We Tried The Top-Rated Period Acne Face Mask — Here Are The Results

When Faace’s Period Faace Mask hit the Refinery29 office, promising to be a wonder product for period acne, the team was both sceptical and excited. This mask is a cult favourite among those in the know, earning five-star reviews left and right. Our main question though: can one product really do it all?

According to Faace, this very prettily packaged mask can improve breakouts, moisturise skin, calm inflammation, minimise pore size and improve skin texture, whether you're oily and shiny or dry and flaky. Even for the most jaded beauty experts on the team, that is quite some feat...

Unlike many other clarifying masks, Period Faace doesn’t consist of thick, moisture-zapping clay. It’s a clear and refreshing gel that is designed to sink into skin fast, however you like to apply it: as a thin layer under makeup for an all-day, priming treatment or layered up as a leave-on mask for 20 minutes. For the best results, Faace suggests applying before bed "like a no sheet, sheet mask".

The supercharged formula is designed to rebalance skin at any point during the ups and downs of your hormonal cycle. White willow (a derivative of salicylic acid) is the real hero ingredient of the mix, helping to clear pores and fighting angry breakouts with its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A natural antiseptic, clary sage helps to heal skin (perfect for acne scarring and those who tend to pick at spots), while hyaluronic acid and green tea hydrate and soothe. The addition of lavender offers a relaxing, herbal scent.

What's more, all Faace products are vegan and cruelty-free. As an added bonus, Faace has partnered with environmentally-friendly period product brand Hey Girls to tackle period poverty. With every Period Faace Mask sold, one pack of period products will be donated to someone in need.

To put it to the test, we rounded up four staff members with varying skin types, skincare routines and at different points in their menstrual cycle to see whether Period Faace really is worth all of those glowing testimonies.