Speed Review: Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask

Following on from yesterday's post, today's review is of another product from the Sanctuary Spa skincare range. Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask is described as the ultimate moisture boost to revive thirsty skin in minutes. The mask is designed as a rich & creamy treatment which contains nourishing organic shea butter, honey and organic rosehip seed oil to help skin renewal & protect against the signs of ageing & dryness to leave skin feeling silky soft & smooth.

I hate cold weather & have been ramping up the central heating recently but the downside is that it's taken its toll on my skin, leaving it dehydrated. Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask appealed to me thanks to the low time commitment required to give skin a hit of moisture.

The pale pink and white tube packaging is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The directions were clear & easy to follow.

I was surprised at how thick & richly textured the cream mask is. Nonetheless, it was relatively easy to smooth onto skin although I noticed a slight tingling sensation upon initial application. It has a delicate rose fragrance thanks to the inclusion of natural plant extracts & essential oils.

Whilst this contains some good ingredients such as honey, rosehip & frankincense oils, rosewater and glycerin, I was disappointed to note the inclusion of ingredients such as mineral oil and dimethicone. The second most prominent ingredient is shea butter, which most likely accounts for the very rich texture. Shea butter breaks out my acne-prone skin so I tend to avoid products containing it. I found it difficult to relax knowing that it is such a key ingredient in this mask and whilst I often leave moisture masks on for longer than the directions recommend, even overnight (this one can be used as such for an intensive boost), I was concerned to do so in case it broke out my acne prone skin. During use, it felt cooling & soothing.

After the 5 minutes was up, the mask hadn't set on my skin (I didn't expect it would) but it had absorbed into my most dehydrated areas as well as where I'd only applied a thin layer.

The directions state that the mask can be rinsed or tissued off. I didn't want to risk there being any residue on my skin so thoroughly removed it using a hot flannel - although the fact that no product was left on my skin perhaps meant that I didn't gain the optimum benefits. That said, I did notice that my skin wasn't quite so thirsty the following day and didn't drink up my usual moisturiser to the same extent as it normally would. Conversely, it also felt a little irritated and congested.

Personally, I wouldn't repurchase Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask, owing to the inclusion of shea butter in the formula. For the same reason, I wouldn't recommend it as suitable for those with acne prone skin (even though Sanctuary state that it's suitable for all skin types). I feel that it's best suited to those with dry skin.

Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask costs £10 for 75ml, although a trial size sachet is also available to buy. It's an average mask which might be worth checking out if it was on offer but for me, it's not a standout.