Anyone else's skin been looking and feeling a little worse for wear lately?
Maybe it's lockdown. Or the pandemic. Or some stressful life stuff combined with the usual winter skin culprits like dry winds, boiling hot showers and blasting the heater all day. Or all of the above.
Regardless of the 'why', my skin's been needing some extra attention. So when an email from my editor asking me to review a new clay mask appeared in my inbox, it felt like divine intervention.
The mask in question? innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Pore Mask 100ml
If the name sounds familiar, that's because it's a new, gentler version of the best-selling innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.
No joke, over 10 million pots of the pore mask have sold globally in the last decade.
If you have oily or combination skin, you’re probably familiar with clay masks.
That’s because their main jobs are to draw out impurities, absorb excess oils from the skin, and reduce the appearance of blackheads and enlarged pores.
But if you have dry or sensitive skin, traditional clay masks can leave the skin feeling tight, stripped and drier than before.
innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Mask is made with sensitive and dry skin folk in mind, but how does it compare to the original cult innisfree clay mask?
I put both to the test to find out, so keep scrolling for my innisfree clay mask reviews.
Which innisfree Clay Mask is Best?
Clay masks have been around for thousands of years… Even Cleopatra applied mud masks made from the Dead Sea to maintain a lovely complexion.
The new and original innisfree clay masks both contain mud with volcanic clusters rich in minerals from Jeju Island in South Korea. They're also formulated with kaolin clay, known for its oil and sebum absorbing powers.
That said, these two clay masks have different formulations to cater to different skin types and skin concerns.
Here's a recap of the main differences between the original innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (pictured right) and the new innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Pore Mask (pictured left).
1. innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Pore Mask, $30 for 100ml.
innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Pore Mask 100ml promises to be just as effective as the original Super Volcanic Clay Mask, but in a gentler, less-irritating way for drier and sensitised skin types.
Think of it as melting away dead skin cells and gunk for a smoother, brighter-looking complexion.
Main ingredients:
Volcanic Sphere Plus™, a newer and more effective complex based off the original innisfree Jeju volcanic clusters.
AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) glycolic and lactic acid, and PHAs (polyhydroxy acids) exfoliate the surface layers of skin.
Madecassoside, a plant-based antioxidant ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties that hydrates and revitalises skin.
Carbonated Spring Water from Jeju Island soothes skin.
The creamy, lighter consistency is gentle enough for everyday use, and suitable for all skin types, including blemish-prone and sensitised skin.
Bonus: It's super quick!
You only need to leave it on for five minutes, as opposed to 20-30 minutes.
Shop innisfree Volcanic Calming Clay Pore Mask here:
