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Beauty product of the week: Naturally Serious Mask-imum Revival Hydra-Plumping Mask

Posted: 31 May 2019 11:50 am

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Image: Finder photography

A hydrating mask that attacks pollution and grime – and it's all natural.

Why we love this product

Naturally Serious is a relatively new brand in the Australian market and it's just hit the shelves at Sephora. Any brand that manages to make its way into Sephora is one that definitely deserves our attention, so of course, we here at Finder were very keen to see if this is a brand that is worth the hype. I had the chance to try the Naturally Serious Mask-imum Revival Hydra-Plumping Mask (supplied by a PR) and in my humble opinion this product has earned a position in my list of best face masks ever.

The quick verdict

Why is it good? It's a high-performing, nourishing and cleaning mask that is made in a carbon-neutral facility.

How much is it? $56 for 100mL

Where to buy it? Sephora

What's in it?

Now, why is it so good? Well, in addition to being natural and ethically produced, it's just a really effective product. It's as if someone heard every single one of my major skin concerns and created a targeted mask to combat them all at once. This mask cleans, purifies, nourishes, plumps and protects all at the same time.

One of the key selling points of the entire Naturally Serious brand is that it's "anti-pollution" and this is a huge tick for me. One of the biggest problems with my skin is pollution-triggered congestion. I live far out of the city by the beach, so on weekends my skin is glorious. But I work right in the middle of Sydney's city centre, so by Wednesday, after three or so days of exposure to car and bus exhaust fumes and high-powered airconditioning, my skin is clogged and dull. This particular mask has been created with these issues in mind. It removes grime and dissolves – not strips – excess oil.

The other factor that makes this mask a game-changer for me is the hydration properties. I find there's often two classes of mask, hydrating or deep-cleaning. Deep-cleaning masks can often be very drying, so I'll generally avoid these, even though my skin needs a deep clean. But this mask manages to be both hydrating and deep-cleaning.

The ingredients list includes hyaluronic acid, colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, ceramides and fatty acids – the kinds of ingredients you might find in skincare for dry skin or eczema conditions. The hyaluronic acid adds water, the oatmeal and shea nourish, and the ceramides and fatty acids repair and protect the skin's natural barrier against environmental aggressors. So, it really does deliver on the promise of reviving and plumping ingredients.

So, what was my experience?

I applied a generous layer all over my face – except the eyes – and left it for about 15 minutes. The directions said only 10 minutes but I lost track of time. Even though there is a little bit of kaolin clay in the mix (which can be drying), I didn't experience any tightness or dryness. The results were instantly visible after washing the mask off with warm water and a Face Halo.

My skin was significantly less congested and it had removed a lot of the roughness out of my forehead. The pores on my cheeks were smaller and my face was left feeling very clean. At the same time, it felt plumped and moisturised, not at all dry. It also worked a treat on killing off the redness I get around my nose in winter, plus my skin felt a lot softer.

Now, for the downsides. I don't love the packaging. I am not a fan of masks that come in a tub, it's messy. I much prefer a squeezy tube because they're much easier to use and more hygienic. But at least the jar is entirely recyclable.

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A post shared by Naturally Serious Skin Care (@naturallyseriousskin) on May 19, 2019 at 1:09pm PDT

It's carbon-neutral

There are few other things about this product and brand that I think are really important, and certainly factor into why I would choose it over another. It's green-friendly and is free from any ingredients that are "banned, ambiguous or debatable". It's cruelty-free and vegan, but interestingly it's manufactured in a carbon-neutral facility and the little box the jar comes in has been made using wind power. As a consumer, it's a good feeling to be able to buy a product that hasn't added any extra carbon to our atmosphere.

Verdict?

There are a lot of reasons why I love this mask. Firstly, it works 100%. It definitely does what it promises. Secondly, it hydrates and cleans, almost like a two in one. Not only is this beneficial for your skin, but you get more bang for your buck. Finally, it's an ethically-made product. There are a lot of great products on the market, but not all of them are made sustainably or with consideration. This one is.

Affordability

This mask retails at $56 for 100mL. It's neither cheap, nor expensive and I think it's a fair price for the volume of product you get.

Where to buy

Naturally Serious launches in Sephora on 12 June but online a day earlier on 11 June. At this stage Sephora is the exclusive stockist of this brand in Australia, so you'll have to head over there to buy it.