Hungarian Spas are one of the best kept secrets amongst spa travellers. You benefit from the latest treatments, excellent staff and natural products at much lower prices than in the UK. The same is now true of spa products for home use thanks to the Balaton Spa range, which uses around three hundred natural ingredients and special lowland moor water and peat from areas called pelloids which have taken 20,000 years to form. In the case of Balaton’s new face mask, I’d say it has been worth the wait.

Balaton Spa’s face mask comes in a 100ml tub which contains enough of their famous gloopy peat-based mask for sixteen treatments. Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan have all raved about the Balaton range, and given that the mask acts like a mini facelift, softening the skin and helping with fine lines, they have a point. It’s also been the secret to those healthy complexions of the Dancing on Ice Stars. With this kind of pedigree I’d expect to find the kind of price tag that causes my bank manager to have palpitations, but the entire range is great value with prices from £7 to £62.

I found that my skin felt hydrated and softer after just one application of the face mask, even though it’s been badly treated over the winter. Worryingly, the packaging is practical enough that it would also appeal to even the most macho, rugby playing type, so there’s a danger that it might be stolen by inquisitive boyfriends. Frankly it’s too good for them, so I’d suggest hiding it at the back of your bathroom cabinet.

Balaton have a special offer that would make a great gift for Mother’s Day, a birthday or just for taking the opportunity to spoil yourself. The mask normally retails at £19.99, but Balaton are also offering a free travel bag stuffed with samples sized cleansing bar, face mask, cleansing & toning lotion, face cream, body wash and body lotion.

Balaton Spa products are available from www.balaton-spa.com