Christina Alyce Beauty

As a sufferer of adult acne, I am willing to try absolutely any (nontoxic) product that has the slightest chance of working. I naturally gravitate toward beta hydroxy acid (BHA), because it not only exfoliates the surface of the skin, but penetrates the pore as well to clear out whiteheads and blackheads. It is also relatively gentle and soothing, so it does not irritate sensitive skin, and it can even out skin tone. I wanted to give Herbivore Botanicals' AHA + BHA Blue Tansy mask a shot, because it contains willow bark and aloe vera, which are both natural sources of Salcylic Acid, a BHA.
The mask also contains AHAs, in the form of Fruit Enzymes from papaya and pineapple. AHAs exfoliate the surface of the skin to rid it of dullness, and to help other products penetrate more effectively. Blue tansy oil is included as an anti-inflammatory to soothe redness and calm irritation.
Herbivore recommends that when you first introduce the mask to your routine, you use it for 5 consecutive days, then about twice per week after that for upkeep. I have incredibly sensitive skin, so even with the gentle ingredients in this mask, the acids were a bit too much to use 5 days in a row. Instead, I applied it in the evening for the first two days, and again every other day for the remaining 3 applications. The application process of this product is very soothing and cooling, because the formulation is gel like. It is easy to apply in a thin layer, and a little product goes a long way. You can definitely smell the jasmine oil, but it is pleasant and almost grape-like, and not at all overpowering.
I generally leave the mask on for about 10 minutes- they recommend 5 minutes for sensitive skin and up to 20 for normal skin, but I find that 5 minutes does not do much for me. After 10 min I rinse off the mask, and need to use a konjac sponge to do so, because the gel texture isn't easily dissolved. If you have sensitive skin, I would advise against using anything abrasive like a wash cloth, because it is too irritating after a treatment with acids. I follow up with my Herbivore After Sun Soothing Aloe Mist as a toner, because the aloe, spearmint, and lavender are incredibly soothing, and my Oh Mega calming chia oil from One Love Organics.
After Using the Blue Tansy mask for the initial 5 applications and following two weeks, I have noticed my skin feels much smoother and has a healthier glow to it. Unfortunately, I still have a major patch of hormonal acne on my chin, and a smattering of acne of my right cheek. I did not expect this mask to completely clear my skin, but I am disappointed that it did not cut down on my breakouts or prevent them as much as I had hoped. My forehead and left cheek are noticeably clearer, but my trouble areas have not improved.  I will continue to work through my jar because I do think it has helped my skin overall, and I enjoy using it, but I am disappointed there have been no major improvements in my most troublesome spots.