Paula's Choice • Skin Balancing Carbon Mask • Masks

Where To Buy?

Slone07 on 10/8/2012 11:25:00 PM more reviews by Slone07

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I have a love/hate relationship with this mask. It burns like a chemical peel and if I can make it through until it dries (and stops burning) or 15 minutes, it leaves me with beautiful, decongested, poreless skin. I dread putting this on my face, but the effects are gorgeous. I'm still looking for something that gives me the results without the pain...'cause it's a mask, not a peel, and "no pain, no gain" should not apply here.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* georgia21 on 10/11/2011 5:49:00 PM more reviews by georgia21

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I received a sample of this mask and although it's not recommended for my skin type (dry and sensitive), I like to use a clay mask once a week for exfoliation.

I applied a thin layer to my face. The mask soon hardened, and I removed it with a wet washcloth. My skin felt smooth and there was no irritation

This mask has a thin and uneven texture and it doesn't spread easily or evenly. It's messy to use. A plain clay mask works better for me.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Catttt on 2/15/2011 5:24:00 PM more reviews by Catttt

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Tried a sample packet of this. I kept it on for 3 minutes before the burning sensation worried me too much and I had to rinse it off. Skin returned to normal after I washed it off. It does feel a bit less oily (temporarily at least). Overall a fun but worrisome product with only slight benefits.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

SusanCarolV on 11/28/2010 9:18:00 PM more reviews by SusanCarolV

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I have combination (oily T/dry cheeks) skin, and this mask was reccomended to me by various skincare gurus (i believe Bauman's book is what made me pull the trigger on buying this).

My skin is not particularly sensitive, but this felt first like burning then after a few harrowing minutes felt cold. it is a strange sensation, which i do not care for, however if you can get through the 15 minutes, it does make your skin look better. Is it worth it? I'm not so sure; there are products which work just as well but do not have that strange tingling sensation.

I've had this for a while, and have had friends try it too, and they also did not like the feeling of it on the skin. Given that, I'm going to use this up, but i will certainly not repurchase, and certainly cannot recommend this product wholeheartedly .

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Fabo on 8/20/2010 6:01:00 PM more reviews by Fabo

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have a hate this mask: not suitable for the whole face because it burns like fire, and made my skin very irritated.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

alicebignami on 8/19/2010 4:20:00 AM more reviews by alicebignami

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I do not have sensitive skin but even in my case this mask burnt like mad soon after I applied it. I waited for a couple of minutes in the hope that the burning would wear off but it just got worse and I had to wash it off. I guess there must be some ingredient which is irritating for most people. What is Paula waiting for before reformulating it?

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

meganrawr on 8/17/2010 3:17:00 AM more reviews by meganrawr

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Ow ow ow ow. This burned like crazy only 15 seconds after I put it on. I don't have sensitive skin and I have experienced mild stinging with other products. But this was not just a sting, it hurt. I had to wash it off right away.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ktbeta on 8/16/2010 4:41:00 PM more reviews by ktbeta

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

OUCH! Paula, this stuff burns like a mother. I couldn't even leave it on for the recommended 10-15 minutes because my face was stinging so much. Now my face is bright red and quite irritated. Hopefully this won't last long!

EDIT: Paula's Choice contacted me (through my blog) to say that they are reformulating this product because a good portion of people have the burning/stinging reaction. They said 0 testers have had that reaction with the new formulation. I'll test the new product and report back!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* kiely98 on 7/26/2010 3:18:00 PM more reviews by kiely98

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown, Curly   Eyes: Green    

Let me start by saying that I think masks are pretty much overrated in general. I have yet to find one that has any significant positive effect on my skin, and I've used lots of them over the years. This one stung a bit at first, but then stopped after a few minutes. Although my skin did appear "calmer" and my pores looked smaller after I washed the mask off, the effects were extremely short-term, and like with so many other masks, I started breaking out about two days after use. Thank goodness I sampled instead of purchased the full-size. I'll not be purchasing this one.

Side note: Because I used a sample, I can't accurately comment on packaging. Please ignore my review of it--mua made me choose something.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

dpenn on 5/24/2010 1:48:00 PM more reviews by dpenn

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This burns like a mother! Ouch...sorry Paula, all the negative reviews here are accurate. I love many PC products, but this stuff is awful. My realistic theory that masks are useless remains true.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

TheRedDeluge on 5/5/2010 12:19:00 PM more reviews by TheRedDeluge

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Well I guess I am in the same boat with many other people reviewing this mask. The second I applied this to my clean skin it burned intensely. Not just stinging but absolute burning. I quickly washed it off. But I had a little panic for a second there because it took some time to rinse away.

Not good. Be cautious.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

hannahjoei on 5/3/2010 5:13:00 PM more reviews by hannahjoei

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Even though this did sting when i put it on my spots, it cleared my zits up and actually DECREASED redness from my pimple, surprisingly. I was totally expecting the opposite since it stung! but i let it stay on for 15 minutes ONLY ON SPOTS. I wouldn't be able to handle it on my entire face! I will say that I think the packaging is so ideal because the product tends to smear all over the cover. :( as for the price, i wouldn't buy it again because it did burn and there are better products out there. then again, i did get this mask for free because of a special Paula's website had.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

hesperus on 2/7/2010 2:47:00 AM more reviews by hesperus

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I use this mask in the summer when my skin is very oily and I have to deal with frequent breakouts. I usually leave it on for a couple of hours and my skin is calmer and less oily afterwards. These benefits are short-lived, though and for an oil-absorbing mask, it's a little too expensive. I probably won't be repurchasing.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

00R00 on 1/5/2010 1:57:00 AM more reviews by 00R00

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my sole face mask now. I love this stuff! Quite an active mask however, so use with care. I often just use it as an overnight spot treatment. It REALLY works. Very powerful clarifying treatment. Highly recommended.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* monicaking77 on 12/16/2009 10:38:00 PM more reviews by monicaking77

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

First, in response to a lot of the other reviews, this product does burn a little while on. BUT I have quite sensitive skin, and the first time I used this mask, I left it on for the entire 15 minutes, despite the mild burning. I had great results and was not irritated AT ALL.


I like this mask a lot, and use it regularly. It helps keep my skin even and clear and leaves my face feeling soft and smooth and clean. It doesn't irritate me even a little. I can use this mask, leave it on for 20 minutes, and then apply my BHA and BP and lotion and my skin is glowing and beautiful. So I encourage those of you who may experience a burning sensation to just stick with it. :)

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

adesto on 12/10/2009 11:02:00 AM more reviews by adesto

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

While this didn't burn my skin, it DID break me out . I tried it on 3 different occasions spanning over a year and broke out each time. :(

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Sylvia66 on 11/26/2009 5:09:00 PM more reviews by Sylvia66

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

First let me say that my skin is not sensitive. Yet when I used this product, my face felt like it was on fire. "Cools without irritation" my foot.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

malini2b on 11/1/2009 2:12:00 PM more reviews by malini2b

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is a very good mask. I use it mostly during warm months, and it leaves my skin smooth and soft and helps with the oiliness. I started using the aspirin mask more often this past summer, but I've found that too drying for the fall, so now it's back to the carbon mask. The price is very reasonable, too.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

KMaryT on 10/31/2009 5:57:00 PM more reviews by KMaryT

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is a Paula's product that I love! I started out getting the free samples of this and liked it so much I finally ordered the full size. I use it once a week and absolutely love how my skin looks after. I have been looking for a mask that made my skin look clear, clean and feel soft, this is that product. Love it!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Mollybad on 10/20/2009 12:55:00 AM more reviews by Mollybad

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Price increase warning: Paula's Choice has significantly raised the prices of its product samples while SIGNIFICANTLY reducing their size. If you're thinking about taking these with you on a trip, then you'll pay a LOT for that luxury. It's terribly disappointing. I could see raising the prices on the same-size samples, but to then make the samples SO MUCH smaller (from 4.4 ml. to 1.77 ml., for example) is just agonizing. It's such a greedy move.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No