If you have been anywhere near K-Beauty circles lately, you’ve probably heard of spicules. Often dubbed “nature’s answer to microneedling,” this ingredient is taking the skincare world by storm. As someone always looking to tackle dullness, clear out stubborn pores, and get closer to that elusive “Korean glass skin,” I knew I had to put it to the test. For the past few weeks, I’ve been testing Pestlo’s Spicule Reborn Peeling Mask. I received this product from Jolse Cosmetic, a premier K-Beauty online store, complementary for review purposes.
Skin Type/Concerns: Oily, blemish prone, dehydrated pores, aging skin with fine lines/wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation: sun damage & PIH
I received these products complementary to review and was not paid. All reviews are my own honest opinion and I never have been asked to write copy for a brand. This blog post might contain promo codes, affiliate and referral links, which using my links will help generate a small commission that helps support my blog at no extra cost to you.
What on Earth is a Spicule?
Before you apply this to your face, it helps to understand what is in here. Spicules are listed on this ingredients list as Hydrolyzed Sponge, included at a concentration of 1,000ppm. These are microscopic, needle-like structures harvested from the endoskeletons of natural marine sea sponges. In the wild, these glass-like structures give the sponge shape and defend it from predators. In skincare, they act like a non-invasive microneedling treatment.
When I massage this mask into my skin, these microscopic micro-darts prick the surface layers of my skin. This pricking action creates invisible micro-channels in the epidermis, which signals my skin to boost cell turnover and collagen production while allowing subsequent serums and ampoules to penetrate much deeper.
The Ingredients
Besides the lure of a green facial treatment, I was drawn to Pestlo’s specific formula. Because spicules actively penetrate the skin, you want them paired with ingredients that soothe, protect, and hydrate. This formula features 100,000ppm of Green Tea and 1,000ppm of Wormwood (also known as Mugwort). I can actually see and smell the natural botanical powders in the mix, and they work in synergy to reduce redness and inflammation.
To ensure the mask doesn’t dry out the skin, the base relies heavily on Glycerin, a classic humectant that acts like a water-magnet to keep my skin deeply hydrated. For added soothing benefits, Centella Asiatica Extract (aka Tiger Grass) provides proven wound-healing and skin-barrier repair properties. The formula also includes French Maritime Pine Bark Extract, an antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental stressors. Everything is supported by a base of Bentonite clay to physically draw out impurities and excess oil, and Chromium Oxide Greens, a mineral pigment that reinforces the earthy forest-green color of the botanical paste.
Full Ingredients List: Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder(100,000ppm), Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Bentonite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Sponge(1,000ppm), Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Chromium Oxide Greens, Sorbitan Oleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Powder, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Despite the products name, I found that this functions less like a peel and more like a physical scrub. I personally use it that way, so your mileage may vary depending on your application method. The product comes packaged in a tube and looks like a very thick, earthy green clay mask. However, once I start massaging it into my skin, I can distinctly feel those microscopic spicules hard at work. They create a prickly, tingling sensation. For comparison, it doesn’t feel like a harsh walnut scrub scratching your skin surface; rather, it feels like tiny, static-electricity pricks. If you’ve done clinical microneedling before, this will feel incredibly mild. If you have sensitive skin, it might startle you at first, but the sensation is entirely normal.
To use it, I washed my face and patted it completely dry, as you want to avoid applying this on wet skin. I smoothed a small amount over my face, completely avoiding the eye area, and gently massaged it in circular motions for about sixty seconds to help those spicules work into the upper layers of my skin. I let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes while the cooling green tea, glycerin, and mugwort felt incredibly refreshing. When rinsing thoroughly with lukewarm water, I still felt a slight prickle as I washed it off, which means the spicules are doing their job.
After rinsing, my skin felt incredibly smooth—the kind of texture you usually only get from a physical scrub, but without the risk of micro-tears. The most noticeable results appeared over the next two days. Since the spicules create micro-channels in the skin, I applied a hydrating hyaluronic acid serum immediately after rinsing, and it absorbed significantly faster than usual. After using the mask twice a week for seven days, my skin tone looked brighter and less dull. The pores around my nose and cheeks appeared cleaner and less noticeable, which is likely a combined effect of the clarifying clay and the soothing Centella Asiatica. The mask also helped clear up breakouts. I had a deep, under-the-skin hormonal blemish forming on my chin, and the spicules helped deliver the green tea and mugwort directly to the area, flattening the bump before it could fully break out.
Because spicules keep working in your skin even after you rinse the mask off, your skin barrier will be a little vulnerable. Sun protection is mandatory, so you must wear a dedicated SPF and try to avoid direct, heavy sunlight the day after using this. I also highly recommend following this mask up with a rich, soothing gel or a barrier cream containing D-Panthenol or Ceramides to lock in the hydration and accelerate the renewal process.
If you want to improve dullness, rough skin texture, or early signs of aging, I found that Pestlo’s Spicule Reborn Peeling Mask is a solid option. It provides the skin-renewing and collagen-boosting benefits of an at-home microneedling treatment without the clinical price tag or downtime. Expect a noticeable tingling sensation during application as the marine sponge ingredients work to smooth and brighten the skin.
Where to Purchase
Pestlo Spicule Re-Born Peeling Mask can be purchased at Jolse for under $30.00 USD. Jolse offers free global shipping plus gives a lot of samples out ~ the more you purchase, the more samples you get! Please note that the prices do fluctuate a little bit due to the WON to USD exchange rates. Please click on my links to purchase, as I make a small commission at no cost to you!
All prices are in USD ~ Jolse offers free global shipping plus gives a lot of samples out ~ the more you purchase, the more samples you get! Please note that the prices do fluctuate a little bit due to the WON to USD exchange rates. Make sure to check your coupon zone for money saving discounts. You need to log into Jolse first, then view the coupons before you use them.
[ products received for review purposes. blog post contains affiliate links ]
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