You and I may be toiling away at different occupations but I think we can all agree that stress is something that we can’t escape at work. From micromanaging bosses to looming daily deadlines, work-related stress can take a toll on our personal lives – and skin.
While some of us may turn to snacks to relieve stress (I’ve been there!), others may choose Pilates over pasta at the end of a tiring weekday. Recently, I’ve found myself repeatedly turning to the limited edition Fresh Umbrian Purifying Clay Mask whenever my day feels too much to handle.
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Photo: Sephora
The first thing I noticed when I removed the lid was the calming scent. Thanks to the sandalwood oil, chamomile flower and lavender water, the mask’s soothing fragrance immediately reminded me of a spa treatment. I found myself closing my eyes and taking in a couple more whiffs of this relaxing scent.
Unlike other clay masks – which can be a little too drying when you leave it on for too long – this smooth and creamy version spreads easily on the skin and doesn’t feel uncomfortably tight. In fact, you don’t even need to apply a thick layer for it to work its magic; a 50-cent dollop was sufficient to cover my entire face nicely.
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I left it on for five minutes before rinsing it off in the shower. There was a slight tingling sensation when I applied the mask; this was not unlike what I experienced when I tried Fresh’s Rose Face Mask. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to do a patch test to be safe, but thankfully for me at least, there wasn’t any signs of redness or irritation afterwards.
The star ingredient in this mask is none other than Umbrian Clay. I learned that Fresh founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg stumbled upon this ingredient thanks to a friend whose stubborn acne ‘miraculously’ healed after using the clay.
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Fast forward to today and the Umbrian Clay has become a signature and exclusive ingredient for the brand, with an entire skincare range being devoted to it; think exfoliant, toner, serum, lotion and mask.
Photo: Fresh
Besides using the Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask as a wash-off mask, you can also reap its skin-clearing benefits by using it as a spot treatment, as well as an deep cleanser.
To rid yourself of a pesky pimple, simply dot it onto the affected area and let it dry completely before rinsing off. Mix it with a cleanser, such as the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, if you want a more thorough cleanse at the end of the day. One product with three uses? Don’t wait, get yours – now.
Fresh limited edition Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask, $95, is now available at all Fresh boutiques and Sephora stores. While stocks last.
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