Everyone’s Favorite Pimple Patch Brand Just Launched a Clay Mask, and We Have An Exclusive Discount

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It made our editors' skin glowier than ever.

Here’s the thing: When it comes to our congested pores, we put our trust in Hero Cosmetics to take care of it. When we tried its bestselling nose patches — which sold out in six hours after its launch — the hydrocolloid sucked out all the gross grime and oil right out of our skin, even ones hidden in the deepest corners of our stretched-out, dirt-filled pores. And while it’s equal parts satisfying and disturbing to peel off the patches, we learned just how much puss and gunk gets built up in our skin. Which leads us to the question: Why wait for it to build up? Why not just get in a good pore cleanse a few times a week? Again, we put our trust in Hero Cosmetics for the sake of our pores.

We got an exclusive first look at Pore Purity, its newly launched clay cleanser, which promises to absorb oils, impurities, and grime, to reveal a brighter, cleaner, and more even-toned complexion via a unique blend of two different clays. Mineral-rich glacial sea clay clarifies the skin by drawing out impurities, while volcanic clay soaks up excess sebum to control shine. And with a touch of sea kelp and all its glorious antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins, the skin is left hydrated, smooth and more even.

Yet, we’re sadly not strangers to false promises. We needed to see all this promised magic for ourselves. So, the team here at InStyle tested out Hero’s claims to see how the clay mask actually performed on our own skin, from the very oily and tired to dry and sensitive. We paid close attention to the mask’s texture and how it felt on our skin, how deeply it cleansed, as well as the way our skin looked and felt after, including whether it left our skin feeling hydrated or parched. When we gathered all the data from the editors, we echoed the same sentiment: Wow.

To celebrate the launch, we’re excited to share an exclusive discount code with InStyle: Use code PORE15 for 15 percent off your order, valid until June 20, 2023.

Hero Cosmetics Pore Purity Cleansing Mask

Buy at Herocosmetics.pxf.io

Use code PORE15 for 15 percent off

Texture

Whatever your preconceived ideas of clay masks are, kindly fold them up and toss them right out. We’ve tried a lot of products over the years, and this clay mask is unlike anything anyone on our team has ever used.

“If you blindfolded me and had me apply it, I would have guessed it was a cream mask and not clay — it was that smooth and spreadable,” is what our senior beauty commerce editor, Kaitlin Clark had to say.

The formula has a bit of a whipped texture to it, giving it a lightweight and satisfyingly creamy feel. It’s not as dense as other clay masks, but it still feels rich and hearty on the finger. With copious amounts of clay in the formula, the mask’s color comes out perfectly opaque, and to our surprise, spread across our skin without thinning out.

Application

Most clay face masks of yore followed the same theme: They were goopy and dried onto skin in a flash, sometimes before we had even finished applying. With this clay mask though, we noticed immediately that it lacked the sticky or heavy feeling others have, and it glided over our skin like a buttery dream. Because it’s so lightweight, we smoothed it all over our skin without a hint of resistance.

But perhaps the most notable point was that it didn’t start to dry the second it hit our skin. Instead, it sat patiently on the surface while we finished the rest of the face, allowing us to indulge in the experience itself. “I didn't feel like I was racing against the clock trying to smear it on my face before it hardened,” says senior commerce editor, Chloe Anello.

InStyle writer Bianca Kratky echoes this sentiment, chalking it up to the slow-motion dry down, which also prevented it from cracking (and therefore, ineffective) right away. Even after leaving it on and waiting the recommended 10 minutes, we could still move our faces without the mask beginning to crumble.

Feel

There are a few different sensations we noticed during our journey with this mask. As soon as it touched our skin, it had a slightly cool feel, which faded as it dried down. However, it does take its sweet time to fully dry, which was a first for us. And unlike other clay masks, our skin felt flexible, with plenty of mobility, rather than trapped and tight. It didn’t lock our faces into a single expression or crack if we dared to smile. It made the whole experience quite enjoyable.

Hero Cosmetics recommends leaving the mask on for 10 minutes, an exact number Anello suggests adhering to. Lost in a moment, she accidentally left it on for 13, at which point it began to tingle a little. Clark noticed this sensation as well, but it was nothing unbearable. You could simply feel the clay working its magic to vacuum out all the impurities from the pores.

The Wash-Off Process

Anello and Clark both opted to use a washcloth to rinse the mask off, something Kratky should have maybe done as well. Without it, there’s simply a lot of product to get off with bare hands, making the whole process take a good few minutes. As it makes contact with water, it lathers up slightly, bringing the cleansing effects to life. After a few minutes of repeatedly splashing water on the skin and massaging, the mask rinses off fully.

Results

Looking up at the mirror after using it for the first rinse, our new, fresh-faced look was immediately evident. Not only did our skin feel squeaky clean, it also looked radiant, oil-free and just plain healthy. Kratky especially noticed that her formerly uneven-feeling forehead was whipped into a taut, smooth surface, and Clark experienced that same magic.

“The mask gave my skin a super deep clean,” she says. “I felt like my pores were rinsed top to bottom, and my skin looked all over more even, which is shocking to me because my cheeks usually have a pink/redding flush, which I was expecting to be worse after using the mask, but to be honest, it somehow neutralized.”

Two similar experiences may be a coincidence, but three makes it a theme, as Anello noticed nearly identical results. “I looked more even and a lot brighter,” she says. “It took a lot of redness out of my skin, too.”

Clark’s sensitive skin is typically reactive to active cleansers, and harsh ones tend to poke the bear, but this one was gentle and creamy enough to balance out the stronger ingredients. On the other hand, Kratky has sensitive eyes, and a lot of cleansers make her teary, but this one did no such thing.

“Most of all, it doesn’t feel completely dried out, like clay masks usually make me feel,” says Kratky. “I didn’t immediately follow it up with a moisturizer just to see how my skin felt, and it only felt mildly tight, but completely bearable. Adding a touch of moisturizer just to bring the wholesome feeling home was amazing. My skin was reborn and alive again.”

Anello agrees, saying that after a few hours, her skin felt “so soft.”

Although anyone with dry skin, like Clark, may feel that their skin is a little tight after washing the mask off. “I don’t mind it, though, as it feels like my skin is super duper clean, and it’s nothing an overnight cream and serum can’t fix,” she says. “I do want to note though that it felt taut, not stripped, and there’s a big difference.”

Value

For $20, this clay mask is an actual steal. Add on the fact that you can get it for just $17 with code PORE15, and it’s basically a given that it will sell out in a matter of days.

This mask isn’t intended to be part of your daily routine. Instead, Hero recommends using it three times a week, which means one bottle will let you coast for a few months before needing to snatch up another. “It’s great for days when you are sweaty, have worn a lot of sunscreen, or otherwise feel like your skin is in need of a reset,” suggests Clark.

While it's technically billed as a cleanser, it’s really more for going that extra step to completely wipe the slate clean, rather than using it like a regular cleanser to wash off makeup at night. “It’s really a face mask and a cleanser combined, so it’s kind of like a self-care piece,” says Kratky “Plaster this opaque mask on, sip on some water out of a glass straw, journal, wash it off and suddenly both your mood and your skin feel completely refreshed.”

All of that for just $17? We’ll take two, please.

Why Shop With Us

Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer at InStyle, with over two years of experience covering fashion and beauty products. In order to write this article, she and editors Chloe Anello and Kaitlin Clark all received a sample of the Pore Purity clay mask ahead of its launch, to test the product out for themselves. Kratky has normal to oily skin, Clark has sensitive and dry skin, and Anello has sensitive skin. The product proved to be effective enough to remove oils, but gentle enough to work on all skin types.

Related: I Tried the Amazon Nose Patch That Sold Out in Six Hours, and It Worked Wonders on My Pores

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