Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask.

Origins 'Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask', £20 for 100ml.

It has taken me about 3 months and roughly 12 uses to form an opinion of this, it's only recently I have appreciated what this mask has done/is doing for my skin so I thought I'd pop a quick review up.

I use this mask weekly (every Monday FYI) to help clear my pores after an often naughty and skincare UNfriendly weekend! My pores are most visible on my nose and my cheeks. I've learnt through consistent use for the last few months that the longer this mask remains on your face, the more succesful the results will be. I leave it on for a lot longer than the recommended 10-20 minutes and try to wash it off after about 45 minutes. I find a flannel soaked in warm water is most effective at removing it, the warm water melts it and the flannel exfoliates it off, because it is a clay mask it 'sets' and if you're leaving it on for as long as I do, you'll need that extra help to get it off.

This mask contains Activated Charcoal and White China Clay and is very wet and smooth in it's consistency. After about 10 minutes it will dry completely. I feel a slight tingling sensation throughout the entire time of wearing this mask, though it is heightened at around that 10 minute mark. As it dries it does tighten on the skin and feels quite uncomfortable (and it will crack if you try to talk or smile!) I don't find the process particularly enjoyable but I love the way my skin looks and feels after I remove it.

Once I've washed the mask off my pores appear significantly clearer and and the skin looks more radiant than before. This mask draws out impurities to help the appearance of the skin, and this is what I notice. For about an hour after I've removed this I don't put any other products on my face, it feels so refreshed, clean and 'alive' that I let it breathe, thankfully, and also surprisingly, my skin doesn't feel tight or dry and my skin doesn't go red or react in any way.

After 12 uses (I apply it all over my face, avoiding the eyes) this 100ml tube shows no signs of running out. I definitely think I've noticed the effects of this a lot more recently than I did before, it has become an important staple in my skincare routine and now I always look forward to 'mask mondays'.

Do you use this mask? What product from Origins would you recommend to me?