Face Mask Friday #34 – Shills Black Mask (AKA That Peel Off Mask)

Face Mask Friday #34 – Shills Black Mask (AKA That Peel Off Mask)

I’m sure just about everyone saw the video that went viral of the hysterical woman peeling off a black face mask over how much pain it was causing. This had the slightly sadistic face mask lover me in intrigued, and when Just Beauty offered me the chance to try one I jumped at the chance, so here’s my thoughts on the iconic Shills Black Mask.

There are many similar versions of this mask floating around now, but the one you want to avoid potential disappointment is from the brand Shills. The product comes in a box with all the instructions and ingredients listed, and inside comes a 50ml tube of product. It’s priced pretty reasonably at £8.99.

The box is a little mis-translated I think, whilst the tube itself seems to have had better English added, I mean the outer box claims that this increases complexion, nothing can increase your complexion – it can increase a smoother complexion, brighter complexion – but your complexion is your complexion isn’t it – whether it’s good or bad, so it can’t do anything to increase it.

I reviewed a very similar mask from Tony Moly not too long ago and that one left me especially disappointed, it didn’t pick up on anything other than the odd pore extraction here and there, and whilst both myself, and Ben – who loves a peel off face mask as much as the next hetrosexual male – have ever found it to be doing anything. So we both have been putting this one to the test over the last few weeks.

This one is probably the blackest of it’s type that I’ve tried, other black masks I’ve tried have really been grey or charcoal coloured, but this one is very definitely black.

I’ve found the best way to apply this is in sections, you can use this face mask all over (although definitely recommend giving your eyebrows a wide berth), however I like to leave at least small sections between each area, or repeat the process a second time filling in the gaps to areas you left free the first time.

The reason for this is this mask is as painful as the hysterical woman made out. This isn’t for the faint hearted and it takes me a good ten minutes to be able to get it off. This makes my eyes water, my nose run. You can see from the picture below just how much it pulls at the skin as you remove it, it makes my eyes and nose water, especially in the really tender areas around the eye area. Having smaller pieces you can keep giving yourself breaks (and pep talks – “Rachael, you got this”) from I’ve found is very beneficial, And the longer you can wait to let it set – the box recommends up to 30 minutes, the easier it is to remove. This normally comes off in one big piece at a time and a thinner layer, or an unset layer can mean that you have to almost rub this face mask off. I tend to leave it on between the 45-60 minute mark so I know that it is absolutely 100% set and it is going to come off easily, albeit painfully.

I’ll admit the first few times I used this I almost wrote this off as a gimmick, an immediate look at my face afterwards had found that it hadn’t touched the most obvious, bigger blackheads at all. All that pain for nothing. But it was only on the third and forth times that I noticed it was in fact doing quite a lot. Warning, prepare yourself for gory peels of face mask.

If you can I’d recommend zooming into the pictures below – if your stomach can handle it. What this does do a really great job of doing is picking up all the small clogged pores and blackheads that the eye can’t really detect or see. You can see lots of white dots on the reverse of the peel which is a teeny clogged pore – this is just a small fraction of what I peeled off my nose and cheeks. What it picks up isn’t the biggest or the deepest, but I guess over time this will stop these becoming the biggest and deepest. My skin certainly feels smoother thanks to using this one-two times a week for the past 6 weeks. It’s worth noting that any tiny fair hairs you have are also picked up by the mask, I think over the pores that’s where the most wincing and pain comes from.

I recommend the Shills Black Mask if you have clogged pores, if you’re relatively good with handling pain. I think I’ve gone far enough to explain how much it hurts, and this is an evening mask rather than one you might do just prior to makeup, skin up to an hour later can still look a little red and feel a tiny bit tender. If like me you get a weird satisfaction over those types of painful feelings when you can see results then this is worth trying.

Whilst it feels like you’re putting on a really thick layer and it’s not going to last very long with frequent use, I’d say with both Ben and myself using this over almost a month we’re probably just half way through our tube. If you’re in the UK you can get this on Just Beauty (here) and get 10% off if you’ve not ordered before with the code THANKYOU10, and this has me intrigued about trying some more of their extreme sounding skincare.

What are your favourite skincare items for unclogging pores and removing blackheads?

Shills Black Mask kindly sent for review, but thoughts are reflective of my own experience with the product.

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Helpless Whilst Drying

Email: helplesswhilstdrying@gmail.com

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24 Comments

  1. April 21, 2017 / 8:32 am

    I’m so glad you have done this review. I really wanted to try this but didn’t know which to get! I will get this One and give it a few times to hopefully see a difference!! 💖💖

  2. Sophie in Wonderland xo
    April 21, 2017 / 12:55 pm

    Loving the comedy review it cracked me up! I tried my mum’s of this the other day and I didn’t think it did much but if its good with frequent use I may get one for myself, its quite affordable which I’m surprised at! fab review loved it!! xxx

    • April 25, 2017 / 9:52 am

      I thought it would be more expensive too, I’ve had some different brands in the past and this is the only one which I’ve thought did anything. The others peel off way too easy compared to this one, I can see how this one works as it properly sticks to the skin, others just seem to sit on top.

  3. April 21, 2017 / 2:15 pm

    You couldn’t pay me enough money to rip this off my face! My skin would be so red and raw and angry – nope nope nope! Plus, the stuff that these peel off masks are removing aren’t blackheads – they’re sebaceous filaments which are normal and will just grow back.

    • April 25, 2017 / 9:56 am

      they do grow back I agree with you, since I’ve been using them though nothing has developed into a spot and my complexion always feels smoother and resurfaced afterwards.

      I do agree though if you have skin that has a tendency to redness this will probably cause some aggro, given I don’t and still get some redness for an hour or so afterwards.

  4. April 21, 2017 / 2:39 pm

    Rachael you are brave! After watching that video I couldn’t try this. It does seem to woek though. I secretly enjoy the close ups of the mask to see how much gunk it pulls out😂 xx

    • April 25, 2017 / 9:47 am

      Haha, it shows all the pain is worth it. It does bloody hurt though, definitely only one for non-sensitive skins and a high pain threshold I think! xx

  5. April 21, 2017 / 7:50 pm

    I’ve tried both the Shills and aivoye mask and got similar results. They work wonders but are blummin painful!

    • April 25, 2017 / 9:50 am

      They really smooth out my skin and I’ve had nothing develop into a spot since I started using them. Whilst they don’t clear any blackheads for me, my face is a lot smoother afterwards and it gives me a feeling of just being cleaner!

  6. April 21, 2017 / 11:06 pm

    Oh dear, that looks painful!! Does it leave you with sensitive skin after?

  7. Anna Petikova
    April 22, 2017 / 4:11 pm

    Bnn

  8. Leanne
    April 23, 2017 / 12:01 pm

    I’ve just ordered ‘this mask !! I’m so excited to give this a try and so is my sister because we love that video of the woman haha favourite line “is my cheek still there?” I’m aware it’s not going to unclog everything but nothing does that first time

    • April 25, 2017 / 9:49 am

      For me it removed clogged pores, but not blackheads so on the surface it seems like it hasn’t done a lot but when you inspect you can see what it’s taken out. Be prepared, it hurts! xx

  9. April 23, 2017 / 8:09 pm

    Those “blackheads” stuck to the mask are the best photos *LOL* So satisfying 😛 I swear I’m not a weirdo hahaha Peel off masks were all the rage in Japan back in the 90’s, looks like these pain inflicting masks are trending again. Fab descriptive post, Rachael xox

    • April 24, 2017 / 9:24 am

      Haha, at least I don’t think you’re a weirdo, there’s something in seeing the harvested fruits of your measures that shows the pain was worth it haha. Thanks Joyce xx

  10. April 24, 2017 / 9:12 am

    I always find it weirdly satisfying to see what the masks pull out! I really want to try this for myself

  11. May 1, 2017 / 7:26 pm

    I ordered this for myself the other day and hoping to rope chris into a review for my channel with me next weekend!! Looks painful but worth it, I love these kinds of things! xxx

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