As a beauty writer, my inbox is flooded with a hundred emails about the latest beauty products and trends at any given point during a workweek. Needless to say, it’s easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. What’s always sure to get my attention, though, are products that have a cult following, a loyal waitlist, or, in the case of the Erno Laszlo Vitality Treatment Mask ($96), are quick-selling. Unbeknownst to me, this specific mask has been dubbed “The Famous Pink Mask” (seriously, that’s what it’s called on Sephora), and it has a seriously loyal following, with one box selling every 15 seconds.

On this fact alone, I knew I had to put my testing pants on and try out the buzzed-about skin-care product. It was perfect timing, too, because when I got word of the mask’s impressive selling stats I had just gotten a VI chemical peel, which meant my skin was in dire need of some TLC. Nothing sounded more revitalizing than a mask that promised to soothe, calm, and plump the skin.

Beauty buffs can’t manage to keep this product in stock—here’s why. It has a unique formula that only activates once it’s mixed, giving instant gratification an entirely new meaning. It comes in two parts: Step one is a liquid activator with ProVitamin B5, and step two involves a mineral powder that contains pink clay magnesium carbonate sourced from the Dead Sea. You get to play scientist combining the two (with the included spatula, of course) for roughly one minute, or until the mixture resembles your favorite chocolate mousse. Then, you’re supposed to apply a thick, even layer of the mask all over your skin and let it do its thing for 10 to 15 minutes before peeling off.

I won’t lie to you and tell you that mixing the two is a zen experience—it’s messy and powder will fly everywhere, but hey, there’s not much I won’t go through on the quest for beautiful skin. Still, the liquid and powder mixed fairly easily, and I loved using the applicator to apply the mask all over my face because it went on evenly and precisely. The mask thickens the longer it sits in the bowl, which meant I had to be quick in my application otherwise it was slightly difficult to get the product to spread evenly on my skin. Scent-wise, the mask isn’t anything to write home about, but I don’t mind not having fragrance on the ingredient list of my skin-care products (in fact, I prefer it).

Having the formula sit on my face was one of the most unique experiences. The mask itself began to take on a rubbery texture and my skin felt extremely cool. But instead of feeling like a water-based mask, this felt exactly how a clay mask feels when drying up on the skin: hard, flaky, and the slightest facial expression causes the mask to break (I noticed this particularly on areas where I did a thin application). Unlike a clay mask, though, when bits of the mask would fall off it wasn’t little chunks—it came off in solid pieces that were actually cold to the touch. Heads up: let the mask completely dry before peeling it off, otherwise, you’ll end up with a mess. Also, once you’re ready to peel it off, it’s unlikely that it’ll all come off in one piece—that’s normal!

My favorite part about this mask is that it creates a cooling endothermic reaction once it’s applied, temporarily lowering the skin’s temperature by seven degrees. The result is radiant, soothed, calmed skin that’s more refined. I can attest to every single one of these claims, as even with just one application my skin felt extremely plump, more even in tone, and quite frankly, softer than velvet. It was exactly what my skin needed after feeling tight, itchy, and peeling for six days.

The box comes with four single-use treatment masks, but I had a lot of formula leftover after combining the liquid and powder for what the brand claims should have been one mask. You can definitely stretch each treatment mask to two uses, which translates to $12 for eight single-use masks. Pricey? Yep. Worth it? Without a doubt. My dry skin ate this formula up, and I will definitely be keeping it on deck to make up for post-peel moisture loss.

Erno Laszlo's Vitality Treatment Mask — $96.00

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