It’s #facemaskfriday and The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask is my most recent skincare find.
Price: £16
Volume: 75ml
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Propanediol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-32, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Alcohol Denat, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Rosa Gallica Flower Powder, Parfum/Fragrance, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Methylpropanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Disodium EDTA, Rose Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Menthoxypropanediol, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 14700/Red 4.
Purported benefits: Quenches thirsty skin revealing a dewy glow. Moisturises, soothes and tones skin.
Purchased/ gratis: Purchased sample*
*I purchased the sample via my consultant account with Body Shop At Home, the direct sales arm of the Body Shop.
Tried & tested
Unusually for me, my skin was very dry, taut and a little flaky last Friday after a tough week when I hadn’t really taken care of my skin as well as I should have. After a quick Cleanse & Polish, I was about to reach for a heavier night cream when I remembered that I had a few Rose Face Mask samples left. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to finally try the mask in the right conditions.
The mask is a smooth gel formula which glides easily over the skin. A blob or two will cover the entire face sufficiently, and so the 75ml jar will last for ages. I used a 5ml sample which gave generous coverage over face and neck. The 75ml jar should give you around 15-20 applications.
The gel is uncoloured and has a soft rose fragrance that is not overpowering or offensive. I’m not fond of added fragrance in skincare as I generally feel fragrance is irrelevant if the active ingredients themselves work effectively.
Does it meet the brands claims? Yes and no.
- Quenches thirsty skin – yes, it provides intensive hydration
- Reveals a dewy glow – too early to tell, I’d expect this to improve over time rather than after just one use
- Moisturises, soothes and tones skin – it hydrates skin but doesn’t really moisturise as such, you do still need to moisturise the skin after use. It did soothe my skin, the main active ingredient here being the aloe vera (aloe barbadensis). I did use a separate toner (Vitamin E spritz) after washing off the mask, so couldn’t really tell if it tones well on its own.
The product is 100% vegan and as ever with The Body Shop, they know the providence of their ingredients. The rose essence is from right here in Britain, with rosehip oil being imported from Chile and organic aloe vera (fair trade, of course) from Mexico. They have used the minimum amount of fillers and the mask is free of paraffin, mineral oil, silicone and parabens (though parabens aren’t actually proven to be harmful – read the truth here).
The verdict
I actually like this mask much better than the Himalayan Charcoal face mask. It may not have the most exotic ingredients but it is really hydrating and mild on the skin. It pretty much does what it says, it hydrates and plumps the skin, and does it so well. I am definitely buying a full size jar of the British Rose mask for regular use.
Is it worth the money? Well £16 feels a but steep for a mid-range mask but it feels much more luxurious than its predecessors. If you’re looking for a quality hydrating facial mask, I’d recommend the British Rose Plumping Mask.