Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic fresh face mask

RRP: £6.45 for 75g
Contains: Calamine Powder, Talc, Irish Moss Infusion (Chondrus crispus), Fresh Blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), Glycerine, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia), Chamomile Oil (Anthemis nobilis), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Limonene (occurs naturally in essential oils), Perfume, Colour 18050.
Special information: This is a fresh face mask containing fruit. Therefore it will go off if you don't use it pronto (say within a month)...though this isn't exactly difficult as it's so yummy.

--Packaging--
Comes in a clear, squat plastic tub with plastic lid and a label on the top detailing the ingredients. Lush also has products that come in recycled paper/cardboard packages, including some of their moisturisers, and I prefer that kind of packaging to the one used for the face masks - the black paper/card packaging is not only more biodegradable than plastic but also looks a bit sleeker and more eye-catching.

--What does the promo say?--

"Catastrophe Cosmetic is more prevention than cure for skincare catastrophes. It is a cooling, soothing, detoxifying and refreshing blueberry mask to keep your skin sweet and pure. We recommend it for young people who are just getting into the habit of decent skincare. (Start young; you may not care now but you will be very glad you did when you reach our age.) It’s also excellent for skin which is troubled by soreness and flakiness because of the calamine powder and chamomile essential oil. The orange oil is toning and helps to remove toxins. Blueberries have loads of vitamins and antioxidants in them and they make the mask pale purple, which can only be a good thing. Use it when you’ve been too busy to take proper care of your skin.Apply to clean damp skin avoiding the eye area; leave on for ten minutes then rinse off with warm water. At least four treatments per pot. "

--Application--
When you first buy it (so when it's uber-fresh), it's very soft and easy to apply. However, as the weeks wear on, the mask becomes harder and much more difficult to keep on your face, but this can usually be combated by mixing it up with some water so that it becomes more of a paste. It's quite potent stuff, and Lush recommends that you only use their fresh face masks once or twice a week.

--Appearance and scent--
Lumpy, purple and gorgeous-smelling...the blueberry and calamine scents really come through and you can see the blueberries in there too. As the face mask gets older it tends to acquire a more pinkish-grey hue though.

--Texture--
Kind of like a lumpy lotion. Quite pliable. However, if you mix it with water towards the end of its life, it becomes runnier, more like a lotion, and perhaps easier to apply and wash off than it was in the first place.

--Longevity--
Sadly, not much. Even if you mix it with water to prolong its life, you're only going to get a month or so out of it. And at nearly £7 a pot, that's quite a lot for a student, so I may have to buy them less often. Shame. Still, they are fresh, and you can't expect them to last much longer. Apparently keeping them in the fridge helps.

--Removal--
Just splash a flannel in some warm water and wash it off your face that way. Warning: this method may turn your flannel purple, but it comes out just fine in the wash.

--How do you feel afterwards?--
Skin feels pampered, refreshed, and as soft as a baby's. An essential part of a good skin routine to help keep blemishes under control. Beautiful.

--Value for money--
As I mentioned, it's kind of expensive, but it does help if you've got problem skin (though I've heard Cosmetic Warrior works better, so I might try that soon) and it feels lovely and luxurious. It's totally up to you to decide if it's worth the money.