Product Review: Kose Seikisho Mask White

Fun story: Four out of five of the full days we were in San Francisco were foggy. Although I didn't mind the ambience and it was an experience one should have - my skin did not weather well. Personificationally, my pores had a town hall meeting. Everyone was in attendance. And, together they decided to close their doors and bar them against bacteria fighting agents using sebum as their deadbolt. I.E. I broke out. And, not in the Shawshank with a rock hammer way.

My reaction to my newly cratered mug was to try everything I could think of to pull the crap (sebum, dirt, oil) from my stupid face. I used 15 pore strips in two days. I made a mask out of baking soda. I made a mask out of eggs. I made a mask out of honey. Then, I went to the internet for help.

I love you, internet.

I found this video (those with migraines: watch on mute):

And, I found this website: http://shaun-owyeong.blogspot.com/2009/03/kose-seikisho-mask-white.html

I also checked out the reviews on Makeup Alley. 

What I was looking for was a Biore pore strip for my entire face that would (hopefully) rip all my skin off (Hannibal Lector style). I thought I had found what I needed when all negative reviews complained about the pain of taking the mask off. (Side note: my face has no feeling in it from years of torture.)

I bought the Kose Seikisho Mask White on Beauty.com and received my shipment three days later. 

After all that fluff, here is the review!

The Kose Seikisho Mask White is jet black and can be applied easily with clean hands. The texture is much like glue or tar. It actually takes some effort and soap to wash the mask from your fingertips after application.

The drying time is about 20 to 30 minutes. This would vary by how thick of a layer you apply to your face. I like a thicker, opaque application. 

Removal is easy. You start at the edges and pull off toward the middle (much like a Biore strip).

You can examine the pulled off mask to find small hairs, a few sebum clogs and dead skin. 

The Kose Mask is not like a Biore strip at all in that it will not pull plugs from your pores. However, it is an excellent exfoliant. 

My skin looks clearer and brighter after three uses over a period of two weeks. 

The fresh skin exposed after removing the mask makes makeup application smoother with less flake. Combined with my clindamycin lotion (I use this in place of moisturizer), it has left my skin clearer with a more even skin tone (lightened dark spots). 

I give it a strong B+ for use for acne and a solid A for skin brightening and exfoliating.