We stan avocados 🥑
Foreword
Who doesn’t want to wake up to a smooth baby skin every morning? I certainly do, which is exactly why I have been testing this retinol-powered Glow Recipe face mask for several months now. Big question is - does it actually work? Let’s find out in today’s post.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
My Skin: dry, sensitive
About the Product
Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Mask (49 USD; Made in USA) – is a moisturizing and firming night-time face mask that claims to nourish and calm your skin, all while controlling blemishes and improving uneven skin tone. This product is geared towards people with normal, dry skin types.
Clean🤍 Vegan🍃 Cruelty-Free🐇
Packaging: this Glow Recipe mask comes in a beautifully designed glass jar (+ a spatula). It feels quite weighty, hence won’t be something you can easily travel with. You do get 70 ml/ 2.37 fl.oz of product here, which is a generous amount compared to similar brands within the same price range or higher.
Recyclable♻️
Formula, Texture: a perfectly whipped, smooth paste/cream texture. I love skincare products with this rich yet non-greasy consistency, as they melt into the skin without feeling heavy or sticky.
This is a water-based formula, which is rich in Glycerin (hydration), Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane and various plant-based extracts. Highlighted ingredients are: Encapsulated Retinol (has a slower release that happens gradually throughout the night), Avocado (rich source of Vitamins E, C) and PHA (aka Polyhydroxy Acid – a gentle exfoliating agent).
Scent: nada
Use: any potent, exfoliating acids or retinol-rich skincare products should be only used overnight in my opinion, followed by a good sunscreen in the morning (to further protect potentially sensitized skin from the damaging UV rays).
Apply a dime-sized amount of Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Mask all over the face (avoid eye area) as a final step in your PM routine. Glow Recipe suggest that you can also use this product as a wash-off, “quick facial” 10-min mask, but I do prefer the first method as I personally get better results this way. Little goes a long way, so one jar will last you a very long time.
Wear it once a week, gradually increasing usage if you feel like it.
My Experience: now, I am a retinol beginner, so this is essentially my first “baby” experience. I am no stranger to AHAs and BHAs though, which usually transform my skin overnight, so I was curious to see what effect Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Mask would have on it.
I started off by using it once a week, in place of my usual night cream, trying to keep my routine as minimal as possible (cleanser, eye cream, retinol mask). This formula is very nourishing, so I never woke up to a dehydrated or tight skin after having it on all night long. As a matter of fact, my complexion was visibly brighter and smoother after the first use. I have not experienced any tingling sensation, irritation, break-outs or any other signs of an adverse reaction.
Slowly but surely, I increased the “doze” by using this Glow Recipe mask twice a week over a prolonged period of time. For my needs, I find this to be more than enough. Although I have nothing to report in terms of this product’s firming properties, after all I am in my 20s and have other concerns, I must say it did a fabulous job at smoothing skin texture and calming any of my active breakouts at the time.
My skin is prone to postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (red marks in particular) that is left behind after I break out. The bigger the spot, the longer it will stay, which can be pretty annoying. I am currently healing a serious hyperpigmentation spot (+ scarring) and I notice that after a continuous use of Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Mask every other night (as a spot treatment), the redness is fading so much faster and scarring is not as prominent as it was initially. I will be posting updates on my Instagram for those of you curious to see if I manage to fix the damage completely.
Who is this product for?
As an entry-level, preventative anti-ageing product for people in their mid-late 20s and above – it is perfect. Also great for retinol beginners, as the encapsulated form is far gentler on the skin. Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Mask should work for most skin types (including sensitive), but always do a patch test first.
Really good for those of you looking for a product that tackles hyperpigmentation, active breakouts or any other skin texture related concerns.
If you are an experienced retinol user looking for something advanced/potent, this might not be for you, as this is a very mild formula.
Verdict
Although I was left high and dry after using the brand’s Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Mask (review here), the Face Mask version was surprisingly good for my skin. I see actual improvement and changes in my hyperpigmentation and scarring. Excellent option for people, who are scared of retinol, but still want to dip their toes in the water. So far, this is also the first Glow Recipe product that gave me relatively quick and long-lasting results. For a beginner-friendly retinol treatment it is quite nice and I give it A
What do you guys think about this face mask? Let's chat some more in the comments!
More online: sephora.com & cultbeauty.co.uk
Purchased product; full disclaimer here
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