I may be called fruity and loopy at times (especially when I’m in the middle of Korea’s Myeongdong or just any random beauty stores) – perhaps this is due to my love for fruits, especially citrusy ones. When you combine my two loves of beauty and fruits, this is what you get – Fresh’s new Vitamin Nectar Face Mask (that legit has bits of real fruit in it!).
I say..
The Packaging: The usual tub container with a screw-up lid. It’s a pity the product doesn’t come with a spatula to make it easier for usage (due to the product consistency and texture).
The Scent: Holymomma – this smells so, so good! It’s got a distinct fruity citrusy scent – almost deceptively good enough to make the brain think you can eat it (but no, stahp it you, don’t be eating the mask).
The Texture: Now the Fresh peeps are very excited about the texture, which can be best described as “jam”. It’s pulpy with bits of real fruit. Now in concept it sounds fine, but I find that applying this can get a little messy – it’s tough to scoop it out with finger tips (versus say a usual cream-type mask). It gets gloopy, and it can drop. I find that the best way to apply this would be via a spatula (or a flat-based spoon) – apply it to your face as you would apply jam to bread using the spatula.Take care when spreading across your face cos it can also drop (due to the pulpy bits). Like jam, it does leave your fingertips / face sticky, especially when it dries up.
The Verdict: Teething issues about the texture aside, this is actually a pretty decent peeling mask! Apply it, leave it on for 10 minutes (and try not to make any sudden or vigorous movements cos some of the pulpy bits might fall off), and then remove it thoroughly with a moistened tissue/cloth/large cotton pads. You’ll find your skin softer, smoother and visibly brighter.
Note: Be sure not to leave it on for more than 15 mins, and don’t apply too thick a layer (cos that’s what I did and I felt a slight prickling sensation) – this is utilising citric acids, which means there’s a (gentle) acid peel happening on your skin. This also works as a pre-mask treatment, which means it’s essentially removing the top layer of dead and dull skin cells so that the next mask (or skincare treatment product) you apply is better absorbed into the skin. You can theoretically use this on its own as a gentle exfoliation, but it does help if you use it as a pre-mask treatment instead (to maximise the benefits). Even for me, a self-declared “thick-skinned” person who has no qualms about using certain gentle exfoliating / deep cleansing and purifying products more often than recommended, I am being extremely disciplined by using this only 2-3 times a week (definitely a no-no for everyday use). I usually follow up with a mask that’s not too “harsh” i.e. a nourishing or hydrating mask (instead of a deep cleansing/purifying on), such as Fresh’s Instant Perfecting Mask or Laneige’s Water Sleeping Mask.