SKINFOOD - Black Sugar Mask Wash Off Review

Unfortunately, my pores clog very easily. So, as I was growing up, I would use St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub to help clear my pores. Yes, I know. St. Ive's has had a bad rep of being harsh for the skin -- the primary exfoliating ingredient is crushed walnut shell, which has jagged edges that cause micro-tears in the skin. While I did just google that information, I do know for sure that it has had a bad rep. That's why I haven't used it since my sister introduced me to SKINFOOD's Black Sugar Mask Wash Off. A few years ago, she gave it to me as pasalubong from her Korea trip. Ever since then, I've been hooked.

Official details come from SKINFOOD's US website.

Overview

Description: A mask wash off featuring organic black sugar granules that exfoliate and nourish skin for a smooth, clean complexion. An exfoliating and hydrating mask wash off with black sugar granules. Black sugar is rich in vitamins and minerals and restores nutrients and moisture to skin. The mask leaves skin moisturized, soft, and free of dead skin cells.

Directions: After cleansing, massage gently into damp skin, or mix with water/micellar water and apply. Avoid skin around the eyes and lips. Leave on for 10-15 minutes & rinse with lukewarm water.

Price: $10.00

Ingredients: Sucrose, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Lanolin, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Caramel, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Fragrance

Formulated WITHOUT: Parabens, Alcohol, and Mineral Oils

Other: This product has a pH level of 5-5.6

Sumorie

As anyone can expect, the texture of this sugar mask is grainy. Therefore, it can be a bit abrasive for the skin if used everyday. I want to take this time to briefly reiterate the directions. After cleansing your face, gently massage the scrub into damp skin.  Make sure to gently massage or some redness may appear (don't worry, any redness will quickly disappear). AFTER MASSAGING, leave on for 10-15 minutes. The first few times my sister and I used this scrub, we would scrub the whole time 🙈  Oops!

For me, I would use the wash off scrub on my whole face once or twice a week. Towards the end of last year (2019) though, I started using it almost everyday on just my nose. Scrubbing my nose every night really made a visible difference. Although I wash my face well every night and day, my nose gets those little clogged oil bumps by the end of each day. Even if I don't use makeup, I still get those bumps! A little background info: these bumps aren't blackheads, but sebaceous filaments. These are naturally formed by a collection of dead skin cells and sebum around a hair follicle, and are more commonly found on naturally oily skin and large pores. That's me! 

But back to the point, when I started using it every night on my nose, my nose was visibly smoother and softer. The very first time I used this scrub on my entire face, I was so amazed. My face felt so smooth! Like baby skin! This scrub gently removed all my dead skin cells and unclogged my pores, resulting in soft and smooth skin. In addition to that, my face didn't feel tight and dry! Not only did it remove the dirty gunk from my face, but it even moisturized it -- that's the purpose of letting the mask set on your face for 10-15 minutes after scrubbing it. This is a big advantage compared to other masks, such as clay masks (generally known to be drying). After using this scrub, your skin is like a clean slate. You don't need to use as much products to moisturize it because the products can go directly into your skin, instead of being blocked by oil. The same thing with makeup - you don't need to use as much and the finish is much cleaner. Using this black sugar wash off mask helps you save your skin and makeup products, as well as help give you a bright and clear complexion!

What some may not like is that this scrub has a slight scent. It doesn't smell like sugar, but more like lemon. It's not a bad or strong scent, but it does catch you by surprise.

A 100g tub of this product lasts me a long time - well worth the money. If you happen to stop by Incheon Airport, you can buy these in bulk for a cheaper price! Another advantage with this product is that it is easily obtainable in the US. There are multiple sellers, such as the SKINFOOD US, SOKO GLAM, and Ulta (not sponsored by any of these).

VERDICT

YES! I would definitely recommend and repurchase this item. My face is thankful for SKINFOOD's Black Sugar Mask Wash Off, as it gets rid of all the gunk that gets trapped in my pores and gives me baby soft skin.

Sumolyn Rating

5/5