Fresh Beauty Review: Black Tea Firming Face Masks

(Features press samples & affiliate links)

Shopping Duty Free fills me with as much excitement as going on my actual trip does. As both a beauty lover and an impulsive buyer I love to have the opportunity to shop so many of my favourite brands, while also discovering new brands all at a lower cost. With a constant list of growing brands World Duty Free will leave you spoiled for choice. One of their more recent brand additions is Fresh. They are a skincare and beauty brand which was founded over 25 years ago. Founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg opened an apothecary store in Boston, curating upscale, natural beauty products from around the world. Lev and Alina continue to instill their unyielding devotion to authenticity and craftsmanship into Fresh today.

Fresh all started out with a humble bar of soap, since then the brand has evolved into a full line of products that include skincare, body care, haircare and fragrances. Natural ingredients are at the core of all Fresh products not to mention being credited with a number of firsts for the industry having pioneered the use of natural ingredients such as soy, sake and notably sugar. I love a company that has a back story as rich as Fresh. It almost makes me want to buy into their products even more.

Travelling can really take its toll on our skin, it’s easy to fall out of our usual routines and become guilty of neglecting to take care of it as well. That combined with plane journeys, prolonged sun exposure or the hustle and bustle of a busy city break filled with pollutants can often leave our complexions in need of some TLC. With this in mind I like to arrive at my destination armed with some products to help restore some life into my skin.

With that said, my two products of choice to keep my complexion happy and coming with me on my upcoming trip, which can be bought in the airport at a discounted cost (bonus!) are:

Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask*

Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask*

Now, I don’t know about you but when I read the word Instant in the name I took it with a pinch of salt, I mean what product can work instantly? I was more than aware of the rave reviews this product had received and I was keen to put it to the test. Filled with all of the hope you get with trying a new and well reviewed product for the first time, I scooped some product out and began to lather it on my face. The instructions advise to leave it on the skin for 5-10 minutes and rinse. This might just be me here, but I always to tend to go over on the times a little, I’m not sure why but I guess I like to fully maximise the benefit. I left it on for no more than 15 minutes and rinsed well as per the instructions, I then followed with my regular skincare routine.

At first when I was staring into the mirror and studying my face for any change I sometimes feel unsure as to whether you see an actual change, or because you trick yourself into seeing it? I hope that makes sense ha! The best way to describe the change the most obvious change I could see was to imagine someone standing behind and slightly tugging on the skin and pulling it back toward them. It definitely looked more taught, and uplifted, it appeared more plumped with an added bounce if you will. I don’t have very many fine lines as of yet which I am so pleased about, but the few I do notice around my eyes appeared reduced.

I use this 2 to 3 times per week and with each use my skin looks healthier, radiant and somehow more youthful. I feel more like my fresh-faced self from my early 20s again! Something I thought would forever be a distant memory to me now.

I have listed some of the key ingredients within this little jar of face lifting magic:

• Black tea ferment is an advanced antioxidant that helps to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals** while softening, smoothing, and enhancing lustre.
• Lychee seed extract helps maintain the skin’s elasticity.**
• Polysaccharides help to smooth the skin.
• Jicama root juice is notable for its hydrating and nourishing properties.

**in vitro

I appreciate that this product is more on the pricey side, and I would definitely consider it a luxury purchase and product to use. The results I have seen have been incredible and I love that so many natural ingredients go into these products. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who would consider ageing as a skin concern. I personally don’t mind paying more for a product if it really does work. Sometimes you get what you pay for and I think that is most definitely true of this mask. Whats good is that Fresh offer smaller and lower priced jars alongside their full-size jars which is a great opportunity to try it for yourself without the higher cost outlay.

The Story of Black Tea

“Tea is the world’s most ancient remedy. It was discovered thousands of years ago in China, whose people cultivated its use as a medicine, as a ritual, as an art form. Tea has a rich history and an even deeper meaning for us because of our Russian heritage, as it is an enormous part of our own culture.”
—Lev & Alina, Fresh Founders

Passing though duty-free? Pre-order your mask here.

What are your duty-free vices?

*PR Samples / Gifted items, all thoughts and opinions are my own.