What Aesop’s marketing says about Anti Blemish Masque
Aesop says…
For use on single blemishes or troubled skin
After use skin feels clarified, calm and deeply cleansed
But does it do what it says it can do? Let us find out…
Disclaimer: What the company says about a product should be given very little importance when considering the product. Decisions should be based on what the ingredients in the product do.
Read the review below to find out if the product ‘ actually’ does what its marketing says it does…
Anti Blemish Masque Review
The product’s ingredients
Description of what the ingredients in Anti Blemish Masque do
Ingredient 1 – Water (Aqua)
Function: Solvent
A solvent helps in dissolving other ingredients in the product.
Dissolved ingredients can spread better.
Ingredient 2 – Kaolin
Function: Absorbent
Type of clay. Absorbs excess oil. When excess oil is absorbed, it results in fewer breakouts – this means fewer whiteheads, blackheads and acne.
Overuse can cause dryness.
Also reduces redness, calms and soothes skin (Anti-inflammatory).
Ingredient 3 – Bentonite
Function: Absorbent
Type of clay. Absorbs excess oil.
This ingredient is super absorbent. When excess oil is absorbed, it results in fewer breakouts – this means fewer whiteheads, blackheads and acne.
Good for oily skin.
Also reduces redness, calms and soothes skin (Anti-inflammatory).
Ingredient 4 – Alcohol Denat
Function: Astringent
Astringents tighten the pores and thus reduce the oil on the skin’s surface. The oil glands are present inside the pores. And thus, by tightening the pores, astringents reduce the oil on the skin.
This ingredient is very drying on the skin. It can also irritate the skin.
Ingredient 5 – Glycerin
Function: Humectant
Humectants are water magnets. They attract water. They are like sponges. When applied on the skin’s surface, they draw water vapour from the atmosphere to the skin.
Glycerin is a powerful humectant.
Ingredient 6 – Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil
Function: Anti-inflammatory
Calms the skin. Reduces redness and inflammation on the skin.
Ingredient 7 – Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Function: Anti-Inflammatory
Reduces redness, calms and soothes skin.
Ingredient 8 – Phenoxyethanol
Function: Preservative
Protects the product against some bacteria.
Ingredient 9 – Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil
Function: Cleanses
It removes dead, unwanted cells and excess oil to some extent and helps in clearing (clarifying) the skin.
It can be irritating for some.
Ingredient 10 – Limonene
Function: Fragrance
Extracted from peels of citrus fruits. Adds fragrance. It can be irritating to the skin.
A quick note on other ingredients
These ingredients are all further down the ingredient list. So the amount used in the product is less. The amount of an ingredient used reduces as we go down the ingredient list. And for most functional ingredients, when used at lower rates, their effect won’t be the same as when used at higher rates.
It is important to remember that in most skincare products when it comes to how much its ingredients help the skin, only the first 5 ingredients matter the most. After about the 7th ingredient, how much the ingredient can help the skin reduces significantly.
The product has a few different types of plant oils. These can help in clarifying/clearing up the skin. But these can also be irritating to the skin.
