Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Review

Hi again,I'm back with the first of a few product reviews I have planned,coming up soon I will be giving my thoughts on

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  James Brown Photo fabulous intensive treatment



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  Chanel Mat lumiere



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  Make up Forever-Smokey lash mascara,Hd foundation and concealer palette

But for now I`m kicking things off with my review of the popular Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque.Now I`ve never personally seen this available in any UK stores although I am aware it is much more easy to find in the US and I have also heard it can be found in Sally's.I purhcased my tube from Ebay just by typing the name into the search box and buying from the cheapest and most reliable seller.I think I paid about £7-8 including postage although from what I have read on other reviews it is much cheaper to buy in the US costing about $5-or so I have read.So far I have used this product 5 times which I think is a decent amount of time to wait before voicing my opinion however I will of course update if my views change.

The mask claims to 'dry up acne pimples,rinse away black heads and shrink enlarged pores'

Pro's:

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  Cheap-ish,I paid more than the average person but even so the price was very reasonable



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  Left skin feeling smoother and softer immediately after use



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  Noticeable shrinkage of pores



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  Improved skin tone



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  Easy to apply



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  None offensive smell

Con's:

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  Had to be purchased online



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  Made my face feel tight,moisturising afterwards is deffinetly required and may not be suitable for dry skin



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  Seemed to bring under the skin spots to the surface

I start with a clean,dry face and apply a thin layer of the mask all over my face and neck,the mask is very thick so little product is needed for a full coverage.At first I can feel a tingling sensation especially in the areas where my pores are largest for example my cheeks.After a few minutes the tingling stops and the mask begins to dry,I usually leave it on about ten minutes as I`m very impatient.I find the mask easy to remove and after a few rinses all of the product is gone.Straight away I can feel my face is much smoother and softer,I then tend to look in the mirror and notice my skin looks more matte and my pores appear tighter.I like to apply moisturiser straight after removing the mask as in the past I have noticed after an hour or so my skin feels slightly tight and uncomfortable,ensuring I apply moisturiser means this is never a problem however I`m not sure how well very dry skin types would get along with this drying effect.I would say this product is more suited to those with normal,combination skin and those will oily skin will love it for its drying properties and the decrease in pore visibility.

One minor problem I have with this mask is that each time I use it a spot seems to surface over night.It seems as if this mask is pushing all of the rubbish from under my skin to the surface so I`m not complaining as my skin will probably benefit in the long run although I would rather it stopped spots forming althogether rather than bringing them to the surface.

Overall I would highly reccomend this mask to those with combination/oily skin and those with enlarged pores as this is fabulous at drying up oil and tightening pores.Its also great for those who want to even out there skin tone.If you are hoping for an acne cure however then I wouldn't expect any miracles when it comes to getting rid of spots and those with dry skin may find this makes the condition worse. Personally I will continue using the mask and see how my skin reacts further as the pore minimsing effect is just to good to pass up and the mattifying effect provides a great base for makeup.Based on my use of the product so far I would give it a very healthy 3/5

My new skin care routine...

I know I blogged not so long ago about how I was using the Clinique 3 step system and while I do still like it I wasn`t really seeing any improvement with my acne which Is the main reason I purchased the 3 step.I really like the moisturising gel and the face wash did leave my skin looking and feeling clean and soft but on a whim I decided enough was enough and I was going to just cut out as many products as possible and try a more basic routine.

For the past two weeks I have been using the Clinique rinse off foaming cleanser which does an excellent job of removing every last trace of makeup and cleaning my face.It lathers really nicely and you only need a small amount.This product was actually included in a free gift box full of products I was given when I bought my 3step at Christmas and at the time I thought I would never use it but now I am loving it,it hasn`t dried out my skin or made me break out,infact my skin has got MUCH better however that may be down to my new medication.....

About a fortnight ago I decided enough was enough and I headed off to the doctors to request some new acne medication.I`ve tried a few creams for acne before and even resorted to the pill last year but I had alot of side effects so I came off that.This time however I was given 2 months worth of Oxytetracycline tablets and I have to say they are working!Don`t get me wrong I still have far from perfect skin but these tablets really have made a difference.I only have mild acne,or so I`m told,but it really gets me down so to see any improvement has been fab.I really wanted to share this with anyone who may be in the same boat as me as I know how having acne no matter how bad can really affect your confidence.

Another change to my routine has been my moisturiser,I am now using Cetaphil lotion which I purchased last summer and was not all that impressed with at the time.I remember finding it a little greasy and it just diddn`t do anything for me so it has been unloved and unused ever since.A few weeks ago however I decided to give it another go and to my surprise it is really working for me now.It gives a great base for makeup,is not too greasy and is just working for me now for some reason.I will still use my clinique moisturiser but for now I am really rating Cetaphil.

Another change I have made to my face routine is fake tan,I`d been avoiding fake tan since Christmas as I wanted to save myself some money and thought I would give the natural look a go aka. deathly white!Needless to say about 6 weeks on and I`m back on the tan,if it makes me feel better about my appearance then it is worth it in my opinion.Before I tan I use St Ives apricot scrub,I use it about twice a week,no more.I don`t think this scrub is anything special and I try to use it as little as possible as I`m paranoid it will irritate my skin however it does do a decent job of getting rid of any dead skin and making my face feel lovely and smooth!

Other items included in my skin care routine are my lush lip scrub which I could not live without.Yes I know you can make your own or use a toothbrush but personally I have tried the toothbrush technique and I`m not a fan also Lush makes such lovely flavours why not.This one is the bubblegum version,I use it probably 3 times a week and it works amazingly.

Clinique's all about eyes eye cream is another product included in the free gift box I mentioned earlier.It is a great base for makeup and allows my concealer to glide on smoothly.I don`t know if I would purchase the full size as its quite expensive (over £20) but this is a pretty generous sample size so I suspect It will last me a very long time.

So there you have it,pretty much everything I am using on my face at present.From now on I am going to try and avoid any products that are designed for acne prone or any specific skin type,combination,oily,etc.I am beginning to think they just create more problems and do more damage than good.