Introduction
Mary & May might not sit at the very top of the K-beauty fame pyramid just yet, but skin care insiders have been buzzing about its ingredient-focused formulas and refreshingly transparent ethos. The brand positions itself as a bit of a modern apothecary, trading flashy promises for solid science and a generous dose of skin kindness.
Now comes the mouthful that is the Cica Tea Tree Soothing Wash Off Pack. The name feels like it is trying to fit a whole ingredients list into one breath, yet it neatly sums up exactly what the brand claims it delivers: Centella and tea tree in a creamy clay that should calm, cleanse and comfort compromised skin without leaving it parched. Mary & May says the mask pairs cica’s barrier-mending prowess with tea tree’s breakout-busting reputation, all wrapped in a silky texture that rinses off without the dreaded desert-dry afterfeel.
I spent a solid two weeks putting this mask through its paces, timing those 10-minute sessions with the diligence of a lab tech. Below, you will find the unfiltered take on whether this soothing cocktail is worth carving out space in your routine and your wallet.
What is Cica Tea Tree Soothing Wash Off Pack?
This product sits firmly in the wash-off mask category, meaning it is applied after cleansing, left on the skin for a short stint then rinsed away. Wash-off masks offer a middle ground between daily cleansers and overnight leave-ons: they stay in contact with the skin long enough to deliver a concentrated dose of active ingredients yet are removed before they can trigger prolonged irritation or pore congestion.
Mary & May positions this particular mask as a two-pronged treatment that targets both irritation and congestion. The formula blends a clay base with Centella asiatica and tea tree extract. The clay component provides the familiar absorb-and-purify action that helps draw out surface oil and debris. Centella lends its well studied calming and barrier-supportive qualities while tea tree supplies antibacterial backup that can be useful for breakout-prone areas.
The brand states that the mask is designed to soothe redness, temper blemishes and leave skin feeling refreshed rather than stripped. Its creamy texture is meant to spread easily and rinse clean without the tight after-feel some clay masks can cause. Used two or three times a week, it aims to offer a quick reset for skin that is feeling reactive, oily or both.
Did it work?
In the spirit of hard science I benched my usual wash off mask for three full days before cracking into this one, a gesture that made me feel like I deserved my own lab coat and clipboard. Fourteen days felt like a decent runway to see what the clay-cica-tea tree trio could really do, so I slotted it in every third evening for a total of five applications.
Application one: a soft herbal scent, a faint cooling tingle and a texture that spread without the tugging some clays demand. Ten minutes later it dried down without that cement-like pull, rinsed off cleanly and left my cheeks looking a touch less pink. Nice, not earth-shattering.
By the third session the mask had established a predictable rhythm. Immediate payoff was consistent: redness dialed down, forehead shine blotted and pores around my nose appeared a little more refined for a few hours. A stubborn chin blemish flattened faster than usual which I credit to the tea tree, though a baby whitehead on my temple shrugged at the formula and proceeded with its regularly scheduled programming.
Day fourteen rolled around with skin that definitely felt calmer overall. No dry patches, no rebound oiliness and no stinging during use. That said the cumulative benefits capped at “subtly smoother” rather than “new-skin who dis.” The clay kept midday shine in check but did not noticeably shrink blackheads. Centella seemingly kept irritation at bay yet the mask did not replace the need for my tried and true calming serum when eczema decided to flare.
So yes, the product largely delivers on its promise to soothe and gently clarify, just not at a level that earns permanent residency in my personal routine. I would reach for it after a sweaty workout or on a breakout-leaning week, and I can happily recommend it to anyone hunting a mild multitasker, but the search for a truly transformative mask continues.
Main ingredients explained
Right at the top sits kaolin and bentonite, two clays that act like tiny vacuums for excess oil while lending a soft creamy slip that keeps the mask from cracking into a desert crust. Both are considered non-comedogenic, meaning they will not clog pores, and they come with an added mineral boost that gently mattifies without stripping. Glycerin, propanediol and dipropylene glycol weave in humectant goodness to pull water into the skin so the clays can purify without leaving that post-mask tightness.
The real headline act is Centella asiatica in a double showing: the flower-leaf-stem extract appears high in the deck and a separate purified extract lands a few lines later. Centella’s mad-madecasoside and asiaticoside compounds are famous for calming redness, strengthening the barrier and nudging along wound healing, which explains why any post-extraction sting disappears within minutes. Partnering those soothing notes is tea tree leaf extract, a time-tested antibacterial that helps keep budding pimples from blooming. The concentration feels balanced; I get the clarifying perks without the dryness tea tree oil can bring when it dominates a formula.
Supporting players include calamine for extra anti-itch insurance, allantoin for a softening touch and ectoin, a stress-protective molecule that helps skin hold on to hydration. Houttuynia cordata amps up the anti-inflammatory angle while chlorella powder adds a whisper of antioxidants. Triethoxycaprylylsilane, an ingredient that wets pigments so they disperse evenly, has a mildly comedogenic rating for some but its low percentage makes breakouts unlikely for most. For context, comedogenic labels flag ingredients that can lodge in pores and foster blemishes yet real-world reactions depend heavily on overall formula balance and individual skin thresholds.
Those avoiding animal derivatives can breathe easy; the ingredient list is fully plant or mineral derived so the mask is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Pregnancy safety is a little murkier. Essential oil constituents in tea tree and the presence of fragrance could present a sensitivity risk, and dermatologists generally urge expectant or nursing parents to run any topical past their doctor first. Lastly fragrance and iron oxides give the mask its spa-like scent and pastel tint, pleasant but worth noting for those with hyper-reactive skin.
What I liked/didn’t like
Here is the quick hit list of pros and cons that stood out during my two-week trial.
What works well:
- Creamy clay texture glides on and rinses clean without the post-mask tightness some clays leave behind
- Cica and tea tree combo visibly tempers redness and helps nudge down small breakouts after each use
- Humectants and ectoin keep skin comfortably hydrated while kaolin and bentonite absorb excess oil for a balanced finish
What to consider:
- Overall benefits level off at “subtle refinement” so may not satisfy those chasing dramatic pore or acne correction
- Contains added fragrance which may not suit ultra-reactive or pregnancy-cautious users
- Requires consistent use to see and maintain results, a point worth weighing if cost per use is a priority
My final thoughts
After five rounds with Mary & May’s Cica Tea Tree Soothing Wash Off Pack I can comfortably slot it into the “solid yet not spectacular” column. It excels at soothing hot-headed skin and mopping up midday shine but stops shy of transformative. If your goal is a calm, balanced complexion and you are happy with incremental gains, it performs at a respectable 7/10. Those hunting a mask that blitzes blackheads or rewrites pore size might feel underwhelmed. I would still recommend it to a friend whose skin leans combination or sensitive and who enjoys the ritual of a gentle clay session a few evenings a month.
For readers comparing options, I have tried more wash-off masks than I care to admit and a few standouts deserve a mention. Deascal’s Pink Clay Glow Mask is an excellent all-rounder: it exfoliates, clears pores, brightens and leaves skin looking fresh in one pass, all while landing at a wallet-friendly price. Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque delivers a deeper detox if congestion is your chief complaint. Innisfree’s Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask strikes a nice balance of sebum control and gentle resurfacing, perfect for humid-weather breakouts. The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid 2% Masque adds a chemical exfoliation twist that can speed up turnover without excessive dryness. Each of these has been in my rotation at one time or another and earns its keep depending on what my skin is shouting for that week.
Before you rush to slather on anything new, remember a few housekeeping rules. Clay masks, even kind ones, are still actives that deserve a patch test behind the ear or on the jawline. Sorry for sounding like an over-protective parent but your future self will thank you. Consistency also matters; no mask delivers a lifetime fix in ten minutes so plan on regular use and adjust frequency as your skin adapts.