It took all of two made-for-tv volcano flicks in the ’80s (one about Mount St. Helens and the other about Pompeii) to scar me for life.
Growing up near one of the world’s most geologically active fault lines wasn’t half as scary as the thought of mountains spewing lava and ash, yikes!
But so far the closest I’ve come to anything volcanic has been my brushes with MAC’s Volcanic Ash line of skin care products.
It’s not so much a line as a duo of products, and both are part of the Style Black collection. One of the two, Volcanic Ash Exfoliator ($20), has been released before (see an earlier review), but the second, Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask ($20), is brand new.
I always get a little nervous when I try new skin care products because I can never predict how my combo dry/acne-prone skin will react.
MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask
Sometimes it’s good to be dirty. 🙂 I guess that’s where the mask comes in. It’s loaded with actual volcanic ash and oils like jojoba, lavender, evening primrose and sunflower.
Add water and the paste warms ever so slightly. That’s the thermal part (Kilauea would be proud, LOL!).
MAC recommends using it one to three times per week to deep clean and moisturize the skin (should not be used near the eyes).
Is it really volcanic?
One thing those volcano disaster movies taught me was that volcanic ash can REALLY screw people up.
In dry, powder form it contains particles that can cause serious eye trauma, worsen open wounds and even lead to respiratory problems.
But in clay form — that’s a whole different story.
Throughout history, different cultures have used volcanic ash clays for health and beauty. Even our girl Cleopatra was a fan.
So, does it work?
I know a thing or two about gunk… Last week my acne-prone skin decided to freak out. The stress of moving, excessive junk food and insufficient sleep all joined forces to summon pimples on my forehead.
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