Left red faced

A beauty routine left Chantelle Currell, 19, from Swanscombe, in hospital…

Ever since I was a little girl, I struggled with bad skin.

It looks horrible, I thought, peering into the bathroom mirror and running my fingers over the blackheads on my chin.

Longing for clear skin, I’d tried loads of different creams and masks from the Montagne Jeunesse range, including the Dragon Fruit Sauna, Passion Peel Off, and Blemish Mud varieties.

This time, I smacked my lips as I pulled out the Chocolate Mud sachet I’d bought from Asda for just £1.

The ingredients included cocoa and moisturising shea butter, and I couldn’t wait for it to work its magic on my skin.

Scraping my hair back, I smeared the mask on my face.

The instructions said to leave it on for 15 minutes, then rinse it off.

I’d arranged to go out for a meal with my partner Shane that evening, so after applying the mask, I went to the bedroom to get dressed while it started to work. I could feel my face getting warmer and warmer, but I didn’t think anything of it.

But then, after a few minutes, my face became really hot.

Wincing in pain, I ran back to the bathroom and clawed at my face, desperately trying to scrape the mud from my burning skin.

It felt as though hot pokers were piercing through my cheeks.

After removing the mask, I filled the sink with cold water and plunged my face into it.

‘Shane!’ I called. ‘Get some ice!’

Shane came running up with an icy compress, which I held against my burning cheeks.

I was in too much pain to go out that night, and I barely slept.

The next morning, my mum took me to the GP, who referred me to our local hospital.

A specialist there was shocked to see my inflamed face.

He said the citric acid in the mask may have been to blame.

‘You may be left permanently scarred,’ he warned. I’d only had the

mask on for about three minutes!

The specialist advised me to take paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain, but that night, I’d just have to leave my skin alone and give it time to heal.

The next day, I went to the Asda store where I purchased the mask and explained what happened.

The shop assistant there said she would send the sachet off for testing, but all she could offer me was a £1 voucher. So insulting! Asda hasn’t been in touch since. Montagne Jeunesse, who make the face mask, say I must have had an allergic reaction. But I don’t agree. Now, I’ve got a personal injury lawyer pursuing my claim.

I’ve been left disfigured, all thanks to this face mask – permanently.

I clawed at my burning face