I’d almost forgotten about this Antipodes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask, well, because I’ve found it forgettable.
Which spoils the story for you somewhat LOL!
But tell you about it I will, because it isn’t bad. It was just a little underwhelming for me, from a brand I love to bits.
Antipodes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask
Antipodes touts this as containing mineral-based volcanic mud from geothermal New Zealand. The mud from the geothermal mud pools are famed for their regenerative properties. People go to them to soak in the pools, and claim to feel rejuvenated, and to have smoother skin thereafter.
It also contains Antipodes’ signature ingredient of Vinanza Grape & Kiwi and Peony Petal, both of which they say, help improve skin appearance. Skin is more elastic, less red and brighter in appearance.
For all intents and purposes however, it is pretty much your standard mud/clay based mask.
Having dry skin, I am more wary about using clay or mud based masks. They tend to be more drying, which is normal as it draws oil from the skin as it dries.
However, it had been a while since I’d come across something new from Antipodes Skincare, one of my favourite brands of skincare products, so I decided to take a chance on it by ordering it sight unseen.
Non-drying Mud Mask
If you too have drier skin like I do, yet want to experience the skin purifying benefits of a mud or clay mask, without feeling like you’re being mummified, then the Antipodes Halo Mud Mask (as I’ll call it) does the job.
It is fairly easy to spread, and a tiny little spatula is included in the box. It doesn’t help very much as it is quite small, but it serves its purpose. I usually just dig in with my fingers.
The mud is smooth and spreads easily. My tub has been open a while, and while it’s dried out a little bit, it still spread fairly easily.
Spread a fairly thick layer all over your skin, and leave it to work its magic. I find that it does not dry as quickly on skin as other clay/mud masks, so it will take longer than the recommended 15 minutes for it to fully dry out.
However, that is probably a good thing, as I find that leaving mud/clay masks on the skin for too long is very drying.
The Antipodes Halo Mud Mask however, is less drying on skin even after removing. I do notice a little tightness, but it isn’t uncomfortable.
A little hard to remove and rinse off
The texture is a little sticky, so I find it a little hard to remove and rinse off. It can take quite a while, bending over the sink, rubbing away at the mud stuck to your face. Not something you want to do just before bed, because it might wind you up too much 😛
Instead, I recommend that you use either a face flannel, or a facial sponge to remove the mask.
Wet your hands and gently rub them over your face, wetting the mask through to allow it to dislodge more easily. Then, use your flannel or sponge to wipe off.
You will find that it removes more easily from your skin this way without too much rubbing, and you can then rinse out the cloth or sponge more easily.
Skin feels cleaner and smoother after Antipodes Halo Mud Mask
The most noticeable benefit I notice is that my skin feels cleaner and smoother almost immediately after using the Antipodes Halo Mud Mask. However, I will note that it is true of most, if not all mud or clay masks I’ve used.
But the positive side to this is that my skin does not feel unduly tight and dry. It isn’t plumped and moist, as it will feel after a hydrating mask, but it feels very clean.
Sometimes, that is nice, because we just want our skin to feel like we’ve run it through the washing machine, deep-cleaning out all the pores thoroughly of the embedded oil and dirt LOL! 😛
RELATED READING: Try this 2-step mask technique to deep-clean skin and replenish hydration READ HERE
If you have a spot on your face that you’d like to bring to a head, or to get it to heal a little more quickly, dab a little bit of the mud mask on the spot and leave it overnight.
I find it helps to draw out the impurities, and bring things to a head, so it heals more quickly thereafter 😉
The fragrance does not appeal to me
However, one big downside I noticed is the scent.
The product is fragranced with vanilla pod and raspberry seed oil, and I find that for some reason, the sweet scent lingers far too much when blended with the mud.
It smells quite strong, and I find it irritating to my nose.
Skin brightening effects were temporary
While Antipodes calls it the Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask, I noticed that the skin-brightening effects are quite minimal and temporary only.
While it is easy to be fooled into thinking your skin is brighter the first time you remove the mud mask, this is true of EVERY mud or clay mask you use. In fact, it is quite true of ANY mask you use.
The reason I say this is because, when you apply a wash-off product like a mask to your skin, then wash it off, you are effectively cleansing your skin. You are washing it, and a little more vigorously, to remove all traces of product.
Further, the mud will have does its job to deep-cleanse your skin, and when you remove it, you are removing that layer of dirt or dead skin cells from the surface of your skin.
Naturally therefore, your skin will look brighter and clearer. However, based on my experience, this effect is only temporary.
While Antipodes says you can use the Antipodes Halo Mud Mask daily, I don’t recommend it. It will be far too drying for even very oily skin, and all the drying out of your skin might encourage it to produce or secrete more oil.
What I’d recommend instead, is to use it as you would a treatment product. For very oily or oily skin types, use it perhaps twice a week. For normal or dry skin types, use it once a week or once every two weeks. Daily use is overkill 😛
For this reason, I find the Antipodes Halo Mud Mask underwhelming. It didn’t impress me as much as their other products have. I have used quite many products from the Antipodes Skincare brand, and each one I used in the past blows me away, and I want to shout to the world about it.
With the Antipodes Halo Mud Mask, I’m just shrugging my shoulders, going “Eh, it’s alright”. Which is a pity, because it costs a pretty penny 😛
IN A NUTSHELL
The Antipodes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask is a mud based mask. Apply a thick layer on skin and remove after it semi-dries. It will take a long time to fully dry on skin, but that might result in your skin feeling too dry. I find that it does not dry out my dry skin, which is a positive experience. It is a little hard to remove with just water, so I recommend using a face cloth or sponge for easier removal. However, I do find it too fragranced to use comfortably, and the skin-brightening effects are too temporary to be noticed. Not a bad product, but underwhelming for me, a huge fan of the brand otherwise.
PROS:
Not drying even for dry skin
Skin feels clean and smooth after useCONS:
Pricey
Fragrance is quite strong
A little sticky so it’s harder to remove
Skin-brightening effects is temporaryWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants a mud mask that isn’t drying even for dry skin
PRICE: RM177 | NZD55 | AUD49 | £26.99 | US$35 for 75g
WHERE TO BUY: TNS Skinlab stores and online, Antipodes Skincare website, Beauty Bay, LookFantastic, Adore Beauty, Feelunique, Naturisimo
For those interested, this is the ingredients list for the Antipdoes Halo Skin-Brightening Facial Mud Mask.
Aqua (Water), Kaolin Volcanic New Zealand mud, Glycerin, Propanediol, Jojoba Esters, Zinc oxide, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Butylene Glycol, Arbutin, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Acetyl tyrosine, Saxifraga sarmentosa (Strawberry begonia) extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glutathione, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Asteriscus graveolens (Oxeye) flower extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Coco Glucoside, Vitis vinifera seed (grape seed) extract, Actinidia Deliciosa Fruit Extract, Benzyl Salicylate , Citral , Citronellol, D-Limonene, Farnesol, Geraniol, Linalool
Have you tried this Antipodes Halo Mud Mask?
I don’t regret buying it, but I do think it is underwhelming. That said, many people love it, so if you are one of them, let me know! 🙂
Paris B
Beauty Bee says
Even though I love Antipodes like you Paris, I figured this mask would be very similar to other mud/clay masks on the market so I will be giving it a skip…
One that you make like however, is the Trilogy Radiance Radiance Mask. It’s the ONLY clay mask that leaves my skin feeling comfortable yet deeply cleansed. I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed it yet on the blog, but I will (eventually) 🙂
Beauty Bee says
I just posted a review of the Trilogy mask Paris – thanks for pushing me to do it! 😛