Mud Mask reviews are back!!!

By Popular demand, I am finally brining back mud mask reviews to ThePolishHoochie! I started a series of reviews WAY back, and it kind of went to the way side. I now want to bring the series back.

Here are the masks I have done in the past. You can click the links below if you are interested in seeing my older reviews. I group them by company, and these are the two companies I use.

FREEMAN MASKS

MONTAGNE JEUNESSE

Today I was really in the mood for a good mud mask, so I grabbed for my Montagne Jeunesse Mud Pack. This packaging always gets my attention. Whomever is designing packaging for this company is doing an amazing job. The packages always have bright shocking fun eye catching colors, and fun layouts of the models with the masks on.
 

I am a closet mud mask addict, and that's putting it lightly.  Here is my collection to date, but it grows daily. I purchase mine at Walmart and Walgreens, so every time I am out shopping I pick one or two up. The price point is between $1.99 and $2.50, depending where you shop. I have a list on my Iphone of the masks I already own so I don't double buy ones I already have :) It's always a fun adventure to see if I can find a new one that I don't already own.

TODAYS MASK: MUD PAC ANTI STRESS

DESCRIPTION:

Anti Stress mask with Dead Sea Salt to ultra deep pore cleanse. As the package suggested, I started with a clean face and applied warm water (with no soap or cleaners) to open the pores up on my face.

 

FOR SKIN TYPE(S):

Normal, Oily and T-Zone Skin

 

TEXTURE & COLORING:

The mask is a whitish mud mask. I'm not sure what mask they are advertising on the packaging, but it's not deep blue in color at all. It is a stark white with a very very small tinge of pale blue, while the mud is wet and dry.  I was kind of looking forward to the deep blue color that was shown on the package, so that was a small let down lol. It was a typical mud mask texture and it was very smooth and easily spread and applied on my face.

 

SMELL:
The scent on this one is a bit strange to describe. It smells like a man's shaving cream. That is the best way I can describe it. It's a clean soapy smell that is very pleasing to me. It's how my husband smells when he comes out of the shower after he shaves. It is not unpleasant in any way, just has a more of a masculine smell to me. No floral scents here, which for me is great because I hate heavy floral scents on my face. To me this was a really nice smell.

MASK DRYING PROPERTIES:
The mask felt really cool and refreshing going on while the mud was still wet. I love how the texture of the mud felt, which was very smooth and easy to apply. It hardened as it dried on my face, but not a harsh drying. It did not get rock stiff or feel like it was pulling at my skin. We all have tried a mask like that at one point. I have had masks that were physically painful when drying - pulling at my skin and the small baby hairs on my face - OUCH!!!! I am pleased to say that this mask does not. Though it dries 'hard', you can still easily move your face (smile, speak, etc..) without any major issues.

RESULTS AFTER REMOVING:
Really SOFT AND SMOOTH. It felt so soft and so refreshing. It really made my face feel clean after rinsing. The was no harsh over drying of my skin on this one either. I did apply moisturizer to my face afterward, (which is always recommended after masking), but only a very small amount.

VERDICT:
Two BIG thumbs up on this one. This is a real winner and I want to stock up on these. I will be repeating this one and keeping it on my 'got to' mask list when I feel like I want a really nice deep clean. I highly recommend this one.

Thanks for visiting and stay tuned for future masks  reviews headed your way here at ThePolishHoochie :)

Montagne Jeunesse Masks Series - #2 Crystal Masque

Today I was feeling really dry and wanted to do a scrub/mask to maybe calm things down a bit. I decided on Montagne Jeunesse Crystal Masque to continue my mud mask series.  Check my labels below left to see other masks I have reviewed.

I picked this one because the labels says that it smoothes, softens & conditions skin. I figured this conditioning would be perfect for my dry skin.

 

The mask is a clear pale pink, and the instant I opened the package I was hit with the sweet smell of honey.  It really was yum! I was expecting a heavy floral smell, and was pleasantly surprised that there was not a heavy floral scent at all. I am not a fan of heavy floral scents on my face. 

  

I soaked the package prior to opening in a hot water bath for a few minutes as directed (a plastic cup filled with hot water lol).

I expected this to feel smooth going on my face, but there was distinctive exfoliating scrub beads in this. It was not overwhelming, just barely there scrub beads perfectly spread throughout the formula.

I left it on for 10 minutes, as directed. It did not tighten up like a clay mask, and was very pliable and soft feeling on the face. When I washed it off it did not foam, but was was more of a cream wash. It felt and smelled wonderful. It was very easy to rinse off.

 Unfortunately, it didn't feel like it did much for my skin.  I was hoping for a really hydrated feeling, and instead my face looked more flaky and dry :( I had to use moisturizer in overload to get back to a normal feeling. It was not what I expected at all for my dry skin. I felt this mask would be better suited for someone with oily skin. 

I will be giving this another go, and I will add it in my next mask post to let you all know how it went a second time around. 

On a side note, I sent an email to MJ for some questions, and they were very helpful and pleasant in their response. Great customer service for me.

Thanks for visiting!

Montagne Jeunesse Masks Series - #1 Chocolate Masque

Today I decided to start a new series of reviews for the travel size mud masks & face treatments from Montagne Jeunesse. 

 

(logo from Montagne Jeunesse)

I know we have all seen these on the end caps at Wal-Mart and CVS.  The packaging is so inviting looking, so I decided to give them a try. I am addicted to mud masks of all kinds and I love the benefits they provide.

(photo courtesy of yahoo images)

Check out the LABELS section in the sidebar to see all the reviews as I add them.

First mask I have tried is: Chocolate Masque (Mud Mask)

The label says this mask is for normal to dry skin and your T-Zone area, for deep pore cleansing. This description was perfect for my skin tone.  It states the mask helps to unclog pores by drawing out impurities. It also contains Dead Sea Salt to assist in skin healing, and Cocoa and Shea butters for moisturizing.  Please make sure to see all the ingredients in case you are allergic to something.

The consistency is typical mud mask, very smooth and slightly thick. It felt like mouse almost, but thicker. It had a very strange feel, but fun and different at the same time. The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was the strong chocolate smell that hit my nose. It reminded me of raw brownie mix, before baking. It was so enjoyable and downright yummy smelling. I like to apply my masks thin so I can definitely get a second use out of this package. The cost varies by store, but usually they run between $1.39 - $1.99 here in the US.

As this mask dries on your face, it feels like a typical mud mask,  hardening and getting 'tight', but not too tight. The directions say you should wash your face with warm water first, (which opens pores), and then apply and let dry 10-15 minutes before rinsing and patting dry.  

It rinsed off easily, but it was a bit messy. The water that drips off your face into your sink is dark brown. BE VERY CAREFUL when rinsing off. I would not suggest wearing a white top when using this mask. I waited 15 minutes as directed, and rinsed. The first thing I noticed, was my skin felt REALLY soft. My skin is usually very dry and crazy after a mask usually, and that was not the case with this mask. I can honestly say my face was softer and fresher feeling than any other mask I have tried to date. It's been several hours since I used the mask, and I'm having trouble not touching my face lol. Even though this was a messy mask after I rinsed it did not stain my skin or my towel, and that was a plus. 

  Overall, I loved this mask and I will be using it again. I can deal with the messiness of if, becasue the benefits out way that 10 fold. I didn't expect much of this mask because of the inexpensive price tag, but I was very impressed!!!

I'm now really excited to test the others masks I have purchased. These masks are intended for once a week use, so other reviews will be posted weekly. It is not recommended to do them more often than weekly. If you over mask you can really irritate and harm your skin.

Thanks for visiting, and if you have used these masks I would love to hear your experiences with them.