as a mask and a scrub.

Exfoliation makes the skin feel softer and appear less dull. A lot of "experts" (I am not claiming to be one) argue that chemical exfoliation, using alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids, is preferable to manual exfoliation, using scrubs. The idea, as I understand it, is that chemical exfoliation is simultaneously gentler and more thorough. I do use a BHA product (Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid - reviewed here) several times a week, but I also find that using a scrub a couple of times a month makes a difference. I get a gradual buildup of crud on my skin that needs a little scrubbing to remove. It's possible that if I used a cloth to cleanse my face on a daily basis I wouldn't have that problem, but I don't.

One of the reasons people advise against manual exfoliation is that it can be potentially bad for your skin (or even the earth) if you choose the wrong product. If you use something that is very harsh or jagged, it can create micro-tears in the surface of your skin. You don't want to actually abrade your skin and require your body to heal it and fight off infection or anything like that. That means that you should not buy the shit with ground up apricot pits or walnut shell in it, because you're basically scratching up your face with tiny chunks of fucking wood. You should also avoid products with plastic microbeads (look for polyethylene in the ingredients list), because they are a terrible environmental pollutant.

Sugar, which is the first thing in the Freeman Charcoal and Sugar ingredients list, is a good option, because it's less abrasive than some other options, and it dissolves in water, which makes it gentler on your face and environmentally benign. If you just want a scrub, however, there's no need to buy this mask. You can mix a little sugar and honey or olive oil (your choice) in the palm of your hand and massage it gently into your skin. You can use it all over your body in the shower. It's nice, effective, and really fucking cheap.

The advantage of the Charcoal and Sugar Mask is that it is also, obviously, a mask. Let me show you the ingredients to explain.

Sucrose, Propylene Glycol, Carbon (Activated Charcoal), Kaolin, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Aleurites Moluccana Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Carbomer, Fragrance, Iron Oxide (CI 177491)

You can see that the first ingredient is sugar (sucrose). Third and fourth are charcoal and clay (kaolin). Those two are ingredients that absorb oil from your skin. Charcoal can also have antibacterial properties.

So you spread this stuff on your face and leave it for a few minutes, then wet your hands and gently (gently!) rub it around your skin to give it a little scrub, and then rinse it off. I recommend applying it before you get into the shower and rinsing it off in there, because it's pretty messy. In fact, because it's so chunky, it's a bit tricky to spread evenly on your skin. It still works, though. Don't worry too much if you look like this:

From my Instagram

I've found it effective both at absorbing oil (though it's not as absorbent as a mask with more clay in it) and at exfoliation. My face feels soft and not dried out when I'm finished.

I don't know what all those fruit/plant extracts are supposed to do, other than to provide a little fragrance, so I'm fine ignoring them. The scent, which is not too strong, is mostly sugary with a bit of floral-whatever. It feels a little warm on my skin after I apply it, but it's a subtle sensation. Nothing alarming. The most annoying thing about the product is that all the sugar in the nozzle makes the lid impossible to close. NBD though - I use a small piece of toilet paper to wipe it out and it's fine.

This is a good option if you want to combine your oil-absorbing mask and scrub into one, or if you want a mask that is a little less hardcore than one that is primarily clay or activated charcoal (or to get your clay and charcoal in one shot). You should be able to get it for $5 or less. Drugstore.com has it for $4, which is the best I've found online (and Walgreens should have it in store for the same price). It's a big tube (6 oz.), which lasts forever.

Have you tried this one? Do you use scrubs and masks, or do you consider them superfluous? For masks: clay or charcoal?

Slippery and Scary: Review of Freeman paper masks

Disclosure: This post contains no affiliate links.
I've never been particularly excited about sheet masks, because I don't really get the point. Why not just apply the serum/moisturizer directly to my face? I guess the idea is that it won't dry up/absorb as quickly, so you can let it sit in its wet state on your skin longer, in order to . . . do something. Absorb more, I guess? But I got three of Freeman's paper masks a while back in an Ipsy bag, and I thought I'd review them here, because (1) I love Freeman's Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask, and (2) they're pretty damned cheap at $2 a piece.

The three I got were the Feeling Beautiful Rose Brightening Facial Paper Mask, the Feeling Beautiful Blue Agave Hydrating Facial Paper Mask, and the Feeling Beautiful Star Fruit Purifying Facial Paper Mask. I tested them, in that order, over the course of several weeks.

The ingredients in these masks are actually not bad. The Rose mask has niacinamide as the second ingredient in the list, after water, and also contains AHAs. The Star Fruit mask also contains lots of niacinamide, but it has a significant amount of witch hazel as well, which is not great. The Blue Agave one has glycerin, aloe, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid, which are all good for moisturizing. I just wish that Freeman was selling these things as little bottles of serum instead, because the masks are really fucking annoying to use. They do have one really valuable function, however: terrifying any people you happen to live with.

No review of a sheet mask is complete without a horrific photo.

The photo above is of the Rose mask, which is the first one I tried. I had the same problems with all three masks, which are the identical size and shape: the eye holes were way too fucking close together. I don't actually have a gigantic face and my eyes are, in fact, a bit more close-set than average (judging from my glasses-shopping experiences). The nose and mouth hole placements are fine, as is the overall width of the mask, so I think it's just poorly designed. The eye holes should be wider. It seems like it was designed for a cartoon. Putting one of these masks on my face seriously impedes my range of vision, as well as locating the mask's fluid uncomfortably close to my eyes. You can actually see in the photo about that my eyes are tearing up a little. That might just have been from the evaporation of the stuff on the mask, but it probably would have been less of an issue if the mask wasn't partially covering them. My eyes were definitely stinging. I also a little worried that the liquid would run into my eyes, though I don't think that actually happened.

And that brings us to the second problem with the masks: they're way too fucking wet. I recommend opening these over a sink, because they will drip all over the damn place. The slippery wetness also makes them very difficult to unfold and place properly on your face. They feel extremely soppy and gross once you've got them on. I couldn't really keep my face properly upright without the mask slipping, but I also didn't want to lie down in case that caused some of the goo to drip into my eyes. The slimy feeling of these masks sliding around my face was too much for me, I'm afraid, and so I only kept the first two on for 3-5 minutes total, instead of the recommended 5-15. (I also find wearing damp clothing horribly uncomfortable, so this might just be something I am particularly sensitive to - but not all sheet masks are this soggy.) After removing the mask, you're supposed to rub the remaining liquid into your skin and not rinse it off.

Review: Freeman Pink Grapefruit Facial Exfoliating Scrub

Update: This product contains polyethylene microbeads, which have been determined to be an environmental pollutant. So I'm not recommending it.

I was getting a little bored with my usual method of in-shower facial exfoliation (honey + brown sugar), so I figured I'd give the Freeman Grapefruit Scrub a try. I was surprised when I first squeezed some into my hand, because it didn't look very scrubby. The particles are very fine and sparse, so I was a little disappointed and concerned that it wouldn't be especially effective.

But it won me over.

Review of Freeman Feeling Beautiful Dead Sea Minerals Facial Anti-Stress Mask (Freeman masks BOGO free at ULTA until June 29)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I picked this up recently, and I thought I'd give you an overview of my thoughts on it, since Freeman masks are on BOGO free from ULTA until June 29. I absolutely loved the first Freeman mask I tried, so I wanted to branch out, and the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask looked promising. It has clay to absorb oil like the Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask that worked so well. There were some other ingredients I was less sure about, but it was rated as highly as the avocado mask, so I went for it.

Here's the description from ULTA's website, which sounds pretty good (I've underlined the parts that I tested for):

Description

Unwind from the grid by treating skin to a much needed respite with this nutrient rich mask. Dead Sea Minerals and sea salts replenish and balance moisture while purging clogged pores. Lavender and Bergamot help achieve an aroma-therapeutic bliss to rinse away stress for smooth and radiant skin. Perfect for all skin types.

Let's look at the ingredients first:

Those awesome Freeman masks are BOGO free at ULTA right now.

Remember? These ones? (Thanks Stephanie!)

Simple products are BOGO free too, and they are usually pretty reliable.

Commenter boopmynose gives a shout-out to Freeman's Goji Berry Hydrating Mask

If you have dry skin, there's another cheap mask to try! Sounds great. See the comment here.

Wait, a mask that actually does something for oily skin and blackheads? Review of Freeman Feeling Beautiful Avocado and Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

So, I really just bought this shit on a whim. I was trying to pick out enough stuff to get free shipping on an Ulta order when I was buying some gifts for my sister and mother. I figured I'd compare it to Queen Helen's Mint Julep mask, another cheap clay mask, which I actually really don't like.

As you may know, the Mint Julep mask is a sort of cheap cult favorite. I was really disappointed with it, though. First of all, the mint is pointless. It's just there to make your skin tingle, so that you think you can "feel it working", when actually it doesn't do you any good. It just causes low-grade irritation (or burning, if you're sensitive), which damages the skin. Beyond that annoyance, it didn't do anything for me. My skin didn't look or feel any better after I used it. It just felt tight and dry and needed moisturizing.