From The Straits Times    |

Cleanliness is truly next to gorgeousness – all the more so if you’re an urban warrior woman whose skin has been marinating in a slurry of airborne pollutants the entire day.

Enter Estee Lauder’s lovely new Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Revitalizing Mask Noir, a pampering pep-me-up mask that should lend you that skin-saving spark you’ll need to ignite your way to a brighter and better complexion.

What goodies are in the sumptuous stuff? For starters, there’s a black truffle extract culled from fresh specimens direct from France, which are then painstakingly prepared and processed, slice by slice, at a cosmetic lab in Cannes – a Lauder rep says each decadent drop of the extract is 10,000 man hours in the making. How’s that for a fun fact?

This rich restorative promises to drench your dermis in nourishing nutrients, alongside redness-reducing anti-irritants, ultra-fine jojoba beads and clarifying charcoal – the latter being particularly great for getting under the skin and clearing out unwanted riff-raff clogging up your pores.

On to application proper. You kick off your relaxing ritual with a rubdown using the accompanying brush, which is fabulously fluffy and recommended to be used on clean dry skin. This brush is one seriously cool contraption that promises to jumpstart the detoxifying and de-puffing process for a slimmer, more V-shaped visage.  Another beauty benefit: I’ve found that this mini massage also amps up blood circulation for a flirty flush in your cheeks, making blusher entirely optional on #makeupfree days!

Next, spoon on a heaping helping of the gooey black mask – the head-turning hue makes it so much fun to apply! – then let it sit for five minutes or so. Massage it into your face using gentle circular motions, splash off with warm water and follow up with a toner to sweep away dullness and dead skin.

Post-mask, your skin should be feeling supremely soft, pleasingly plump and pore-free. Now, I’m a go-big-or-go-home sort when it comes to skincare, so this potent potion is right up my beauty alley. Stash this in your cabinet for Very Special Occasions, when you know you have to bring out the big guns – think Tinder date or performance appraisal with the boss.

At $620 per pop. this swanky salve may not be for penny-pinching sorts, but what price beauty, right? My take: This mask is a crackin’ good choice if you’re looking for a truly indulgent deep cleanse. Consider investing in this treatment, if only for the Instagram-friendly thrill of smothering your face in black goo. You and your pores can thank me later!