Osmia Detox Exfoliating Mask- best masks for oily combination skin

Osmia Detox Exfoliating Mask- One of the best masks for oily combination skin.

If you haven’t heard of skincare brand Osmia, it’s probably because it’s a fairly new brand (started in 2010, this is considered a child in skincare company years). Over the last year as I’ve worked intensively on many beauty reviews, I’ve become more and more conscious about small, “un-big-box” brands like Osmia where there is a strong ethos for healthy ingredients and sustainability. I’m also a sap for brands whose stories include individuals leaving high paying professions to take on the nebulous world of entrepreneurship.

Osmia was created by Dr. Sarah Villafranco, who after enduring the loss of her beloved Mother, faced a crossroads in her life. No longer passionate about her work in hospital ER’s, Villafranco embarked on another lifelong passion, that of skincare. From the now hundreds of product testings and features I’ve worked on, I have become a strong advocate for physician-started brands, especially by those who use their own creations. There’s a deep level of comfort for me personally when I can put a face and name to the person originally behind a brand as opposed to a giant, faceless corporation who may focus more on revenue than whether their products truly are good for the skin.

My first foray into the Osmia world has been with their Detox Exfoliating Mask, a mask that comes in powder format to be mixed with drops of water to create a paste. Made with 3 types of purifying clay, raw cacao, raw honey powder and activated bamboo charcoal, this exfoliating mask is one of the best detoxifying masks I’ve ever encountered. Never mind the deliciously chocolaty scent; this mask doubles as just a mask if you leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes, or as an exfoliator if you skip the leave-on part and dive straight into massaging.

As a mask, this pulls out oils and dirt like a combination of Biore pore strips and traditional clay masks. As a mask exfoliator, this does the above and sloughs off dead skin with its finely ground walnut shells. The cacao softens skin while the inherent caffeine perks up tired skin. While the Osmia Detox Mask works for all skin types, this is a treasure for oily or combination skin like mine. Osmia recommends using this once a week though for really oily skin, I recommend up to twice weekly. My skin feels decadently soft right after use and at least for a full 24 hours after. Over time, you’ll see daytime shine reduce naturally with no other changes to your routine.

The Osmia Detox Mask comes with an adorable little ceramic bowl and wooden spatula to help mix the powder with drops of water. If you want to use this just as an exfoliator, you can use one heaping spoon (of the wooden spoon) with a few drops of water, stir until smooth. The first time you use this, experiment with the drops of water, taking care to start off with just a few drops at a time. You can always add more water if the paste isn’t the right consistency but if you add too much water, you’ll end up having to add more powder and waste it. As a mask, you’ll want to mix up more of the paste to thoroughly cover your face.

As with all Osmia skincare products, this Detox Mask is free of:

  • Parabens
  • Ethoxylated ingredients
  • Phthalates
  • Sythetic color
  • Sulfates
  • Synthetic fragrances
  • Petrochemicals

The full Osmia Detox Exfoliating Mask kit which includes the bowl and spatula retails at US $45 and lasts approximately 6 months with once weekly use, a wise investment for those of us who love clean, beautiful skin without breaking the bank at a facialist or dermatologist.

Learn more about Osmia Organics Skincare.

 

Osmia Detox Exfoliating Mask- best masks for oily combination skin