My general hatred for the way anti-ageing products are marketed is well documented (OK, I wrote about it once, here) but the products themselves are usually pretty harmless. 

Environ’s Revival Masque is a home treatment which professes to create “visibly luminous, radiant, smoother, younger and revitalised skin through the combination of revolutionary ingredients Asiatic, Mandelic and Lactic Acid.”  

Smell

I’m very sensitive to smell and the chemical/plastic odour of this product is pretty overpowering, especially when you first apply it. 

It’s a lot thinner than your traditional face mask and goes on very easily, especially with the teeny tiny spatula provided. 

  
Effectiveness

When I first tried this mask I spread it thinly over my face and neck and left it on for 10 minutes. It was *very* uncomfortable once first applied and I did feel a bit itchy in places where I’m prone to getting spots. 

It’s a powerful mask, I had some a biro mark on my hand the first time I used it and accidentally got some of the mask on my hand, I wiped it off and the pen mark came away with it, which did freak me out slightly. 

Environ suggest that you try it over a period of 4 – 6 months for maximum effect, and a little goes a long way. 

Ingredients

This product contains three Alpha hydroxy acids, which are often used in anti-ageing products and chemical peels. 

Mandelic acid: was discovered by heating an extract of bitter almonds with hydronic acid (mandel means almond in German) and has proven anti-bacterial properties. 

Lactic acid: can be used to aid natural skin hydration and smooth the skin’s surface. 

Asiatic acid: is said to promote new growth and skin regeneration.  

Convenience

You should introduce this product into your regime gradually. 

I started by applying two heaped spatulas of the mask and leaving it on for 10 minutes twice a week, and then built up to leaving it on for 30 minutes five days a week (usually in the evenings because who on earth has a spare 30 minutes in the morning?!) 

You can also sleep in the mask, but I’m not sure how comfortable I’d find that. 

Fix or Fail?

Despite the initial sting, which makes me wonder what exactly these acids are doing to my face, my skin definitely felt cleaner, I got fewer red patches and spots, and my skin had a glow to it. 

Verdict: Fix 

Don’t just take my word for it, here’s what other bloggers thought:

Environ Intensive Revival Masque Review – iheartbeauty.net

Product Review: Environ Revival Masque — myhaven.nz

Mask Monday: Environ Intensive Revival Masque — beautygeekuk.com

Credits

With thanks to the International Institute for Anti-Ageing for providing the product.