Review: Balea Face Masks

I don't know if you guys know but I buy a lot of cosmetics from Shopper's Drug Mart. Especially since they launched the Beauty Boutique. They carry GOSH, Cover FX, Stila, Benefit, Smashbox and many other high end brands in addition to the drugstore brands.

I was just picking up the usual liners, mascaras and Essence lip liners from Shopper's when I spotted a huge rack of face masks. 3 for $5 definitely caught my attention. I wasn't sure if something so cheap for skincare would work. And since my adult acne, I am always very skeptical of putting new things on my skin. Because I am a huge fan of sample-sized/pouch-type hair and face masks... I wanted to give this a chance. I picked out 3: Detoxifying Mud Face Mask, Brightening Mud Face Mask, and Oil Removing Mud Face Mask.

I am gonna run you guys through a brief review for each one. I used each one of them 2 weeks apart. So, there is a variety of masks at Shoppers that is targeted towards different skin types. I picked up masks that looked interesting to me. They retail for about $1.99 for individual packaging if you just wanna try ONE. I was a huge skeptic when I tried the first one. I really needed it that week because it was a week full of parties. I had heavy duty foundation and concealer on almost every day and I was actually beginning to break out a little bit. I decided to try the Detoxifying Mud Mask first.

Just wanted to make a point about the packaging - it is gonna last you more than just one use. I used the first one up entirely. I stretched it all the way down to my neck and double layered my face because there was so much product. And I still had some to throw away. It look longer to dry because I used more than I needed. It recommends that you dry it up for 15 minutes and then rinse. This particular mask claims to have a 'deep cleansing formula that helps protect the skin's moisture barrier by removing unwanted impurities from your skin.' 

I have to say I liked it. At first, my face felt cool and tingly. The moment it got tingly, I was worried it's gonna break me out or cause a reaction. But it didn't. The sensation went away as it was drying. Also, they recommend you try a patch on your arm before you put it on your face. It is parabens free! It had a nice smell to it as well. I soaked a face towel into lukewarm water and gently swiped it off. I like using something like a towel because the texture kind of exfoliates. But no tugging or aggressive scrubbing! My face definitely had an improved overall appearance and it looked clean. The packaging isn't the best because you can easily get 2+ uses out of it. You can transfer it into a ziplock and store it that way. But for my second mask, I made a very small cut with scissors on the packaging and squeezed out half. I left the other half in there and used it after a week - it didn't dry up at all. Also, this mask isn't for your sink. It's gonna cause a huge mess. This is a shower kind of a mask. I will repurchase this mask but use it in the shower the next time. Overall, I really liked it.

The second mask I used was the Brightening Mud Face Mask. I used it right before the bridal shower to achieve a clean canvas for my makeup that day. I used it the night before so I could wake up with clean skin the next morning. This mask was quite thick and pink in colour. It has a floral fragrance to it as well. Normally, anything with fragrance irritates my eyes, so I completely kept it away from the eye region. I got the ELF foundation brush from Dollarama for $2. It's perfect for applying masks and DIY masks at home as well that have ingredients like honey (sticky!) That way, you don't have to get your hands dirty :) I was smarter this time with the usage so I only used half. It dried up in 15-20 minutes. It definitely feels cool when you apply it. It was not one of those masks where you can't even move your face. It was very comfortable and my face wasn't stiff. Removing it was wayyy easier than the Detoxifying Mud Mask. It was non-messy and I did it over the sink. My skin felt very clean and smooth. In fact, even a little soft. There was no redness at all. I moisturized and went to bed and woke up with very clean skin the next day. I liked this mask the BEST out of all 3.

I used the third mask yesterday, which is the Oil Removing Mud Face Mask. So, I got my passport photographs taken yesterday for a Visa purpose but oh-em-gee. I looked beyond horrid. Oil was the only prevalent thing on my face in that picture. My forehead is somehow the most dry surface on my face. My nose gets really oily though and blackheads are its best friends. The cheeks also collect some oil but my chin remains really dry. I don't know... my skin is weird. Anyhow, I tried this mask yesterday because of its 'oil removing' properties. It claims that it is infused with tea tree oil to purify and refresh the skin.

The mask was kind of like a very light blue colour. It definitely smells like tea tree oil. I did break out a little bit on my cheeks after my US trip as I mentioned in my previous blog. Most of that has cleared up but there are some imperfections on my left cheek. I used half of the sachet and I cleansed my skin before applying it. I left it on for 15 and used my lukewarm face towel to remove it. The first thing I checked was my zits after removing it, haha. They were still there, of course but no redness. My skin felt fresh and nice. It definitely removed the gunk and oil and almost left it a little matte. It wasn't one of my favorites but it did what it was supposed to do. I guess I didn't like it too much because my skin felt a little tight and dry after using it. This one is obviously for oily skins but I got it just to try it out. So, it did what it was supposed to do, I guess.

Basically, I feel it's trial and error with some of these masks but overall, they are great for the price. My favorite is the Whitening Mud Face Mask and I will be re-purchasing it for sure. The Detoxifying takes up second place because it cleansed my skin really well. I am gonna try one to replace the Oil-Removing Face Mask on my next visit to Shoppers. I hope this review helped some of you.