It is no secret that I have been fascinated with the Montreal-based brand, Nannette de Gaspe, since their invention of the original dry sheet mask! After buying and trying the masks for the face, mouth and eyes, I was delighted to see last Spring that new products were available starting with a new and more affordable dry sheet mask and the Art of Noir Skincare Collection, which features a proprietary blend of Black Tahitian Pearl extract, Black Tea Ferment and Black Currant Seed Oil known as Concentré Noir.
Some PR samples
Let's start easy and with the first step of any skincare routine - cleansing. The Essence Noir Treating & Cleansing Facial Cloths* feature caviar lime extract for gentle brightening, snow mushroom for hydration and willowbark extract which is a natural form of salicylic acid. This rinse-free cleansing cloth is for all skin types and promises to leave skin free of makeup and impurities while leaving it glowing and hydrated. One thing to note, notice how the featured ingredients are very early in the ingredients list with Concentré Noir also being in the first half! So, that is already a good sign!
Ingredients: Water, Coco Betaine, Propanediol, Hematite Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract (caviar lime extract), Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract (snow mushroom), Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Betaine, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/leaf (Bilberry) Extract, Panthenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Saccharomyces/xyli-num/black Tea Ferment, Rubus Occidentalis (Black Raspberry) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Cycnoches Cooperi (Orchid) Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, 1,2hexanediol, Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Linanool, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid
While I get the appeal of having a black-coloured cleansing cloth to see the grime that's coming off your skin as well as the "Essence Noir aesthetic", I would have been happy with a white cloth. The actual material was quite soft and felt comfortable to use even around the delicate eye area. While it wasn't the best at removing eye makeup, face makeup was not a problem. The scent of the cloths was fruity and pleasant and oddly enough, my skin not only felt hydrated after use, but it actually DID look slightly brighter. Not as bright as when I use a legit exfoliator, but just a touch more glowy.
Would I actually buy these $45 cleansing cloths and actually USE them as cleansing cloths? No, probably not. I think the emphasis should really be on the treatment part because that's where I felt I was getting the results and for the price, I'd rather spend less on drugstore wipes or a bottle of cleanser that can remove waterproof eye makeup and then use these wipes as a treatment. I tend to remove my makeup right away after work, but then struggle with what to apply on my skin in the interim until I have a shower 3 hours later. These wipes are that in-between PLUS provide a bit of exfoliation too.
The Essence Noir Polish was actually the first item I experienced from the Art of Noir line when I purchased it while waiting for a MAKE UP FOR EVER event. I was not expecting to spend almost $100 on an exfoliator, but since it IS my favourite step in a skincare routine, it felt like the one to splurge on because this is both a physical and chemical exfoliator containing volcanic sand, kaolin clay, activated charcoal, glycolic acid and papaya and pineapple enzymes! This is a veritable smorgasbord of exfoliants, but also hydrating ingredients like shea butter and snow mushroom extract.
This is intended for all skin types, but there is a tiny bit of menthol in the formulation which depending on how sensitive you are, may be an issue. The last time I experienced menthol was in a sheet mask and the discomfort level was intense, but in this exfoliator, it came off as refreshing. Kind of like Lush's Christingle, but for your face!
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Kaolin (CI 77004), Glycolic Acid, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Volcanic Sand, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum, Silicate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Hematite Extract, Papain (papaya extract), Bromelain (pineapple extract), Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract (snow mushroom), Betaine, Limonene, Salicylic Acid, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Citric Acid, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Charcoal Powder, Rubus Occidentalis (Black Raspberry) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Cycnoches Cooperi (Orchid) Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Tocopherol, Vanillyl Butyl Ether, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid
Yes, this exfoliator did a great job at renewing my skin and bringing it out of dullness city. The scent was pleasant, the physical scrub was dense, but fine like Vasanti's BrightenUp! and the purple colour a little fun. What I struggled with, and it may be my particular bottle, is the issues with getting the actual product OUT with the pump mechanism. I am not sure if the density of the exfoliant makes a "squeeze bottle" or jar more appropriate. Honestly, for this reason alone, I am hesitant to repurchase and I am tempted to scoop it all out and put the remaining product in a jar.
For the final step (or second to last) in our skincare routine, we sheet mask! The original Youth Revealed Dry Sheet Masks that I have reviewed are innovative, cool-looking and effective, but expensive. The full face dry sheet mask is reusable (up to 5x for me) and retails for $145 CDN so even at $30 per use, this is most definitely a luxury item. Miss de Gaspe is targeted at a younger demographic, millennials or people who are new to skincare and want something that is easy, no fuss and effective.
The waterless technology for the Miss de Gaspe Dry Masks is identical to its predecessor and comes in three different "flavours": Defy and Drench, Purify and Purge and Brighten and Beam. I was sent Defy and Drench* which is the most hydrating of the trio and is shea butter and avocado oil-based.
Ingredients: BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, STEARIC ACID, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, PROPANEDIOL, GLYCERIN, CETYL ALCOHOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, CETEARYL OLIVATE, SORBITAN OLEATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, SORBITAN OLIVATE, SILICA, SORBITAN STEARATE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, ARGININE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, CI 77891, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, MAGNOLIA OFFICINALIS BARK EXTRACT, MICA, HYDROLYZED SODIUM HYALURONATE, XANTHAN GUM, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT, SALICORNIA HERBACEA EXTRACT, ACER RUBRUM BARK EXTRACT, CI 77491, CI 75470, TIN OXIDE, TOCOPHEROL
Though the technology and skin felt fairly similar after using this mask, the difference really came down to fit. Have a look at my mask selfies with the original Nannette de Gaspe Youth Revealed Dry Mask. What really bugged me with the Miss de Gaspe version was the open chin. Having straps that allow the chin to be lifted and covered really made a difference for me in terms of comfort as without that "anchor", the mask instinctively wanted to shrink towards the middle of my face.
Though I wasn't too pleased with the fit, I have my eye on the Purify & Purge Dry Mask because I have never tried a detoxifying dry mask. I also have my eye on the Essence Noir Moisturizer as I tried it in store and was impressed with the finish and texture so I would like to know how it does on my actual skin!
Miss de Gaspe is found exclusively on missdegaspe.com and Nannette de Gaspe can be found at nannettedegaspe.com and Holt Renfrew.
.JPG)
No comments