Resurfacing skin products have more or less revolutionised skincare over the past few years, with traditional scrubs and exfoliators taking something of a back seat. Why scrub away at your skin with a coarse-textured product when you can use something altogether smoother and more pleasant?
The Oskia Renaissance Mask is a nutri-active radiance, brightening and resurfacing mask with major anti-ageing benefits to reveal a brighter, fresher looking you – and is packed with delicious-sounding ingredients like passion fruit, grape and lemon AHAs and papaya enzymes. But that’s not all. The Oskia Renaissance Mask also packs a fair old dose of prebiotics – which prevent bacteria colonisation and keep skin healthy.
Here’s a rundown of the other active ingredients in all their glory, and just what role they play in the whole shebang:
– The natural fruit acids contained in the Renaissance Mask exfoliate skin, while the papaya enzymes remove excess and tired-looking skin, cleansing thoroughly and clearing congested pores.
– The mask also contains lactic acid, which reduces the appearance of fine lines by increasing cell turnover, softening the skin while it’s at it.
– Ribose increases cell respiration and reloads the skin with new energy, while natural anti-histamine Butterbur soothes irritation and aids healing.
– And finally, we have swiss garden cress liposomes, which balance the complexion to within an inch of its life, leaving it even and bright by reducing melanin production by 47%.
Phew. Still with me?
The Renaissance mask is suitable for all skin types, and I like to use it weekly to keep my skin in check. It’s designed to increase cell turnover and boost radiance all in one go, and has the potential to be a pretty essential piece of skincare kit.
But can it really leave skin looking as radiant, illuminated and refined as it claims?
I’ve tried a whole host of resurfacing products, and some are better than others. This one, it seems, sits firmly in the ‘better’ camp, and does a good job at sloughing away tired-looking skin cells for a more polished and glowing look beneath. And it has a calming fragrance comprised of rose, passion fruit and chamomile, which is always a bonus. Some products do themselves no favours at all when it comes to sense, but this isn’t one of them.
Boosting cell regeneration and ATP energy without aggressively stripping the top layers of the epidermis are what this little gem is all about – something you might struggle to achieve with an abrasive scrub. It’s luxurious and creamy in consistency, and while it looks pink in the pot, it soon transforms to white when applied to the skin. The idea is to massage it into the skin – so if it’s still pink, you’re not doing it right!
I like to leave it on for around ten minutes or so for best results, but you can leave it for longer if you want to. Those with sensitive skin are advised to be careful though – start small, and build up as time goes on, as while the Renaissance Mask is quite gentle as resurfacing products go, it’s always wise to exercise caution.
For best results, I find removing the mask with a warm flannel or muslin cloth works best, and enhances the polishing effect of the mask. Afterwards, my skin is smooth and comfortable, and it certainly looks healthier and more hydrated, too. A great little tool if you’ve been ill or feeling under the weather – or just need a little extra boost.
The Oskia Renaissance Mask is available from Oskiaskincare.com, priced at £49.50.
