Review: Daiso’s Charcoal Mask For Blackheads

Daiso's Charcoal Mask, or "Masque" as printed on the tube

This is a really obscure thing I found on the Internet while Googling on how to remove blackheads. I have a lot of them. I used to rely on Bioré Pore Pack to get rid of the blackheads on my nose, but those were pretty expensive considering they could only be used on the nose. I, unfortunately, had blackheads all over my face, far too large an area for the Bioré Pore Pack. First of all, they’re expensive like I mentioned, and second of all, they aren’t shaped for applications on other parts of the face. I used to cut them up for use on my chin, cheeks, etc, but boy was it troublesome.

The Daiso Charcoal Mask can be found at… you guess it, Daiso. Daiso is the Japanese version of thrift stores, but they also have branches overseas. Things go for a fixed price for all goods unless otherwise stated, so for example everything in it costs $2 (or Yen, or US$, wherever that outlet is located). I bought the Charcoal Mask from Singapore, so it costs S$2.00. They also sell a variety of other things, from glassware to porcelain, to baskets and stationery, to batteries and snacks. Anyway, back to the mask – it’s a mask, which means you’re now free to apply the thick, black lotion to any part of your body with blackheads, wait for it to harden (about 30 minutes, depending on the atmosphere), and peel it off.

About the application – don’t stinge. A thin layer won’t work, especially if it’s been diluted with water. Wash your face first, pat it almost free of water, but make sure it isn’t totally dry or dripping wet. For even better results, steam your pores open (stand over a basin of boiling water and steam). Squirt a generous amount of the liquid mask on any blackhead-infested area, smudge it evenly, and make it quick as it dries quite quickly. And then you wait. I’ve tried sitting in front of a fan, which helps speed up the drying process. Do not smile, talk, frown, or twitch a muscle on your face, or you’ll break the mask. The “cracks” aren’t visible, but it means areas like the side of your nostrils aren’t in contact with the mask any more. Make sure the mask is totally dry (your face feels like it’s been cast in cement), then peel it off. I don’t have any specific rule on which direction to peel, as long as it’s off your face. You can wash off any residue with water, or you’ll be walking around with an outline of the mask. Enjoy feeling fascinated by the amount of muck stuck to the peeled mask.

This works very well for me, much better than the pore strips, though for others it may be a pain in the ass to peel the mask off. It’s not exactly painful, though if you have sensitive skin, it may sting a little (imagine a cross between peeling dried glue from your fingertips, and peeling tape off your skin).

The Charcoal Mask may not be thorough and you may have to do touch-ups (don’t overdo it!), but for something that costs $2 it’s pretty damn effective. Results are instant and there’s hardly any pain. If you chicken out halfway about peeling, you can always wash it off with water, though I think that would be counter-productive, since you’re supposed to peel the thing off, along with the blackheads stuck to it.

Careful you don’t get the wrong one though – there’s a facial foam and a facial cream that’s packaged almost the same way (it’s the same line of products), and yeah, it’s all in Japanese, but look out for the word “masque” printed in English on the tube. If you’re lucky your store would have bothered to paste an English sticker telling you what it is and what the ingredients are.

I’m definitely stocking up on this.

Note: Apparently there are many swindlers out there fighting to cheat you of your money, selling the Daiso Charcoal Mask at ridiculously high prices, sometimes even renaming the product. While paying more for it may lead you into thinking it being “of better quality” or “safer”, it’s actually still the same product, which you can get real cheap at Daiso itself. Don’t fall for those tricks!