Beauty obsession of the week: Fresh limited-edition Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask

A post shared by Fresh (@freshbeauty) on May 21, 2017 at 4:41pm PDT

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.

A post shared by Her World Singapore (@herworldsingapore) on May 26, 2017 at 3:03am PDT

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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