Australian pink clay is having a moment right now - featuring in loads of skin care products all over the joint which promise to make your face sparkle vampirically.
The mask by Hurtig Lane is the latest on the market, but does it work?
I consider a lot of factors when I’m picking skincare products - are they cruelty-free and vegan? Is the packing reusable? Is the product full of words I can’t pronounce or is it as natural as possible? Is it affordable? And more importantly, does it work? I was lucky enough to try a sample of the Hurtig Lane mask before it was on sale and, IMO, it comes super-freaking-close to ticking all those boxes.
As I’ve said in a couple of other reviews, my pasty skin has been exposed to the Australian sun for a touch too long and I have mild discolouration. My nose and the apples of my cheeks have always been slightly red and my skin tone is basically just a tad uneven. To combat these things, I started trying pink clay masks that promise to draw out toxins, impurities and reduce the sizes pores while locking in moisture to give you a spritely glow.
Here’s what happened when I gave Hurtig Lane a whirl.
Hurtig Lane Australian Pink Clay Review
There are all sorts of clays used in skin products all over the world - white clays, yellow, green and red - but pink clays have unique properties that do wonders for your complexion. Pink clay specifically contains silicia - a natural ingredient that helps with skin regeneration and collagen production - along with zinc and magnesium that are natural anti-inflammatories and can help rejuvenate damaged skin.
All pink clay masks promise to help with dryness, discolouration, uneven skin tone and give wearers a nice glowy look. While the active ingredient in all pink clay masks is, well, pink clay, not all masks are made equally. Hurtig Lane’s mask claims to use a significantly greater percentage of pink clay, along with an infusion of aloe vera, rose extract and - my skin care holy grail - coconut oil.
The Product
The standard package includes:
1 x Australian Pink Clay Face Mask, 120ml
1 x Brush applicator
The standard package costs $83 AUD, the double package (which includes two mask pots and brushes) is $149 and the triple package (which includes three of everything) is $211.
You can also use my promo code GLOBALSHUFFLE when you check out for a discount.
It may look pricey at first glance, but this mask is actually a lot cheaper than other masks. Sand And Sky, for example, costs $15 less than Hurtig Lane, but the pot only contains 60ml - half the amount.
The packaging is also made from high quality and sustainable materials. The product, which arrives in a recyclable cardboard box, sits in a Pyrex glass jar with an acacia wood lid - both of which are totally washable and reusable - and the application brush is made of sustainable bamboo. Winner.
Application
Hurtig Lane recommends using the mask after washing your face with warm water and a gentle cleanser, so that’s what I did.
After drying my face, I applied a thin layer of the mask - avoiding my mouth, eyes and hairline. The product is a dusty pink colour and has a creamy whipped-like texture. It applies smoothly and was easy to distribute evenly over my skin, and it smells great.
The directions say to leave it on for 10 minutes, but I got distracted and I’m pretty sure mine was on for more like 20. In any case, it was definitely dry by the time I arrived back at the sink. The clay became almost translucent around my nose, which means there were more ‘impurities’ there for the mask to draw out, but overall - like competitor masks - my face looked like a cracked shade of pinkish-white.
To remove the mask, Hurtig Lane says to use warm water and ‘gently massage in circular motions to boost circulation’. I did that for a while until I felt like my circulation was sufficiently boosted, before going all in with warm water and rinsing the remaining product off, which was super easy to do.
I followed it up with my usual moisturiser combo of coconut oil and black castor oil and my skin felt, well, pretty hydrated.
Result
My skin felt smoother immediately after washing the clay off.
The mask definitely hydrated my skin and evened out the tone and discolouration right from the very first application. It worked so well I didn’t feel the need to apply make up before taking a few snaps afterwards with no make up (like the one below), and I never take pictures without make up, so that was a nice surprise.
I did notice a brightness to my face in a way that no one else would, but that has been my experience with face masks in general. There are loads of Instagrammers who seem to use face masks, and BAM, they glow, buuuuut I am yet to use a face mask that has that kind of effect. Nevertheless, I am more than happy knowing I can see the glow, because that’s what matters.
My skin texture stayed smooth over the next few days even after going to gym a few times and wearing a full face of make up, so I’ll definitely finish the pot.
Is It Worth it?
While Hurtig Lane’s Australian Pink Clay Mask may seem expensive at $83 a jar, it does have features other brands lack.
For example, I could not find how much actual pink clay is in other masks by competitors such as Sand and Sky and Alya, so I can’t do a comparison, but each pot of Hurtig Lane’s mask is said to contain 55% of OG Aussie clay. The remaining 45% is full of natural oils and extracts that combine to make the clay something you want to put on your face - any more than that would be like sticking your face into a solid pile of mud, so we can probably all agree that 55% is quite a high ratio.
Along with possibly more benefits of Australian pink clay with the higher percentage (refining pores, detoxifying skin, removing impurities, reducing redness, I could go on), Hurtig Lane are strong on the ethical products front - I think that’s really what sets them apart.
Based in Barcelona, the company has a range vegan make up brushes, jewellery and vegan leather-free straps. All products are PETA-approved, and the company is really in to paying manufacturers properly and maintaining an equal-opportunity work environment for men and women of all nationalities. While a lot of other brands are vegan and PETA-approved, the packaging materials generally aren’t sustainable or reusable, and the companies haven’t necessarily made it their mission to be as ethical as possible.
At the end of the day, I think if you have the money to spend on taking care of your body with high-quality and natural products, it’s cash well spent, and Hurtig Lane’s pink clay mask is definitely worth a shot.
Promo code for 15% off: GLOBALSHUFFLE
