I don’t know what the heck it is, but I always find it intriguing when skincare has either volcanic ash or charcoal in it. Maybe it just seems like such a strange thing to put in skincare that it makes me eager to try it out? Anyone else feel the same?

Anywayyyyyyyyyyy… Dermalogica has a brand new mask in their lineup – the Charcoal Rescue Masque. It’s a “fast-acting, easy-to-remove masque [that] rescues tired, lackluster or dull skin. Activated Binchotan Charcoal powerfully adsorbs impurities while Sulfur promotes cell turnover for dramatically brighter skin.  Volcanic Ash, Sea Silt, Bamboo Extract and alpha hydroxy acids further accelerate skin brightening with dual-action exfoliation. Niacinamide helps reduce congestion and calm the skin while Chilean Wild Mint helps refine pores.” It’s billed as an all-in-one, detoxifying treatment for your face and it’s formulated without artificial fragrances, colours or parabens.

After cleansing, apply generously to face and throat, avoiding your eye area. It has the feel and texture of grey mud with rough, tiny particles in it. After 7 to 10 minutes, lightly massage with very wet hands (I basically cupped my hand under the running faucet and splashed that onto my face) to enhance exfoliation properties during removal. Rinse completely from your skin.

I took the shot above just after I’d applied it, which I definitely would not have been to do even four minutes later. The mask starts to solidify and tighten up your skin (making smiling impossible!). I felt a strong tingle on my skin (probably from the Chilean Wild Mint) which I personally find quite satisfying, but some people may find themselves sensitive to it I think. Removal did require a bit of work since the mask does dry onto your face, but it was really nice rubbing the exfoliating particles into my skin.

In the end, while I didn’t notice any particular brightening effects on my skin, but it did leave me feeling extremely clean. It was a satisfying mask to use, you know? Great for giving yourself a treat after a long work week!

The Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque can be purchased from Dermalogica.com for $48 USD or Dermalogica Canada for $60 CAD.

The product featured in this post was sent to me for consideration.

Today’s skincare post features Dermalogica‘s Precleanse, a makeup remover that’s intended as step one in a two step cleansing process.

Fancy names aside, Precleanse is a makeup remover with an oil base. The idea behind Precleanse is that you use it before  your regular cleanser in order to make your skin extra squeaky clean. I know plenty of people do that, but I’m more of a “remove makeup and moisturize” kind of person.

Precleanse has a “deep-cleansing oil that melts impurities and makeup from [the] skin. Thoroughly melt[s] away layers of excess sebum, sunscreen, waterproof makeup, environment pollutants and residual products that build up on skin throughout the day with skin fortifying Borage Seed, Kukui and Apricot oils”.

I’ve found the best way to use Precleanse is to squirt a few pumps into my hand, rub my hands together and then rub it all over my face; focusing heavily on the eyes since that’s where I apply the bulk of my makeup. Once I’ve rubbed it around and it’s started to break apart my makeup, I’ll splash a little water on my face and start using it as more of a destructive cleanser. Continue rinsing until it’s removed everything, then pat dry. (Sidenote, applying it to a cotton round and then applying it to my face worked WAY less efficiently than my hands did.) Because it’s an oil based remover, it also won’t leave your skin feeling dry – huge bonus for me!

Final Thoughts

As far as makeup removers go, the Dermalogica Precleanse is a solid choice. My preference for a remover is always going to be an oil-based one because they can rip through anything you’ve put on your face. I know oil removers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they certainly are mine!

The only downside for me is that the bottle will get oily. As you’re pumping up the oil through the spout some of it will escape through the crevices and ooze out the side. That’s not THIS product’s fault though as I’ve had this occur with almost every single oil I’ve had that’s come with a pump dispensing mechanism.

The Precleanse oil has a slight savoury smell, akin to rosemary and tea tree oil, that I love. However, it’s formulated without artificial fragrances , colours or parabens so I expect that it wouldn’t aggravate those with sensitive skin. If you’re looking for a makeup remover that will cut through everything you throw on your face, the Dermalogica Precleanse will definitely deliver!

This post features a press sample sent for review.