Certain beauty products — think NARS blush in Orgasm and Clinique's Black Honey lipstick — are so good, they're practically famous. While we love so many of them, we've been wondering why others have been quietly flying under the radar. With that in mind, meet our series Cult Classics, in which we'll introduce you to the products you really, truly should know about (and try, like, right now). They're not brand-new, but trust us: They've got staying power.
I'm a sucker for a good face mask. Gel, charcoal, overnight, instant — you name it, I've probably tried it. I religiously apply one twice a week (trust me, I would do it every day if I knew my skin wouldn't completely freak out on me), and I instantly feel like I'm doing my mug the best of favors. It's one of the only skin-care treatments that I have an extensive knowledge of and appreciation for. You can keep your fancy-schmancy serums, eye creams, and toners — these babies are the real deal.
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But, lately, my trusted go-tos haven't been giving me the desired results (yeah, yeah, #firstworldproblems). It may be due to the crazy weather we've been having — ain't global warming fun? — but my skin has been fluctuating between dry, congested, oily, and breakout-prone. So, when a reader claimed that Lush's Brazened Honey mask was the answer to my sad winter skin, claiming glowy-ness and disappearing pores as results, I knew I had to check it out. Challenge (that wasn't directed toward me, but whatever) accepted.
The texture did give me some pause, and it's not the most fragrant of formulas. But, these factors are both due to the natural ingredients. The free-range eggs and honey help soften your skin, ginger root extract helps warm and cleanse, lime oil aids in brightening, and kaolin clay helps remove the stubborn dirt creeping in your pores. Don't know about you, but ingredients I can actually pronounce, recognize, and that deliver are a win in my book.
Dab a generous amount of the stuff onto your face, spreading it out evenly, and prepare for the deepest cleanse you've ever received. The ingredients are quite grainy (which helps in the exfoliating department), so be wary of that when applying and removing. Leave it on for about 10 minutes — the site advises not to let it dry completely — and wash it off with warm water. I would suggest putting on a more heavy-duty night cream afterward, since the mask isn't the most moisturizing out there — but it will leave you instantly fresh-faced, renewed, and stimulated so you can really own that "new year, new you" thing.
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While it’s not the prettiest mask you’ll ever wear, your skin will be grateful for it. Oh, and it'll set you back about $7 per container, so you can cross that "spend less money" resolution off your list while you're at it.
Lush Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask, $6.95, available in-store at Lush.
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