worth the splurge or resist the urge? glamglow mud mask

Welcome to a new feature I just thought up here on GAB : worth the splurge or resist the urge? I'm going to be testing out more expensive goodies to hopefully help fellow beauty addicts stop regretting those naughty purchases (I am only a poor student though so don't expect this reviews to be coming thick and fast, haha). First up is the much hyped Mud Mask by GlamGlow....

So what's all the fuss about the newest cult mask to circulate the bloggersphere? That's what I was wondering until I picked up this very expensive skincare gem, maybe the most expensive beauty product I have ever bought in terms of how much product you get. This baby set me back a whole £25 for just 15ml (which is around the size of a tub of carmex lip balm), and compared to my Una Brennan or Origins mask lover-lovers only offers around 5 full-face uses. I really didn't think I would ever fork out that many pennies for such little product, but after hearing that you can actually see it pulling the oil out of your face I couldn't resist. Plus I got £5 off (still trying to convince myself that it was a bargain). 

I've included a not so attractive picture of it in action below. As you can see it dries to a light green colour which tightens the face in the typical way. Think Hillary Duff's step-mum in A Cinderella Story (brownie points for knowing this reference). It does tingle on the face A LOT so if you're on the sensitive side I don't know if you'd love this, but it doesn't leave the face too tight or dry. Plus the tiny dots you can see on my nose, that's the oil coming out. It's kinda gross, but kinda cool too, and it makes me feel like it really is working. I would say make sure to feed your skin with moisture afterwards though if you are oily to avoid your skin going into oil-making overload. 

In terms of the effects, I've used this three times now and each time I have seen brighter and clearer skin which feels uber-smooth. I think it's perfect for prepping your skin for a special occasion or night out, but I'm not convinced it makes a lasting impact in overall improvement in the same way my Una Brennan Tea Flower Clay Mask has. Maybe this is just because I can't afford to use it twice a week with such a hefty price tag. 

Overall I really like this mask, and having tried it out on a couple of my nearest and dearest, I think it will work wonders for really oily or problem skin. I've been quite dry lately, so I'm not the target audience, but I still saw visible and immediate results. Plus there was no redness which means I could go straight out. If you have the extra pennies, this is absolutely worth a try, but once it's gone I don't think it impressed me enough to make me throw out my alternatives and repurchase. I'll be saving this for sudden breakouts, nights out and maybe keep applying it just to my nose to clear any clogged pores. I really feel that had it been cheaper, this could have been a holy grail product, shame!

Verdict: If you're oily, worth the splurge. If you have so called 'normal' skin, resist that urge!

Have you tried glamglow? What did you think?