I will say, the first time I tried the Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser I really didn't like it. It was sticking to my skin like a clay mask and didn't feel like it was doing anything. But after a little research I noticed that Caroline Hirons says to use a 10p amount before rubbing it into dry skin. I was using way too little product! So, I used a healthy amount next time and yep, it's great.
I like to rub the product between my fingers to turn the grey-ish clay consistency into a white paste. Then I rub it all over the skin and - I'm not quite sure if this will make sense, but - it feels as if it's actually doing something. It tingles slightly as it's being massaged in, which must be a mixture of the clay pulling out the impurities and the glycolic acid getting rid of the dead skin. Once it's washed off with water and a flannel, my skin feels super clean but still really nourished.
It's worth noting that this cleanser won't remove your makeup, so it's perfect as a second cleanse or morning cleanser. You also can't use it on your eyes because of the glycolic acid, but my eye makeup is usually gone with my first cleanse anyway so this doesn't bother me. I also like using this as a mini mask treatment. If I'm feeling particularly congested that day then I'll massage the cleanser on as normal, but leave it sitting on my skin for a few minutes before washing away while I brush my teeth or faff about doing something else. It doesn't feel as effective as an actual clay mask, but it still leaves my skin feeling nice and fresh.
So, is this mask worth it? I think so. I'll admit that I'm getting through the cleanser really quickly because I have to use the larger 10p amount for it to be effective, but for £18 a tube it isn't too big a dent in my purse. To repeat myself for the millionth time on this blog, my skin scars so badly so any breakout I do have basically looks as if it's on my face for at least a month. But using this daily I can honestly see a difference in how quickly my skin is healing. It may be due to my updated skincare routine, but I do think this is the main contender here. I think in an ideal future, when my skin clears up (I said ideal, ok) I would use this in the morning and go back to my Oskia in the evening. But for now, I'm really happy to be using this one.