Andalou Naturals Blue Geranium Creamy Clay Mask

You don't see many facial mask reviews here. In my opinion they are very much optional part of the skincare routine. If you use well formulated skincare item regularly, it will bring you much more benefits, than a mask used just once a week. Especially if you treating stubborn skin concerns (like hyper-pigmentation). Also, I simply don't have time to use a mask. I usually apply my evening skincare right before going to bed. If you are able to incorporate a mask in your routine, you should choose wisely, since there are only few well formulated masks on the market that I've seen. Also, any moisturizing mask can be substituted by well formulated cream applied in a thicker layer. Probably, I am not the best judge of masks for oily skin, since I have normal to dry skin type, and get out of my way to avoid any drying products.

Packaging/Pricing:

52ml (1.8fl.oz) for 12-15$ (a usual available on IHERB.com here). Grey plastic tube is good enough packaging to keep ingredients safe. Aesthetics wise, not my cup of tea.

Ingredients:

Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Zinc Oxide, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Icelandic Silt (Clay), Bentonite Clay, Centaurea Cyanus (Blue Cornflower) Extract, Salix Alba (Willow Bark) Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Fruit Stem Cells (Malus Domestica, Solar Vitis) and Bioactive 8 Berry Complex (Acai, Aronia, Bearberry, Bilberry, Black Elderberry, Goji, Rosehips, and Sea Buckthorn), Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Extract, Allantoin, Tocopherol (Vit E), Panthenol (Vit B5), Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium (Petitgrain) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil.

Excellent (only beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial, not extensive research or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary, but not a skincare per se) 

Bad (irritants and anything bad that shouldn't be in a skincare, usually fragrance)

Ingredients Discussion:

The main ingredient here is clay. I am not a big fan of it honestly. The only property it has is oil absorption. It doesn't penetrate pores and dissolve blackhead like salicylic acid would or tighten pores. Only if you have very oily skin you can benefit from doing clay masks. For everyone else it will be too drying, since clay draws out water from the skin as well.

However, this is not your standard clay mask. This one is packed with antioxidants + anti-irritants (blue cornflower, willow bark, 8 berry complex, white tea extracts and vitamin E) and skin-identical + water-binding ingredients (aloe very juice, panthenol, glycerin, sunflower oil). Which will not only make skin not as dried out after using clay, but actually will make skin healthier.
I have already expressed my thoughts on fruit stem cell technology. I don't think it is anything that actually can really change your skin. Plant stem cell are just plant extracts at best. So this patented fruit stem cells an 8 berry complex can have some antioxidant properties beneficial for the skin, but it is important what other ingredients the product has as well.

I would like to separately discuss benefits of zinc oxide (second on the list in this case) in masks designed for oily skin. This ingredient is mostly known as a physical sunscreen active, which is safe even for very sensitive skin. It is a drying agent as well, so it can take part in oil absorption. It also has an anti-irritant and even antioxidant properties, making it superior ingredient for oily and acne prone skin than clay.

The ingredient list is really good, except for two essential oils (petitgrain and geranium) that are at the very bottom. If you don't have very sensitive skin you should be able to tolerate them, since they are not present in high concentration. However, anyone with sensitive skin (like me) should be careful.

Consumer Thought:

As I've mentioned I am not a big fan of clay masks. So why did I buy it? I intended to use it only on the nose. I do use salicylic acid of course, but why not to employ extra help... My concern is not only the blackheads, but blocked pores that become inflamed, making my nose unpleasantly red.
Unfortunately I didn't like this mask. First, I didn't see any results. My black heads looked exactly the same after using it. Second, I actually experienced a tingly sensation, while having it on, which is usually a bad sign for me (irritation!). Plus, my nose was so red after using it (and it was red for 2 days), so in fact it made matters worse. I blame it on essential oils which I am very sensitive to.
The mask also smelled distinguishably of geranium (personally don't like this scent), was creamy and relatively easy to wash of. I think it was as tightening as any clay mask can feel on normal/dry skin.
Overall, I did not enjoy the experience.

Verdict:

I am on the fence about this product. I do like the ingredient list. But I can recommend this mask only for very oily skin that actually produces so much oil, that it can benefit from absorption product. However if you have oily and sensitive skin, than skip it. If you have combination skin you can of course apply it only on the oily areas. I am not a big fan of clay masks for any other skin type, since you can dry out your skin without actually addressing the concern. I always prefer to be as gentle with my skin as possible. And this mask actually was irritating on my skin.

3.5 out of 5