Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Review

Hello readers! Today's post will be a review of Innisfree's Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask!

Clay masks are a great way to control oil production, which is great for people with oily acne prone skin such as myself. It helps get rid of dirt and has a wide variety of benefits.

I looked around for a good clay mask to start with and I found Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque to be quite nice after trying a few samples. I couldn't buy it though, because it was retailing for about RM125-ish, which was way above my budget. Although, the tub is big, so I thought I might purchase it in the future after my college students money struggles.

I searched for cheaper alternatives from Korean skincare brands and found that Innisfree's Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. It was a fraction of the price of Kiehl's mask and had a lot of good reviews online. I was still struggling with money though,  so I just put the product on my wish list on Hermo.my while I sorted out my problems.

Lo and behold, a few weeks after Hermo.my sent me the mask! It was a surprise event they had for their loyal customers where they sent them items from their wish list. I was so delighted because #1, they appreciate me (good customer service), and #2, I don't have to spend for the mask anymore! So if anyone from Hermo.my is reading this, thanks! *Send me more stuff hahaha*

A few months later my friend Sammi also gave me Innisfree's Jeju Volcanic Pore Solution kit!

So without further ado, on with the review!

*Disclaimer: I was not paid to make this review. These are my honest opinions~*

WHAT IS IT

So first things first, what can a clay mask do? Basically it helps extract impurities from your skin such as excess sebum and dirt. It a great way to get rid of extra dirt on your face.

Most (if not all) Innisfree products are organic and are almost always made from ingredients found in Jeju Island. Jeju Island is an island in Korea famous for being a haven of all things natural and for this product, they highlight and use the benefits of Jeju volcanic clay.

On the back of the packaging it claims to be able to tighten pores, remove excess sebum and exfoliate dead skin cells. 

Volcanic clay has been known ever since ancient times to bring glow back to the skin. Some of the benefits of volcanic ash are:

1. Prevents ageing
2. Exfoliates skin
3. Natural cleanser
4. Helps acne (because it helps get rid of sebum)
5. Helps enlarge pores
6. Rich in minerals


WHERE TO BUY?

So as I mentioned, I got this for free as a surprise gift, but on Hermo.my it usually retails for RM42 for the 100ml tub and on Innisfree's official website it says that it costs RM66.50.


PACKAGING

The product comes in packaged in a tub in which you'll have to "dig" for the product after some time. I find tubs a bit unhygienic, but that's just me, and I sometimes find difficulty in scooping out the product because the tub is a bit small. The tub looks pretty though and I like the colour combo of the brown and the bronze.

Brand new products will also have a plastic lid on top of the product. It's not airtight, but its easy to see whether or not its been tampered with so it's fine.

And the tub comes packaged in a brown box.

INGREDIENTS

Aside from Jeju Volcanic Ash/Clay, Innisfree's Super Volcanic Pore Clay mask also includes scoria (a type of volcanic rock) and green complex (green tea extract that also helps with acne). 

TEXTURE & FRAGRANCE

The texture of this product is a thick gray clay and it doesn't smell like dirt or anything. It smells a bit like a better smelling play-doh and you can't really smell it when its on your face. It also has small beads that I think are made of clay/stones which help gently exfoliate the skin.

When I first got it it was thick but easily spreadable. After a few months it has hardened a bit and it a bit harder to scoop out and spread onto the skin. It still works the same, just harder to work with. I usually add a drop of water or make my fingers a bit wet so it spreads better. It would be more convenient if this product came with a scoop for easier scooping :( The pic below shows how much more even the mask has spread and how it dries up after 20 minutes.

HOW TO USE

I usually use it after toner and follow with either essence or lotion. I apply an appropriate amount to my face and wait for 20-30 mins before washing it off.

Cleanser - Toner - Clay Mask - (Toner) - Lotion - Essence - Serum - Moisturizer

Also, I usually use toner after washing the mask off just to make sure that I removed the mask fully.


MY REVIEW

As I mentioned, the application process is a bit troublesome because you have to struggle with getting the product out of the tiny tub and into your face. That's a con, but when I travel to and from from Penang to Melaka/Ipoh, I find that the size is actually very convenient.

It absorbs into the skin and becomes like a seconds skin in a matter of minutes. It feels tight, but not an uncomfortable kind of tight. I could still talk and move. The product comes off easily enough, especially with warm water.

For the sebum removal, I can say that this product does a very good job! After washing it off, my skin felt smooth, clean and tight. It definitely helped control my skin sebum and my pores as well.

As for the exfoliation, I think it does a pretty good job. You can't see dead skin being washed off like other exfoliators, but my skin definitely felt cleaner. You know how after cleansing and using toner you usually still have dead skin? Well even when I skipped toner and applied this after cleansing, I didn't have any dead skin on my cotton pad.

As for acne, since it draws out the sebum in the skin, it actually caused a few breakouts the first time I used it. After that, I didn't break out anymore. The only times where an acne popped was then I already had pimples that weren't "ready" to be popped and it managed to make them..."ripe" and ready to be extracted.

MY VERDICT

I love this product! I usually use this product to kind of "detox" my skin whenever I feel like my skin has been too oily and grimy. It does a good job of drawing out and getting rid of excess sebum without drying the face. Actually, it leaves the skin clean and soft afterwards!


WILL I REPURCHASE?

Although I'm not a big fan of the small jar packaging and the fact that its a bit hard to spread after, I would definitely repurchase this product in the future. I feel like it removes excess sebum well and is overall an affordable clay mask.

So that's the of my review for this product! If you're interested in reading more of my skincare product review, click here!

Thanks for reading!