Prince Of Darkness Fresh Face Mask

There's something rather horrifying about a tub full of black gloop - reminds me of a terrible near-drowning experience that I went through when I was younger. While I no longer choose to throw myself into blackened, muddy rivers like I did back then, a mere glance at this product brought back those unpleasant memories - ones that I would rather leave forgotten. 

Despite my association of this with a childhood trauma, I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed using Prince Of Darkness Fresh Face Mask. Not only did it immediately improve the condition of my skin after a single use, but it made for a very different experience from any of Lush's other masks that are currently on offer in their stores. 

Named as a homage to the notorious rocker, Ozzy Osbourne, this brand new face mask works as both a scrub and a cleanser. Containing an array of ingredients to help brighten the complexion, clean away unwanted debris and soften the skin, this exclusive product is a haven of key elements that work in harmony with all skin types, especially those with greasier skin. 

What is intriguing about this mask is that two of the main ingredients have come directly from the earth so they are as natural as can be. Fullers earth is a type of clay material that is known for its fantastic absorption of excess oils and dirt on the skin. Removing these unwanted particles from the face allows the clay to work on giving the complexion a thorough cleanse so it feels super-soft and looks much clearer afterwards.

Kaolin has a slightly rougher texture, which is what partially gives Prince Of Darkness its consistency, but this too is known for its cleansing properties. This ingredient exfoliates dead skin cells while absorbing excess oils on the skin - helping to leave a well-balanced and far healthier looking complexion. 

The powdered charcoal is what gives this face mask its colour - not to mention most of its consistency which makes it such an effective exfoliator. As well as allowing the mask to gently scrub away surface dirt, the charcoal works on balancing out the face's natural oil secretions so the skin isn't so shiny or greasy.

While it doesn't smell identical to Dark Angels Facial Cleanser, there is definitely some similarities here. Both use charcoal to help balance the face's natural sebum release and both have a slight scratchy consistency which allows you to remove unwanted dry skin and dirt during application. Not only this, but both products have a sort of sweet but slightly burnt aroma - one that isn't particularly pleasant on the senses, but one that isn't exactly awful either. 

Once the mask has been applied, you're supposed to leave it on your face for a good 15 - 20 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. What is interesting about Prince Of Darkness, is that this is a face mask that doesn't seem to dry once it's been applied. While every other face mask I have used from Lush has dried and set on my face, this one remained wet right up until I rinsed it off in the shower. I quite enjoyed this aspect of the product as it meant that I wasn't dropping flakes of dried mask all over the floor while I was waiting to wash it off. 

Once you have patted your face dry, you're left with a clean, clear and rather radiant looking complexion - one that feels smooth to the touch. I loved how refreshed and uplifted it made my face feel after use and I would definitely use this again. 

While Lush doesn't advertise it as being so, I think that this face mask would suit those with more oily, greasy complexions. I only say this because the grainy element of the mask would be great at removing stubborn build up of grease, while the lavender oils would soothe sensitive skin and prevent the former ingredients from being too harsh on the complexion. 

Although I don't have greasy skin - in fact, I suffer from the very opposite most of the time, this mask worked well with my complexion. While my face didn't feel as moisturised as it does after I have used Catastrophe Cosmetic, it did feel very light and free of dirt and would work as a fantastic night time mask to clean the skin before going to bed. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Kaolin, Fullers Earth, Water (Aqua), Powdered Charcoal, Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus labdaniferus), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Tincture Of Benzoin (Styrax benzoin), Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia), Fine Sea Salt, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £6.95.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.