Wanderlusted: The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask Review ...

So the same day that I picked up my DeoDry deodorant I got the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask. I don't know what's going on, the past few months my skin has been fairly clear, but I've had more blackheads than is usual for me. The saleswoman assured me that this mask was totally awesome, but recommended using it only on my T-zone as it was very drying.

Side note: The T-zone is your forehead, nose and chin, the areas where you produce the most oil on your face.

Here's the tagline -

Detoxify and deep cleanse your skin with a weekly mask that uses natural ionic clay action to draw out impurities and control excess oil.

Here's why it supposedly works -

Community Trade bladderwack seaweed and seaweed harvested from the French coast balance skin tone and purify and clarify the complexion.
100% natural clay complex cleanses and revitalizes skin; negatively charged ions act like magnets to draw out dirt and impurities from the pores.

Anyway, the saleswoman wasn't kidding. The first time using this mask my nose peeled for weeks. Not really good, considering that recommended use is 1 to 2 times a week. Although at the same time, it did seem to help clear up some of the blackheads on my nose (though not really on my forehead).

After my nose reached its equilibrium again I gave it another shot. Yes, I know that's somewhat silly of me, but I felt I couldn't really determine an opinion after a single use.

So here's what I think:

• It has great reviews, but doesn't seem to really work for me.
• People complain of the smell but I didn't notice one, so obviously it didn't bother me.
• You really only need a small amount, so the jar, which is $22 full price, should last you for quite some time.
• Even though it helped a bit to clear my pores it was too drying for me.
• I don't think it did much for acne in general.In fact, I think by bringing whatever crap was in my skin to the surface, it actually made me break out more.

And here's a little tip: If you have oily skin, or an oily T-zone, avoid products that dry you out too much. Over drying the skin can actually cause it to go into oil production overdrive, making you produce more oil more quickly. You're better off to find something that controls the oil without leaving you feeling tight after. If you feel tight then you don't have enough moisture.