My love for face masks is well known among my friends and family as well as the regular readers of my blog (check out my face mask posts here). Since I don’t go for facials / clean-ups at a salon, I prefer to use face masks a couple of times a week. After having used (and loved) the NIOD NAAP (reviewed here), I wanted to try out their other raved-about products and decided to get the NIOD LVCE which is their cleanser (featured in my best cleansers video), CAIS 0.5% (haven’t reviewed that as yet) and the Flavanone Mud which is a face mask.
NIOD Flavanone Mud Review
About NIOD Flavanone Mud (US$47 / 50ml)
“NIOD Flavanone Mud is a three-phase decongestion system that disturbs neither the skin’s surface equilibrium nor it’s density. Flavanone Mud approaches decongestion in three phases:
Purifying phase – Surface impurities – including oil and water soluble pollution, cosmetic product build-up and excess sebum activity buildup – are physically solubilized and removed.
Protective phase – The formulation of the mask offers an innovative approach to decongestion by introducing technologies that offer a physical shield against external build-up.
Responsive phase – This phase of the formulation introduces mechanisms that fight against environmental congestion factors.
The result of this combined approach is a topical purification process that allows for a form of sustained visible radiance that is not “fabricated” through short term inflammation or peeling.”
For more in-depth details on exactly how the Flavanone Mud works, check out the product page on their website here.
Packaging
The NIOD Flavanone Mud comes in a very simple, apothecary-like packaging. The amber glass jar with an aluminium lid and simple label speak a lot about the brand’s philosophy – skincare that actually works. The jar is a bit inconvenient to get the product out but I use a clean spatula to scoop out the required quantity of product. The outer carton, made of cardboard, has the ingredient list and the usage directions. The Flavanone Mud is also available in a 100ml tube which works out more cost effective.
The terracotta colour of this mask is a change from the usual face masks. Also unlike other clay based masks that need to be applied in a thick layer, the NIOD Flavanone Mud needs to be applied in a very thin layer. This again, is due to the innovative formulation of the mask and it’s refined dispersion mechanism that allows for “very rapid surface drying and quick absorption of the non-surface technologies used within the formulation.” Thanks to this, you get around 25-30 applications per jar of this mask.
Also, unlike other clay based masks that have a slightly rough texture, this one is very smooth in texture, almost like melted chocolate. It also has a distinctive smell that isn’t offensive, but isn’t very nice either. Herby with a bit of acidic I would say. Like a blend of herbs that is getting fermented and giving off an acidic smell? It is very difficult to describe the smell but since it doesn’t linger, I am not too bothered with it.
The recommended usage for Flavanone Mud is once a week. Leave on for just 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water. This mask doesn’t sting though it does cause a tingling sensation after removal which, according to the website is normal. The tingling is also quite mild, not a burning sensation and subsides quickly. The very first time that I used this mask, I removed it with a wash cloth. This made the tingling sensation much stronger so from then on, I stick to rinsing with water. I do not, however, apply the mask on my upper lip area which is super sensitive and prone to dermatitis.
The most noticeable effect on the skin is the instant improvement in texture! After rinsing off this mask, my skin looks so smooth with a very refined texture. The first couple of times that I used the mask though, I felt like my skin was getting worse because I saw many more white heads and blackheads. I guess it was the mask pulling up all the impurities from the skin. With subsequent uses, the texture of my skin improved quite a bit and I also noticed a slight fading in my old acne marks.
Also, unlike other clay based face masks that leave your skin feeling dry, tight and stretched, the Flavanone Mud leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth, and while I wouldn’t say it feels hydrated, it certainly does feel more nourished and pampered.
For the Flavanone Mud to be most effective, it needs to be used regularly, which is something that I don’t do. There are times when I use it dedicatedly for 2-3 weeks and then I will skip using it for 4-5 weeks at a stretch. I do need to change that habit of mine because the mask is really wonderful and I love how lovely my skin looks and feels after using it.
The NIOD Flavanone Mud, like the other NIOD products has highly cutting edge technology that delivers what it claims. It is truly worth the price and I highly recommend this face mask for all skin types. Do check it out.