I am a sucker for the add-on sale. Usually, I can resist the saleslady’s prowess to sell me one more item but when I’m vulnerable, I will cave in to their tempting ways.

And this would be one of those cave-in situations. When I bought the Volcanic Ash exfoliator a few weeks ago, I heard the saleslady talking about a matching Thermal Mask that deep cleaned the skin, moisturized and removed oils and impurities from the skin. And it was already sold out of the MAC counter at Michigan Avenue. Deep cleanser + sold out? Sign me up. So I bought this off Nordstrom’s Web site and had it delivered.

And now, here is what I thought about this little add-on baby.

MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask

How much it costs: $19.50

Where you can buy it: Nordstrom.com and other retailers’ MAC counters (while supplies last)

What I liked about it: First, it applies a lot easier than the exfoliator. This spreads very easily and well and feels very light on the face rather than hardening and being uncomfortable. The grainy feeling from the exfoliator also isn’t present so it isn’t too harsh on your skin. You only have to leave it on for five minutes too which is easy to brush your teeth or step away for a few minutes before you wash it off. With my sensitive skin, this felt nice on it and I didn’t see any irritation when I washed it off so that’s a big plus for me. Also, when you do wash it off, the minute water hits the skin, the mask warms up (but not too warm) and feels kind of refreshing.

What I didn’t like about it: Because it is so light on the skin, I’m not one hundred percent sure how effective it is in deep cleansing but I’m not willing to rule it out just yet. Also, when you wash it off, the black color lingers a little bit on your hands and towel but again, that’s not a make or break thing for me either, just be aware so you thoroughly wash your hands before touching other stuff.

So I’ll give this a few more tries before making a final decision and hopefully after a few more uses I’ll see more noticeable results but so far I’m happy.

And if you asked me to pick today between this and the exfoliator (if you could only purchase one), I’d say go with the exfoliator.

Do you use any other masks other than an exfoliator? I had no idea other ones really existed!

I do not exfoliate as much as I should (bad girl). I’ve gone through several exfoliators over the years, from St. Ives Apricot Scrub to Mario Badescu (my current skin care obsession) and lately, I’m in between brands again.  And with my sensitive skin, the last thing I need is more build up on my face.

Anyhow, last week my friend Meg (who is also my makeup Yoda), told me about this product from MAC that was previously available in stores, discontinued and now being re-released in limited edition, causing loyalists to clamour for samples before it’s sold out. And the product is formulated with volcanic ash to deep cleanse the face.

Volcanic ash as a cleansing product? Limited edition? Sign me up, so I called Nordstrom and went in to pick one up. Apparently Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue is already sold out of one of the Volcanic Ash products and the sales person gushed how much I would love this. So let’s take a closer look.

MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator

How much it costs: $19.50

Where you can get it: MAC counters at department stores (Nordstrom, Macy’s,etc.)

What I like about it: It definitely cleanses the skin and seems to work on all skin types. I was worried that the product would be too rough on my sensitive skin but my rosacea and skin redness wasn’t affected it at all, although I did apply it lightly on the cheeks just to be safe. The exfoliator spread well on my skin and you don’t need a lot to get good coverage. Plus, you don’t have to sit with it long on your clean face, just a minute and then wash off with warm water. I’ve only used it a few times but I am shocked at how soft my face is after. It’s like a baby’s bottom, no joke. I could not stop caressing my own cheek (in a non-scary way). Oh and the black scrub color is awesome because when you apply it to your face, it’s like applying dirt to your face, but in a fun way!

What I don’t like about it: The product does have a little bit of an odd smell but it’s not gross or gag-worthy. Just caught me by surprise. Plus, the product feels a little rough when you apply it, kind of like dragging….well….ash across your face. But, again, I haven’t used exfoliator in a while so I’m sure the concentration of ash to cleanse just takes an adjustment from me.

So thank you Meg for suggesting this. I definitely plan to ration my supply of it and get back on a regular exfoliation schedule :) I’m really curious to keep using this and see if it continues to give me the results I’ve seen so far! Next up: the Thermal Scrub. Can’t wait.

Do you exfoliate? If so, what do you recommend using too? Would you try something like this?