Masks #16 - More masks I tried

I am still working on how I want to do my mask reviews. I tend to post it on Instagram but I would like to keep up content on the blog too. Would it better to post the reviews as I am posting it on IG or should I do a collection like I am doing now? Let me know in the comments, please and thank you!

 Beautymate - Prunus Yedoensis Moisturizing and Soft Skin Mask 

The first mask to be reviewed is the Beautymate Prunus Yedoensis Moisturizing and Soft Skin mask, which I ordered from BGO as a bundle pack that came also came with a cute headband.

This is my favourite from the three different Beautymate masks I have tried.

The mask is made from a fibrous material that is designed to trap the essence and help your skin drink it up while allowing it to breathe at the same time. The mask is drenched in a clear essence that is slightly thicker than serum but is not thick enough to be called a gel. It has a faint woodsy smell to it, which reminds me of this sakura wood charm I own.

I had it on for about 15 minutes as per the instructions and at this point, the mask was starting to feel like it is drying out. I left the extra essence to sink in instead of wiping it off because I am a rebel like that. 😎 It sunk in quickly, within a few minutes, and my skin already looked plump. I love this mask as it made my skin feel soft and plump.

I would definitely repurchase this mask if I can figure out how to reorder it since I don't want to place a gigantic order through BGO.

Banila Co -  Miss Flower & Mr.Honey Moisturizing & Nourishing Mask Sheet

I love the Miss Flower & Mr. Honey cream so I was looking forward to using this mask. It is a gold hydrogel mask that is drenched in a clear serum like essence that smells like roses. It's quite lovely scent actually, more like rosewater. However, I didn't like the material for the mask as it is quite thin and flimsy so I wasn't able to make it sit properly on my face. I ended up with lots of bunched up spots or tenting on my face. Not what I look for in a mask.

I lost track of time and had the mask on for 45 minutes, but it was only 5 minutes more than the recommended time so it's okay. The mask was still moist but starting to dry at the upper lip area, which is usually the first place to dry up. The extra essence sunk in quickly and was not sticky.

I think the mask is more a cooler weather kind of mask as it was more than enough to make up for the rest of my routine. However, I probably won't repurchase the mask as I am not a fan of mask that won't sit properly on my face that cost me around US$4 when I can get a super fitting mask like Leaders coconut get masks for around C$2 each.

My Scheming - Skin Clarifying Astringent Mask

 I got this in a variety pack from My Scheming a while back and finally decided to give it a try after my skin got clogged up from the excess sweating thanks to heatwaves.

This is a thin silk mask that is drenched, and I do mean drenched, in a light saline solution scented essence. I absolutely loved the fit of the mask as it looks like I have nothing on my face.

I had the mask on for 25 minutes, at which point it was only starting to dry out. This was surprising to me as this is such a thin mask! The essence sunk in quickly and was only ever slightly tacky to the touch. It made my skin feel tight and was not moisturizing. But it did calm down my skin as I woke up the next morning and all the bumps I felt has gone down. I would repurchase this mask if it gets on sale and I happen to see it.

Leaders Insolution - Aquaringer Skin Clinic Mask 

The Leaders mask is always one of my favourites. They tend to work well for me so I am always looking to stock up on them.

This is a thin mask sheet that is almost as thin as the My Scheming silk masks as it also looks invisible on me. The mask is drenched in gel like essence and has what I call the typical leaders scent. if you tried a Leaders mask before, you will know what that smell is.

I had this on for about 20 minutes and the upper lip area was starting to dry up. I forgot how sticky the essence is and had to use my essences to cover it up as it wouldn't go away with time. It did make my skin very well moisturized and it made applying makeup so much easier in the morning!

I am definitely going to repurchase this once I cut down my mask count.

The Qure Mask Pack - Red Ginseng Collagen Essence Mask 

I received this mask from a variety pack I ordered from Mask Genie (no longer in business) and I put off using it since I am not a fan of the ginseng scent. But I thought my skin needed a pick me up so I decided to use it.

Like I thought, this mask has a strong ginseng scent to it. But luckily, it fades a little once it is on my face. The mask itself is on the thick side that is embossed with a double helix pattern. The mask wasn't drenched in essence. In fact, there wasn't much essence in the package at all. So I was surprised it actually lasted 25 minutes.

The extra essence sunk in quickly and left my skin a little sticky. I am happy the ginseng scent goes away with the mask. It made my skin look noticeably brighter, which is surprising as I always have trouble identifying changes in skin complexion. So for me to notice it, it is a drastic difference.

I wouldn't repurchase this as I am not sure where to find it and I am still not a fan of the ginseng scent.

Esfolio - Snail Essence Mask Sheet

I didn't like the Esfolio mask, I will tell you this right now. It smelled funky, kind of "tangy" like it's drenched in alcohol. But there are no alcohol in the ingredients list. The mask looks dry and there was no extra essence. As per my Google search, the mask should be drenched in essence. So that's not a good indicator.

I tried to put the mask on my face but that strong scent was too overwhelming and I had to throw it away. I am chalking this up to maybe the mask being close to expiration.

The Saem - Natural-Tox Banana Mask Sheet 

I can't resist buying any of the banana flavoured masks so I was looking forward to using this mask from The Saem.

It is a textured cotton sheet that is drenched in a serum like essence that smells like banana pudding or one of those Korean banana milks. I do want to offer a word of caution that you should be careful when adjusting the mask as it tore easily when I tried to test how easy to pull it part.

I had it on for 20 minutes and the mask stayed moist for the entire time, which was surprising since it started off being moist. I really thought it would have dried out by the 15 minutes mark at the latest.

The extra essence sunk in quickly but was ever so slightly tacky. But it made my skin feel plump and happy which I was excited to see. Especially when the mask is supposed to nourish the skin, which it has done!

I would repurchase it if The Saem is still producing this mask.

FarmStay - Visible Difference Mask Sheet Pack in Greentea Seed 

I got this from MaskGenie and decided to give it a go. It is a normal sheet mask that is covered in serum like essence. It does contain alcohol, and I can clearly smell that distinct tangy scent. So my hopes were not high for a mask that has alcohol as the 4th ingredients.

I had it on for 20 minutes as it was starting to feel dry to the touch. There was plenty of essence left on the skin and it sunk in quickly and does not feel sticky at all. It actually made my skin feel super soft and the pores appear to be smaller. I was surprised by the result given how high alcohol is on the ingredients list.

I will not repurchase this, despite the great results, as it was pointed out to me that it has methyparaben which may react with UVB rays and increase the aging process. So yah.. I don't want to age faster than necessary so this isn't going to be repurchased.

Etude House - Petite Face Mask in Vita Hydrating Shot 

I bought this as it is one of those two step masks that you mix right before usage. I haven't tried one of those masks before so I thought I give a shot. It is a two step mask, where step 1 has the ampoule and powder that needs to be mixed and then insert into the step 2 sheet mask.

I would have loved for this to work, but the step 1 failed on me miserably. It popped from the side seam instead of forward into the powder. So I had to insert the remaining ampoule into the sheet mask while the powder remained in its lonely container.

The mask itself was pliable and hugged my skin and I am thankful it was already soaked with some essence. Otherwise it wouldn't even sit on my face. The mask had weird slits, where it made me kind of look like Miss Swan. I mean seriously, head on over my IG and see for yourself!

I had it on for 35 minutes and it was still very moist. The extra essence sunk in very slowly and it made my skin feel a bit tacky for a while. My skin did end up feeling more moisturized but I really wish I could have seen what the full effect of the mask would be.

I obviously would not repurchase as this failed on me miserably and I am not willing to spend another $4+ to try it again.

Etude House - I Need You, Silk Cocoon Mask 

This mask series has been discontinued but I thought I give it a try anyways. It is a regular sheet mask that is soaked in a milk essence that has a light non-discernible scent.

 I had it on for 25 minutes and the mask was only starting to lose contact with the skin. The extra essence sunk in quickly and not sticky. My skin feel softer afterwards but it felt like I had a layer of "oil" on top of my skin. It kind of creates a barrier for the skin, which is kind of what it advertised to do. But I am not too happy with this barrier as it prevented the rest of my routine from sinking in. It made my skin feel soft and dewy but I don't like the fact that it feels like all my products are sitting on top of the skin instead of sinking in.

For that reason, and the fact that it has been discontinued, I will not be repurchasing this mask.,

Battle of Cleansing Oils - DHC vs. Banila Co

I find that I quite like doing these "battles" of similar products. They are pretty fun! They take a while to do as I take my sweet time using them. But it's fun!! （‐＾▽＾‐）

Background

Just a little background into my skin. It's normal combination, with mostly hormonal breakouts. Though if I don't drink enough water or not eat properly, I will get a little bit of a breakouts too.

Products

I bought my DHC cleansing oil from BonjouHK for $11.47 USD + shipping. I heard much raves about the cleansing oil and decided to give it a try. I was pretty surprised to receive such a small bottle for $11.47. But that's my fault for not reading properly and seeing it's only 70ml. This is the travel size, not the full size.

As for the Banila Co Clean It Zero. I bought samples of it on a whim from RoseRoseShop last year and have been using it on and off for a while to clean off make up and sunscreen. I decided to take the full plunge when I saw the jumbo size on sale at Interpark for around $18 USD with free shipping. Sadly, they no longer offer the sale.

Mini vs MEGA

I received them around the same time and thought, I wonder which one is better for my skin. I first attempted it with the removal of make up swatches. Then I decided to split my face down the middle (figuratively of course), with the left side being DHC and the right side being Banila. I tested both at the same time as I have already been using Banila before, so technically I am only introducing one new item into my routine.

Make Up Removal

First thing I did was, of course, make up swatches and see how both did in removing them. I grabbed whatever I have and swatched it. From left to right they are, lip stain, random white cream eye shadow stick I bought off of eBay a long time ago(I use it on the bottom waterline), Heroine Make Eyeliner, and Quo glittery eyeshadow.

I put the DHC on the top/closer to my thumb and a small dab of the Banila on the bottom. In the results, the position of the two switches as DHC is a liquid and it was impossible to take a picture of it without having it drip off of my hand.

The top is Banila, which you can see is causing a bit of muck when it's rubbed in. The bottom is DHC and it's looking kind of like nothing is happening.

This is after I rubbed at my the back of my hand for a good minute and rinsed everything off with water. It looks like everything besides the eyeliner and the lip stain has been washed off completely. If you look closely, the lip stain is still visible, just a tad fainter on top than the bottom. Similarly, the eyeliner is less prominent on top compared to the bottom. That eyeliner was so stubborn, I regretted putting on such a thick line. I had to walk around with that on the back of my hand for a few days as nothing could remove it completely in one go. That tells me that Clean It Zero is just SLIGHTLY better at removing make up than DHC.

In the make up removing power, Banila Co barely beat DHC.

Comparison

Okay, now to my long comparison chart.

	DHC Deep Cleansing Oil	Banila Co Clean It Zero
Type	Oil cleanser	Sherbet cleanser
Volume	70ml	180ml
Price	$11.47 USD 15,000 Won**	$18USD 20,000 Won**
Average Cost	$0.164/ml 214.286 won/ml Roughly $0.214/ml**	$0.100/ml 111.111 won/ml roughly $0.111/ml**
Ingredients	Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil CosDNA Source: http://www.dhccare.com/deep-cleansing-oil	Mineral Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Water, Rubus Suavissimus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Leaf Extract, Angelica Polymorpha Sinesis Root Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Leaf Extract, BHT, Butylparaben, CI 16255, CI 15985, Fragrance  CosDNA Source: http://sokoglam.com/products/banila-co-clean-it-zero#sthash.XsQBFvJf.dpuf
Smell	Herbal smell, most likely due to the rosemary leaf. Every time I use it, I can only smell it at first then I can no longer smell it.	A sweet creamy smell. The smell stays, every time I use it I can smell it, and it would still waft into my nose until I rinse it off
Feel	Feels kind of creamy but not. Feels slightly thicker than regular oil	Soft when fresh out of the container, and melt into oil upon contact with skin & body heat. Feels a bit thicker than DHC
Usage	Half a pump covers half of my face. Pumped onto fingers or palm of hand and quick apply on face.	Pea size scoop is more than enough for half of my face. Usually extend to the neck area if there are any extra.
Ease of usage	As it is oil, it can drip if I don’t apply fast enough.	Transfer from provided spoon onto fingers, then onto face. Some chunks can get stuck between fingers and have to stop and move those chunks onto face and continue massage. Slightly unsanitary due to the spoon.
Massage	About 30 seconds before it feels like there is not much oil left to massage with	About a minute before it starts to feel like there is not much oil left to massage
Rinse	Upon contact with water, feel like all of it rinsed right off. It felt like skin contacting skin, without the oil in between.	Upon contact with water, feel like there is still quite a thick layer of oil on my skin. Keep on massaging to rinse off. Still feel like there is some left on skin.
Breakouts	Initially caused me to break out around the temple area. After continuous use, still has occasional breakouts but much less than the Banila	Caused some mini breakouts around the chin. Continuous usage lead to more breakouts on forehead and cheek compared to DHC.

 **I used TesterKorea for a standard price point comparison. The two are available on different sites and different mark ups. TK is the only site that I can think of that has both and uses the same mark up. 

Price point and ingredients wise, Banila wins over DHC. It cost nearly half as much and have less triggering ingredients.

Overall Thoughts

Banila won over DHC in all the categories I can compare. But honestly, my final thoughts on both are kind of meh.

For DHC, I started off disliking the smell. I have come to appreciate it though as it is much lighter scent than Banila.  However, because it is liquid, it can get messy if I don't move quickly. It's price is stopping me from purchasing it again. The full size is 200ml for $33.50 CAD on Amazon.ca which is quite high for me. The comments state a little goes a long way. But I can't seem to get it to work with just a little bit. ( ´•̥ו̥` )

As for Banila Co, it is much cheaper for less triggering ingredients list and slightly better make up removal performance. However, I can't get over how it feels like I have not removed all of it, despite double cleansing. I now have deep regret over ordering the jumbo size and is left pondering how am I going to use it all up before it expires. .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·. Oh, not to mention how the Banila side of my face had more breakouts than the DHC's side. That is also a big no no.

Well, this is my thoughts on the two popular cleansing oil/balm. Hopefully that can kind of help somebody out there. 

Update

Hi everyone~ I am not sure if anyone is still reading here, and it sure seems like I have abandoned it. But I haven't! I have been busy with adjusting to living on my own and trying out different fitness classes. I been keeping a log of things I have tried and hoping to have it posted in the upcoming weeks. I also changed my phone and lost some of the notes I have kept on there so some reviews may be a little vague because of it.

I am just going to do a little update as to what changed with my routine and some mini reviews.

Current Routine

I have been using the Su:m 37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick (a gift from a friend) along with the Foreo Luna Mini to cleanse every day. If I remember, I will use the Banila Co Clean It Zero samples to do a double cleanse.

For toner, I am still using The Yeon Jeju Hallabong Ade Energy Peeling toner I got from Memebox. I have been applying it with my hands instead of a cotton pad, and I have noticed it foams up a little bit. I thought it may have been me not washing off the cleanser properly so I have diligently washed off every bit of cleanser and it still foams up. So I guess it's just something the toner does.

After the toner, I use COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and wait a full 20 minutes before going into the next step. I heard good reviews about the brand and will do a full review on it after I finish trying it for a few months. But so far so good.

After waiting the 20 minutes or so, I apply the Pisteo Bright & Pure C Serum and wait another 20 minutes. These adds so much time my normally short routine so I tend to do it at night. I received the serum in previous Memeboxes and it is no longer available on TesterKorea. The serum has a gauge on the side to show you how much you need to apply each day as it is intended as a 7 day treatment. But I have been using half of the recommended daily dosage as it is enough to cover my face.

Now, after another 20 minutes, I can apply my Elizavecca Hyaluronic Acid Serum 100%. I have been constantly using it and I really feel like it has contributed in making my skin feel softer and moisturized. I have been pouring out at least a loonie sized serum each time so I have a thick layer on my face and my neck, and I am still only a third way through the bottle. I don't think I need a serum for a long time.

Depending if I am feeling like it or not, I will slap on a mask to try and review. In the morning, I have made sure I put on sun screen as it is recommended you do so when using the blackhead solution and the vitamin C.

Right now my skin is happy with what it is dealing with. I don't have any breakouts unless it's hormonal ones. I don't have flakes on my skin anymore and it's warmer out so I no longer need as much moisture as I do in the winter. My primary concern is now reducing the look of blackheads and sebaceous filaments on my nose as well as the freckles and sunspots I inherited from my parents.

Mini Reviews: 
Corbeaux:

Birthday cake time for @mugoomogoo @turtlegonepurple ! ! #cake #corbeaux #yyc

A photo posted by @pothepanda16 on Mar 30, 2015 at 6:12pm PDT

We went to Corbeaux for dessert for my friend's birthday. This is where I lost all the notes. The atmosphere was good but the price was about average for 17th Ave restaurants. The pastries looked wonderful but taste wise it could improve.

The lemon tart had a wonderful lemon curd. It was tart with a bit of a sweetness, such that it is not very sour.

The red velvet cupcake was a disappointment, it was basically a plain sponge cake with food colouring. I did not get a hint of chocolate at all. Add the sweet icing on top, it was just overwhelmingly sweet.

The macarons were okay. The shells were not too crunchy and really sweet but the raspberry filling cut through a little bit with its tartness. But the sweetness level has always been a problem with macarons due to icing sugar or sugar syrup being one of the main ingredients in the recipe.

The real star was the chestnut pastry, where we forgot to take down the name. It was recommended by the person behind the till for something soft. The pasty was forgettable, but the filling was wonderful. I can still remember the sweet chestnut flavour hits the tongue at first then a hint of a dark rich flavour that I can only guess to be espresso or coffee. I really think the coffee cut through the sweetness a lot and added a different flavour profile into the filling. This was my favourite dish and I would probably grab it again if I were to ever go back.

I don't think I'll ever go back on my own, perhaps if friends want to go then I'll tag along. Their pastries are just too sweet for me, and I am known to have a sweet tooth. I still remember drinking my tea constantly to cut through the sweetness, only to find the sweetness crawl back within a minute.

Fit Republic:

My friend found a Groupon for Fit Republic and wanted to try. So the three of us went for the anti-gravity class. The downside is if you were to do anti-gravity, you need to purchase the 3 class anti-gravity prerequisite pass for $60 first.

We have attended two classes so far, would have continued but they had a flood and is still in the process of renovating for the re-opening. I found that I really enjoyed the classes! The studio appears to be small from the outside but is more than enough room for about 10 people. The instructor, Alison, is really nice and quite instructive. She made me felt at ease and relaxed. I really liked all the inversion parts of the class and found myself to be so relaxed afterwards. I highly recommend this place if you wan to try anti-gravity. It is just a Ctrain ride from City Hall and across the street from the train station.

Fierce Girl Fitness:

As mentioned above, Fit Republic got flooded in May so my friends and I were looking for another studio to occupy our time. We walked by Fierce Girl Fitness during one of our walks and decided to give it a shot since they have Pole. I called ahead to see which pole class is better suited for beginners and managed to get hold of someone with my second call. I then tried to call them again to see if we can register in person instead of online. But after 4 or 5 calls that went to voicemail, I gave up. I should've known by then that this was not a good place if they have nobody to answer the call at any time of the day.

My friends still wanted to try so we registered online and opted for pay in person. So we went to the studio, which is really nice. They had a huge reception area, including a couch and projector on the side. But again, no one is at reception, so we waited at the couch thinking they must have stepped away. 20 minutes later, still no one at reception. A class has changed classroom and the people just walked by us and still no one to help us. It wasn't until our instructor came in and noticed us that she signed us in, showed us where to go and took our money. Which is also funny because she doesn't know how to work the register or machine so we had to give her cash and let her give us the change out of her pocket. **Big security issue. Their change room just has slots for you to put your valuables in, with the door wide open, with no reception to watch the people coming and going.... That is just bad practice. **

The class... Wow... The instructor is really good at pole but man she sucks as an instructor. She spent 20 minutes trying to figure out the projector, then she split the class into two, beginner and intermediate, then she ended class 5 minutes early because she had to get somewhere. So we paid $19 for 35 minutes of class time instead of 60 minutes. Heck, that 35 minutes was more like 10 minutes. There was also no warm ups or conditioning, she just went straight into doing moves, which is not great for your muscles.

Because she split us into beginner and intermediate, she jumps between the two groups. I have taken pole for a few months before so I know some of the basics, but my friends have never taken them before. The first thing the instructor did was to teach them do a spin, and I pointed out to her, that she need to explain the basics since they never did it before. She goes and just taught them the spin with little explanation. She then proceeds to go to the intermediate area, so I ended up teaching my friends instead of her. She kept on coming over, showing us moves before going back to the intermediate side so I ended up teaching them all the moves. I asked her how to turn, and she just taught me how to do the spin instead. I clarified my question to how to turn in the middle of a spin and she's like yah okay and went to the other side.

Our overall thoughts was we are never coming to this studio again due to the lack of reception and how erratic the instructor was. I think we are going to go to my old studio or a new pole studio.

So that's some of the things I been up to and aiming to do my posts on various masks I have tried in the near future!

RoseRoseShop Haul #2

So I was bored and didn't have anything buy from Memebox so I decided to buy from RoseRoseshop and its free shipping items. They have quite a few Mizon products under free shipping, you just have to pay $2.50 tracking fee. It is a very good deal.