Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pore & Shine In-Shower Mask

RRP: £4.99

--What does the promo say?--
"Introducing new Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pore & Shine In-Shower Mask. Get a shine-free, even complexion in only 60 seconds thanks to this breakthrough mask that works with steam of your shower. Its clinically proven formula reduces shine, helping to remove any excess oil for an instant matte effect without drying skin. It also helps to refine pores, cleansing deep down to unclog pores for visibly refined looking skin. Its fresh tangerine & lime scent provides an invigorating, fresh-skin feeling."

--Packaging--
The green and white colour scheme is both vibrant and unisex, with the Neutrogena label displayed prominently, while the coloured band at the top followed by the white band at the bottom of the tube clearly marks it as part of the brand also (all Neutrogena masks, scrubs etc have this design, with just the colour changing for different needs or scents, such as pink for grapefruit). The plastic flip-top lid is light while remaining sturdy and practical.

--Application--
Rub all over your face while in the shower, leaving it to sit for a minute or two while you shave or wash your body (I'm not going to list alternative in-shower activities...you're on your own there!). Rinse off under the shower or at the sink when you emerge. Use 1-2 times a week.

--Appearance--
The product itself is white, with no visible traces left after use.

--Scent--
Lively and zesty, although I think this mostly comes from scents added later that may be artificial, as only lemon peel is explicitly listed.

--Texture and consistency--
Creamy and luxurious. While slightly lumpy or grainy in appearance, it's not like an exfoliator, serving no scrubbing function, as you can't feel these lumps or grains on your skin during usage of the product.

--Effects on the skin--
The effect in just 1-2 minutes is certainly impressive - perfect for modern, busy lifestyles. Skin is indeed mattified and visibly less oily, with pore size appearing reduced and tightened temporarily. Skin also feels really refreshed thanks to the citrus element, and moisturised too, due to the mask's creamy texture.

--Value for money--
At just under £4 this definitely isn't breaking the bank and the time saved is equally valuable. If waiting 20 minutes for a mask to dry doesn't appeal, then this is definitely for you. I was sent mine for free by Neutrogena's PR (thanks guys!) but would pay up in future. I'd also be interested to try the rest of the range in future, and/or to see face wipes added to the range, as they're good value, effective products that offer a pick-me-up in the morning too.

perfect partners
Pore & Shine Daily Wash, £4.99
Pore & Shine Daily Scrub, £4.99

YouGlo WOW Mask

RRP: £100 for 5, or £21 for one
available from www.youglo.co.uk

--What does the promo say?--
"Institute Hyalual Switzerland, a scientific research centre dedicated to skin rejuvenation, created the mask as the simplest and most effective way to combine the moisturising effect of Hyaluronic Acid (HA), Argireline (famed for its skin firming properties) and RMCP-complex (a combination of ingredients that include fruit and leaf cell culture and flower extract).  It’s the interaction between HA, Argireline and RMCP-complex which results in such a complete anti-ageing effect. The mask also uses newly developed Transdermal Cosmetics Delivery technology which is activated by skin temperature to allow the ingredients to reach the deeper layers of skin.  This means that WOW mask provides 200% more hydration than other collagen-based moisturising treatments."

--Packaging--
The sleek foil sachet contains a mask that comes in two pieces. Each piece is folded in half, and once unfolded, each piece cuts across the middle of the face, just below the nose. However, this is slimy and difficult to peel apart, meaning that longer and thinner packaging would be better if it meant the mask did not have to come folded. The mask itself is made from white and clear plastic.

--Application--
After cleansing, peel off one side of the mask and place on the face. Then peel off the rest of the plastic so that only the gel mask remains. This is not an easy feat, because the mouth and eye holes are awkwardly placed, meaning you have to fix it to the contours of your face and then push it down so that full contact is made with the skin. Some areas around the eye do not have gel on them, meaning that some areas particularly prone to wrinkles are missed. The same is also true of the upper lip, where ageing can be most visible. You then need to leave the mask on for 20-40 minutes.

--Appearance--
Once you've got the white and clear plastic off, the mask itself is a transparent jelly, which leaves a slimy gel on the face that needs to be rinsed off once the 20-40 minutes is up.

--Scent--
A mild, inoffensive, natural scent.

--Effects on skin--
In the short term, skin feels moisturised and silky. However, no real long-term effects were noted.

--Sensation and texture--
The gel is slimy and solid and this ultimately creates an unpleasant, almost psychosomatic 'itching' feeling arising from just waiting to remove it. Does not cool, warm or tighten like many other face masks. It did dry out a little, but still retained a lot of moisture.

--Value for money--
While at £20.99 for one mask this is an affordable purchase for the evident short-term effects, you need to be seriously loyal to invest £100. It's possible that if the brand sold these in patches to target specific facial areas, or sold a variety of whole-face masks for different face shapes, they could sell more, especially as packaging also needs to be looked at for easier usability. Ultimately has potential, but needs work to make it even more marketable.

Soap and Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths

RRP: £4.50/25 wipes

--What does the promo say?—

"Soap & Glory Off Your Face™ contains 25 cloths in a handy resealable fliptop lid pouch. With a mix of skin softening glycerin, quick cleansing agent and PORESHRINK-RS, Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths are your quickest route to clean." 

--Packaging—

The pink and white design featuring the Soap and Glory logo means this packet of wipes wouldn’t be out of place in a candy floss factory, and doesn’t give a terribly modern impression. And yet retro is ‘in’, so it somehow works. The peel-back lid is supplemented by a plastic outer casing that cleverly clicks closed. However, this doesn’t quite keep the wipes as moist as you would hope for. Perhaps it's thanks to this that it's recently been replaced by a more tightly sealing peel-back lid, with the plastic outer casing having been ditched.

--Application—

Wipe over face to remove makeup, and/or to cleanse. Easy as pie.

--Appearance—

The wipes are white, and the fluid they are soaked with is clear, which means no visible residue is left on the face. The wipes also have a slightly raised pattern on them to help with exfoliation.

--Scent—

A very clear, cotton-style scent. Not too perfumed or artificial.

--Texture—

As mentioned, the raised texture of the wipes is excellent for exfoliation, without being abrasive or irritating. The cloths are ultimately smooth, satisfying and effective.

--Effects on the skin—

In the short-term, makeup is removed, skin is exfoliated, and the face feels really clean and smooth, as if you’ve just been for a really expensive facial. Longer-term, it’s possible that I did see an improvement in my skin condition, noting slightly more radiance and calmness; however, as I was only using the wipes on an intermittent basis, this judgement may be slightly skewed.

--Value for money—

 At £4.50, this seems on par with other wipes, and given the results you get, it seems good value for money - especially at a price that's equivalent to 18p a wipe. Their multiple function also makes them perfect for travel: one pack of these means you don't need to take any separate bottles of makeup remover, cleanser, toner, moisturiser, or exfoliator. But sadly for me they don't go any further than a travel solution: with 25 wipes in a pack, and me using 2 wipes a day, one pack wouldn't last me any more than 2 weeks - and £9 a month seems to be a bit much to spend on a regular basis. However, this product did give me an excellent impression of the Soap and Glory brand, and it's even better value when bought as part of a gift pack. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend to friends.

perfect partners

No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask, £11

Scrub Your Nose In It Face Scrub and Mask, £7.40

The Fab Pore 15 Minute Facial Peel, £8

Clear Here 25 Cleansing Cloths, £4.50 

Dr Spot Invisible Spot Fighting Gel, £8 

Purity Organic Skincare Facial Exfoliator Deep Pore Cleanser

RRP: £5.99 for 100ml

--What does the promo say?--
"A deep clean from ground coconut shell in a blend of coconut oil, sweet almond oil and aloe vera to leave your skin cleaner, softer and brighter.

Product Ingredients: Water; Coconut oil to act as an emollient and moisturiser; Sweet Almond oil to soften, moisturise and condition skin membrane; Coconut shell to act as an exfoliator; Aloe Vera to soften skin.

About Purity: Purity Organic Skincare is a range of certified organic skincare products which use intelligent ingredients, that are few in number but highly effective. A combination which results in beautiful skin and is kind to the earth. Less is more in beauty. 99.2% of the total of ingredients are of natural origin; 89.4% of the total of ingredients processed from Organic Farming."

--Packaging--
A lovely serene white tube with a white and purple label. I love purple generally, but especially like it here, in a skincare world where blues and greens are all the rage. There usually seems to be a little exfoliator leakage in the lid every time I flip it open, which is a tad annoying but nothing serious.

--Application--
Whether alone or mixed with cleanser, rub onto wet skin, massaging well. Rinse off with a damp flannel. Easy, and rinses off relatively well. Using a toner afterwards will get rid of any remaining bits of exfoliator.

--Scent--
Surprisingly bland - does not match up to the distinctive essential oils that are detectable in other products in this range. Nevertheless, there are no odd or unpleasant smells, and this should be great for people who like fragrance-free products.

--Appearance--
A white, runny lotion, dotted with dark brown spots of ground coconut shell.

--Texture/consistency--
The lotion is smooth and works well with the natural scrubbiness of the coconut shell (which, incidentally, works far better than the artificial beads used in some exfoliators).

--How does your skin feel afterwards?--
Smoothened and retextured. Great stuff!

--Effects over time--
Highly effective. While it doesn't 100% banish dry patches, it does help enormously, and reduces dry skin over time to create a more unified skin tone. 80%-90% effectiveness, I'd say - I still get blackheads after a few weeks of use.

--Value for money--
More effective than some exfoliators that are double the price, almost immediately visible effects, and it's packed full of lovely stuff. With a bit more time (1 month+), I hope that those blackheads will disappear too.

perfect partners
Purity Facial Wash, £4.99
Purity Organic Skincare Facial Moisturiser, £5.99
Purity Regenerating Overnight Moisturiser, £7.99

Estée Lauder Idealist Pore Minimising Skin Refinisher

RRP: from £34 (sizes from 30-100ml)

--What does the promo say?--
"Dramatically refinish skin's appearance and texture. See more clarity, smoothness and luminosity as it helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky surface skin cells. See more highly refined, virtually poreless skin. Enjoy our most dramatic skin resurfacing benefits—faster, more efficiently than ever before.

• Refines the look of uneven skin texture, flakiness and roughness.
• Pores appear 1/3 smaller—instantly.

Smooth on Idealist and instantly enjoy that soft, seamless, silky feeling you love.

• Includes 3 times more Glucosamine than original Idealist.
• Pore Diminishing Technology significantly shrinks the look of enlarged pores.
• Gentle-acting Chestnut Extract helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky skin surface cells.

It's as if you're seeing the skin you were born with, all over again."

--Packaging--
Beautiful luminescent and translucent blue glass bottle with a classic (but perhaps aimed at older women?) gold lid and clear glass dropper. Clearly recognisable both as part of the Estée Lauder brand and as part of the range of serums the brand offers.

--Application--
Just apply a few drops to your face and neck along with your usual moisturiser.

--Scent--
Very sharp and fruity, in a very pleasant way, and no wonder. It's packed with all sorts of fruity goodness, containing extracts of mulberry, grape, and saw palmetto. The overriding scent, however, is that of grapefruit. Simply divine.

--Appearance--
A white cream reminiscent of Skyn Iceland's Cloud Cream (which, interestingly, also has a strong grapefruit smell), although not as thick. Leaves no visible residue on the skin. Sadly, I didn't see that immediate reduction in pore appearance that the thing promises; Lancôme's Génifique is at least better for that.

--Texture/consistency--
It absorbs very successfully into the skin, not drying so quickly that you don't have a chance to rub it in. It is also non-greasy and makes your skin feel palpably less oily, and much smoother too. Not lumpy, and it is a little bit runny, but not overly so.

--Effects over time--
It certainly leaves skin impossibly smooth: apply it at night, and you'll still wake up with skin as fresh as a daisy in the morning. It doesn't clog pores, but I still didn't see that reduction we were all promised (although admittedly, according to the Estée Lauder website, you'd need to use it for 4 weeks to see long-term difference, which a 4-day sample is never going to provide).

--Value for money--
Somewhat obviously, you get an interesting reduction if you buy a bigger bottle (the 100ml bottle is 'just' double the price of the 30ml one for more than three times the content), and given that 1.5ml gives you 4-5 applications, I'd guess that 30ml gives you approximately 100 applications, at a cost of 34p per application (which declines if you buy a larger bottle). Despite not seeing an immediate reduction in pores, I'd be keen to test Estée Lauder's 4-week claim out, as it really is a joy to use. That'll be one for the birthday list, then.

perfect partner
Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher, £31 for 75ml

Clinique Pore Minimising Thermal-Active Skin Refiner

RRP: £22 for 75ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Heats on contact with water to open pores, dislodge debris. Then polish away skin-dulling flakes with an exclusive complex of six gentle, effective exfoliants.
Skin feels wonderfully smooth, incredibly clean. And pores look noticeably smaller—instantly, and over time."

--Packaging--
My sample is in a pink squeezy tube with a green plastic lid, but the real thing is even more promising: a daring purple tube with a classy metal screw-top lid. It fits in nicely with the Clinique brand, adorned of course with the huge trademark Clinique logo in black.

--Usage instructions--
You only need minimal moisture for this to do its job - I found that if you use it in the shower it almost melts away! So - over the sink, dampen your face using cleanser or a flannel. Squeeze out a small amount of the pore minimiser and rub into the areas that need the most attention (usually the cheeks and nose, but sometimes also the chin). Wash off using a damp flannel.

--Appearance--
The pore minimiser is a sort of duck-egg colour, and appears slightly grainy from the exfoliating beads. It's also very stiff, which can make it difficult to squeeze from the tube. On the face, no visible residue is left.

--Sensation--
It does heat up quite rapidly on contact with moisture, and it can feel slightly prickly. I wouldn't recommend using this if your skin is feeling a bit sensitive or raw for whatever reason, as it can almost hurt if you're feeling a bit fragile! However, most people shouldn't experience discomfort, and the skin feels very smooth and clean after exfoliation.

--Short-term effects--
Pores do appear visibly reduced and smoothened almost immediately after use.

--Long-term effects--
However, despite the impressive short-term results, long-term I noticed no real difference, despite using this every morning for weeks. My pores are still quite visible, both with and without makeup.

--Value for money--
The lack of long-term effects mean that I wouldn't buy this again; however, knowing the high quality of and generally excellent results provided by Clinique's products usually, I wouldn't rule out trying other products from the Pore Minimising range.

perfect partners
Clinique Pore Minimising Refining Serum, £15.50 for 40ml
Clinique Pore Minimising Instant Perfector, £12.50 for 15ml

Montagne Jeunesse Squeezed Orange Extract Pore Strips (Nose)

RRP: £1.49 for a sachet containing 3 nose strips

--What does the promo say?--
"These ultra deep cleansing pore strips contain natural citrus to draw out deep-rooted impurities and blackheads for cleaner, less visible pores on and around your nose. The orange fragrance is really uplifting. Suitable for vegans; gluten free; dairy free; and nut-derivative free."

--Packaging--
A simple throwaway plastic sachet, with a neutral background and orange decoration, plus your trademark image of a smiling clear-skinned girl wearing the pore strip. The Montagne Jeunesse logo and the bright orange 'pore strips' sign occur at the top of the sachet. The sachet is easy to open; just tear off the top and remove the nose strip (each of the 3 nose strips is also individually packaged in blue and orange mini sachets). Then undo the individual nose strip sachet to reveal the nose strip (specially shaped to fit the contours of the nasal area), stuck to a clear plastic backing. All very simple to open and it keeps each strip individually preserved until you want to use it. The packaging design is also very normal for the Montagne Jeunesse brand image.

--Application--
Slightly trickier than you would expect. As well as wetting your nose, you also have to wet the back of the strip (the sticky side) before putting the strip on your face. This sounds simple, but if you wet the strip too much or not enough then it just doesn't work. Shame. Once you have the thing stuck to your nose, leave it on until it dries and hardens (should take no more than 15 minutes) and then rip off gently like you would a plaster.

--Appearance--
The strips are white and specially shaped so that they will sit well on the nose as well as extending slightly onto the cheeks.

--Sensitivity--
The strips seem very sensitive and I have experienced no irritation or dehydration of the skin while using them.

--Do they do what they say they will?--
Sometimes! If you get lucky and manage to get the amount of water right on the strip and your face then the strip clings well, dries and hardens excellently, and removes blackheads effectively. However, if you misjudge the amount of water needed (VERY easy to do - I've been using these strips for a while and still don't always get it right), then the strip doesn't harden properly and thus removes few/no blackheads. When they work, they work very very well. When they don't work they are RUBBISH.

--Value for money--
At £1.49 for 3 strips, that works out at less than 50p a strip - not bad considering that most high street brands such as Biore and T-Zone charge closer to £1 per strip. As I've said, when they work they do work extremely well (certainly better than other brands I've tried), so at that price, you've got nothing to lose.

*all of the above also applies to Montagne Jeunesse's Green Tea Forehead and Chin Strips, also £1.49 for 3 strips

T-Zone Face Pore Strips

RRP: £4.99 for 6 strips

--Background--(from the T-Zone website)
"Product Category
Deep Cleansing

Product Type
Strips

What is it?
Face Strips

What does it do?
Sticks to blackheads, dirt and grease and lifts them clean away.
Removes the bacteria that can irritate the pores.
Clears pores to help prevent future break-outs.
Specially shaped to target chin and forehead pores.

Who is it for?
Anyone with oily, combination or spot prone skin who wants to target blackheads, open pores or impurities especially on the chin and forehead.

When do I use it?
Use once every 3 days to deep clean your pores.

How do I use it?
Wash your face with T-Zone Face Wash or Cleanser.
Wet the target area.
Peel off the backing paper and apply face strip to chin or forehead.
Ensure face strip is firmly pressed down onto the skin.
Leave for around 10 minutes until the strip is starting to dry then gently lift away the edges to remove strip from face.

Product to use with
Cleanse your face first with Clear Pore Gel Face Wash or Oil Control Foaming Face Wash or Clear Pore Anti-bacterial Cleanser - to remove grease, oil and bacteria that can cause spots before applying the Face Pore Strip. Follow with Oil Control Moisture Lotion - to restore the natural moisture levels to the skin."

Author's product rating: 2/5

How does it affect your skin? It is very gentle / nice

Does it dehydrate your skin? No

Value for money Poor

Advantages: Occasionally remove blackheads

Disadvantages: On the whole very disappointing

Recommend to potential buyers: no

As someone who's suffered from problem skin for c.10 years, I'm at the stage where I'll try anything to get rid of my spots (whether that's from my GP or over-the-counter). While my current medication from my GP has helped my skin on its way to being clearer, my blackheads were still refusing to budge, so I needed some pore strips. I was encouraged by T-Zone's claim on the box that it contained natural anti-bacterial ingredients, and I thought that even though it was a little pricey for what it was (£4.99 for 6 strips!), I couldn't come to much harm by giving it a try.

The company has a very distinctive brand image with its bright teal/turquoise and orange boxes. The brand itself has also been around for a while, so I suppose I trusted the brand. The colours are very fresh and positive, which helps with the company's overall image and fits well with their products.

The smell is not at all unpleasant - smells of tea tree and eucalyptus type smells.I soon discovered that for the size of the area I was treating, I could cut the pads in half and so make the box last double the time. The strips are stuck to pieces of plastic, and they won't gum up your scissors if you do want to shape the strips to your needs. So far, so good.

The strips are also very easy to apply: just wet the area concerned, peel the strip from the backing plastic, and stick it on your face. Leave until it goes hard (10-15 mins I guess), and then rip it off. The strip comes right off and isn't painful to remove - it's less painful than ripping off a plaster, for example - and it doesn't irritate or dehydrate the skin

Unfortunately, despite all these positive factors, the results are very variable. On my first couple of attempts, I could see the results on the strip that I'd just ripped from my face (i.e. it was pretty clear that the blackheads were no longer on my face!). Now, I don't know if my blackheads have built up a resistance to the product or something (stubborn little buggers), but now I rip the strip off and NOTHING HAPPENS. The blackheads are still on my face, exactly where they shouldn't be. I first noticed this on the last strips I used, so about halfway through the pack - and I've still got 2 out of the original 6 left. I was also surprised at the blackheads' speed at reoccurring, particularly since the T-Zone strips apparently contain tea tree, which is meant to prevent this.

I definitely won't be buying this again, and to be honest, I can't understand how T-Zone has managed to survive as a brand for so long if these minimal effects are what is usual for their products. They're pretty pricey for something that doesn't work and I just feel annoyed that I got duped into believing yet another acne treatment brand's empty promises.

(this review was originally published on Ciao)