As a weekly clay-masker, I recently cleared my third tub of Glacial Clay Facial Mask from SKIN&LAB – an all-time fave ever since fellow editor Romy recommended it to me a few years back. Whilst I was frantically searching for remedies to tame my skin’s oil-water balance to prepare for the hot weather, I stumbled across MediFlower’s Pore Tightening Cream Modeling Pack.
Combining skin care with DIY fun, modeling masks are treatments that you mix yourself and apply onto face with a spatula. The mixture is usually gooey, but dries into a rubbery mask that is relatively easy to remove. MediFlower’s modeling pack includes a 700g nozzle pouch and a resealable pouch containing 40g of mixing powder. The modeling pack is formulated with fucoidan (derived from brown seaweed), mineral-rich algae and plenty of floral and botanical extracts. The Pore Tightening option I went for contains charcoal extracts to purify pores and regulate sebum. I also picked up a set of modeling pack tools to get me started!
Since the brand claims that the modeling pack can be used for 20 consecutive days, I embraced my ride-or-die-spirit and accepted the challenge, all in hopes for pore-tightened and summer-ready skin!
Step 1:
Pour 35ml of the modeling pack into the measuring cup, and then transfer content to the mixing bowl.
Step 2:
Add two scoops of the powder (each scoop at approximately 1g) into mixing bowl.
Step 3:
Stir evenly for 30 seconds. Be prompt and don’t let the mixture sit for too long; otherwise, it may start to clump.
Step 4:
Apply mixture onto skin evenly using the spatula.
Step 5:
Let the mask dry for 20-30 minutes.
Step 6:
Peel it off!
Step 7:
Wipe away residue with a wet sponge, followed by a toner-soaked cotton pad.
Thoughts
The mask was incredibly cooling on skin and felt especially good on a hot day, or after a hot shower. It had a light, floral scent from all the floral extracts in the ingredients. At first, its texture was rather thick and gloopy. Though the mixture was easy to scrape from the bowl, it wasn’t easy applying it on skin with the spatula.
I also realized I needed to use the correct amount of mixing powder when preparing the mask. Instead of filling the scoop to the brim, I should measure 1g of powder according to the marking on the scoop. I started to adjust each scoop of powder a few days into my mask challenge, since I was struggling to get a nice smooth mixture for application. After I adjusted the mixture to the right consistency, the mask only started to clump towards the end. On the last few days of the trial, I noticed that there wasn’t enough powder to complete the mask challenge, so I used what I could (which was a lot less than the recommended amount). Even though the mixture was easier to apply on skin, it was much more liquidy and took longer to dry.
The modeling pack requires longer preparation time in comparison to a regular clay or wash-off mask. However, once I got used to the whole process, the preparation time amounted to only 5 minutes, and I saved a lot of time in the fast removal process.
The Verdict
Immediately after the first use, my skin felt cool and matte. My pores aren’t that prominent to begin with, but I noticed some of my blackheads diminished. The mask also gave my skin a noticeable boost in elasticity and tone, which I attribute to all the skin-brightening ingredients. However, the mask seems more like a temporary remedy as opposed to a long-term preventative measure to keep my skin balanced and refreshed.
Overall, the Pore Tightening Cream Modeling Pack was a fun mask to try, and it was surprisingly moisturizing – my skin stayed soft even if I didn’t apply any night cream afterwards. The mask unfortunately doesn’t provide any physical exfoliation, but its effects on reducing excess sebum and soothing irritated skin are impressive. I used the mask for 20 days straight and not once did it irritate my sensitive skin!