Bioré charcoal heating mask review

Wow, is all I can say to parenthood. Adding the twins to our lives certainly has left very little time for the things I love or even like to do. With three kids under three it's been a real challenge some days to even get dressed but I am getting the hang of it now and starting to find some time to write again. 

Recently on one of my diaper purchasing outings, I seen this product and wanted to try it out. Hopeful that I would be able to share my review with you. Two months later, here it is. Hope you find it useful.

Bioré Self Heating One Minute Mask 

Can't say a bad thing about this product. From the convenient individual packaging to the brand, this self heating mask made with charcoal works great for mild/average follical (pore) issues.  Here's why...

Charcoal works great on the skin because it absorbs excess oils, detoxifies by pulling out toxins from the skin and tightens skin. When the pores get clogged with oils, make up residues and whatever else, pores get stretched out. Over time your skin loses it's elasticity and the pores will keep the new stretched out skin. Scarring. However, a charcoal base mask or product can help by expelling all of that build up,  allowing pores to appear smaller. 

Earlier I mentioned that it's great for mild/average pore issues. What I meant is that it works for anyone with no acne to a mild cases of acne. If you have excessive acne (chronic) it will help detoxify skin some but you will still need some stronger treatments to reduce bacteria growth in pores. See past posts on Acne for more suggestions and ideas.

St. Ives had a heating a mask that I tried and used for a while but I never was able to get through a tube with out the remainder hardening and rendering itself useless. The fact that Bioré has thought of individually wrapping each treatment mask makes a whole lot more sense to me. It reduces over use of product by providing consumer with exact amount for treatment and reduces waste of product as well as your money. 

My skin tends to be very dry so while following instructions I start and focus on my T-zone for a bit. Rubbing in gentle circles and then working product to outside of my face. Leaving it for a about 2 minutes or so. Then removing as directed. Followed by a toner and moisturizer. This is great for a once a month treatment to detoxify and tighten skin. Perfect for in between facial treatments or for at home pampering. 

Professionally, charcoal is used all the time to detox skin. In treatment rooms, it is considered an add on treatment. That means they charge you an additional $10-$20 depending on spa for its use. It definitely works so it is worth it if your looking for the extra pampering time. However, if your wallet is looking to save for your rainy day fund, this is a great product for at home.

Bioré Self Heating One Minute Mask in packets of 4 cost about $6 and can be found in most pharmacy stores, Target stores and online. I purchased my box at my local CVS for $5.99.

Again, I really like this product and I think that if you give up a latte for the day you can buy yourself a box and see. Just how well it works. Test it out for yourself and let me know what you think. 

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Looking for ideas and products to review

Since I am now pregnant, I am cautious with which products I use that aren't otherwise considered to be "Natural". Recently, I posted about a Shea butter that I tried out and am still using. Now that I am on bed rest, I am wondering what products I can try that are actually in the house.

Placed on bed rest, they recommended that I occasionally drink Milk of Magnesia. Magnesium is known to reduce or prevent premature labor as well as help the body expel faster. Gross, I know but then I remembered reading something about Milk of Magnesia for oily skin in one of the natural skincare books I've read. After some research, I discovered that my pregnancy brain hasn't forgotten everything. I was correct in thinking that you could use Milk of Magnesia on your skin, not just as a stimulant/laxative. Yes, I know gross. It is useful for anyone with oily, acneic skin problems or seborrheic dermatitis.

*It is important to note that if you have an allergy to Magnesium this is not the skin care product for you.

How it works:

To understand why it works, I think we should look at the active ingredient in this case Magnesium. Some contain Zinc as well which is also great on the skin. It is important to mention that you want to use a sugar free, flavor free Milk of Magnesia. Flavored brands have added mineral oils that can be contradictory for someone trying to manage oily skin. Magnesium is great for detoxification of the body so theoretically, it would work well for the skin. And that is just what it does. It absorbs all the excess oil from the skin and dries out pustules (pimples) much like a clay mask would do, drawing out all the impurities while also calming skin. Great on sensitive skin because you don't have to rub as hard to get the mask off, therefor not aggravating the skin. Suggested use of this mask is no more than one to two times a week as you do not want to over dry your skin.

D.I.Y. Milk of Magnesium Mask:

1. Shake bottle to make sure all of the ingredients are mixed together.
2. Pour about 1 tbs of Milk of Magnesia into a small container.
3. Apply to face (chest, back, upper arms) with a cotton pad or a facial brush.
4. Leave on for 20 minutes and remove using lukewarm water and a soft washcloth.
5. Follow up with a oil free moisturizer.

*This mask is only recommend for oily/acneic skin. Do NOT use if you have dry skin. Do NOT use if you are allergic to Magnesium or Zinc.

Surfing the web, I seen that some people use it as a skin toner or a make up primer. If you suffer from oily skin or acne, it is worth trying so long as you place a very light amount on. It is chalky and leaves a white film. As a toner, you can rinse gently after a minute. For make up use, I would suggest you use an extremely light amount using your finger or cotton ball.

A reminder that I have not used this mask. I do not suffer from oily skin as my skin tends to be on the drier side. I only have read about it. I will do my best to try it tonight on my mom and update with her comments. Reminder, I'm on bed rest with limited mobility, so it may not happen tonight. If you try this out, please share your thoughts.

I'll do my best to try more products out, find more ideas or suggestions for all that are reading. Feedback and ideas are always welcome.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Happy, Be Beautiful!