A while back, I had received the Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask complimentary from Influenster in the J’Adore Vox Box for testing purposes. Having struggled with stubborn blackheads for years, I was eager to try this out.
Since it states that it was developed with Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, I figured the ingredient list should be pretty good, an that I’d have no issues with it. Afterall, oceanic minerals and willow bark extract sounded like a pretty good combination.
Ingredients
sea silt (natural oceanic clay), aqua (water), potassium sorbate, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, salix nigra (willow) bark extract
Looks pretty good, right? Well, according to the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate is an antimicrobial preservative that works by forming formaldehyde in cosmetics products. I don't particularly feel comfortable with using anything that releases formaldehyde. So, I won't be using this again. EWG also states that this ingredient, as well as potassium sorbate, could aggravate allergies.
Personally, I’ve had no allergic reactions or other skin problems while using this product. My mother has also used it with no problems.
You can also find the ratings and info for the entire list of ingredients of this mask by clicking the link below.
Boots Botanics Ionic Shine Away Clay Mask
Strangely, EWG list some different ingredients than what is on the packaging. Not sure what that is about.
Packaging
The mask that I received came in a 100g (3.5 US Oz.) squeeze tube with a screw-on lid. Lifting the back panel provides the instructions and ingredient information.
Smell
It has a very light, fresh scent with a slight bit of muddiness to it. It’s barely noticeable at all.
Texture / Consistency
Before you squirt any of this out, shake the tube first. Otherwise, you may end up with watery mask splatted everywhere. This may be a weird comparison, but it’s kind of the consistency of a slushie, not too watery and not too thick, with a slight grit to it. As long as you have it mixed up well, it’ll stay on your face just fine, and spreads well.
Experience
This mask seems to dry quicker than others I’ve tried. However, it takes longer to dry around the areas that are oily/where there are blocked pores. I think it works well to help soak up extra oil, without leaving the skin dry. The little dots from my blackheads are still visible, even when the mask is dry, so I know it’s working on them. It didn’t get rid of them, but I think it may have made them a little less noticeable.
It tends to stick in my face cloth a bit, and a good rinsing is needed to get all of it off before using the cloth to wipe the rest of it off my face. I prefer to have a damp cloth to clean off face masks first, then give my face a good rinse. This way, I don’t have to worry about anything getting near my eyes, as they’re rather sensitive.
This mask has left both my mother’s face and mine nice and soft. We both like it, but I just don’t like all of what’s in the ingredient list….
Opinion
Overall, this mask is a pretty good product, if you’re willing to overlook the information that EWG provides about some of the ingredients. Due to some of the information from there, I wouldn’t recommend it for those with allergies or sensitive skin, although I haven’t had any problems. I would like to keep using it to see if it can fully get rid of my blackheads, but I’m not willing to deal with the ingredients that I’m uncomfortable with.
FTC Statement: This clay mask was complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. No compensation has been accepted for this post, and no affiliate links have been included. Affiliate links are, however, present in my sidebars. This has not affected the opinions within this review, and complies with FTC standards.
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