Every day, there's an event to cover where I have to put on makeup and then take it off at the end of a tiring night. Sometimes the nightly routine of using oil-free makeup removers and cleansers never truly feels clean, but then it doesn't matter as the exhaustion sets in. Then again, it is frustrating to find makeup on the toner pad when you thought you had removed it entirely before your night cream routine.
I don't typically get influenced by celebrity or content creator endorsements because I understand brand marketing deals and promotions. But when I was offered the chance to test BRMUD's trio skincare pack—Deep Melting Mud Pore Cleansing Oil, Relief Mud Pack to Foam Cleanser, and Relief Mud Mask—it's hard not to want to try what rapper Cardi B called “God, this was made by God."
It also helps that the popular K-pop group ATEEZ serves as brand ambassadors for the line, developing their own limited-edition box set of the trio along with a set of photocards featuring the artists completely makeup-free. I am aware that the group also has access to unlimited skin resources at its disposal, but I figured I’d try it out.
BRMUD is a South Korean skincare brand specializing in products made with mineral-rich mud formed over thousands of years by the sedimentation of soil and the decomposition of various sea creatures. Based in Boryeong, South Korea, home to the annual iconic Boryeong Mud Festival, CEO Na Cheol-gyun, also known as "The Mud Man," BRMUD products use the purifying and rejuvenating properties of Boryeong Mud as the main ingredient for their skincare line.
According to BRMUD's website, the company processes Boryeong Mud by washing, removing impurities, grinding, and sterilizing it for over 290 days. It goes through rigorous testing for any heavy metals or steroids before being sold to consumers. Their patented Nano Tech grinds the mud to particles 1/40 the size of flour, giving an ultra-fine texture that clings and cleans every pore for deep cleansing without irritation. Their Vanish Tech also softens the mud, feels like silk, and rinses clean easily.
The company has been praised for its innovative mud-based skincare products, designed to deep-clean pores, remove excess sebum, and exfoliate skin.
I received the BRMUD x ATEEZ CLEANZ collaboration box, which contains the three-step daily cleansing routine set: BRMUD Deep Melting Mud Pore Cleansing Oil (200mL), BRMUD Relief Mud Pack-to-Foam Cleanser (110mL), and the BRMUD Relief Mud Mask (110mL).
I decided to test out the products for seven days straight on my busiest week where I knew I had to wear daily makeup. I would do this process at the end of each night before my night cream routine. I didn't use any other makeup remover as this claimed it would deep-clean all kinds of impurities. My goal was to have my skin feel clean and refreshed after using the product, thereby making my night cream routine more effective.
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According to the official site, the Cleansing Oil is "a new generation cleanser that removes impurities while locking in moisture." The oil uses both Boryeong Mud and seven fermented oils to deep-clean the skin and unclog pores, leaving skin feeling hydrated after washing.
The product recommends shaking before use as it is a mixture of natural ingredients. I pour a modest amount onto my hand, then rub it on dry skin to really get the initial makeup off. I slowly add a little water to my hands to help the oil spread further until it becomes milky (you will see the color of your makeup mixed in as it's being removed). If it's a heavy makeup day, I'll do this twice.
This product looks, smells, and feels like something that a high-end spa would use. It's so smooth and hydrating when I put it on, melting away my makeup. After washing it, my skin felt so refreshed and clean that I thought I didn't need to move on to the next step.
This cleanser could be used on its own at times, but for this review, I moved on to the next step.
As a 2-in-1 mask and pH-balanced, rich foaming cleanser, it promises to "remove sebum and impurities, leaving skin supple without over-drying." There are two ways to apply this cleanser, and I used both depending on how heavy and long I wore makeup.
As a general cleanser, I used it as it's intended: massaging it onto my wet skin and then rinsing it out. It foams evenly and feels smooth, but it also makes my skin feel a bit dry in some spots as I have combination skin.
For heavy makeup days or just tired skin, I applied the cleanser to dry skin, evenly distributing a thin layer across my face. After 1 minute, I began adding water and massaging it into my skin, then washing it off. It did feel a lot better doing this routine, but it is not practical to do every day.
My skin felt very clean but a bit dry, so I decided to try the toner pad test to see if it was truly makeup-free. As I began adding toner to one section of my face, I looked at the pad to see no makeup residue.
I moved on to the third step with the Relief Mud Mask.
The viral mud mask is a thick cream containing 30% ultra-fine mineral-rich Boryeong Mud powder, said to remove sebum and impurities while leaving skin smooth and clear. Some TikTok reviews even said their pores shrank and their skin glowed, which left me tempted to use this for makeup-free days.
After completing Steps 1 and 2, I applied a moderate amount to my dry face, avoiding the eyes and mouth. I spread a medium layer (where you can still see my skin), adding a bit more to my problematic zones like my nose, forehead, and the apples of my cheekbones. I wait about 15-20 minutes, or until it is completely dry, before rinsing it off. The mud mask does tighten as it dries, feeling like it's sealing in moisture from the mud.
When I wash it off, it does make my skin feel cleaner and tighter, but it also leaves it a bit dry. That's what the nighttime routine cream is for, after your skin feels fresh and renewed.
There were many people online putting a generous amount of the mud mask on their faces, so I did that on one of the days to see if it made a difference in hydration absorption. It did not, so I recommend a medium amount to save on the product, as it has the same effect.
While I did follow the steps daily for seven days during my busy week, my face never had the glowing, dewy look that people have shown in their videos. My skin purely felt clean and fresh, and ready for the nighttime lotion routine.
It made sense to use all three steps, but not daily. There were some days when I could have just used the pore cleanser or the pack-to-foam cleanser before my regular skincare. But it did work to keep my skin clean and refreshed after hours of makeup.
There is a slight difference in my pores, especially on my forehead. I usually have stress breakouts on my forehead, and the week I was testing these products was at the height of my stress. But with the recent steps to unclog any potential clogged pores, I didn't break out as I would have expected.
BRMUD trio skincare did the job—thoroughly cleaned my skin. It also left my face feeling tightened. The cleansers did leave some parts of my face dry, and I never fully achieved that glow after the Relief Mud Mask. With someone who is constantly busy and tired, the routine took longer than I usually spend on my nightly treatment, but it was effective.
However, I can use each one individually without them depending on each other to get the job done. It's just that with all three, it's the most effective in ensuring your face is thoroughly washed.
