Mahalo Pele Mask Review

Product: Mahalo Pele Mask
Price: $64 USD/ $90 CAD
My rating: 9/10
How Long Have I Used the Product? This was a sample that I used twice.

*note: I received this product for free. I only write reviews for products I love. There are affiliate links in the post. Click here to learn more.

About the Brand

Mahalo offers high-performance, natural skin care that is hand-made in Kauai, Hawaii. Potent botanicals, exotic super-oils, Earth minerals, and antioxidant rich plant butters blend together to create high-quality organic skin care products that are free of preservatives, synthetics, parabens, and animal testing.

Mahalo is a husband and wife duo who take pride in hand-making all of their products right in their studio in Kauai. They do not outsource production and they work hard to get their ingredients from local sources.

My Review

My First Impression of the Product

The color was my first impression. It is a dark and deep, a rich brown that turns black when water is added to it. I used this mask in the evening and I left it on for the recommended 30 minutes. At first the mask felt warm, the ingredients were activated and it was heating up my skin. It felt a bit uncomfortable, but it went away after a few minutes. The mask did not make my skin feel dry, tight or irritated, even after being on for half an hour. After washing it off, my skin felt soft and it wasn’t dried out at all.

Scent and Texture

There isn’t much of a scent, not like May Lindstrom’s The Clean Dirt, which smells heavily of clove and cinnamon. This mask has a sort of mild, earthy, clay scent. Mahalo describes the aroma as, “raw, earthy, scent of cacao and moist clay, sandalwood, woody, herbaceous.”

The texture is somewhat gritty. The dry powder turns into a mousse-like consistency when it is activated by water. There are some larger bits mixed in with the fine ground powder.

Application

I would have loved to apply this with Mahalo’s treatment brush but I didn’t have one, so I just used my fingers. The application was easy, just like any other clay mask. Washing it off was a bit tricky, the first time I used it, I was left with some mask in my pores. The second time I used a washcloth to remove the mask (this is what Mahalo recommends) and it was much better, I wasn’t left with black specs in my pores.

Product Info

Ingredients

Volcanic ash clay, alaea (hawaiian red) clay*, rhassoul clay, theobroma cacao (raw cacao) powder*, black lava hawaiian salt, bambusa arundinacea (bamboo) charcoal powder, carica papaya (papaya) leaf*, hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) flower*, aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf*, curcuma longa (turmeric) root*, zingiber officinalis (ginger) root*, sodium bicarbonate, calendula officinalis (marigold) flower*, morinda citrofolia (noni) powder*, ocimum sanctum (holi basil tulsi) leaf*, centella asiatica (pennywort) leaf*, azadirachta indica (neem) powder*, antalum spicatum (sandalwood), salix alba L. (white willow bark)*, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) powder*, capsicum annuum (cayenne)*, musa spp (banana) fruit extract*, psidium guajava (guava) fruit extract.* *Clean ingredients: organic and local and/or wild harvested (when available).

About the Ingredients

26 active ingredients make up this indulgent mask. All of the ingredients either detoxify by pulling impurities from the skin, nourish with minerals and vitamins, sooth and help heal the skin, or are anti-inflammatory or anti-bacterial. I will talk about some of these ingredients and their benefits to the skin.

• Volcanic Ash Clay – a pure and clean clay that gently pulls out toxins. Removes dullness and dead skin cells. Contains a high level of minerals that support the skin. Useful for even the most sensitive skin types.
• Hawaiian Red Clay – Pure, mineral-rich, soft clay that is soothing and detoxifying.
• Rhassoul Clay – Blends extremely well with water. Rich in Silica and Magnesium. Tightens pores, removes dead skin cells, reduces sebum production and softens the skin.
• Raw Cocao Powder – Contains a powerhouse of antioxidants. Has anti-inflammatory properties and promotes healthy cell development.
• Black Lava Hawaiian Salt – This is salt that has been blended with activated charcoal. Salt is a skin detoxifier, it’s high calcium content cleans up clogged pores. Vitamins and minerals in sea salt improve cellular metabolism, boost circulation and keep tissues hydrated.
• Activated Bamboo Charcoal – Absorbs impurities and dead skin cells from the skin. It also kills bacteria, thoroughly cleaning the skin.
• Papaya Leaf – High in Vitamins A and C. Effectively fights skin infections.
• Hibiscus – A natural source of Alpha-Hydroxy acids (AHA’s). AHA’s help to speed up cellular turnover, exfoliate the skin, reduce acne breakouts, and encourage younger looking skin. Chemical AHA’s can be overly harsh to the skin but natural AHA’s are much more gentle. Hibiscus contains antioxidants called anthocyanocides that protect the skin from free radical damage.
• Turmeric – anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Helps reduce redness.
• Baking Soda – softens and cleans the skin. Absorbs excess oil.
• Noni – Anti-microbial and anti-fungal.
• Holy Basil Tulsi – Antiseptic and purifying, lightens the skin and prevents pimples. Prevents inflammation and tightens the pores.
• Witch Hazel – Astringent, promotes skin healing, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory.
• Cayenne – Stimulates blood flow and opens clogged pores.

Price and Size

$64 USD for 1.7 fl oz / 50 ml. On the lid of your jar, you get a coupon code for a refill for your next purchase. That way you save money and you can reuse your container.

Who is this product for?

This mask is for all skin types. It is a detoxifying treatment for the skin that pulls out impurities while feeding your complexion with anti-aging ingredients. It is a mask that is meant to heat up with Cayenne and Ginger, this stimulates circulation and detoxification.

How well does it work?

This mask works really well, my skin was left glowing and feeling so soft and smooth. I felt like I had just had a facial. I followed the treatment with Mahalo’s Vitality Elixir. My only qualm was that I was left with little dark spots on my face where the mask stayed in my pores, though this was remedied the next time I used it by using a washcloth to remove the mask.

What are Other People Saying?

How Long Will it Last? What is the Shelf Life?

This product will last a long time, you only need to use it once a week and you only need maybe a 1/2 tablespoon of powder each time. Because this product is a powder, it should have a shelf life of over a year., but you will look forward to using it every week that I doubt it will sit around for a full year before you use it all up and want more!

Final Thoughts

I loved my experience with Mahalo’s Pele Mask. What a luxurious treat for the skin. The ingredients are amazing, and the fact that every product made by Mahalo is done by hand makes it seem like it is a work of art.

This mask reminds me a lot of May Lindstrom’s The Clean Dirt, they have similar ingredients. I liked the smell of The Clean Dirt better but I like the extensive list of ingredients of the Pele mask. The Pele mask is also more gentle than The Clean Dirt, the heat sensation is less intense.

This mask is so much more robust than using plain bentonite clay or some other clay mask. Using plain clay works and it does take the guck out of your pores, but this mask offers so much more. It offers plants that heal and nourish the skin as well as a luxurious scent and warming sensation.

Pros:

• effective ingredients
• does a good job at clearing pores
• leaves face feeling soft
• isn’t over-drying
• comes in a cool bamboo package
• has a refill option that saves you $20 on your next purchase
• suitable for all skin types
• hand-made with fresh ingredients

Cons:

• you have to use a washcloth to remove it completely from your face

My Rating:

I give this mask a 9/10. I love it! It feels great on my skin and leaves my skin feeling amazing. I love that I am supporting a small business that takes pride in their work and also has a conscience for how what they do effects others and the planet. The photos on Mahalo’s website of their studio shows their quality, care and pride.

The plants and minerals used in this mask are still in a natural state, they have been hand-harvested and slowly extracted.  The care and time that goes into these products is outstanding.

Where Can You Get it?

Mahalo Online Store

Let us know what your favorite facial mask is or if you have any questions, we are always here to help!

Yours In Beauty,
Andrea