Ah Antipodes – Verily, thou canst do no wrong!
To me anyway. Almost every single item I’ve tried from the brand so far has wowed me. So far, it’s a 99% success rate (I’m not sold on Apostle and Joyous serums though I’m a bit more pro about the latter). I mean, what are the odds?! Most mainstream brands boast a far lower success rate than that.
Uh so, suffice to say, this will be YET another rave review of this product that I picked up a while ago, and never got round to talking about it. But I want to, because it’s very nice, and it’s very good, and it smells delicious – like slathering warm manuka honey all over your face. Mmmm….
There is one thing I don’t quite like about it, but I’ll tell you more, once I’ve stopped oohing and ahing and generally raving about this. Bear with me 😀
The Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask is, as the name implies, a face mask. It is a cream based, wash off product, that squeezes out from a metal tube, rather like toothpaste. I find that rather surreal so if you’re wont to make mistakes as you stumble, bleary-eyed into the bathroom in the mornings and grope about your sink, I’d suggest that you keep this away from your dental supplies.
The product is a fairly lotion-like cream (if that even made sense) that spreads very easily on skin. I tend to be very generous, for a good reason I’ll explain below, so I squeeze out far more than I usually need, pampering my skin with a thick layer of creamy goodness.
And there’s that smell. Do you like manuka honey? I do. I absolutely love it, because it’s not sweet like regular honey, but has a faintly sourish smell and taste. Manuka honey is also well known for its anti-bacterial properties and this facial mask is infused with this.
The scent is fairly strong, but it smells very natural, so I don’t mind it. Despite it being creamy, it also washes off very easily with just water, leaving your skin feeling so soft and plumped and smooth! I love it! I’ve even left a thin layer on as an overnight mask, and it’s lovely as well, except that it doesn’t quite hydrate my skin as well. But as an intensive layer, it’s good stuff.
But what really wows me, is how it works on blemishes. Minor blemishes, I might add. When I have a spot or pimple, I find that after I use this mask, it will go away more quickly. So when I’m feeling extra-spotty, or if my skin is acting up, I slap this mask on. Sometimes, I leave it on the spot overnight and it helps to defuse the situation.
I also like using this mask after a clay mask or glycolic peel mask. The former tends to leave my skin feeling a little dry and I like using this cream mask to “replenish” the moisture in my skin. It feels lovely and luxurious anyway, so why not!
But what is it that I don’t like?
The size. The tube is a good-sized 75ml tube, but because it’s an organic product, I find that it will degrade more quickly than most. There is a 6 month expiry date from opening, as stated on the tube, and if you’re the sort who tries to do a face mask every week but don’t always succeed, you may not finish it in time.
I know I haven’t. I’m past the 6 month expiry, and perhaps it’s not working as well now. Who’s to really know. I can’t measure it. The fact it comes in a tube is a good thing – less exposure to the air. But organic products do degenerate more quickly so I try to stick to their use-by date. So, this is why I’d recommend that you be generous when you use this mask. Slap on a thick layer – your skin will love it, and you’ll use it up before it expires.
Personally, I’d prefer if this lovely mask came in a smaller size, with a correspondingly smaller pricetag. That way, it’s a win-win for everyone.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask is a cream mask that helps boost skin hydration and also to help work on blemishes and pimples, without drying it out. It has a sweet-sourish creamy smell of manuka honey, and is very easy to apply. It doesn’t really dry out, and I feel like it “absorbs” into my skin once I leave it on. It’s also very easy to wash off with just water, without any greasy or sticky feeling after. I use this very regularly, and I think it does well to protect my skin and also to heal my skin when I have the odd blemish or two. Good stuff – check it out!
PROS: Lovely smell and texture, Skin feels hydrated and calm after use, Easy to wash off, Works well to defuse pimples
CONS: Packaging is too big to use up within the recommended use-by period
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants a facial mask for hydration or antioxidants, Anyone who wants an effective organic skincare range
Here is the ingredient list for anyone interested.
Have you tried this Antipodes mask? Do you like manuka honey?
I know of people who don’t, because it doesn’t taste like regular sweet honey that we’re used to. I love it though. Whenever I feel a bug coming on, I dose myself with a spoonful every hour and it usually keeps it at bay. So having it in my skincare is a bonus for me LOL! 😀
Paris B
Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask Price: RM159 | US$47 | AU$48.99 | £22.99 Availability: TNS Skinlabs in Malaysia and online, Zalora, Naturisimo, Priceline Australia or any Antipodes stockists
Yes! This is one of the masks I am using now. I rotate this with other clay/ glycolic mask (Caudaile, Ren, Indochines pink clay, Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay) in alternate day. Together I find them does good thing on my skin. Their Reincarnation Pure Facial Exfoliator is good too! Antipodes roars!
I think this works very well after a clarifying mask like clay or glycolic masks 😀 It just seems to replenish the skin with all sorts of goodness doesn’t it? I haven’t tried the Exfoliator, but….. NOW I WANT TO! Darn it 😛
Wonderful! I’ll stock up next time there’s a 40% sale on skincare at Priceline 🙂 I think we’re due for one 🙂
Yes! Please try it, I think you might like it. And don’t stock up – these organic things don’t keep well >.<
Hi! First time commenting? just to thank you for introducing this brand, I really enjoy their products.
The only product that was a miss for me is the Joyous Replenishing Night Serum. It was the earthy metallic smell reminding me of meat which put me off.
Hi Joanne, welcome! 😀 I’m glad you’re commenting coz we all have so much to learn from each other. I too was so surprised that I love so many things from this brand. I found Joyous a little hard to get around. It does smell a little funny, I agree but meat is new to me! I’m going to sniff it again. I just found it a little too off, but I wasn’t sure if it was because I’d kept mine too long.
I LOVE this mask! I think the one I’m using is already my 4th tube. It definitely works on spots that just popped up. I didn’t bother to try other masks because this works so well. I do have another clay mask, and a few others, but this is definitely favourite 🙂
Yes! I’m very impressed by how well it works on spots. We all need that one spot buster in our lives!
If you love this, you simply must try the REN Glycolactic mask and leave it on for 20 min. It’s a different effect but right before bed, it gives the most gorgeous glow the next morning. Trust me, Paris can vouch for me 😉
Hi Paris. I was wondering if you are going to do a tour of the holiday collections at Sephora like you did last year? If not, do you know where I can see what’s in store for the holidays? I have one trip to Kl next week and would love to plan beforehand.
Do you know if Diptyque or Jo Malone have any holiday sets? Or any fragrance brand that are selling holidays stuff? Thank you so much.
Hi Maria. I’m sorry to disappoint but no I won’t be doing a Sephora store tour this year. I wasn’t given access to any information from brands or the store and it was tricky, so I gave up. The Christmas collections are already out in store so you can check them out there! As for Diptyque I don’t have the info either but I know they have the usual limited edition Christmas candles ,also already out in store. No idea about Jo Malon, but I’d guess they’ll have some gift sets.
Thank you for sharing the love of Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask. Great post.
Just note, the 6 months expiry is only after opening the product, so you can stock up in a sale as long as you don’t open it until you are ready to use it. #lovethearoha
I love this – it’s one of my repeat buys and I stock up every time priceline has a 40% off skincare sale
LIKEWISE!!! This is a staple for a healthy complexion, regardless of you skin issues.
Absolutely worth it especially at 40% off! Wish we had that here 😛
I’m smiling like a fool here when I saw you reviewed this. It’s one of my personal favorites ?
This and the Juliet cleanser instantly connected with my skin for that soft glowing radiant complexion everyone wants. If I may suggest something, gently cleanse with a glycolic mask for 10 minutes, rinse off and then put this on for 45 min. Rinse off again with a mild fingertip massage. Follow up with a facial oil you love and sleep. Magazine perfect complexion overnight.
I’m begging my work to start carrying Antipodes so I can push it hard across Europe.
Hahhaa You are I, Phil! I do tend to use this after a glycolic mask too, but I’m using the Caudalie one. Somehow, it just seems to work so much better after a clarifying mask. You only really want to carry Antipodes so you can get easy access to the products, right?! 😉
Scary how you’re using the exact same combo then. I switch between the REN and Caudalie myself. Once you get the initial layer of gunk and crusty dead skin gone, the manuka can work better into your pores. That’s why 🙂
And hell yeah, I just want easier access to the brand haha.
Haha you know what they say about great minds and all that, Phil! 😉 I tried hard to like the REN one but couldn’t for some reason. I also found that it would go off quite quickly so I just found it too expensive to use in the long run. I bought the Alpha H Liquid Gold mask though. Really looking forward to using that one since I love Liquid Gold so! 😀
I bought this mask like 2 years ago and thought it was only an OK product (I didn’t have obvious blemishes during that time, so the effect was probably not that evident). But I do agree that it has a nice smell and texture, also leaving my skin very soft and radiant after use. I also disliked the size of the tube, mine went “off” (like the smell wasn’t that nice anymore, and slightly stickier than usual) when I still had like 1/4 left of the tube after like 5 months after opening. Arrrggghhh~~~ What a shame!! Though good to know that it can be used after a clay mask!! I might give this another chance when my drugstore is having a big sale 😀