How to choose between Deciem’s NIOD masks- Flavanone Mud or Myrrh Clay, Mastic Must or even Sanskrit Saponins?

I was having a little post birthday splurge on the Deciem site and I had a bit of difficulty trying to decide which NIOD mask would be right for me. The descriptions are similar and they all sound great for different reasons. In the end I went for Flavanone Mud. At a later date I was lucky enough to get sent Myrrh Clay by Deciem. I thought I would compare the two for anyone facing the same conundrum.

Here’s a run through of all the masks I have to help with your purchasing choices. Or just buy all of them!!..(like I did)

To find out more about NIOD the brand, head to my Deciem brand post.

Which NIOD Mask is the best?- Myrrh Clay Firming Mask

Purported effects of the Myrrh Clay–

• Tightening

Skin types–

• Aging
• Acne prone or inflamed

Ingredients list– Peat, Solum Fullonum, Propanediol, Aqua (Water), Fragaria Vesca Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Commiphora Myrrh Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Carrageenan, Acacia Senegal Gum, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

Key Ingredients–

• Peat– a mineral and antioxidant rich mulch of decomposed plants. 9,000 year old human bodies have been found perfectly preserved in peat bogs. Hopefully adding the stuff to skincare can harness its powerful preservative properties.
• Indian Solum Fullonum– Aka Fullers Earth Aka Multani Mitti. A mineral rich clay with toxin absorbing capabilities. Especially beneficial for acne prone skin as it can suck up oils and impurities.
• Alpine Strawberry Leaf extract– High in Vitamin C.
• Myrrh extract– I haven’t been able to find out much on Myrrh. Deciem writes- “for wound healing, as an antioxidant and for age prevention, the main benefit of topically-applied myrrh is visible and immediate firmness to the skin”. I can’t see anything online about the skin firming abilities.
• Evodea Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract– Used in Chinese medicine. This has been proven in studies to reduce skin inflammation.

Features–

• pH- 4-5
• Oil, alcohol, silicone, nut and cruelty free
• Vegan
• £28 for 50mls from Deciem.com

What is Myrrh Clay like-

Myrrh Clay is a dark brown mud like substance. It comes in a very fetching jar, so you’re going to need something to scoop out the contents. NIOD does a cute little spoon you can buy. I’ve made do with a bog standard teaspoon handle.

I love the smell of Myrrh Clay. It’s like a fruity mud smell, or a really strong cup of tea. It has a more mud like texture than most clay masks. There isn’t the typical clay mask powdery, moisture sucking, bone dry feeling.

Results–

Very clean feeling skin, a sense that my pores have been cleansed. Reduction in acne inflammation. It’s more drying than Flavanone Mud but less drying than other clay masks. As for tightening, maybe, I’m not sure if it’s just the power of suggestion.

Would I recommend–

Yes, particularly for acne sufferers or those with blocked pores.

Which NIOD Mask?- Flavanone Mud

Purported effects of Flavanone Mud–

Erm? By all means read the Deciem website if you enjoy being confused and excited at the same time. Purification, protection from environmental build up, long term shielding from toxins.

Skin types–

All including dry, oily, acne prone, sensitive… Particularly good for skin that’s feeling a little delicate.

Ingredients list–

Aqua (Water), Montmorillonite, Kaolin, Bisabolol, Silica Cetyl Silylate, Isodecyl neopentanoate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Argilla, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Resveratrol, Naringenin, Arginine, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Perfluorodecalin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycosphingolipids, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Acacia Senegal Gum, Mica, Quartz, Sucrose Palmitate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

Key ingredients–

• Montmorillonite– An absorbent mineral clay
• Kaolin– an oil absorbing clay mineral
• Bisabolol– an anti inflammatory derived from Chamomile
• Panthenyl triacetate– stimulates skin metabolism, anti inflammatory, skin support
• Glucosyl hesperidin– a flavanoid antioxidant which increases blood supply to the skin
• Potassium azeloyl diglycinate– an Azeleic Acid derivative
• Argilla– clay
• Resveratrol– an antioxidant
• Naringenin– a flavanoid from orange peel. It has proven anti inflammatory and anti oxidant effects. In fact, it sounds pretty bloody marvellous the more I read about it.
• Arginine– building block of collagen.
• Alteromonas Ferment Extract– A polysaccharide extracted from a deep sea plant. Known for hydration and soothing.
• Perfluordecalin– delivers oxygen to the skin surface.
• Jojoba oil– a vitamin rich sebum like plant wax with emollient, antioxidant and soothing properties.
• Glycosphingolipids– a ceramide precursor essential for the skin’s moisture barrier.

It contains so many fantastic ingredients that I literally leapt up while writing this to smear it on my face.

Features–

• pH 7-8
• Oil, alcohol, nut, silicone, gluten and cruelty free
• £29 for 50mls jar or £38 for 100mls tube (definitely makes sense to get the 100mls) from Deciem
• Flavanone Mud is meant to be used once weekly but you can do an every day for 5 days accelerated method.
• The results can take 48 hours to show to their full extent.

What it’s like–

It’s like a fine gritty substance suspended in an oily substance. It’s easy to spread so you can make a really thin layer with it. It smells very strange, it weirdly reminds me of a just born baby’s head. I love the smell, partly because I associate it with how amazing my skin is going to look in a minute.

The other thing about Flavanone Mud is the way it makes your face sting. I’ve heard of people keeping this mask on for hours but there’s no way I could bear it. Then it’s odd because you rinse it off and there’s no redness.

Deciem recommend applying to a cleansed dry face and leaving on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Sometimes I leave it on way longer. I can usually tolerate an hour, but it does sting quite a lot.

Results-

There’s a definite improvement in skin clarity and a certain glow. The skin feels hydrated too, which is never normally the case after a clay mask.

I tried the 5 day accelerated method and you really do get fantastically clear glowing skin.

Would I recommend?–

Yes, yes, yes!! It’s definitely the best face mask I’ve ever tried. It gives all the cleansing of a clay mask and glow you get from an acid peel, plus the hydration of a sheet mask. I love Flavanone Mud, everyone should try it.

Which NIOD Mask?- Mastic Must

Purported effects–

A visible immediate reduction in pore size. See NIOD.com for more information.

Ingredients-

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Pistacia Lentiscus (Mastic) Gum, Centaurea cyanus flower water, Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Alcohol, Honey, Coconut Acid, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Arginine, Bentonite, Butyl Avocadate, Ethyl Linoleate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phospholipids, Acacia Senegal Gum, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Propyl Gallate, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

Key Ingredients–

• Stearic acid– a fatty acid which breaks down oils. Can be comedogenic.
• Mastic Gum– the brittle sap from a Mastic tree. Has anti septic, anti oxidant, anti inflammatory and healing properties. Proven to help reduce the size and appearance of pores.
• Centaurea cyanus flower water– a flower extract with anti inflammatory properties, rich in plant flavanoids.
• Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract– Aka soapnut. A natural saponin or cleanser.
• Niacinamide– Aka Vitamin B3, known for it’s pore reducing, oil fighting abilities. Also good for the moisture barrier and helps with pigmentation.
• Honey– a natural anti bacterial.
• Arginine– a component of collagen.
• Bentonite– for detoxification.
• Lecithin– skin conditioner.
• Phospholipids– skin barrier replenishing.
• Lactobacillus ferment– a probiotic which may benefit acne prone skin.

Features–

• pH- 6-7
• Oil, silicone and cruelty free (ie contains alcohol and nuts and isn’t vegan)
• To be used in the morning, as often as you see fit. Leave on for 10 minutes and as an extra optional step- use a hairdryer on a warm setting for 15 seconds to further increase results)
• £27 for a 90ml tube from Deciem

What is Mastic Must like–

It’s similar to Sanskrit Saponins in some ways. Mastic Must is a beige coloured gum like gel. It has a yeasty earthy smell to it, but has a bit more of a chemical tinge to it than Sanskrit Saponins. When I use it, I apply to my T zone mainly to get the bigger pores.

Results–

Mastic Must leaves the skin super soft, smooth and not dry in any way. My pores look much reduced immediately. I have read that Mastic gum can have a long term effect on the size of the pores. You certainly get an immediate effect which is fab for smoothing the complexion before makeup.

I experimented with using Mastic Must very regularly to see if it had any impact on acne but it really didn’t help with the spots at all. There are some ingredients in it that could be comedogenic so it might cancel itself out in that respect. It certainly helps with the appearance of pores though.

Would I recommend Mastic Must?

Yes, for those who have enlarged pores and feel self conscious about it. It works quickly. Unlike Beta Hydroxy Acids and Niacinamide, the results are instantaneous.

Mastic Must isn’t my favourite NIOD mask as really it’s only fit for one thing.

Which NIOD Mask is the best?- Sanskrit Saponins

This isn’t touted a mask but that is how I use it and I love Sanskrit Saponins as a mask.

Purported effects–

Cleansing. For a fuller (yet more confusing) description head to NIOD.com

Ingredients–

Aqua (Water), Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Glycerin, PPG-26-buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract, Balanites Aegyptiaca (Desert Date) Fruit Extract, Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

Key Ingredients of Sanskrit Saponins–

• Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract– Soapnut extract. A popular Ayurvedic cleanser that is less drying than soap.
• Stearic Acid– a fatty acid which breaks down oils. Can be comedogenic.
• Arginine– building block of collagen.
• Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract– Aka Shikakai, an anti septic Ayurvedic plant extract.
• Desert Date Extract– Replenishing antioxidant rich oil.
• Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract– Skin conditioning agent, is all I could find about it.

Key Features of Sanskrit Saponins–

• pH 7-7.5
• Alcohol, oil, silicone and cruelty free and vegan
• £21 for 90mls tube or £34 for 180mls tube from Deciem.com
• To be used as a second cleanser only if makeup is worn, cannot be used near the eyes.

What is Sanskrit Saponins like?

It’s an earthy yeast smelling balmy style cleanser in a tube. It is best applied

Results–

I love the bready smell of Sanskrit Saponins, but not entirely sure by it’s cleansing abilities. It never felt like it did much, until I started using it as a mask.

After cleansing my makeup off with an oil and patting I apply Sanskrit Saponins to dry skin and keep on for 2-5 mins. It leaves my skin feeling deeply cleansed but not dry in any way.

Which is the best NIOD mask?

I use my four NIOD masks on rotation, depending on how my skin is feeling.

Mastic Must before a full face of makeup to give a smooth poreless finish.

Myrrh Clay when I’m having an acne breakout to bring down inflammation.

Sanskrit Saponins as a deep second cleansing mask.

Flavanone Mud when my skin is feeling fragile, dry or dull.

Any one of these products is a great purchase. They all feel more gentle and supportive than your standard super drying clay mask or inflammation producing acid peel.

Everyone should try Flavanone Mud, it’s out of this world and will work for all skin types. Whereas Mastic Must only has a specific function, so this is probably my least favourite. Myrrh Clay and Sanskrit Saponins are fab for my skin type- oily, congested and acne prone.

I’ve yet to try Voicemail Masque, I’ll update when I get my greedy mitts on it, it’s a silicone based night mask for sensitive skin. I have concerns that it might clog my pores , so I haven’t felt compelled to add that to cart.

I hope I have helped with your NIOD mask purchase. They’re all great products and well worth the money. For more information on NIOD and to read the fanciful esoteric descriptions head to Deciem.

If you’re interested in NIOD masks, you might want to check out my Re Pigment review.