Banish Acne Scars was started a good few years back, by a YouTuber called Daisy. She was fed up with not only the cycle of acne, but the cycle of ‘professionals’ telling her what to do (does that sound familiar?) She eventually started her company Banish Acne Scars with a small line of derma rollers and Vitamin C serum. She now has a solid suite of products that aim to remove acne scarring, and keep acne at bay! And today, I’m here to review two of those products.
Banish Acne Scars Pumpkin Enzyme Mask – 50ml
This is the one that made me pleasantly surprised. So, it’s a fresh mask, similar to something you might get at LUSH. Because of this, I keep mine in the fridge (but the Australian climate is a scorcher and you may not need to). It comes in a solid glass jar, filled to the top! The ingredients are organic, natural, and very much fresh. This little pot of pumpkin gold smells like pie!
This mask is made for people who want a gentle exfoliation, more than a harsh exfoliation of their skin. With the help of Alpha Hydroxy Acids, it will smooth fine lines, fade pigmentation and brighten the skin. Personally, I like physical exfoliants, but they can sometimes be quite harsh and cause more problems for some skin types.
When I used the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, I totally felt that tingly feeling they mention on their website. It’s not a harsh tingle, just a little something something going on there, which disappears after a couple of minutes.
However… one of the weird things I noticed is that, while it says “Apply a thin layer and let it dry” and “wash off after 10 minutes”, it really doesn’t dry in 10 minutes. Or 20. Or 30! I left this thing on for almost half an hour, and it was still wet to the touch. Bit weird! But, I washed it off, and… ohhh my goodness.
My skin was soft, fresh, smooth and somehow plumper?! It looked hydrated, glowy and bright!
Maybe I’m just used to dry masks (like the charcoal one below), but having that effect after removal was very surprising. I immediately saw why this mask is so special and useful to people with acne and acne scarring.
If you have active acne, and some pigmentation, then this would be a good fit for you. Or, if you have more sensitive skin, or mature skin you want to brighten, then give the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask a go.
Activated Charcoal Clay Masque – 25ml
If you’re into skincare, then you’ve likely heard the word ‘charcoal’ being thrown around like nobody’s business. It’s meant to cure all kinds of ills, brighten everything it touches, and raise people from the dead on Tuesday’s.
And Lordy Lordy you will feel like your face is being baptised while wearing this stuff.
This dry mask can be mixed with water (or other liquids if you want to get fancy), forming an easily spreadable paste. The aim is to apply it, let it suck every sin from your skin and rinse it off. It’s quite a powerful powder, absorbing impurities, excess oils and reducing the size of your pores. It’s one of those types of masks that will pull at your skin as it dries, preventing movement after about 10 minutes of wear.
Now, while this mask was a little annoying to mix (I have zero clue when it comes to measurements…) it definitely had what I would deem a traditional mask result. My skin was left feeling smoother, tighter, and somehow flatter? The charcoal and clay had done its job and sucked every bit of moisture out of my skin! I would highly advise that you use a serum, hydrating spray or moisturiser after removing this mask. It’s not a bad thing it does this – I mean, it says what it will do and it actually does it. But just be aware it’s not messing about!
Which is why I do not recommend this mask to those of you with active acne. While the website says it can reduce blemishes, I feel it’s referring to old spots, tiny spots or anything lacking a typical pimple ‘head’. You do not want to apply this mask to already sore, aggravated skin. It’s much better to use on blackheads, oilyness and general congestion. I enjoyed using this Activated Charcoal Clay Masque, but it’s not a mask for solid weekly use. Plus, the amount you receive is fairly minimal, and while they say a little goes a long way, I just can’t see how that is accurate with weekly use.
Tell me in the comments below: Have you tried any Banish Acne Scars products? And if so… thoughts?
Oh yeah, did you want a discount code? How about you use JESS10 at checkout, for 10% off your purchase! This will apply a 10% discount to any orders over $100. So if you’d like to grab a couple of masks and derma rollers, then use JESS10 at checkout!
Fingers crossed this review of the Banish Acne Scars masks helps clear a few things up. Banish did send me the products to test out, as well as some of their rollers, but they did not sponsor me for this post or video. Instead, they gave me affiliate links, so if you’d like to try these out yourself then check them out here. Later in the year, after I’ve finished with Accutane, I’d like to test out their derma rollers and Vitamin C serum combo. But that will be a whole other adventure! Catch ya later!