The cult favourite brand Axis-Y is finally available in India and I tried their Mask Now Glow Later Duo Set for a month before it launched at Beautybarn India. The set consists two of the top-selling masks from the brand:
1) Mugwort Pore Clarifying Wash Off Pack
2) New Skin Resolution Gel Mask
The brand became a viral sensation when their Mugwort mask became viral on social media due to its clarifying benefits and claims of how well it works on acne and oily skin.
Not going to lie, I personally don’t suffer much from acne apart from the 2 cystic acnes that I get each month. And since they leave marks that take forever to heal, it’s a huge problem for me. So, I took my sweet time, testing how the masks work during specific times of my cycle. So, let’s jump into the reviews!
Axis-Y Mugwort Pore Clarifying Wash Off Pack
This cult-favourite mask is infused with pore clarifying and soothing ingredients like Artemisia Princep Extract (anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory), Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Powder (anti-bacterial) , Oat Extract, Artichoke Extract, Houttuniya Cordata Extract (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative), Charcoal Powder.
It has an earthy smell that’s very pleasant and infused with Adzuki Bean Granules.
So, I have this temporary pore shrinking technique where I use a Salicylic Acid followed by a clay mask and a cleansing oil and then the gunk that makes the pores appear larger just comes out while gently massaging the skin.
Since this mask contains ingredients like Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay and Charcoal, I used this mask for my pore-shrinking routine. And I won’t lie, it worked so well and the Sebaceous Filaments came right off the pores. It made my pores appear smaller and my skin looked squeaky clean. The best part about the mask is that it isn’t at all drying like most clay masks out there.
Now I had to see if it can combat my cycle acne. So, I kept tracking my period app. The four fertile days I flaunt a gorgeous skin. But from the last day of the fertile window starts the ovulation phase. This is when sebum production increases, clogging the pores. And next is when the break outs happen. For years I tried to do something about it when the ovulation phase begins but nothing actually worked preventing the breakouts.
This time I waited for the last day of my fertile window and followed my pore shrinking method using this Mugwort mask before the first sign of high sebum production appeared. I guess it worked unclogging the pores because the next day even though my T-zone looked a bit oily, the cystic acne didn’t erupt. Wait! Did I just crack the cycle acne code?
I waited another day to see if the cystic acne erupts, after all the ovulation phase hasn’t ended. By the afternoon a very tiny bump erupted that looked nowhere near a cystic acne.
That’s when I pulled out the second mask up my sleeve.
Axis-Y New Skin Resolution Gel Mask
Infused with ingredients like Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica (anti-oxidant), Calendula Extract, Houttuniya Cordata Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Ceramide NP and many more, this Mask is known for its soothing benefits.
I used it before when my skin was okay, and loved how it moisturized and brightened my skin. But this time I had a bit of irritation on my skin to test it upon.
A single application later, the tiny bump that appeared a few hours ago disappeared without any trace. It evened out my skin and made my PMS skin healthy.
These two masks combined became my go-to PMS Holy Grail. The only issue with the Gel Mask is that it contains essential oils. And since some people are sensitive to essential oil, it might be best for them to skip the Gel Mask and only go for the Mugwort Mask.
I however, thoroughly enjoy my essential oils so it didn’t bother me at all.
Need some tips to manage adult acne? Read this to know how.
