Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque

I recently raved about the Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque (which gets a lot of blogging love), but I think I may have found the one to beat it to the accolade of 'Grace's Favourite Face Mask'. Yes, really. Say hello to my new best friend, the Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque*. 

Targeted (obviously) at blemish-prone skin, this mask promises to treat single blemishes, calm irritated skin, lift impurities, and dry excessive oil. And I can safely say that it ticks all the boxes. I was a little sceptical at first about the oily point, as I tend to avoid products targeted towards oily skin at all costs. However, this mask was so gentle and soothing and didn't leave my skin feeling at all tight or stripped as most heavy duty masks do. It's packed full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients, chamomile, tea tree, and evening primrose being the main three. It also has a high glycerin content, which helps to soothe and moisturise dry and irritated skin, break down dead skin cells, and retain more moisture. Perfect if you suffer from acne scarring. This is a clay mask, but if you have dry skin, fear not. The clay content is formed of kaolin, a really soft natural clay that won't dry out your skin but will ensure a good deep cleanse.

As always I adore the aesthetics of Aesop products, this old school pharmacy-esque jar is super cute and right up my 'easily susceptible to quirky packaging' street. Seriously, I'm an advertiser's dream. Despite the fact that this mask comes in a jar (as opposed to a tube), it 's very similar in terms of consistency and application to the Parsley Seed mask. I'm not sure why these masks have different packaging, as they are so similar texture-wise, but I guess the tube is more travel friendly. This has the exact same light, silky texture as the Parsley Seed mask, which at first doesn't appear at all noticeable on your skin, but soon dries into a smooth, fine layer. It has a lovely herbal, earthy smell, again very similar to the Parsley Seed mask, but perhaps a little more floral.

I apply this mask to clean, exfoliated skin and leave for about thirty minutes. The packaging advises ten, but I find that this is gentle enough to leave on a lot longer. A little goes a long way, and you don't need to build this up too thickly, although I like to do so on any existing blemishes that I have. It also removes really easily. I use a muslin cloth soaked in hot water and it comes off in one wipe. My skin looks instantly calmer and clearer, this mask really goes to town on reducing redness and calming blemishes. Even the morning after my complexion looks a lot clearer than it normally does and my blemishes are visibly less noticeable.

I really think this mask deserves a lot of hype, at least as much as the Parsley Seed mask gets! If you're torn between the two, I'd definitely opt for this one if you're more blemish prone. Otherwise, they really are so similar, but I find this one much more effective at reducing redness and giving my complexion an overall boost. The Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque retails at £33 and is available at aesop.com, instore at any Aesop shop, and from Cult Beauty and Liberty. Obviously this isn't the cheapest mask out there, but it's definitely going to last me a long time. If you think about how many uses you get from a £6 Lush fresh face mask, they probably work out about the same price per use. Something worth considering?

Have you tried any Aesop products? I'd love to know if you have any recommendations. To see my review of Aesop's Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque click here, and to stay updated on future posts and reviews follow me on Wordpress, Bloglovin, and Twitter.