Masks Compilation #2 - Hydrating Masks

Hey everyone, here's the second mask compilation, which is focused on masks that are supposed to be hydrating. Let's get to it shall we?

My Coco Bottle - Healthy Juice Mask 

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 10, 2018 at 11:54am PDT

I honestly bought this mask as it was really cute, in a shape of water bottle and something tells me it has to do with coconut water. (I love coconut water so.... I must try it!). Anyways, my guess wasn't far off, it does contain coconut and hyaluronic acid.

The mask comes in 20ml off essence that is heavily scented, like artificial apple blossom scents. The mask itself is soft and hugs the skin very nicely.

I had it on for 15 minutes before it started to dry up near the upper lip area. It took forever to sink in and not feel sticky anymore. I was ready to write this mask off based just on the stickiness. But my skin was so smooth and plump the next morning, I can totally put up with the stickiness. I would totally buy more of these if I come across them again.

My Scheming - Hyaluronan Hydrating Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 11, 2018 at 6:21am PDT

I automatically am drawn to anything with variation of hyaluronic acid advertised on it, and I was quite looking forward to this My Scheming mask. I love the super juicy thin silk mask from the brand.

True to the typical My Scheming masks, it is a very thin silk mask that is soaked in 30ml of essence. It was dripping everywhere when I took the mask out. The essence itself smells kind of like saline solution and mosquito repellent coming out of the package, but smells kind of like cucumber when it's on my face.

The mask took about 20 minutes to start drying up in the upper lip area. It took about 5 more minutes for the extra essence to sink in. My skin feels moisturized and quite happy.

This is a good hydrating silk mask that I would totally repurchase!

My Scheming - Apple Brightening & Hydrating Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 12, 2018 at 12:21pm PDT

Another My Scheming silk mask this time! It is both brightening and hydrating. But seeing how I normally can't tell any brightening effects, I usually chalk up any brightening masks to just hydration.

This is similar to the hylauronan mask, so it is super thin ans juicy. It has a chemical scent to it that reminds me of cherry cough drops, which is super weird. I also took this off after 20 minutes, because it started to feel like the mask was suffocating my skin.

After I removed the mask, my skin didn't feel very moisturized or brightened. So this is a meh mask for me.

Mirae - Aqua NMF Extreme Hydro Natural Moisturizing Factor

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A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 19, 2018 at 6:54am PDT

That's a mouthful for name eh? I received this courtesy of Miirushop as Eden highly recommended it!

The mask is designed in such a way that it will deliver its powerful essence to your skin within 8 minutes. So you can do a quick masking session, even if you are super busy.

The mask itself is super thin and hugs the skin well. It is also super juicy, which is typical of Taiwanese masks. The only potential downside is that it does contain parabens, which is a semi-controversial ingredient. I personally don't have too much of an issue with it, but do try to limit my usage of products containing it to once every two days. But that's my comfort level. I highly recommend doing some research into the ingredient and form your own comfort level based on your findings.

Anyways, I took the mask off after 8 minutes and my skin was super hydrated and plump. I was absolutely in love. I couldn't stop touching my face to feel how smooth and plump it was after using an 8 minute mask. It was still plump the next day!

Needless to say, I absolutely loved the mask! I already bought a of the aqua one from Miirushop, and a box of the collagen flavour for my mom.

Scinic - My Juice Bottle Mask - Aqua Ampoule Juice

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 22, 2018 at 12:18pm PDT

Yup.. You are not seeing doubles. . It is another mask that is shaped like a water bottle, but this one is from the Korean brand Scinic. The reasoning behind the purchase of the mask is still the same as My Coco Bottle mask, it looks like a water bottle. Hahahaa.

The mask comes in 20 ml of essence that smells very strongly like a semi evaporated nail polish remover. So that's not very pleasant. The mask itself was very soft and fit very well that I didn't need a mirror to put it on.

I had the mask on for 25 minutes and it was still very moist. But my face felt SO tight! That's not a good sign. It took a while for that tightness to go away, and for my skin to feel moisturized. But it was just meh. It is just meh.

Overall Ranking

I figured I would rank how likely I would repurchase the masks in this post. So 1 means very likely, and 5 means not likely at all.

1) Mirae - Aqua NMF Extreme Hydro Natural Moisturizing Factor (Already purchased a box + a box of collagen, so no surprise there)
2) My Scheming - Hyaluronan Hydrating Mask (moisturizing, thin silk mask. Easily accessible and decent pricing. I think it got reformulated though)
3) My Coco Bottle  - Healthy Juice Mask (Hydrating, but did leave the skin feeling tacky. Haven't seen it for sale in a lot of places)
4) My Scheming - Apple Brightening & Hydrating Mask (Meh mask, but I like a juicy silk mask. It's also accessible)
5) Scinic - My juice Bottle Mask - Aqua Ampoule Juice (No.. Just no.. When the other masks in this compilation haven't made my skin feel tight. This just gets a no from me)

My Scheming - Rose Dew Moisturizing Mask

If you read this blog or my IG regularly, first of all, thank you! 😍💓Second of all, you probably noticed I love flowers. My favourite is roses and basically anything roses gets my attention. 😊 It should comes to no one's surprise that I hoard rose products. I have been hoarding the My Scheming Rose Dew Moisturizing Mask as a result of it. But it is expiring in 2018 and I think I heard they either discontinued this mask or it have been repackaged. So I thought.. Might as well use this up and match my rose themed skincare routine!

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.,

Masks #12: Masks that makes me go ┐(￣ー￣)┌

My apologies for the lack of posts for almost two months!! I got this post ready and just needed to insert pictures. Then I got busy with Christmas season and then during my down time I decided to read instead. (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑) I been neglecting everything else in my life since then... Just work and read.. Only eating when I had to.. So bad! But I am back! So here's my super belated mask post!! Hope you enjoy! 

My Scheming Snail Essence Hydrating Mask

I was so excited to find cheap silk masks from Taiwan that I ordered the Book of Masks I in hydration. I always feel like my skin needs more moisture. This is one of the masks in the Book, I decided to use it as my skin was kind of acting up and I wanted to provide moisture while calming my skin. What better than them lovely snails right??

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Butelyene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aleuritic Acid, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycoproteins, Yeast Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhetinate, PEG-120 Jojoba Esters, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance

Umm........... Am I completely blind or am I not seeing ANY snail mucus? Or is it just broken down to its chemical terms that I am not familiar with? Because in Chinese it clearly says Snail Muscus Extrac and Aloe Extract... Hmm.... 

I am kind of weird, but I do like the fact that you open from the bottom. Sometimes, when the packaging is really pretty and I don't want to destroy it so I'll rip from the bottom. So I like these masks open at the bottom.

Like all My Scheming masks, or Taiwanese masks for that matter, it was filled with essence. I squirted some onto my surrounding as I was opening the package.

The mask has a very light faint smell. By faint, I do mean faint. I have to take really deep sniffs to get a stronger scent of it. I can't really identify what that smell is, but it didn't bother me and goes away after a few minutes.

Like the previous My Scheming masks I tried, it hugs my skin like second skin. Yay for great fit! I took it off after 25 minutes and has quite a bit of essence left on my face. It only takes about 5 minutes to dry and did not feel stick to the touch. Yay for non-stickiness!

As much as I loved the fit, I can't say I loved the result. My face feels moisturized, but it wasn't plump or anything. It just feels like.. I put on some serum and it sunk in and that was that. Kind of disappointed. But I have to say it did seem to shrink my pores down a little bit.

I am glad I got it as a part of the mask book instead of a full pack of 10. Because I don't think I'll buy it again.

Mediheal N.M.F Aqua Ring Ampoule Mask

I got this as Interpark Global had it on sale for $12 USD including shipping. Like I said above and many times, I love anything that promises moisture. I just HAD to snag it up!

Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Butelyene Glycol, Glyereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Rosa Centifola Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Fomes Officinalis (Mushroom) Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Betaine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Allantoin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract, Methylparaben, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Fragrance, Propylaparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxy-ethanol, Trehalose, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Glycerin, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosince, Phenylalanine, Proline, Trenoine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histindine, Cysteine, Methionine, Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide 3, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin

Hehehehe.. There's so many chemicals in there that ends with "ine".. Hehehe It's just amusing to me.. Anyways.. Good news is that there is not added fragrance as part of the ingredients. Bad news is there is alcohol. I assume it would be in a very small amount as it is very low on the list of ingredients. 

I was really excited to try this as I really liked the Aquaringer mask from Leaders. Yes they are different producers, but come on, Aquaring, Aquaringer, they should perform very similarly.. As least I hope.

My excitement was dampened when I opened the package. Right away I can smell this chemical, alcohol kind of smell. Not too pleased with that. Thank goodness there wasn't much of the essence in the package. So I don't feel like I wasted much essence when I throw it away.

I think I must have been spoiled by the thin silk masks, because I thought the mask material is on the thick side. Thankfully, it fit my face very well. I would say it is similar to a silk mask. I like the fact that there are slits along the jawline so I can fold it and adjust without tenting in areas. Downside is that it does not reach all the way to my ears. *I got a fat face I guess.. ಥ_ಥ*

I took the mask off after 30 minutes. The mask itself was still moist except for the upper lip area. There was still lots left on my skin to sink in. It took a while for it to sink in, even then my face was still really sticky to touch. I had to put on tiny smidgens of the Abalone cream to rid of the stickiness. 

Excuse the eye patch in before.. I like to double mask at the same time. 

The next morning my face was.. Okay at best. The stickiness was gone so everything was absorbed. But it didn't feel soft or as plump as I liked. It does feel smooth but I can't say if it's the mask or the Abalone Cream. I will keep using the mask but I can't say I am blown away by it and won't repurchase in the future. 

The Face Shop Vita B Hydro Gel Mask Sheet

So I bought this from TK as I wanted to try a hydrogel from a shop that I can access locally. Except I was too lazy to venture to the mall, and the store closest to me doesn't always carry masks and I haven't seen this one so far. I decided to buy it from TK and see if it is worth bugging them to stock it. I forgot about it till I saw Faceshop Canada had 25% off on everything in store and online for American Thanksgiving. *Psst, Faceshop Canada, we celebrate our Thanksgiving in October. But thanks for the sales anyway!* I wanted to try it and make sure I like it before I plop down my cash for some more. **Can you tell I tried and wrote this back in November/early December?? (⌒_⌒;)**

Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Glycerin Chondruscrispus (Carrageenan), Algin, Agar, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitol, Panethenol, Arginine, Averrhoacarambola Fruit Extract, Niacinamide,  Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methyl Gluceth-20, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethnaol, Potassium Hydroxide

The mask has a very faint smell. Unfortunately I can't say for certain what it reminds me of. But because it is so faint, I can't smell it when I had the mask on.

This is a hydrogel mask so it comes in the standard two pieces of "pearl paper". Unfortunately for me, it slipped out of the backing and came out all wonky. The mask itself is extremely thin. Almost as thin as a piece of paper! I am already not impressed. ┐(￣ー￣)┌

As for fit, it's... Okay at best. The upper mask is alright, it goes all the way to my hairline. But the lower piece is a disaster. My jaw and jawline was not covered at all, no matter how I adjusted. I also got a little extra flap over my nose, but that's because I got a relatively small nose so I can't really fault them on that.

Due to the fact that it's so thin, I really wanted to see how long I can keep it on before it dried out. I managed it for 47 minutes before it started to feel dry in most areas. When I took it off, there was no extra essence on my skin whatsoever. But, because it is so thin, the mesh in the center actually left an imprint on my face. Wonderful... So glad I wasn't getting ready to go out.

Oh! I almost forgot! The mask made me feel like meh. My skin felt like I just finished applying toner or essence to my face. So it feels smooth to the touch but doesn't have that dewiness I associate with a well moisturized skin.

So, it's pretty safe to say at this point, I didn't like the mask enough to plop down $3 or whatever Face Shop Canada charge them at.

My Scheming Hyaluronan Hydrating Mask

I got this in the Mask Book, along with the snail mask from above. My skin was feeling particularly dry due to the weather, such that I can see dry patches on my cheeks after I applied toner. I think my hot shower probably did not help with the dryness. So I decided that I need to add some moisture before I do anything else. This was the mask I chose. It looked promising. Anything H-Acid is always a instant go to in my books. 

Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Crosspolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-120 JOjoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Paraffinum Liquidum/Sodium Polyacrylate, Propylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Scleroglucan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhetinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Naturitium Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Arbutin, Hydroxylethyl Urea, Glycerin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethnaol, Fragrance

Woot!!! It's going Sodium Hyaluronate pretty high up on the list~~~ Woot~~~~ XD 

The mask has a chemical smell to it. But it is faint so I did require a big hard sniff to get that punch of chemical smell to my nose. Yup.. Real smart right there. It does dissipate as soon as I put on the mask so I am pretty happy about that. 

It's a messed up panda face!!

It fits my face well, just like any of the My Scheming, or any silk masks for that matter. I had it on for 30 minutes before taking it off. It was still moist around the cheeks and the forehead, but the edges around the jawline and upper lip area was starting to get dry and uncomfortable. There was some essence leftover on my skin but that sunk in quickly. I slapped the used mask onto my leg so my leg can get some much needed moisture as well. I did the same thing with all the extra serum left in the pouch in the same way. 

My cheeks feels less taut than before the mask, the lines on my cheeks looks lighter and my pores looked smaller. But my forehead did feel a little tight which is kind of odd. My skin looks happier and moisturized, but it didn't give me that soft dewiness I associate with a well moisturized skin. So I guess it may be enough for the summer but not enough for the cold AB weather. 

So far I tried two masks from the My Scheming Mask Book and I have to say I am not too impressed with it. With it costing $1.45 per mask. I don't think I'll repurchase it again as I can get better moisturizing masks at a cheaper price. 

Overall, I am pretty disappointed with the masks I tried in this post. Hoping the next batch will be better!!!

Masks #11- I may have a problem with hoarding masks...

I really do.. I am so afraid to count my mask count right now. I had it in two large containers and that has already exploded into stacking boxes upon boxes on top of the containers..    ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡

But I have to say. There are a couple of masks in this post that I really like!!! Like enough that I am considering breaking my no-buy to get some more while it's still on free shipping.. I am so weak.. (╯︵╰,)

Leaders Aqua Ringer Skin Clinic Mask 

A photo posted by @addictedtocrafts12 on Oct 21, 2015 at 10:26pm PDT

This mask.. *swoons* I am SO tempted to buy more.. ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ Maybe.. Just ONE more box??? It usually is around $30 per box but Interpark has it for sale at $14 including shipping. Due to our crappy Canadian dollar, it works out to be closer to $20/box. Still a saving of $10!!!! I should buy another box.. Shouldn't I????

Okay, backing away from the craziness for now and back to the mask itself.

Ingredients: Sorry it's all in Korean. No translation right now. 

The mask is soaked in a clear, runny syrup like essence that has a very strong fragrance. It's floral, sweet, and kind of shampoo like. I would say it smells similar to The Body Shop's Moringa line. The smell does occasionally waft into my nose, but it isn't strong enough to give me a headache. Those who are sensitive to smell, you may want to avoid it or try one mask before investing in a whole box.

There was a bit of an optical illusion with the essence. It looked like there was quite a bit of essence left in the package so I tipped it over to pour it out. I got.. Nothing.. So I stuck my entire hand in there and managed to scoop some out. Guess all that syrupy essence just grabbed onto the mask.

My biggest surprise for this mask was the fit.. This was my note to self while putting on the mask "fit is AMAZING". I kid you not, I actually put down all caps in my notes as my first impression. It fits my face like a glove. Like the much adored LoveMore (not by me but many others) and My Scheming silk masks. It hugs my skin so closely that even with flash, I had trouble telling I had a mask on. The only way I can tell is the little folds around the jaw line. This mask goes all the way up to my hair line and the nose flap covers my little piggy nose perfectly. Down side is that it's similar to most masks, where it doesn't reach all the way to my ears on my chubby face. T__T You can see clearly there's quite a bit of space between where the mask ends and where my ears are.

I had the mask on, without a cover, for 30 minutes before the semi-translucent mask started to turn opaque. The leftover essence made my skin feel sticky to the touch. For some reason that night, I decided that was the end of my routine. I don't need anything else. So I basically had toner, Cosrx Blackhead Power liquid and mask and went to bed. NOTHING ELSE. Yup, I was so smart that night. But then again, it was still pretty warm out so it wasn't pertinent to use too much products.

The next morning, I woke up with non-sticky face. So either the essence has been fully absorbed by my skin or it's been wiped off on my pillow case. Either way, my skin felt really smooth and hydrated. I can't believe how hydrated my skin felt despite using only 3 products in late October. The warm weather plays a factor, but the fact that I can get away with it is still a big surprise. I am absolutely loving this mask and I REALLY want to buy another box or two to stock up. σ(≧ε≦ｏ)

My Scheming 7-in-1 Brightening Essence Silk Facial Mask 

This was one of the masks in the Brightening and Clarifying Mask book I purchased from Beautius. They suggested using the brightening masks in the mask book for three days in a row before trying the Donkey Milk mask. Sadly I kind of stopped after the second brightening mask. No reason other than I got too tired on the third night and just went straight to bed instead.

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Paraffinum Liquidum/Sodium Polyacrylate, Sasa Veitchi Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, Arbutin, Acetyl Tyrosine, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glutathione, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-120 Jojoba Speciosa Flower Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Urea, Polyoxyethylenated Alkyphenol/Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance

CosDNA

Nothing triggering with this mask! Yay! Glad to see Sodium Hyaluronate is third on the ingredient list. ^__^

The mask sits in clear essence that has a very faint smell, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it smells like besides it's a little plant like. This mask, typical of a Taiwanese mask, was DRIPPING in essence. I squeezed some out prior to taking it out and it was still dripping everywhere. （￣□￣；）

It comes with only one pearl paper. The instruction said to use the pearl paper to place the mask on to your face before removing it and adjust the mask. But as you can see from the picture above, the pearl paper is kind of stiff , causing it to not sit properly on my face. I ended up taking the pearl paper off and used a mirror to put on the mask. I prefer it this way but often end up being the mask rolled up on my face and I have to remove it completely and reapply. (*´ω｀*)

These are silk masks, just like the LoveMore masks. I mentioned it before and will mention it again. They cost half the price of the LoveMore masks. If you look on BGO, the Taiwanese price for the My Scheming Mask and LoveMore is both $299 NTD/~$12 CAD per box. Except My Scheming offers 10 per box instead of 5 per box. They are more readily available through e-tailers than LoveMore, though LoveMore has gained more traction online. For Canadians who has a T&T in their city, My Scheming is more accessible as I believe T&T is still carrying them and often have sales. The price per box is usually around $13.99 CAD, which works out to be cheaper than online as our Canadian Dollar is doing so bad right now. So I recommend checking out your local T&T before placing an order online.

Okay, little rant about pricing over, back to the mask.

 (｡・//ε//・｡) 

True to a silk mask, it hugs my skin very well. There are some folds, as you can see above, but they are primarily due to the fact that there was no slit along the jawline. I am loving the fact that it's a little bit oval and longer on the sides, just so it can reach my ears!!! I always appreciate that little extra bit of mask.

I had the mask on uncovered for 30 minutes before taking it off. My little problem with this mask is that it dries inconsistently. The upper lip area dries out the fastest, which I kind of understand as it's the smallest piece. But my left eyebrow dried out faster than the rest of my face... So weird, just the left eye brow area.

Anyways, results wise, I noticed my cheeks are less red and my skin tone is evened out. My skin looks brighter to me, but I am not too sure.. ԅ[ •́ ﹏ •̀ ]و Using brightening products on a pale skin makes it hard to tell the results.

My Scheming Mandelic Acid Brightening Mask 

Another silk mask from the Mask Book. As you can tell from the packaging, Mandelic acid is derived from almonds. According to Wikipedia, it is often used as a component of a chemical exfoliants. 

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Polyoxyethylenated Alkylphenol/Polyoxyethylenated Sorbitan Monolaurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Urea, PEG-120 Jojoba ESters, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum/Sodium Polyacrylate, Prunus Speciosa Flower Extract, Mandelic Acid, Prunus Domestic Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Sasa Veitchii Leaf Extract, Liluk Candidum Bulb Extract, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylisothisazolinone, Fragrance

CosDNA

This is after being squeezed while in the package, it's still dripping on me. 

The mask is very similar to the 7-in-1 Brightening Mask above. The mask was dripping wet despite being squeezed before taken out. It has a very sweet note to it, but also a chemical base note. I am assuming it is partially due to the fact that they are from almonds? Artificial almond flavouring often has a sweet almond flavour that leaves a chemical aftertaste. 

Similar to the 7-in-1 Brightening mask, it hugs my skin so well that it looks like I am wearing nothing at all on my face. I did end up taking it off after 35 minutes due to the same reason. It started to get really dry in certain areas of my face. 

My face appeared to be brighter, though like I said above, sometimes it's hard to tell due to my pale skin. (Yes I am bragging ✧٩(ˊωˋ*)و✧) But I know it calmed down the flush on my cheeks. My only complaint is that it's not moisturizing enough despite having Sodium Hyaluronate. But I am just picky, this is a brightening mask, not a moisturizing mask. 

LoveMore Black Pearls True White Mask Sheet

I decided to give LoveMore silk masks another try before I write it off completely. Considering how I already tried out two brightening masks for this post, I thought why not try the whitening one frrom LoveMore.

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Hydrolyzed Pearl, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract, Royal Jelly, Polygonum Multiflorum Extract, Locinera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Ubiquinone, Chlorphenesin,Methylparaben, Xanthan Gu, Hydroxylethyl  Urea, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid Oligomer,Tranexamic Acid, Fragrance, Water

I am so happy to see pearl as first ingredient on the list! Though I do wonder if Taiwan have the same ingredients listing rules as Canada. So for now, I will assume they use a similar listing rule as us. Even if it's just to fool my self for a bit.  I do like the ingredients list. Pearl, honeysuckle, ganoderma, royal jelly, polygonum multiflorum, and hyaluronic acid. A couple of those ingredients are probably foreign to those who aren't Asian. But Ganoderma and Polygonum multiflorum are viewed as having anti-aging properties in Chinese culture. So in addition to brightening, the ingredients is supposed to provide anti-aging properties. 

The mask was sitting in clear essence that have no prominent smell to it. If I sniff really hard, it has a kind of a chemical note to it. 

As with the other LoveMore masks, there was a bit extra mask on my forehead, little small around the mouth area (as you can see with the curled upper lip area above), and a little long on the nose (hence the flipped nose piece). Other than that, it hugged my face very well, and it does extend pretty close to my ears. 

I wore the mask with the Daiso silicone mask cover for 25 minutes before taking it off. Afterwards, I left the mask on for another 20 minutes. There was some extra essence on my face that sunk in quickly and does not feel sticky to the touch. With this mask, I did find my face to be noticeably brighter but it was not as moisturized as I would have liked. I think this "flavour" of LoveMore silk masks is on the "to keep" list. (*^▽^*)

When comparing the result of the brightening masks between My Scheming and LoveMore, I find that LoveMore produce a better result. But economically, I would choose My Scheming simply because it is cheaper and its result is not that bad compared to the price.  Though if I am honest, I have no idea why I buy brightening products when I can barely tell any difference. [ •́ ‸ •̀ ]

LJH Vital Firming Hydrogel 

**Cannot link to HKC Plaza as their website is currently down**

I was introduced to this mask by Fanserviced. She had a review of it on her Instagram and I just had to get it!!! I ordered it from HKC Plaza for $4/mask including shipping. Unfortunately due to stupid Canada Post, I didn't receive it until a month and a half later. So after all that waiting, I just HAD to try it on rightaway!!! 

Ingredients: Sorry it's all in Korean. No translation right now. 

The hydrogel has a very sweet smell to it, kind of like lychee. Unfortunately, it did turn into a chemical/stale cigarette smell right afterwards. Thankfully it's faint enough that I can disregard it after a few minutes.

Typical of hydrogel masks, this mask comes in two pieces. It is one of the thinnest hydrogels I tried so far. It doesn't have mesh to hold it together. It's similar to the Foodaholic Pearl Shining Hydrogel mask where it's just two pieces of gelatinous essence, but much less delicate.

The pieces comes all folded together. The upper and lower pieces are separated by a single piece of translucent "pearl paper"**.  Each piece is also backed with a texturized pearl paper. I don't think I took it off correctly. ∑(O_O；) 
**I refer to all the backings as "pearl paper" regardless of their translucency or thickness**

I separated the two pieces first by removing them from the smooth of pearl paper, and then I removed the texturized pearl paper. I think the proper way is to remove the texturized pearl paper first, then remove the mask from the smooth piece of pearl paper. 

Why would I say I removed it wrong? Well, there's a reason why there is a smooth and a texturized pearl paper. The mask has two different sides. The texturized side goes against the texturized pearl paper and smooth side goes with the smooth pearl paper. If you read Fanserviced's review, you'll know that the texturized side goes against your skin. It's quite an ingenious idea. Those little pattern creates grip so it sits on your skin regardless of your movements. I love hydrogels but hate when they are so slippery I have to lay down to prevent them from falling off my face. So this "put it on and forget it's on" kind of hydrogel is great!!! Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ

Sorry for using texturized SO freaking much but I don't know what to call that pattern. Waffle cone? Honeycomb?

The hydrogel felt thin and delicate to the touch but I find that I can easily adjust it without causing any tears. It fits my face quite well. There was a bit of tenting around the jawline so I feel like a slit there would be beneficial. Though because it's a hydrogel, it is bound to be less flexible than a regular sheet mask. My other complaint would be that the mouth hole is too big. It extended well past the corner of my mouth. So I kind of feel like I got the outline of a clown's mouth on my face.

Even though it stayed on my face very well, I chose to use the Daiso silicone mask cover. Not for the movements but for any evaporation of the precious essence. This is a $4 mask (close to $5 in CAD), so I want to make sure all that darn essence goes into my face and not into the air.

I accidentally left it on with the mask cover for 70 minutes as I must have been busy playing some kind of game. The exposed area, aka the upper lip and nose area, was dried up by then. So I simply shifted those areas so they no longer touch my skin and continued with my masking for another 15 minutes. After which, the mask started to feel thinner so I removed it. There was no extra essence left on my skin to be patted in. Though my face felt very smooth and soft to the touch.

I was ready to love this and cry for my poor wallet. But alas, a day later, my skin started to show signs of rebellion. ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡I started to break out, and I haven't introduced anything new since I tried the mask. So unfortunately, the mask was just too much for my skin. I need to spend time translating the ingredients and see what is causing my skin to react from it.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I definitely will try to stock up on the Leaders Aquaringer mask if I can.. I just can't right now due to being on a no-buy. I would restock on My Scheming silk masks, but probably not the brightening ones as I don't think I need it. As for LoveMore, I will keep trying all the flavours I got but most likely won't pick it up again. The LJH I had high hopes for, I really enjoyed it but won't pick it up since it is pretty expensive and caused a reaction with my skin.