Review: The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Face Mask

Our Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask liberates your face of everyday impurities in the most relaxing way it knows how.

– The Body Shop

I bought this energizing face mask a while ago, before my knowledge of skincare was as honed as it is now. Originally, I wanted to purchase a mask just to support The Body Shop, considering the company’s noteworthy production ethics, and with my living in the city, I thought the Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask was the way to go. The mask itself has a creamy texture, coated in tiny beads that ease out once spread across the skin. Thick and of a jam consistency, the mask stays on without a problem, the tingling sensation quick to kick in. Washing it off is simple and mess-free, but for me, I found the mask a bit too sensitizing for repeat use.

Ingredient Pros and Cons

Ingredients: Aqua, Kaolin, Propanediol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Polyacrylate, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Menthol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Limonene, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Caramel, CI 19140, CI 42090.

Significant Pros

• Kaolin (calming)
• Luffa Cylindrica Fruit (antioxidant)
• Propanediol (moisturizing)
• Glycerin (moisturizing)
• Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (moisturizing)

Significant Cons

• Parfum (skin irritant)
• Limonene (skin irritant)
• Citric Acid (skin irritant)

The Takeaway

Though there are certainly some commendable aspects about this mask, I’m not convinced the price warrants the pay out, especially considering the cons (though it should be noted that all cons are listed after Phenoxyethanol, so this may not be sensitizing for those without sensitive skin). Additionally, I’m wary with any mask that feels like it has beads in it, worried it may cause micro-tears in the skin. As far as I’m concerned, I would advise against purchasing this product.