JJ Young Pore Charcoal Mud Sheet Mask Review
Charcoal beauty products have been massively hyped lately across store shelves and social media.
With research showing that charcoal draws out bacteria, poisons, chemicals, dirt and micro-particles to the surface of skin, it seems almost too good to be true.
I put JJ Young by Caolion Lab’s Pore Charcoal Mud Sheet Maskto the test to see if its key ingredient – charcoal – really is worthy of the hype.
Worth The Hype?
With all the benefits and hype surrounding charcoal, I’ve seen some pretty cringe-worthy results myself (particularly with DIY charcoal mask attempts).
Along with my previous experiences with face masks made from clay, charcoal, mud, or other base ingredients that incorporate an earthly goodness, most of them had me take three steps forward and two steps back.
So, it was with some hesitation that I agreed to try this mask.
Risk It For The Biscuit
With my sensitive combination skin the “charcoal” genre of skincare is a bit of a “risk it for the biscuit” affair for me. Some of the charcoal masks I’ve previously tried were too coarse for my skin or just leeched it dry of what scarce, precious oils it had left, leaving it flaky or irritated
These experiences made my realise I needed a clay mask that:1. won’t irritate my sensitive skin2. won’t leech all precious oils out my dry-prone skin3. effectively helps with my pore problems
What Is It?
A charcoal sheet mask.
JJ Young claims that its charcoal mask “is a unique 3D pore tightening mask that dries to firmly fit your exact face shape. Peel it off to remove sebum and impurities and deeply cleanse your pores. It’ll leave your face visibly firmer, smoother and more hydrated”.
It claims to:
- Lift sagging skin
- Keep skin hydrated all day
- Thoroughly cleans skin, improve elasticity, and control sebum
What In It?
The full ingredients list is:
“Water, Kaolin,Butylene Glycol, Bentonite,Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate,Sea Sil,Betaine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Volcanic Ash, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ethylhexylglycerin,Trideceth-6, Charcoal Powder,Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol”
The stand out ingredients are Volcanic Ash,Bentonite, Betaine, Kaolin, Charcoal, Taean mud.
I also like that it contains no parabens, alcohol or chemical preservatives
How Do You Use It?
After your cleansing routine, apply the mask so that it is even and well pressed against your face.
The mask comes in two parts (top and bottom) to help with 3D coverage. The plastic film covering one side of the mask pieces might confuse you at first, but just peel them off. Luckily, JJ Young has pictures on the back to guide you.
Leave it on for around half an hour and then remove.
When you take it off, don’t rip it off like a dramatic rendition of the Phantom of the Opera, but gently peel it from the edges. There might be some residual charcoal mud on your face, so give your face a light wash with cold water.
Results
The mask did it’s job of giving my skin a deep, nourishing cleanse without any casualties! I experienced no redness, no irritation, and no dryness!
To my surprise, my skin actually felt hydrated and supple after use, and my pores were less of an eyesore.
Final Verdict?
This mask gives your skin a good detox, and a good skin detox goes a long way in keeping pores clean and blackheads/acne to a minimum. JJ Young is also cruelty-free, which makes this mask a win!
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