Before I delve any further into this post, I have to admit that I am a self confessed anti-acne enthusiast. If there’s any method to be tried or a new scrub, cream or treatment to recently have hit the market I’m all over it quicker than you can say “prevention is better than cure” and I’m sure I can’t be the only one who feels this way, whether you’re blemish prone, subject to the occasional spot or sport an enviably clear and even complexion.

This all brings me to the mint julep masque by Queen Helene, designed to dry up and draw out impurities and shrink pores. Normally I’m not a big consumer of face masks seeing as I already have a ridiculously strict and lengthy skincare regime, but this one made me look twice – and for several reasons. To begin with the price is borderline ridiculous, currently stocking on health and wellbeing website iHerb.com for a mere $3.83 USD per 226 grams (normally it is $32.95). As well as this, it claimed to cater to a host of skin types – not just problem skin – easing tension lines and relaxing muscles.

Keen to at least give it a test run, I parted with my $3.83 and waited patiently for the masque to appear in my mailbox. When it did, I didn’t hesitate to test it out. I’m not a huge fan of heavy clay-like masks (and this one certainly goes on thick…and swamp monster green), but the pleasant and fresh mint scent compensated for this. Immediately I could feel my skin tightening and tingling as it got to work, but not in an unpleasant or uncomfortable way. It took around fifteen minutes to dry and came off surprisingly easily for thicker based mask. When I woke up the next morning I couldn’t believe how soft my skin felt! I found my hand creeping up to my face every few seconds, hardly believing my own sense of touch. My pores were noticeably refined as well and I strutted about the place with no makeup for the first time in a long while. The only downside I could find was that it didn’t really make an impact on the few spots I had hanging around on my nose.

To summarise; my guess is that while I love it and use it nearly every week, the mint julep masque might not be everybody’s cup of tea. It certainly did make a noticeable difference on the smoothness and evenness of my complexion, but some online reviews suggest that it’s not the go-to product to banish those unsightly spots forever. However, if you want a refreshing mask for those sweaty summer days that are looming, or simply think that four dollars is worth the risk I would recommend you give this little beauty a try. Shop it online here.