FACE MASK – OILY skin
Nowadays there are so many great face masks that we categorise them by skin type and/or desired result. So oily, dry and suits all skin types, brightening masks for dull skin and sleep in masks. For the full list of FACE MASK options click here. If you’re prone to shine, oiliness and/or breakouts, these are your best bets, according to our testers.
GOLD AWARD Lisa Franklin Rose Quartz Purifying Clay Mask
From a top London facialist with one of the prettiest salons, this regenerating clay mask features white kaolin and pink clay to draw out impurities, calm redness and breakouts. There’s hyaluronic acid to plump and smooth skin with niacinamide (vitamin B3) to help strengthen the skin’s barrier, plus papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate. Extract of enantia chlorantha bark and oleanolic acid (phew!) are there to visibly reduce pore and mattify oily to combination skin – effects that most of our testers were wowed by. The formulation includes high tech compounds Aquaxyl – to send moisture circulating through the skin layers – and Detoskin – to detox and rejuvenate skin. So it’s a powerhouse of effective ingredients, particularly good for blemish prone skins, and our testers loved it.
£65 for 50ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I have combination skin, prone to blemishes around my chin area. I have tried many clay masks over the years. Some I have enjoyed and some leave my skin so tight that if I smile it would crack. My skin felt smooth and soft. Looking in the mirror my skin was mattified with more even tone and reduced pores. With continued use I noticed that this product kept my skin looking and feeling beautiful. It controlled oil levels in my skin and kept acne at bay. This product is an all round fantastic product and I could not fault it’ • ‘I have normal skin with large pores and pigmentation issues; I sometimes get breakouts. After using this my skin feels lovely and soft, the fine lines on my forehead seem a little less visible and the pores on my cheeks are less noticeable. On bad skin days ie breakouts, my skin looked calmer and spots less red. My skin always felt so nourished after use and most definitely brighter after using it regularly. I have already bought another one’ • ‘Lovely smooth mask that is really effective for combination skin. It does not have a drying effect on your skin but makes it feel smooth and fresh after using. It is made in the UK and is vegan and cruelty free. It felt really soothing on the skin and I couldn't tell that I had a mask on. It felt really light. After 20 minutes it had mostly dried out but it didn't feel tight like other masks do. My face looked and felt smoother and moisturised with reduced visibility of pores. The redness had reduced even though I had been in a hot bath’ • ‘After first use my skin looked noticeably brighter and more even toned, the texture was smoother and redness had gone done. Using it weekly for a month, my skin feels clean, fresh and brighter and perhaps redness on blemishes is slightly diminished’ • ‘After time, skin is brighter and more radiant with noticeably reduced pores.’
£65 for 50ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Emma Hardie Purifying Pink Clay Detox Mask
There’s a long list of benefits on the front label of this creamy clay mask (testers loved that it didn't set hard, by the way), which is designed to be left on for 10-15 minutes though testers tended to leave it on longer. So, according to the brand – a longtime favourite of Beauty Bible testers, this deep cleanses, purifies and balances the skin. Refines the pores and gently exfoliates. Immediately reduces high colour and redness (that’s Defensil™ 2%technology). Improves moisture levels in the skin (down to the Australian Pink Clay). And our testers agreed, apart from one who found it drying. It contains the brand’s signature ingredient Moringa seed oil, which is rich in Vitamin C and E and provides antioxidant and environmental protection. It’s Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free.
£40 for 50ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I loved this clay mask. No more cracked and dry uncomfortable clay masks with this creamy formula. It really improved my skin texture and it’s noticeable on my open pores on my chin and nose. From first application my skin looked brighter, smoother and more even-toned. It definitely made a difference to my oily T-zone and open pores on my nose and chin. Benefits lasted for a few days when I used it twice a week. My daughter thought I had foundation on after using this mask when I was actually make-up free! It really is a miracle mask’ • ‘This product was lovely to use – comfortable on and very easy to remove using the cloth provided. My skin looked brighter and smoother after first use and that continued. It definitely helped the overall condition of my skin and when I used it just on one blemish (just before a night out) it really took the redness down. It promised purifying and smoothed skin, which it delivered on ‘•’ this, feels like a real treat for the skin. My skin felt amazing when I used this the fist time, it felt soft, much brighter and smoother and very hydrated. It took all the redness out of my skin. On removal my skin felt like silk. Excellent for combination skin, soothing and hydrating’ • ‘I liked the smell and it had a soufflé-like texture which made it really lovely to apply. My skin looked better after use and there has been an improvement in reducing the appearance of pores on and around my nose. I also like the videos on the Emma Hardie website demonstrating exactly how to use the product - I find these really helpful’ • ‘Over time there has been an improvement to the general appearance of my skin and pores in particular. A little goes a long way. You get several applications from this little pot and it is a great face mask. A real treat for a me-time facial.’
£40 for 50ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Ignae Volcanic Clay Mask
This is not any old clay but pure mineral-rich volcanic clay comes from a six million year old archipelago in the Azores – a pure, pollution-free environment that Ignae describes as its ‘natural laboratory’. However, rather than denuding the natural botanical and marine resources they use proprietary technologies to create ingredients from the native blue (green) prints to develop ‘transformational products without affecting biodiversity or the natural ecosystem’. This mask promises regeneration, detoxify, vitamin delivery and improved elasticity. As well as the anti-inflammatory bentonite clay, which absorbs excess oil, the formula contains calming aloe vera and vitamin-laden plant oils to nourish and repair skin. All that doesn't come cheap and if they looked it up, testers said their chins dropped at the price. Is it worth the investment? Read what our testers say…
£136 for 30ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. This was my favourite product from this batch, lovely texture, immediate and more sustained result with no side effects, just a pampering but easy to use experience and I'd love to make this a weekly skin care ritual. The first time I used it, I kept touching my face in the evening thinking how soft it felt! There is no "gloopyness" or dripping, just a nice soft mask. It says to leave on for 20 mins, so that's what I did. Very comfortable, it's not one of those drying clay masks that make you feel like your face is going to crack. I put it on it the morning while I did some household chores before jumping in the shower and rinsed it of with lukewarm water followed by a cold spritz, as per the instructions. It leaves my normal mature skin feeling dewy and moisturised. I did the rest of my routine out of habit but U think you could skip some moisturising steps. I 've had a few people comment that I "always look so well" without me particularly feeling it! The hydration, smoothness and softness effect seemed to improve ever so slightly with time’ • ‘My skin type is best described as combination. I'm 46 and always used to have very oily spot prone skin. In recent years my skin has changed to being combination. I still get the odd really oily day. I very rarely get spots now; I have large pores and blackheads on my nose. I found I experienced the slightest tingling sensation on my skin on initially applying the mask, but I'd say this lasted 30 seconds or so. It was in no way uncomfortable, but just a slight sensation. As the mask dries it feels exactly like that - you can feel it drying and ever so slightly tightening on your skin but again, completely comfortable and just what you would expect a clay mask to feel like as it dries. Definitely no unpleasant tautness or feeling like you can't talk for risk of cracking it all. You can still talk and move your face as it dries! I was super impressed with this mask from the first use, my skin felt like it had undergone a thorough deep cleanse! I felt like it has sucked all the impurities from my pores!! Fantastic! My skin felt clean, invigorated and super fresh. It looked healthy and glowing and surprisingly smooth. My husband said my skin looked good directly after I'd used it one time and had no make up on. Worthy praise! ’ • ‘Removing the mask with a warm damp face cloth, revealed a completely refreshed and invigorated skin underneath. My skin just looked truly lovely, almost new! It always felt smooth, looked brighter and healthier. All round a brilliant 5 star mask’ • ‘I felt my skin looked hydrated, smoother and energised. It felt very soft. I liked this mask’ • ‘I liked how it felt on my skin. You could tell it was working as went on as a dark grey colour but would dry out to a pale grey or even disappear in areas where was sinking in. The mask had no smell and it never left my skin feeling tight. It drew out impurities and left my skin looking more luminous. My skin also looked plumper which made wrinkles look less noticeable. After use my skin looked fresher.’
£136 for 30ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD PIXI Glow Mud Mask
The brand, founded 20 year, calls this deep purifying, glow revealing mask their signature 15-minute facial and goodness, how much our testers loved it. Swedish-born creator Petra Strand is a busy working mother of four so Pixi’s beauty range – skincare and cosmetics – is truly multi-tasking and flaw-fixing for people on the go. And, they promise, it’s youth enhancing down to the innovative formulations, which are rich in botanicals. For this suits all skin types mask, kaolin clay and sea salt purify, absorb oil and draw out impurities, while ginseng and aloe Vera balance skin. And very good value, we’d add. Pixi suggests using it in afternoon/evening two or three times a week or as a spot treatment when needed.
£18 for 45ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. After the first time I used it, I could see subtle differences to my skin. It seemed brighter, more glow and my skin tone was more even overall. I seemed to have more colour in my cheeks! I looked brighter and not as grey/dull skinned on tired days. The improvements gradually went from subtle to more obvious when I used the product frequently over a few weeks, which encouraged me to keep using it. From someone who doesn’t include a face mask as part of my skincare regime, I would be really happy to include this as it was simple to use and it works. I can’t think of any negatives or downsides to using this product. Thumbs up from me!’ • ‘This easy to use mud mask had the most divine scent when applying it, which was an added bonus to the benefits. After the first use my skin looked fresh, smooth and glowing. It also felt really, really soft. I could definitely see that the mask had removed excess oil from my skin, but it didn't look or feel dry. My pores looked much smaller too. This mask was great for giving my skin a deep cleanse after a breakout and really helped reduce the appearance of my spots and post breakout redness. My husband did tell me I had a lovely glow after I'd used the mask’ • ‘I do like this mask and would buy. I like in particular that it mixes the clay with the glow properties so that it feels multi use rather than just exfoliating or just for blemishes. It oil controls at the same time, which is good. Immediately after my sensitive skin was a little red but the following morning it looked great and was really smooth and felt quite glowy which was nice. Used weekly it vastly improves look of skin and is a really good base for make-up’ • ‘It claims to balance and purify skin - yes, it did help to clear my skin and it felt more balanced after using the mask - less oily on my t-zone, but not tight or dry. Skin was softer, clearer and more radiant.’
£18 for 45ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD UR Vesuvio Mineral Face Mask
Although this promises to be great for large pores, blackheads, breakouts and acne, the 20-minute treatment is not about stripping away natural oils, rather about putting goodness back into skin to help rebalance and improve signs of ageing – so it’s suitable for all skin types, as well as oily and combination. So the formula contains skin-cherishing active botanicals and natural ingredients including mineral-rich volcanic soil and sea silt plus moisturising and plumping hyaluronic acid and purifying, antioxidant green tea extract, with hydrolysed marine collagen and seawater. UR stands for Urban Retreat, a product trademark that was acquired by Acti-Labs, a family run business that now creates its own formulations in its laboratory facility in France. The products, which are used by the in-house professional therapists at Urban Retreat London, are certified cruelty free by PETA, allergen-free and gluten-free, using recycled material in packaging. It’s green, by the way!
£14 for 80ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I have an oily t-zone and greasy forehead under my fringe. My skin is sensitive and I do have redness and uneven skin tone. I suffer hormonal breakouts. Since using the mask my skin feels more moisturised and there are fewer visible pores on the bridge of my nose. I am not a great fan of using face masks but I would buy this one because it didn't make my skin feel tight. It was a really positive experience and I will buy this’ • ‘My combination skin felt less oily and looked more even toned, smoother and more matte. With consistent use it was cleaner, brighter and smoother’ • ‘Thoroughly enjoyed using this mask! Nice to apply and easy to remove, it left my combination mature skin looking great after the first use. Nicely hydrated, soft and smooth with minimised pores. The packaging is understated, but the product really delivers’ • ‘I really love the way my skin looks after wards - brighter, cleaner and healthier. After a few uses the sebum production is controlled and skin is less oily. . One of the benefits that I like is the lightness of the appearance of acne scarring’ • ‘Pores are minimised with my oily combination skin much more vibrant and better looking even without make-up. I'm confident to show my face without make-up and that's what my friends have noticed’ • ‘It's a very comforting mask to use even, doesn't dry hard or crack and you can certainly go about your chores while wearing it although or course it is green so you might want to issue a warning to anyone you encounter. This left my skin feeling and looking younger, soft, touchable and moisturised. It didn't leave any tacky residue or dry clay residue on the skin. Not drying in any shape or form. Absolutely stellar product for my skin.’
£14 for 80ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Mary Kay Clear Proof® Deep-Cleansing Charcoal Mask
From this direct selling brand (you have to buy through a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant), this promises to deep cleanse skin, reduce shine immediately and help clear skin. It features activated charcoal to unclog pores, plus mineral clays to boost absorbency, and extracts of rosemary and peppermint for a zingy scent. Other ingredients are honeysuckle and navy bean extract to help fade dark spots and discolouration. A 21-day independent consumer study of 166 women and men with blemish-prone skin, using the mask, two or three times a week found that 79% said their skin looked clearer. Our testers agreed; the only downside for some was that as the mask dried on the skin (and yes, it does go charcoal-coloured), it became quite tight. Others weren’t bothered by this.
£19.50 for 114g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. My combination/dry skin with some oily areas is smoother and looks cleaner after this mask. Pores look smaller and skin is less oily after regular use, twice a week. I’m happy to use this as it leaves my skin clean, less oily and more matte’ • ‘My usual skin type is normal but since being pregnant I have had hormonal acne breakouts around my chin and dryness on my cheeks. I must say this is a wonder working product! I noticed that it helped reduce the appearance of my break outs, I apply once or twice a week and let it work for 10 minutes, rinse with warm water, and it dries up immediately, and zaps the breakouts away! This will be my new go to masks for when I see a breakout appearing. My husband noticed a reduction in the amount of blemishes I get on my chin :) which also boosted my confidence. Overall, it made my skin feel and look refreshed and brighter, it also felt smoother to touch’ • ‘My combination/dry skin looked very clean, clear and even toned after using this. After regular use, oily areas are less so and pores looked blurred’ • ‘I really liked this mask, it smells lovely and has a nice cream texture making it very easy to apply. The only thing I didn't love was how hard it dried down on the face making it feel quite tight. It had a satisfying immediate effect with the deep cleansing’ • ‘I have combination, ageing skin with blocked pores on nose and chin. After use, it looks bright and fresh and my chin is much better. I’ve used it every week and also when a spot appeared – it really seems to help.’
£19.50 for 114g - click to buy