Trying something that is Black and White with a Glamglow all over

Let me start by saying I don’t know how this product appeared one day in my stash, but it did. Let me also preface this by saying that I haven’t felt the need to spend almost RM300 on a jar of mud so I know for a fact I didn’t actually buy it. Perhaps it’s my little pixies being generous LOL!

But I know Glamglow gets loads and loads of raves so when I stumbled across it, I felt the need to give the product a go to see what it was all about.

There are a few different versions, but the brand Glamglow itself hails from Hollywood California, where it is said that these mud masks are used behind the scenes as quick pick-me-ups for skin. To give it a glam glow, as it were.

The one I found was the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, which you will see below, promises you the moon and the stars. This product, if it is believed, will give you smoother skin, smaller pores, clear breakouts and blemishes, deal with spots, pimples, zits (3 words that all mean the same thing, don’t be fooled!) and clear black and white heads. It has glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic, pyruvic and azelaic acids; and I don’t even know what those last 2 were 😛 Let’s just say, it promises to do a HELL OF A LOT! So, let’s see if it does.

First of all, let me show you the box. This product comes in an octoganal box that is fairly large.

Can you see everything it promises to do? Remember, 3 of the words mean the same thing LOL I thought it was clever, because it looks like it does a lot, yet it’s a little silly once you look past the smoke and mirrors.

Which is what I will advise you to do. Ignore the glam of Hollywood and the superlative promises. Just look at the product and see what it really does. And when I opened the box, I had the shock of my life.

What the flying f….ish?! Was that a sample jar or was I entering the world of Lilliput? A hasty glance back at the front of the box told me that the jar was a mere 34g. 34g of product!! 34! It wasn’t even 50g, it was an odd 34g. Wait, how much does this retail for again? Almost RM300 locally if I’m not mistaken, and US$69 on Sephora. Please excuse me while I get over my apoplectic fit.

Ok *deep breath* maybe this then is a wonder product eh? Good things are expensive, or so they tell us.

Open that tiny little tub, and you are greeted with a foil cover (don’t toss it. I use it to cover back the product to keep it from drying out too quickly) Lift the foil, and you get an interesting juxtaposition of black on white. I think there’s some aesthetics going on here 😀

The product is a fairly thick mud paste that is a deep grey that’s almost black. I find that there are bits in it, which I have not been able to identify, but it has a fairly chunky texture, for want of a better word. If you see the swatches below, you might see the chunky bits. It feels funny because I’m not sure what they are for. They aren’t chunks of dried mud, in case you’re wondering.

Anyway, you are advised to apply a thin layer to the skin (of your face, not your hands although I don’t see why not, if you feel the need) and leave it on to dry. On contact with the skin, I find that it gives a cooling tingle. I think it’s the peppermint oil, because there is a fresh minty “essential oil smell” as well. But be warned, because this means it can irritate skin too.

It dries fairly slowly on skin, I find and as it dries, the minty tingle will slowly disappear, and it then looks a light grey as you see on the right. The bits are still there though, and you can see it more clearly.

Once it’s all dried, you can rinse it off. Although you might have to scrub at it a little to really get it off your skin, it does wash off fairly easily. If you want to speed things up, use a face cloth, but I’ll warn you that the mud will stain. So, be patient, dampen your skin with water, rub to dissolve, and rinse as you go.

Now, to be fair, I do find that this mask does leave my skin feeling very lovely and smooth immediately after using. It doesn’t make my skin feel tight (I have drier skin and drier skin doesn’t like mud masks a lot) nor do I run out of the bathroom blindly flailing for my rosewater mists or moisturiser to rehydrate my parched skin. It feels fairly comfortable.

I was most curious about using this when I have blemishes, or spots or pimples or zits (as Glamglow defines them) and if I use it on the spot a few days in a row, I notice a slight drying out without drying the surrounding skin. But if you are expecting a result the first time you use it, don’t bother. There’s no result. Not even for the next few days.

IT’S SO TINY OMG!

What I like is that it isn’t drying for a mud mask, and I like how smooth and clean my skin feels after I use it. What I don’t like however, is the minty tingle that I feel is unnecessary and honestly, can be irritating to skin.

I do leave it on quite a while, up to 40 minutes at a go and I usually follow up with a hydrating or replenishing mask (Laneige Water Sleeping Mask or the Sulwhasoo Overnight Mask, most of the time) to replenish skin hydration. This combination works best for me when I use clarifying or mud masks.

To be honest though, while I think it is a decent product, I won’t repurchase nor try any of the others in the brand because I can’t justify paying that much money for a mud mask that for me is just average. I used to use the Kiehl’s Rare Earth mask and that was affordable and pretty decent as well. While this may contain a boatload of ingredients, at the end of the day, it’s a mud mask and I don’t like that weird tingle on skin. They all more or less do the same thing and feel the same. If price is no object, then by all means, try this. But otherwise, don’t bother. Seriously. There are other options.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment is a mud mask that is supposed to clear and clarify skin. It goes on with a minty tingle that dissipates as the product dries on skin. Washing off the dried mud mask leaves your skin feeling smooth without drying out your skin. However, the astronomical price for the diminutive size puts me off and for that reason, I won’t recommend this for purchase at all. Unless you get it at a hefty discount.

PROS: Not drying for a mud mask, Skin feels smooth and clean after washing off

CONS: Very expensive for very little product, Peppermint oil leaves skin tingling on contact which can be irritating, Can be messy to wash off, Does not dry out pimples or spots effectively

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes mud masks, Anyone who wants a clarifying mask and for whom price is no object

For those interested, here is the ingredient list for the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment mask.

I’ve been told that some of the other Glamglow masks are better and that there’s even one that’s hydrating. I know, a mud masks that hydrates skin. Intriguing. But because of the Hollywood style pricing, I’m not keen to give it a go. Perhaps if my pixies happen to spirit me one in the future, I will. But otherwise, I’ll glam and glow with something else 😀

Have you tried this mud mask or any other Glamglow product? Do you have one you like?

I don’t know man, the price, the size. Everything just put me off. I get the hype. I get that it’s a decent product and that it isn’t drying for a mud mask. But man, it’s not RM300 or US$69 decent. I’m quite sure there are much much more affordable options out there. But if you like this please feel free to say so. I’m always open to suggestion, as you well know by now 🙂

Paris B

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask Price: RM300 or so | US$69 for 34g Availability: Sephora stores and online