Face Matters Bright Face Treatment Mask Review: A Mess-Free Clay Mask That Actually Delivers

The idea of a clay face mask is great. It brings to mind white fluffy robes, cucumber slices over the eyes, perhaps some calming whale music in the background of a high-end spa. In practice? Far less relaxing. The reality of clay masks usually involves a whole lot of mess, powdery residue over anything you touch, and little of the serenity you’d been hoping for. This is a state I’ve found myself in so many times that I’d practically given up on the products altogether, opting instead for sheet masks – where the stress instead comes from worrying about what all that plastic is doing to the environment.

Enter: Face Matters. With products developed in Hampshire and made in Dorset, the company ticks all the boxes. Its founder, Sally Curson, has more than 30 years of experience as a facialist. Its products are made without artificial ingredients, and with thought to sustainability. And most importantly, their clay face mask avoids the pitfalls of many of its peers.

The Bright Face Treatment Mask is an easy addition to your weekly skincare routine, taking just 20 minutes and being practically mess-free.

The lightweight mask has a fruity, slightly outdoors-y smell of rose and lemon that feels both relaxing and rejuvenating. When applied, its texture is smooth and easy to spread across the skin in a thin layer. Through some kind of skincare science (or magic), there’s none of the nasty tightness or cracking that traditional masks have as they dry, nor the stickiness – it’s even possible to hold conversations with this on, rather than having to mumble or charade your way through exchanges. It’s practically see-through, too, making it much easier to go about your day as it does its work.

The mask’s packaging, a small glass jar with a minimal white label, claims that its contents will “clear, brighten and tone your skin [...] help to minimise pores and hydrate”. It’s always difficult to measure the results of something like this – so many factors play into how skin looks on any given day. However, immediately after using the mask, my skin did feel well-hydrated and smooth – and I felt a lot more relaxed.

At £30 a jar, this is much more of an investment than the 3-for-2 packs readily available at your local pharmacy, but knowing that what you’re putting onto your skin is made with knowledge and care makes the price tag worth it. The quality and the convenience of the product justify the cost, and this is certainly something I will keep in my skincare rotation.

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Lucy Carter is a London-based writer with a strong interest in the arts, entertainment and culture spaces. She can generally be found spending too much time and money at food markets and coffee shops, or going on long walks around the city. To read more of her work, take a look at her Substack and Muck Rack and follow her on Twitter @lucyllcarter.