[REVIEW] Urang Clarifying Blue Mask (Before and After)

[1]🍼Ingredients Breakdown [2]Instructions [3]Results VS. Claims [4]Before&After [5]Verdict

Price (use this link): 42$ [Depending on where you live, you may have to pay high import duties and taxes if going with this option, so the final price will end up being close to the Amazon one.]
Texture: Soft clay with small hard beads in it
What you get: 105 ml
Cruelty-free: Yes
Instagram: @urangnatural

+ingredients

Ingredients of the Urang Clarifying Blue Mask: Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (Viscosity Controlling + Absorbent/Mattifier), Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Niacinamide, Bentonite, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Propanediol (Solvent + Moisturizer/Humectant), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Controlling + Emulsifying + Surfactant/Cleansing + Emulsion Stabilising), Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, (-)-Alpha-Bisabolol, ♦️Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, ♦️*Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Oil,♦️ Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, ♦️Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Leaf/Twig Oil, *Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Guaiazulene, Allantoin

*Organic ingredients

🍼In-Depth Details Of Interesting Ingredients:

Kaolin: Clay mineral that soaks up excess oils (sebum) and pulls impurities from the skin
Glycerine: Widely used as a quality Hydrator (occurs naturally in skin and its chemical structure attracts water). You can find this ingredient in most good skin-replenishing products.
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil: Jojoba oil is rich in Vitamins A, D, and E. The hydrogenated part comes from a mixture of wax esters of fatty acids and alcohol mixed with the real thing. Notably: ‘‘the hydrogenation reaction of the oil takes place readily and be continued until the oil is completely hydrogenated. In such a case, a relatively hard fat/ wax is produced’’ [source, page 94] In the case of this mask, the beads are quite hard, and they don’t burst while you rub them as you would expect had they been softer.
Niacinamide: Anti-aging (promotes collagen production and Ceramides synthesis) + Antioxidant (Against UV-induced photocarcinogenesis and photo immunosuppression) + Anti-inflammatory ( Possible reductions in total sebaceous creation of lipids, overproduction being one of the causes of acne)
Bentonite: Anti-irritant (reduces inflammation caused by contact dermatitis) + Soaks up excess oils (sebum) and pulls impurities from the skin (a lot of study focus on the effects of bentonite clay in pulling out toxic skin compounds)
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract: Antioxidant (Notably: protects skin against airborne pollution. source)
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract: Anti-hyperpigmentation effects + Antioxidant + Potentially Photoprotective + Might contain residual amounts of essential oil that may be sensitizing if you have very sensitive skin.
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract + Pulsatilla Koreana Extract +Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract: These 3 extracts form a popular natural Korean preservative called ‘‘EURO-NApre’’, which is presumably one of the safest natural preservatives out there on the market right now. Logic follows that synthetic preservatives are more irritating and less safe for the skin - I don’t particularly agree with this claim, some natural things are cytotoxic, others aren’t, either way, it’s a good preservative.
α-(−)-bisabolol/Alpha-Bisabolol: Anti-inflammatory (inhibits Cytokines (pro-inflammatory substances of our cells)) + Anti-microbial (prevents certain fungi and bacterial growth) + Anti-hyperpigmentation (Inhibits melanin synthesis) + Antioxidant
*Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil: Anti-inflammatory (α-bisabolol) + Soothing + Antioxidative (Terpenoids, flavonoids, quercetin) + Wound Healing.
Guaiazulene: Anti-microbial/Anti-bacterial + anti-inflammatory (gives the cream it’s blue color as it is a derivative of Azulene, the blue colored constituent of chamomile oil)
Allantoin: Moisturizing (Emollient: provides a layer of protection to help prevent water loss)

♦️Controversial ingredients:

Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil + *Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Oil + Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil + Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Leaf/Twig Oil : All of these serve as natural fragrances, some have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory claims, but there isn’t enough research on essential oils in general when it comes to topical skin application. Some types of skins easily get irritated by essential oils, others don’t react in any way, if you’re interested, I’d recommend reading this blog post [Are Essential Oils in Skin Care Harmful or Helpful?] by The Klog for more information.

+HOW TO USE THE Urang Clarifying Blue Mask

+WHAT DOES THE Urang Clarifying Blue Mask DO?

1.White Kaolin Clay deeply clarifies skin while absorbing impurities and excess sebum that can become trapped in pores: Yes, this has been proven ample time; kaolin does everything this claim says, and so does the mask. However, after using the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask, I wouldn’t say the Urang one ‘DEEPLY’ clarifies. It’s clarifying and absorbs an adequate amount of oil, but for blackheads, you’ll need to squeeze them out after the mask loosens them. It does what every good clay mask does, not more or less, the only extra thing it got going for it is that the experience feels more luxurious due to the packaging and texture of the product.

2.Camellia Extract, an antioxidant, suppresses destruction of collagen in skin due to fine dust/pollution. A study made on Camellia Japonica Flower Extract shows that its topical application on ex vivo human skin cells (cells taken from humans but tested on a petri dish of some sort) protects against oxidative damage associated with dust pollution. It also works by intercepting collagen-degrading enzymes before they do the degrading part and lead to premature aging - these enzymes are overproduced when the skin is exposed to the sun or pollution. So alone, yes, Camellia extract does what this claim says, but incorporated in a clay mask, I don’t know how accurate this would be. In the study made, Camellia extract was used at 50 μg/mL and put directly on the cells. The concentration used in this mask is unknown. Still, its position on the ingredient list would suggest it is adequate; the issue is the method of application: while used directly on the cells in the study, the Urang Clarifying Blue Mask is going to be washed off after 15 minutes, and its primary function is that of absorption and clarification, which suggests that the penetrating ability of the overall mixture isn’t high. I think Camellia extract is a fantastic ingredient to incorporate into a routine, but as a serum or leave-on mask, not a clay one.

3.Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil provides anti-inflammatory and brightening benefits: Chamomile oil contains two very interesting compounds, (-)-α-bisabolol and chamazulene, which ‘account for 50% to 65% of the total volatile oil content.’’ [source]. Both of these are known to have anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin, so this one checks out. Bisabolol has also been shown to have brightening properties as it inhibits melanin production (skin pigment color). I have personally experienced a tiny bit of skin brightening, but nothing very obvious or notable. The consistent use of this mask can be helpful if you enjoy using a clay mask and one of your main concerns is hyperpigmentation as it would help a bit. As for the inflammation part, although chamomile itself is anti-inflammatory, the presence of essential oils, abrasive material (the hydrogenated jojoba oil beads discussed below), and usage of the mask as a ‘clarifying’ treatment would probably counteract any potential anti-inflammatory effect it has. Overall, yes, it is a bit brightening, but forget about combating inflammation with this mask.

4.Essential Oils including Grapefruit Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Oil, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil and Citrus extract from Jeju, detoxify, restore and protect skin's barrier: I'm not an essential oil hater, but the truth is that although a good portion of these have anti-inflammatory and even wound healing properties, they also all have aromatic compounds that are known be sensitizing. Even if your skin is not irritated from the start, research has shown that they can be sensitizing in the long run: the more you use them, the more their negative effects become noticeable. However, this reaction doesn't tend to happen with wash-off products or cleansers, as whatever you're putting on your skin is only there for a couple of minutes. I have acne-prone skin, and the Urang Clarifying Blue Mask didn't trigger any breakouts. Using it on any skin type should be fine, but if you have sensitive or skin with active acne on it, don't test your luck with this one.

5.Jojoba Beads provide gentle exfoliation and are biodegradable: As I mentioned in the in-depth part of the ingredient list above, the hydrogenated jojoba oil beads used can be hard or soft depending on the hydrogenation process length: the longer the reaction, the harder the beads. In the case of this mask, the beads are quite hard, and they don't burst while you rub them as you would expect had they been softer. Hence, this ingredient aims not to release the jojoba oil it contains but to serve as an abrasive/exfoliating agent, purely. Due to the hardness of its nature, I personally do not find it gentle. I've used the mask as recommended, first gently scrubbing the initial layer and then applying another one over it, but I've found this to be too rough on my skin. Even using the mask in just one layer, removing it with water still produces scrubbing as you tug on your skin, and I don't think this would be appropriate if your skin is sensitive.

As shown in the pictures, the Urang Clarifying Blue Mask sucks out sebum from the acne, but it also slightly wounds the area due to the beads, so it's also not appropriate for people with active acne. As for the beads themselves, you can see that they're more or less big, non-uniform, with different spherical diameters, some with a soft surface and other more abrasive - this isn't satisfactory for proper physical exfoliation. Anyway, the point is: I'm not a fan of these beads.

As you can see from the before and after, the pores on my cheek are cleaned out, the ones on my nose haven't changed much, but they are loosened up so that you can squeeze them out more efficiently. The pimple's white head got absorbed, but the spot itself got more red due to the jojoba beads. And overall, the skin looks a bit brighter. Do note that the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask is a better option if you're looking for blackheads control.

I like this clay mask. It's not out of this world, or particularly impressive, but it does the job. I, however, would not recommend it to anyone. Although it would work well with normal, combination, and oily skins, its price tag is ridiculous for what it offers. Even if you buy it from resellers sites like Ohlolly, you'll end up paying for import duties and taxes (if you don't live in the US), which would average the price to around 60$. For comparison purposes, the Skin&Lab Glacial Clay Facial Mask is 16.90$, and the Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask is 11.16$. They both more or less have the same results as the Urang one, except for the slight brightening part.

You can obviously still try the Urang one out, but if you have sensitive skin or currently active acne-prone skin, I strongly recommend against it.