I was really hoping it'd be the best clay mask, but it turns out just having rose clay and rosehip oil isn't enough

Hey everyone! I'm still a big fan of clay masks for my combination skin, even though I'm well past my teenage years. I've got a soft spot for detox or cleansing masks with nourishing oils or extracts – that way, my clay mask doesn't dry out my skin. Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on a clay mask that had all the makings of becoming my forever favorite, but it just didn't quite work out. So, let's dive in and see why.

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LAF Rose Clay and Rose Geranium Essential Oil Mask for Normal and Oily Skin

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✦ GENERAL INFORMATION ✦

✦ Brand: LAF

✦ Manufacturer: OOO "Mirolla Lab"

✦ Country of origin: Russia, Leningrad Oblast

✦ Volume: 75 ml

✦ Shelf life: 36 months, until 10.2025

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✦ Where to buy, price:

I don't usually go to Magnit-Kosmetik, to be honest – I'm not sure what their regular stock looks like. But for some reason, this mask caught my eye this time around, and I just had to grab it. Yeah, the packaging and price, 99 rubles, are pretty understated, but the name, ingredients, and promises of its benefits really won me over, so I pushed aside my doubts and rushed to the checkout.

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✦ PACKAGING ✦

The packaging is pretty understated, the plastic is soft and easily squeezable, it looks more like a tube for cheap hand cream.

The small photo with the rose buttons and the vial of rose oil gets lost on the packaging, it's not immediately clear what it is or what it's for. The wide swathe of pink clay also looks unnatural - it's just too pink. But the large, clear labels do grab your attention - it's immediately clear that this is a face mask with rose clay and rose oil tea essential oil, designed for normal to oily skin, with its main functions being detox and cleansing. It's all clear, all to the point, nothing extraneous or distracting.

On the back, in small but readable black text (which, I've found, not all products manage), there's information about the mask's action, application instructions, the amount of product, storage conditions, and details about the manufacturer - it's actually a well-known company, Mirrolla, made specifically for Magnit (AO Tanler). Nothing seemed amiss.

The cap on the tube is super simple - it's just a screw-top that's sturdy. Underneath, there's a protective membrane, which is always a plus.

The nozzle for dispensing the product isn't the smallest, and because the mask's consistency is pretty liquid at first, it comes out in fairly large quantities.

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✦ DESCRIPTION ✦

This face mask is based on the unique properties of three clays: white (kaolin), rose, and bentonite clay. It cleans pores from impurities, has a detox effect, prevents redness and black spots, and softens the skin. The natural essential oil composition of rose tea, muscat thyme, and extracts of baikal skullcap, grape seed, and ginseng helps to improve skin tone.

I was really impressed! This face mask is perfect not only for oily skin, but also for aging skin - it cleans, softens, improves tone, and provides a complete detox for the face.

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✦ INGREDIENTS ✦

Aqua, White Clay, Rose Clay, Glycerol, Scutellaria baicalensis Extract, Panax ginseng Extract, Vitis vinifera Extract, Ceteareth-20 (and) Ceteareth-12 (and) Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Bentonite Clay (and) Hydroxyethylcellulose, Salvia sclarea L. Ester Oil, Rosa odorata Ester Oil, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ingredients of this mask when I checked them out at the store - you get three types of clay right off the bat: white, pink, and blue (bentonite), plus natural extracts and oils, and it's all pretty much a steal!

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✦ CONSISTENCY ✦

The color is a pale, almost milky pink with a hint of rosiness - it's nothing like the big swathe of mask on the tube.

The texture of the mask was really nice right out of the tube - it's creamy, not too thick, and it applies and spreads beautifully on the skin. But after a few months, the mask had dried out a bit and turned into a sticky, pliable mess, making it harder to apply it evenly.

Within minutes, it starts to dry out and pulls at the skin: The scent of this mask totally won me over! It's the softest rose fragrance, not some artificial smell, but a real floral scent. What I love is that the fragrance of the mask lingers lightly while you apply it, but it doesn't overpower or get in the way. In my opinion, the scent is the best part of this mask!

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✦APPLICATION ✦

Apply the mask to clean skin, avoiding the eye area. Rinse off with warm water after 10 minutes.

I usually apply clay masks in the sauna after steaming and deep cleansing my skin. But with this mask, it was impossible! It applies well to steamed skin (especially at first, right after opening the tube), but within a minute, it just slips right off my face. Check it out:

The mask turns into a clay water and drips off my face. It just keeps dripping. No way it's going to stay on my face for 10 minutes. And, of course, there's no effect from using it.

I've had to wrestle with the mask a few times, so I switched to applying it to clean skin after washing with a gel cleanser. First off, it's harder to get an even layer on clean skin than on steamed skin. Second, after 10 minutes, I start to feel a tightening sensation around my nose and U-zone, which isn't exactly pleasant. Again, for me, that suggests there just aren't enough oils and extracts in the mask, it's mostly just clay and water.

How the mask looks after application:

The mask on my face after 10 minutes:

After 10 minutes, I wash the mask off with cool water. It doesn't come off that easily, but a silicone brush helps – it's surprisingly durable.

Next, I use a warm toner and apply a lightweight moisturizer with a bit of SPF, since I don't always wear the mask at night.

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✦ MY THOUGHTS ✦

To be honest, I was really hoping I'd love this mask. What's not to like about a simple clay mask? Decent ingredients, nice texture at first, amazing scent... But it just didn't work out for us. Beyond the fact that you can't use it in the sauna on steamed skin, I didn't see the promised results.

I've got to say, the mask is a real pleasure to use. At first, it's easy to apply evenly to your skin, and when you put it on, it doesn't irritate your skin or sting - even on dry or sensitive areas. Plus, it doesn't leave a greasy or sticky feeling, just a bit of a pulling sensation as it dries on your face.

Now, let's talk about the promises:

cleans out pores from impurities

prevents the appearance of redness and blackheads

One thing that's been a problem for me is blackheads on my nose - sometimes my pores get clogged, and I get all sorts of lovely combination skin issues. After using this mask, all of that just stays right where it is - the mask doesn't do a thing to clean out my pores, and my blackheads and clogged pores on my nose don't even seem to lighten up, which is usually what happens with clay masks.

produces a detox effect

The detox effect of a clay mask is supposed to be about reducing oiliness, soothing any irritation or itchiness, and just generally making your skin look better. And in this case, the mask delivers - it smooths out some of the redness and bumps on my skin, and leaves it looking a bit brighter. I really liked that effect.

My skin BEFORE:

My skin AFTER the mask:

skin softening

I noticed that this mask does a better job at softening my skin than at cleaning it – it feels so much gentler, softer, and silkier to the touch, but it's essential to follow up with a moisturizer after washing it off – a thermal water toner or a hydrating cream/gel.

skin toning

Unfortunately, I didn't see any noticeable results in this department, and I'm guessing it's because I'm a bit older (38+) – younger girls might appreciate it more.

For me, this clay mask is all about cleaning and purifying my skin, unclogging pores, and fading dark spots, and while the LAF Rose Clay and Rose Geranium Mask doesn't quite deliver on that front, it's still a lovely treat that gently softens my skin and evens out my complexion without any irritation or allergic reactions.

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Great value for moneyDelightful rose fragranceLight and easy to applyNourishing formulaSoftens skinHelps even out skin toneNo irritation or allergic reactionsEasy to rinse offCons:

A bit too runnyNot the most effectiveFails to clean out poresxa0

My verdict: I had high hopes for the LAF Rose Clay and Rose Geranium Essential Oil Face Mask, considering its ingredients and promises. But the price of the mask determined the amount of actual goodness in the formula – there's a lot of water and not enough of the good stuff. I'd happily buy this mask again and pay a bit more if it wasn't so runny and had a higher concentration of ingredients. I was hesitant to recommend it, but for 100 rubles, why not? It's definitely worth the price, maybe I just didn't find the right match.

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The clay mask that I liked better:

Cafe mimi's Exfoliating Face Mask with AHA Acids