Alya Skin Pink Clay Mask And Foaming Micellar Cleanser

Founded by a pair of 24-year old best friends, this new all-Australian skin care brand has been taking the beauty market, and the internet, by storm - and for good reasons. Here’s two of them.

• What Is It: A clay mask and foaming micellar cleanser, both designed to brighten and detoxify skin.
• Why buy: They are suitable for even sensitive skins, they help to manage breakouts, and they do what they promise.
• The Details: Alaya Skin Pink Clay Mask costs rrp $49.99 and Foaming Micellar Cleanser costs rrp $19.99, available from Priceline, www.priceline.com.au.

Road Test

Although breakouts are common in your teenaged years, many women find that they can continue into their 20s and far beyond, even until menopause, driven by a lineup of reasons from hormones and stress, to being a side effect from taking certain medications. Travel can be another cause. I used to find that along with jet lag, long haul flights would cause the odd pimple to erupt here and there, and my skin would often “complain” if I went from a colder, drier climate into a hotter and more humid one, or vice versa. Although adult acne requires treatment all or most of the time, these pesky occasional breakouts can be handled in a variety of ways. One is to use products which are detoxifying and calming, such as Alya Foaming Micellar Cleanser and Pink Mask. Alya Skin was founded by the Melbourne based young entrepreneurs, James Hachem and Manny Barbas, and since launching in early 2018 it has taken the internet by storm. Initially, the fuss was all about the brand’s Australian Pink Clay Mask, with thousands of people across the world endorsing it as a fix to breakouts as well as achieving glowing skin. This cruelty free clay mask does a number of jobs, from tightening the skin’s pores to extracting pollutants and nasties from them, while also brightening your complexion overall, thanks to effective ingredients including vitamin C, rosemary, vitamin E and rosa rugosa flower oil. It can also help tame breakouts including acne. Forget clay masks of old, however; this mask doesn’t dry out your skin one bit. To use, all you need to do is spread an even layer across the skin, or just the t-zone if you prefer, and relax for 10 minutes before removing with a  warm, wet face cloth. This mask is especially lovely to use after you have been wearing makeup for a long time, or if you are on holidays, using a lot of high factor sunscreen which can clog pores. New to the Alya lineup is its Foaming Micellar Cleanser which launched last November. It’s ideal for everyday use, and infused with watermelon seed and essential rose oil to deep cleanse the skin while also giving it a boost of hydration. To use, all you do is pump the cleanser into your hands, massage gently into the face, then rinse off. If you love clay masks and foaming cleansers, and you suffer from breakouts, both products will go a long way towards improving your skin without being too harsh.

Beauty In Travel Loves

• The products are vegan, animal cruelty free and Australian owned.
• They are great for keeping breakouts at bay.
• The pink packaging which is wonderfully girlie.

Insider Tips

• There are two other key companion products in the Alya range worth considering, including a facial exfoliator with pomegranate, and a moisturiser featuring a complex of three antioxidants super berries. 
• You can also buy Alaya products in bundles to save money.
• If you feel a pimple coming on, dab a tiny amount of the clay mask on it and leave overnight to reduce redness.