Written by Cat Cactus from snowwhiteandtheasianpear.com
| | | | | | | An inner lid seals the jar to prevent air from activating the product prematurely. |
It sounds almost too amazing, doesn't it? And with so many people—including fellow Snailcast podcaster Fifty Shades of Snail—having tried it, I decided to buy a jar and see for myself. After my first attempt, I removed all potential irritants from my routine and tried again. Sometimes you need to hurt yourself twice to confirm something is truly bad news.
In this post
- Product details
- Ingredients
- What it did to my face
- What I’d rather use instead
Before the second use, I avoided anything that could compromise my moisture barrier for at least a week: no acid exfoliants, no manual scrubs, no tretinoin—nothing that might weaken my skin or increase sensitivity. I wanted to be certain the problem wasn't simply applying clay over already irritated skin. Unfortunately, my skin still reacted badly, and I had to soothe it with snail gel afterward. Just a quick note: this blog uses both affiliate and non-affiliate links. If you click the former before shopping, your purchase may help support this blog. Full details at the end of this post! #receipts
Product details
Full product name: Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask Purpose: Supposedly cleanses, exfoliates, and nourishes the skin—doing all the things a clay mask should to banish pore demons. Its real purpose: a highly entertaining mask that creates a tingling, bubbly sensation and forms gray clouds on your face—perfect for selfies and social media. Scent: Pleasant, reminiscent of "aqua"-themed products, without a strong clay smell. Texture: Initially a sticky, clammy clay goop that you spread on your skin; within minutes it reacts with air to form a thick foam layer. However, when you rinse it off, the sticky, clammy texture remains. Quantity: 100g. Rating: 2/5—even though using it felt like declaring war on my epidermis, I acknowledge that others enjoy it and it's fun, so it gets an extra point. Where to get it: Amazon | eBay | Jolse | TesterKorea | KoreaDepart Repurchase: Absolutely not. This wasn't the Elizavecca "Hell Pore" mask, but it certainly felt like my pores were bathed in fiery torment.
Ingredients
Puzzled about what caused the reaction, I examined the ingredient list on Cosdna:
Purified Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, White Clay, Acrylate Copolymer, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Lauramide DEA, TEA-Cocoyl Glutamate, Green Tea Extracts, Glycerine, Dipropylene Glycol, Bentonite, Collagen, Charcoal Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Flavouring Agents, Carbonated Water, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Lavender Extracts, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extracts, Peppermint Leaf Extracts, Freesia Leaf Extracts, Chamomile Flower Extracts, Rosemary Leaf Extract
This product contains SLS, which is a red flag for some people. It's not a trigger for me, however, unless this mask has so much SLS it could strip crude oil from a rig worker's overalls—I can't see that being the culprit. My skin hates menthol, so the peppermint might be the issue. Whatever it was, my skin absolutely disliked it, as you'll see in the next section.
For an explanation of the bubbling effect, I highly recommend Labmuffin's post on oxygen masks, where she explains that perfluorocarbons (like Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether here) are the key to self-foaming masks.
What it did to my face
Warning: These are low-res front-facing camera shots never meant for public viewing—that's why I didn't bother with proper lighting or my decent camera. They were originally intended for my snail unit friends, who often endure my live reports of skincare disasters, like the time I Hanbanged Too Hard.
After removing the mask and seeing the same nasty reaction as the first time—despite avoiding all acid exfoliants—I knew I wouldn't put my skin through that again for nicer photos. The lighting differs because the photos were taken in different rooms; the result photo is in natural light, while the before shot mixes natural and artificial light.
I didn't adjust color or white balance, and unfortunately the camera didn't capture how dramatic the result was in real life. My face wasn't just red—it was mottled with extra-angry patches. You can see how angry it is compared to the skin on my neck and chest.
| | | | | | | Within minutes, the anticipated cloud of foam appears. |
It started innocently and amusingly, with the foam rapidly blooming into a round cloud of ticklish bubbles:
I understand—this is fun and silly, much more entertaining than a typical clay mask. I left it on for just under 10 minutes. While my skin didn't burn, the sensation wasn't pleasant.
Washing it off was a nightmare, as Beauty and the Cat girls mentioned in their review (if you haven't checked out this hilarious duo, I highly recommend it)—they weren't kidding.
Despite the bubbling, when you touch the mask or try to rinse it, it turns back into a sticky slime that resists all attempts to wash off without either a lot of manual effort or a foaming cleanser. I used the latter because I didn't want to further irritate my face.
| | | | | | | I'm reluctantly posting these photos of my skin (and myself) online so you can see the mess! |
When it finally came off, instead of drawing out pore clogs or smoothing my skin texture, my face was a mottled mess. The areas I hadn't applied the mask (like near my eyebrows and eye sockets) stood out sharply.
The worst patches had a purplish tone on top of the overall redness, as seen in the second photo.
Interestingly, this reaction resembled what I experienced with the reformulated My Scheming Snail silk masks, though that was much worse. The bad patches were slightly inflamed but not as severe as the welts from the snail mask! My skin often reacts to products, but usually with acne, not redness or irritation. It tends to clog and break out when it dislikes something.
I also don't normally have issues with clay masks, though I find them a bit drying and avoid them when using acid exfoliants.
You can read about the acids and actives I use here: What’s In My Skincare Wardrobe: Actives (Prescriptions, Antioxidants, and Acids) Edition.
What I’d rather use instead
I've tried a few clay masks, like the Mizon Pore Clearing Volcanic Mask and its Gommage version from the same line—both left me unimpressed. My problem with clay masks is that I don't use them often enough to justify buying a full size, which is where the entertainment factor of this one comes in: something so fun it motivates you to use it.
I much prefer the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, especially the single-serving capsules. They're perfect for "once a season" users like me. As I mentioned in K-Beauty & Portion Control: Why Sometimes Good Value Can Be a Bad Idea, full-size clay masks go stale long before I make a dent, so these are ideal. Each capsule contains enough for two uses if you want a spa night with a friend.
Where to get the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask capsule pods: Amazon | eBay | Jolse | Via Seoul | RoseRoseShop | KoreaDepart
I don't doubt that the Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask works well for some people, offering convenience and entertainment in one package—but it wasn't meant for me. Thankfully, my skincare wardrobe is stocked with soothing snail products, so it didn't take long to calm my crying skin.
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**Disclaimer: All products reviewed on my blog are 100% purchased with my own money, with a single exception of a press sample I tested and reviewed in 2015 that swore me off them forever. This blog contains both affiliate and non-affiliate links. Clicking the former before you shop may earn a small commission to help support this blog. Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.
