🇫🇷France

Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant for sensitive skin

Average

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for sensitive skin; other cleansing masks fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Offers moderate benefits for your normal skin, as yeast extract and lactic acid provide supportive properties and mild exfoliation. Witch hazel extract and St. John's wort extract offer general soothing for redness and irritation.
  • Bentonite and kaolin provide excellent pore cleansing, which is beneficial for maintaining overall skin health.
  • The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, with no harsh ingredients or irritation risks.

How to apply

  • Use this cleansing mask once a week as part of your weekly routine, starting slowly to see how your skin reacts.
  • Apply this product after cleansing and enzyme powder, and before your hydrating toner and moisturizer.
  • Smooth an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face, making sure to gently avoid rubbing.
  • Put the mask on clean and dry skin to keep your sensitive face calm and comfortable.
  • Do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the mask too close to your eyes.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Based on limited data, this product is highly regarded by users with oily, congested, and acne-prone skin for its purifying and rebalancing effects, leading to clearer, brighter, and tighter skin. The product's challenging smell and sticky texture are frequently mentioned as drawbacks.

Highlights

  • Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
    • “pimples flattened and healed”
    • “speeds healing of blemishes”
    • “breakouts disappeared”
  • Unpleasant smell Mostly Mentioned
    • “smells like fermented soya sauce”
    • “smell makes me vomit”
    • “smells like cat piss”
  • Balances oil Often Mentioned
    • “regulates excess oil”
    • “leaves skin mattified”
    • “reduces excess oil production”
  • Refines pores Often Mentioned
    • “shrunk my pores”
    • “pores look smaller”
    • “tightens pores”
  • Brightens skin Sometimes Noted
    • “face glows”
    • “skin is much brighter”
    • “restores radiance”
  • Smooths texture Sometimes Noted
    • “smooths your skin”
    • “leaves skin soft”
    • “improves skin texture”
  • High price Sometimes Noted
    • “outrageously expensive”
    • “best investment”
    • “pricey product”
  • Sticky texture Sometimes Noted
    • “sticky consistency”
    • “brown goo”
    • “hard to spread”
  • Initial purging Rarely Noted
    • “purge for the first week”
    • “small breakouts coming to surface”
  • Skin irritation Rarely Noted
    • “face would turn red”
    • “tingling sensation”
    • “burning”

Sources: lovi.care, paullabrecque.com, shoprescuespa.com, pickyskincare.com, victoriaroggiobeauty.com, femaledaily.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Masque Vivant work for sensitive skin?

Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant works as an average fit for sensitive skin, providing supportive properties, mild exfoliation, and pore cleansing. It is safe with no harsh ingredients or irritation risks, though other products fit sensitive skin better by offering stronger calming ingredients and better hydration and barrier support.

Phytochemistry, 2001Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for sensitive skin?

Yeast extract, lactic acid, witch hazel extract, and St. John's wort extract help make this mask a good fit by offering gentle exfoliation and calming redness. For sensitive skin, this type of product needs soothing ingredients and gentle exfoliants that calm irritation without harsh risks.

Phytochemistry, 2001Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

What does Yeast Extract do for sensitive skin?

Yeast extract helps calm sensitive skin by supporting the skin barrier and keeping the microbiome balanced, while also easing inflammation. This ingredient is unlikely to irritate easily, and a product of this type needs soothing plant extracts and gentle moisturizers to keep dry or easily upset skin soft and smooth.

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023BioFactors, 2023

What does Cucumber Extract do for sensitive skin?

Cucumber extract helps calm sensitive skin by providing soothing and antioxidant properties. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation and may help keep skin comfortable and balanced.

Fitoterapia, 2013

Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?

This mask works well as an occasional cleansing step for sensitive skin, though other products fit this skin type better. Sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients like witch hazel extract and gentle clay formulas that clean pores without causing irritation.

Phytochemistry, 2001Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this mask in the same routine as retinol, but apply the mask first to cleanse your pores and gently smooth your skin before putting on your retinol. This product is unlikely to irritate your skin, but a product for sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients like ceramides and nourishing oils to keep the barrier calm.

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

How often should I use this mask?

This mask can be used once a week as part of your weekly routine, and people who tolerate it well and see good results can carefully use it more often. It helps cleanse pores and offers supportive properties with yeast extract and lactic acid.

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?

This mask is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin, but it may cause initial purging for some users. A product for this skin needs gentle clays like bentonite and kaolin for clearing pores alongside soothing ingredients like yeast extract and witch hazel to keep skin calm.

Phytochemistry, 2001Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023

Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

What the research says

  • Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.

    Phytochemistry, 2001
  • Topical moisturizers improved skin barrier function and surface moisture, while a postbiotic moisturizer with yeast extract uniquely supported microbiome balance and modulated biomarkers of skin barrier, structure, and inflammation in participants and ex vivo explants exposed to environmental aggressors.

    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023
  • Quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/organic montmorillonite nanocomposite demonstrated superior moisture-adsorption and retention compared to hyaluronic acid, good UV-protection ability, negligible dermal irritation, and prominent moisture-retention efficacy on human stratum corneum when formulated into a cosmetic cream.

    Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017
  • A novel formulation of hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid, ellagic acid, yeast extract, and salicylic acid demonstrated parity in improving pigmentation, skin tone, spot intensity, and spot size compared to standard prescription 4% hydroquinone and 0.025% tretinoin in 82 subjects, with superior tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013
  • A maintenance therapy with a cosmeceutical formulation containing hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid, ellagic acid, yeast extract, and salicylic acid over 20 weeks significantly improved even skin tone, spot intensity, spot size, and overall hyperpigmentation in 33 healthy subjects with moderate facial dyspigmentation.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015
  • A methanol yeast extract increases proliferation and migration while decreasing entrance into senescence and apoptosis phases in 3T3 fibroblast cells.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014
  • Yeast extract from the A154 mutant strain increases cell viability by 1.4- to 1.9-fold in human skin cell lines (HFF, A431, HaCaT) after UVA irradiation and exhibits stronger ROS-scavenging properties compared with the parental strain.

    BMC Microbiology, 2026
  • Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
  • Copper Oxide nanoparticles synthesized using cucumber extract exhibited antibacterial, antifungal, UV protection, and reactive-oxygen species inhibition properties with low cellular toxicity and skin-rejuvenating effects when incorporated into skin cream.

    Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets, 2021
  • Topical treatment with Holothuria parva extract gel showed significant wound contraction compared to the negative control in full-thickness wounded rats.

    The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 2024
  • Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2024
  • Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2023
  • Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.

    Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012
  • A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018
  • Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.

    Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025
  • Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.

    Antioxidants, 2022
  • Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.

    Cutis, 2004
  • Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992
  • A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020

Ingredients

Yeast Extract, Water, Propylene Glycol, Bentonite, Kaolin, Alcohol Denat, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Vinegar, Lactic Acid, Witch Hazel Extract Bark Twig Leaf, Hypericum Perforatum Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

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