Hello lovelies :) How's your day going so far? Mine is going pretty well actually as I have just passed my driving theory exam this morning and I got some money as a birthday gift (I'm turning 22 tomorrow).
Anyways, today I want to share with you some grooming tips for guys courtesy of Montagne Jeunesse. If you aren't aware, Montagne Jeunesse, in collaboration with the Cardiff Blues Rugby Team, have released 5 new
Natural male grooming products! Even the product descriptions are as cheesy as guys can get :P In MJ's own words, "They get the job done, are hassle free, straight talking and don’t take themselves too seriously".
I was kindly sent the 5 new products to try out but I decided to leave the testing in the hands (or rather faces) of my boyfriend, Dad and brother. I tested the peel off masque and eye patches myself as I am the only one who gets puffy eyes and dark circles out of them. I will be splitting the reviews in two posts, otherwise, one post will be too long.
First off, a general word about Montagne Jeunesse and their products...
By now, Montagne Jeunesse is established as a company that is synonymous with the production of natural products without testing on animals and most of us, if not all, have tried one, two or their whole range of ever increasing treatments for the face, hair and body. Being cruelty free and made out of natural products, MJ products are also suitable for vegetarians!
So, on to the reviews, starting with the packaging :) Basically, MJ kept the same packaging format but this time, we get a man with the product on his face to illustrate the package contents with the ingredients and a fun description of the product at the back.
The shape of the pack is also different from the women's ones but the amount of product is the same for both. The packaging plays an important part of the marketing strategy as all three of my testers agreed that it is much more drawing to have a product targeted for men. They also agreed that the packaging presents the product really well and it conveys the right expectations. Dad tried the Blackhead Mask, Johan tried the Morning After Scrub and James (my brother) gave the Dirt & Grime Clean Sauna Mask a shot. All three left the mask on for 15 minutes total and the products can be used more than once. Here's what they have to say about them!
We can't promise to keep you squeaky clean after a lad's night out but with Natural Charcoal this scrub draws out dirt and grime to revitalize and sort out your skin. Well, it's a start...
So the first thing you notice as soon as you open the packet, it the smell of the masque which Johan liked. It doesn't smell like burnt charcoal or anything, it just smells nice but not girly (if you know what I mean). The product is very easy to apply and the exfoliating granules are quite small indeed. However, Johan did find them a bit harsh for his rather soft skin. Despite him commenting that the masque felt a little bit abrasive, he didn't have any redness on his face and while rinsing it off, it felt much softer to work with and he was left with nicely fresh, soft and smooth skin.
The main ingredients in this masque are:
1. Charcoal, to help absorb oil
2. Pumice, exfoliates to help get rid of dead skin
3. Borage Seed Oil, to condition and hydrate the skin
4. Hemp seeds, to nourish the skin, leaving it looking healthy
Therefore, I'd recommend this masque to someone with oily skin, combination skin and those who experience episodes of mild dryness whenever they need to feel fresh and clean after a day combating with pollution and weather elements.
Get up close and personal with our exotic hottie. This self warming face mask is packed with Cinnamon & Ginger to open your pores and rid your skin of dirt & grime... leaving you with a complexion as smooth as your best chat-up line.
My brother tested this mask out and I was pretty amazed at the fact that he agreed to have a face mask applied to his face! When I asked him about it, he just answered that the mask is targeted for men, hence no fears of smelling like a lady!
Speaking of smell, this is the best smelling mask of the bunch! It is bursting with the warmth of cinnamon and ginger scents yet it's not at all an overpowering scent. Personally, I also like the bright orange colour My brother quite liked the warming sensation of this mask and even commented that his pores will be deeply cleaned which is in fact what the final result was. It is a bit messy to apply with your fingers so I suggest you apply it with a wooden spatula. After using this mask, my brother's skin looked much more healthy and clean and he even asked me to re-apply the mask another time! Way to go Montagne Jeunesse! This mask is most appropriate for guys with oily or normal skin.
Fancy some steamy fun in the shower? Slap this on, let the licorice extracts deep cleanse & purify, then jump in to rinse off... not quite what you were thinking? Your skin will thank you anyway!
The last mask I will be writing about in this post, is the Blackhead mask which was tested by my Dad. I selected this mask for him as he is prone to blackheads seeing that his job requires him hours on end in traffic (he works as a sales representative and most of the time, his work involves a lot of driving, meaning he has to face quite a good lot of pollution).
He really liked the licorice smell of this mask as did I. The texture of this masque is quite thick but it spreads easily onto the skin. It starts to hared after a few seconds and dries to a much lighter grey colour than it originally is. It is recommended that this mask is showered off but although Dad rinsed it off instead, he still commented o how refreshing the mask felt. Me and Mum commented that his skin looked brighter and definitely cleaner :) All this was thanks to the licorice root extracts which open up pores and rebalance the skin as well as willow bark extract which is known to be a natural remedy for problem skin and leaves the complexion looking bright and radiant. This product is most suited for normal and oily skins.
Overall, the boys enjoyed being pampered with these masks and they all liked the final results. I would recommend these masks to all men who are conscious about their appearance and want to look and feel good effortlessly!
UK residents can get these products at Morrisons and Asda nationwide as well as online on
www.montagnejeunesse.com. The masks retail for £1.29 RRP while the Eye Rescue retails for £1.99 RRP.
For my Maltese readers, I haven't yet seen these new releases yet but you can get MJ products from various supermarkets as well as from New Look and Peacocks outlets.
The Crystal Face Masque is really one of a kind and I have never tried anything from Montagne Jeunesse or any other brand for that matter. It is made out of honey which is well know for its anti-bacterial properties and early civilisations like the Egyptians have used honey to embalm the dead. Moreover, honey keeps skin hydrated and fresh while preventing further drying and its antioxidant soothing texture make it a perfect ingredient for lip balm and various other skin care and beauty preparations. The honey in this masque is crystallized and together with sugar, they make the perfect exfoliating treat for the skin, revealing a soft, smooth and radiant complexion. However, the granules are not at all big and I like that because big granules can irritate the skin. The other main constituent of this mask is Passion Flower. I was always fascinated by the beautiful flowers this plant produces and I was even more keen on trying products derived from it when I learnt that Passion Flowers are rich in Vitamins C and A and Potassium, hence it is excellent for healing the skin and thanks to its anti-bacterial properties, the skin is left clean, purified and protected.
