Review

About a year ago, I admitted to myself that, yes, I, too, am attracted to adorable packaging on cosmetics. Since then, I’ve uncovered even cuter additions that have only served to deepen my addiction. Oops.

Recent discovery: Elizavecca’s Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask. The memorable name was the first thing that drew my attention. I would have never known that “Elizavecca” was an Italian beauty product if it hadn’t been included in YesStyle’s Beauty catalog. When you add the phrase “Milky Piggy,” I immediately imagine rosy-cheeked pigs with a light coating of oil on their skin.

The package was just as expected. A cartoon pig with its face covered in what appears to be the clay mask decorates both the box and the jar. You can purchase this 100g jar, complete with screw-on lid, plastic cover, and little plastic spatula, for a cool US$16.90. Usually I just use my fingers, but I found out why I required a spatula this time.

“Bubble, bubble, my pore troubles …”

This is what I was thinking as I got ready to use the clay mask, with all due respect to Shakespeare. On the package, there are no English language instructions or product details, and the only hints I had were “carbonic acid and clay” and “bubbly.”

A little goes a very long way when using this mask. Thank god I used the spatula since I was smart. Really, all you need to cover your face is two to four fingertip dabs (if using your fingertips) or roughly two to three small scoops from the spatula. Soon after spreading it on, the mixture turned from dark to medium gray, and little bubbles soon appeared on the surface. I mistakenly sprayed a bit more on my chin, and when the foam began to travel toward my lips, I almost freaked out. To avoid looking like a swamp monster and frightening yourself stupid, resist the impulse to plaster dollops of it over your face.

This clay mask didn’t firm like the other clay masks I’ve used in the past. While I could really feel it thicken a little on my skin as it continued to lighten in color, I was unable to experience any other sensations. I was grinning at my reflection in the mirror after the mask had covered my forehead and T-zone for around five minutes. You must rinse this off with warm water, and even then, I had to use a little amount of foaming facial cleanser to get rid of the residue that had been on to my hairline and the sides of my nose.

I also observed that my face appears tighter and that it felt clean. Other reviews state that the product cleans pores to avoid clogging and also dries out pimples, making it perfect for oily and combo skin types. The latter appears to be the case as several of my acne lesions appeared to be significantly less red and bigger than before. When applying, there was a little chemical smell as well, but it quickly vanished and scarcely was detectable.

Conclusion

There was nothing wrong with this clay mask that I could identify, other the absence of information in English. It receives good marks for its attractive packaging, value for money, and skin benefits. Absolutely worth the effort and fuss!