[JOLSE] - AGATHA x TONYMOLY Lipsticks

 Hi folks~ I hope 2021 has been going great for you so far. Today I have a lipstick swatch and wear test post for you~ 

A couple few months ago, I was approached by Jolse, a Korean shopping site. They have been one of my favourite sites to buy from since I started in Kbeauty years ago. They always offered excellent service, free shipping and a LARGE selection of products. So I was ECSTATIC that I was approached to review products for them~!! Of course I said yes. 

Let me explain why I was so excited. They have a large selection of products, which gives me a lot of variety of options. But what makes me so excited is that Jolse has no requirement in terms of the reviews. They simply ask for my honest opinion on the products they carry. If you have been on here before, you know that I always provide my honest opinion on products. SO I don't do well with sites or brands that ask for favourable reviews only. Sometimes a constructive criticism/opinion is just a suggestion on how the product can be better, and not an attack on the brand or their products. Especially with skincare, people's skin are so different that the same product will work differently on everyone. 

Anyways, I digress. I was excited that Jolse asked me and they told me I can choose whatever I want to review. So I chose a few things that's been on my wishlist! Of course, one of the top wishlist items is the AGATHA Premiere lipstick. It reminds me of Sailor Moon so I been eyeing it for a while. I also picked up one of the new Tonymoly lipsticks because I been wanting some new red lippies 😁

I have gone a little rambly, so let's move on with the review~! 

Mask #15 -- Collection of masks I tried

Hi peeps! I know I moved most of my masking reviews onto IG, so there is less content in the blog. But I found that sometimes when I am looking up reviews on some masks, they don't show up under Google. (Of course, I could also super fail at searching things) So I thought I would compile some of the masks I have tried and posted on IG, so it would be more searchable for folks looking for reviews on a specific mask. I am just posting a summary on the masks in this post, but if you click on the images, it should lead you to IG which includes a more detailed review.

First one up.. A mask I STRONGLY recommend you not to go anywhere near.

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 26, 2017 at 8:07pm PDT

Sally's Box Loverecipe sheet mask in kiwi. STAY AWAY!!!! This has alcohol as the 4th ingredient and the mask itself reeked of it. I had it on for 5 minutes and had to take it off due to the smell. My skin felt so dry afterwards I had to use another mask and double up on my routine to combat that dryness. As a result, I had to throw away the other flavours I had in this series as alcohol was high on most of them. Again, strongly recommend to stay away from this series!

Next up, masks I really liked!

First is the Nature Republic Aqua Collagen Solution Mask Sheet

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Apr 21, 2017 at 9:24pm PDT

Now I got it from TK, and it was marked under the sample section. So I am thinking this mask was not made for sale at all. Anyways. I LOVE this mask! It has a nice apple blossom scent with a milky essence. The mask itself was big enough for my round face and my skin was noticeably hydrated afterwards. Too bad this is a sample so I can't buy more of it. But I think this is supposed to be a sample of the hydrogel. So I am definitely picking up the hydrogel in the future!

Next up is another mask from Nature Republic. It's the Real Nature Mask Sheet in Avocado

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 31, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

The mask is big to fit most of my chubby face and its milky essence sunk in after about 10 minutes and was not sticky at all. My face was noticeably hydrated and for the price tag of roughly $1, it is definitely worth it. However, I would not recommend the rose flavour of this series as it's REALLY sticky!

Next up is the Tonymoly Aquaporin Hydrogel Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Jun 20, 2017 at 2:48pm PDT

The mask was literally dripping a steady stream of essence as soon as I took it out of the package. I had to rub the extra essence  on my neck and body as not to waste it. The mask itself was a tad difficult to fit on my face and required some laying down before it adheres to my face. It was able to last for 30 minutes before the upper lip area started to dry out, which is impressive as that area usually dries out the fastest. My skin was slightly tacky but hydrated so I definitely liked this!

Last of the mask I loved is the Mediheal Flowater Gel Mask in French Rose.

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Jun 2, 2017 at 6:54pm PDT

Unfortunately, I think Mediheal discontinued this line of masks, which is a shame because I LOVED it.
The mask itself is pure hydrogel, so no mesh to hold it together, and it has real rose petals in the mask. It smells heavenly, like rose and tea mixed together. However, the fit is definitely a tad small for my chubby face. The intended time is max of 20 minutes but I had it on for 50 minutes and it was still very moist. It left my skin very plump and didn't leave it sticky at all. I am definitely savouring my box of masks..

Lastly, I just want to talk about a few masks I liked but it had issues.

First up, Leaders 7 Wonders Kalahari Melon Moisturizing Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 24, 2017 at 7:05pm PDT

Love Leaders coconut gel masks. I am so glad Winners stocks them now because I just buy boxes of it. This one I really love how moisturizing it is. But it took an hour to fully sink in and not feel sticky. So I think these may have to be masks for colder weather.

Next is Skinfood Marine Food Gel Mask in Sea Cucumber.

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Apr 19, 2017 at 1:28pm PDT

It has a lot of issues. The mask itself had trouble staying on my face and it sunk in very unevenly. But it made my skin so moisturized and smooth, I really loved the effect. However! My biggest issue with this mask, along with the rest of the Skinfood masks is that there is no expiration date! It has a production date, but it does not have a clear indication of how long it's good for, or when it expires. It irks me and for that reason, I probably won't buy any more Skinfood masks.

Lastly, I just want to talk about masks from the brand Mirum. I received these masks to try and I really love the fit of the masks as they are super big. But each one of the masks makes my skin feel so damn sticky! This includes:

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:46am PDT

Fresh Fruit Acaid Berry Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Apr 13, 2017 at 11:50am PDT

The Aqua Bomb Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on Apr 13, 2017 at 11:50am PDT

The Wrinkle Care Mask

A post shared by @craftingdeeds on May 25, 2017 at 12:20pm PDT

And the Whitening Care Mask

Hope you peeps enjoyed my round up on some masks I have tried. Some I am sure have been reviewed quite extensively, but I hope I did review some lesser known masks.

Tonymoly Super Peeling Liquid Shiny Foot

I have reviewed quite a few peeling feet masks and I am always recommending the Tonymoly Shiny Feet peeling foot masks. Then I realized I have never actually done a review on it. Oops.. (๑￫‿￩๑) So here it is!

This is my favourite peeling masks. When I first tried it, it took out LAYERS off of this callus I have on my left foot. I LOVED IT! 😍😍 Only downside was that I always get the taste of the chemicals in the back of my mouth at the end of it. But that's okay,  I can deal with that. I have been trying different ones so I thought I would use it again before the masks expires.

This comes with dry booties, the solution liquid, and a pack of lotion. The booties and solution is separated such that there is less risk of the solution being spilled out during transportation. All you have to do is stick your feet in the booties, pour in the liquid and then seal it up for 90 minutes or so. The lotion is to be used after the peeling has stopped, but I always forget to use it.. Oops.. I actually have two packets because I forgot to use it last time. And I totally forgot to use them this time around until I just remembered.. Hahah. Super bad!

To begin, I used the Shiny Foot Scrub Wash to wash my feet. This scrub has a light fresh scent to it, and it's white packed with large granules, it kind of reminds me of a plain sugar scrub. This is to help remove some of the dead skin on my feet.

After I washed and dried my feet, I stuck them in the booties, and proceeded to pour the liquid in. The booties are big for my size 6 feet, and I think it should be enough for up to size 8? The booties has two layers, a thin white plastic outer shell, and a thin mesh lining.

You are supposed to stick your feet in the booties, pour the liquid, tie it up and seal it with the sticker provided. However, I always find that it makes moving around very hard. So I always add a pair of socks on top. This allows me to move around more without worrying about possibly breaking the mask. However, it was a bit weird to be walking around while feeling the liquid moving around my feet.

My feet definitely felt like it was drowning when the socks were on, and it was starting to get itchy from sitting in the liquid for so long. I had it on for two hours, much longer than the instructed ... My feet were super red from sitting in it for so long and was a bit slimy when I took it out. Nothing a little water can't wash away. Weirdest part is that I still got the taste of the chemicals on the back of my mouth even though I never opened the socks during the two hours. Yuck.....

Okay... now... gross feet pictures coming up... I have warned you before, and will warn again... GROSS FEET PICTURES!! WITH PEELING SKIN!!! TURN BACK IF YOU ARE EASILY GROSSED OUT!!! The preface of the blog already mentioned this is a great peeling mask! You are about to see shedding feet!!! Proceed forward only if you want to!!
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 This is my feet right before I started using the mask! You can see it's kind of all gross and the callus is kind of dried up.

My feet were feeling super itchy and irritated after I washed the liquid off and it continued onto the next day. It was really annoying but I just slapped on a lot of cream and dealt with it. However, because of the cream I used and how dry my feet are, it made my feet squeak SO much in flats. It was so gross and awkward. Hahaha..😂😂 So glad it only lasted a couple of days.

 This is day 6,  and you can see the skin is finally starting to dry out. The package said my feet are supposed to start peeling from 4 or 5th day after usage. But as you can see, it is getting there but not quite!

 However, starting day 7, the skin on the sole of my feet starts to shed! I LOVE IT! You are not supposed to peel those skin off, as it can lead to accidentally ripping off more layers of skin than intended. But I am bad and peels anyways. I love peeling those chunks off, so gross I know.. 😬

 The peeling continued and continued. The downside to the removal of dead skin is that my feet were SWEATY for days! It sweat SO much that I couldn't wear flats for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately for me, the skin on the top of my feet only started to peel off on day 11. It is also small peels so I had trouble taking it off and had to use scrubs and just let it does its course. I said it's unfortunate for me as I was planning to wear open toed shows for a Christmas party that day. Oh well. *shrug*

My feet were definitely done peeling on day 13! That's twice as long as it is stated on the package. But I don't mind as I really like getting rid of layers of dead skin. The peeling masks actually took off quite a bit of dead skin and it's still one of my favourite items!!!

Samples Samples Samples!

I really do have a hoarding issue. I hoard masks, skincare items, and apparently samples. I went through my stash of skincare items, and found out I had quite a bit of masks, skincare items and samples that are either expired or close to expiration. I don't mind using expired stuff, I know, that's so bad of me when I am running a blog. But I don't want my money to go to waste... T__T

Anyways, samples are the hardest to deal with in regards with expiration dates. There is usually none on there, so I have to remember when I get them. Given how I keep on just throwing them into the pile whenever I get new samples, I have absolutely no idea which are new and which are old. Thank goodness for non-reactive skin! I decided to use a few of the samples all at once to get through them. Today is mostly masks. 😝

Just want to note that I have non-reactive skin, I only usually get breakouts from poor eating habits or hormonal ones. So I am comfortable with using expired products as they tend to not cause a reaction. That being said, you know what is best for your skin, so use your judgement when it comes to using expired products. Now, shall we continue?

I started off with the Chosungah Original Raw Black Bubble. This is a part of a set that I got from Memebox years ago. Yah.. It's quite expired... Oh well. 🙈

This is a runny, black, semi-transparent liquid. It smells like... um... first thing that popped into my head is my dad's aftershave when I was growing up.. So.. not a good scent association.

This cleanser foams up nicely. Just rubbing my hands together with some water produces really nice fine bubbles, which is quite nice. It leaves my skin feeling a bit more clean than COSRX's Good Morning Low pH Cleansing gel. The COSRX gel is nice but it leaves this slick feeling on my skin like I haven't washed it all off, no matter how much I rinsed. The Black Bubble cleanser feels just as nice as the COSRX cleanser, but without the slick feeling. I like this cleanser but the smell and the association of that smell kind of makes me want to chuck it in the bin. 😕

Next up, The Face Shop Mild Papaya Peeling Gel

I have no idea where I got this from to be honest. So I have no idea how old it is.. 😖

Anyways... This is a clear gel that has a sweet floral smell to it. It started to ball up as soon as it came in contact with my skin. I honestly think it's not taking off much dead skin if just contact will make it ball up. It's one of those peeling gels that just kind of balls up with itself when rubbed, and takes off a little bit of dead skin through friction. Don't think I will pick up a full sized product for this.

Tonymoly Tomatox Magic Massage Pack

I got this in a pack of 10 samples, forgot about what it is for and never used it. Thank you Google for instructions and purpose of this product! The actual container is super adorable, as it is in the shape of a tomato!

This is a white gloop, which reminds me of liquid white-out. Hahaha. 😅 Anyways, you are supposed to massage it as you put it on your face, and then leave it on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off. It has a sweet smell that does go away after a while. It kind of reminds me of a mud mask but it is a thinner consistency and spreads well. One sample pack was more than sufficient for my face.

I think it made my skin look a bit brighter. 😕 But I don't think I will continue to use it as I am lazy and don't like to wash my face more than once. So I chucked the rest of the samples out.

Pure Smile Muddy Girl

This is a clay mask from Japanese brand Pure Smile, and I got it years ago. Thing about Japanese cosmetics is that they don't like to put expiration dates on products so I have no idea if it is expired. Most likely it is expired. I am 90% sure it is expired as it now has new packaging. Oh well.  😑

When I opened the pack, I thought it dried up and hardened. But that's not the case at all. It is super smooth and spreads very nicely. I do find the smell a little funky, something I have smelt before but can't be sure what it is.

I used another Muddy Girl mask before and learned that I should just use it in one go or else it will dry out, even with plastic wrap. So I slapped all of the container onto my face, which resulted in a very thick application.

As the mask dries, my face starts to feel cool. I kind of like that. 😄

As per the instructions, you are supposed to keep it on for 10-15 minutes. I had it on for 10 minutes because I was impatient. It started to dry up in the areas that has a thinner layer while the thicker area is still wet. It also started to feel a bit tight on my skin so I washed it off. It made my skin feel sooo smooth afterwards.. 😍 These doesn't seem easy to find so I am not going to be repurchase.

Tonymoly Gold 24K Mask 

Once again I didn't know when or where I got this sample from. When I squished this out of the sample pack, first thought was ... is this gold 💩? It also looks like those cheap plastic items trying to pass off as gold coloured items.

Despite its looks, it goes on very smooth and one sample pack is enough for a very thin layer on my face. Does that mean I have a big face? 😕😕 Nonetheless, the gold on my skin makes me feel so fancy! 😎

Do you see the gold? 😉

The instruction is that you are supposed to leave it on until it is dried, and then wash it off. But due to such a thin layer being applied, it dried off very quickly. I can touch it and it doesn't feel sticky to the touch, nor does it feel tight on my skin.

Once I washed it off, my skin felt a bit tighter. I didn't notice much difference, but when I took flash photography, my skin sparkled a little bit. Yay! I am sparkly~! 🌟😄🌟

Ettang Modeling Take-Out Cups

I know for sure these are old as I got them from Memebox years ago, when they still shipped to Canada. Another way to tell is that Ettang has since changed the packaging for these modeling cups. But whatever, this is in powder form, so it should be less prone to growing molds and stuff. 😐

Mixing up these modeling masks is kind of hard because you can either make it too runny or too thick. I somehow manage to add enough water each time I use it. Yay me! 😆I would say the consistency you want is that of a thick paste, kind of like a very thick stiff peak.

I like these modeling cups as you can just slap on the paste very thickly, dry within 10 minutes, peel it off and stuff it back into the cup for easy disposal! Anyways, the key to applying the mask is to apply in a thick but even layer! All of the thicker areas came off with ease, but the thinner areas were a bit harder to remove.😖 I had to use some cleansing water to aid the process.

The modeling mask made my skin feel so soft and plump!😍 I had similar results from the previous "flavours" I tried from Ettang and I really wish these are a bit more accessible. 😖

That's all the samples I got to try this time! I think I am going to do reviews of samples as I try them and see how that goes. Or should I do it on Instagram😕❓❔

Masks #8 - Hydrogels

So I had a small stash of hydrogel masks that I just haven't tried at all. I decided to try them after I fell in love with my SNP hydrogel eye patches. Boyyyy did that lead to some crazy hydrogel shopping spree.. Hehe...

Memebox Mememask

I got the Mememask in one of my boxes, back when they still shipped internationally, as an apology gift for delaying shipping or something. Anyways, if you are in the States, Korea or China you will be able to get one from the respective Memebox website. Unfortunately for us internationals, I have no idea where to get them. Maybe request them from TesterKorea?

Anyways, I held off on using the Mememask as Memebox and I did not part ways on a friendly note. But once I started on hydrogels I had to give it a go.

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cellulose Gum, Phenoxyethnaol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Polglutamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chamomilia Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Adanosonia Digitata Seed Extract, Potassium Hydroxide. 

As soon as I opened the package, I get a big punch of ginger and then a light floral smell. Thankfully it wasn't too bothersome and I can continue to use it. 

This mask, like most hydrogels, comes in two parts. Each piece is sandwiched between two sheets of pearl paper to prevent it from sticking together and making it easier for the user to remove and apply the mask. Though I think it just causes so much excess garbage and is ineffective. My mask slipped in the packaging so when I took it out, it was already half way out. I ended up just taking off both backings and applied it using a mirror. 

The mask felt thin and wet to the touch but it wasn't dripping in essence. There wasn't much left in the package once I took out the mask. 

There was no clear instruction as to which side of the mask I am supposed to apply against my skin. Though I can tel there was a smooth side and a mesh side. So I just put the smooth side side against my face, since it's most likely where all the essence is. 

The mask fits my face well, there was slight overlapping around the cheek area and there could be more for the jawline. But once I smoothed it out, the mask stayed put. It didn't budge at all. That I am impressed with. 

After about 20 minutes, the mask felt thinner to the touch. I took it off after 45 minutes as it started to feel dry in the upper lip and jawline area. I can tell it was time to take it off by the touch of the mask. It is no longer wet and soft to touch, but rather plasticky. Once I took it off, there wasn't much extra essence on my face except for the forehead. Guess that area needs more time to absorb it all in. My face doesn't feel sticky to the touch which is a plus. My face felt tighter and my skin tone looked brighter. 

I liked how the Mememask stayed on my face and it does make my skin feel moisturized. But it takes too much effort to buy one unless you are in China, Korea or United States. So I probably won't buy this in the future. 


Sally's Box Delight Ceramide Hydrogel Mask 

I believe I got this hydrogel mask in a pack of 3 from one of the Thanksgiving boxes from Memebox. It includes Ceramide, Panthenol and Collagen. I have linked it to SokoGlam! above as TK has it listed as $6 for a single mask, whereas its official website only has it listed as $3.50. Yikes, that mark up.. I wonder if it's a $2.50 domestic shipping fee that they included in the price. *This is where I have a problem with TK, they often include domestic shipping fee in the list price. So if you were to buy enough products from the same brand to get free domestic shipping, TK would still charge you that domestic shipping fee on each product.. Those shipping fee on each item are then pure profit to them... That's why it may be better in those instances to go with a buying service instead. *

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus crispus (Carrageenan), Cellulose Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polysorbate 20, Mannan, Octyldodecanol, Trideceth-6, Portulaca Grandiflora Extract, Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Metricaria) FLower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Jasminum Officinate (Jasmine) Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Ceramide 3 (1.25mg), Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, CI 19140, CL 15985

Um dos the last two ingredients mean they are colours???????

My skin was feeling crappy that day and I didn't want to use something hydrating but rather something to calm it down. Since this one is supposed to turn my exhausted skin into healthy skin, I thought I would give it a try. 

First impression was HOLY COW THIS THING STINKS! It's a very chemical smell that penetrated my nose as soon as I opened it. It is less strong after you take it out but it lingers. In fact, it lingered on my skin after I took it off. I would say it smells like cheap perfume that uses a lot of alcohol, like this Playboy perfume my friend got from Walmart. Just yuck. 

The mask comes in two pieces, similar to the Mememask, it has two plastic backings. I followed the instruction, removed the thicker plastic first. Placed the mask on my face using the thinner piece as a guidance on where the mask is sitting. Though, that's dependent on if your mask slipped out of its backings. I would just remove them both and use a mirror. So much easier. Especially when dealing with hydrogels with a mesh to hold its shape. 

The mask didn't fit my face properly. I moved it a few times but it just won't sit properly. I tried to move the jaw area as far down as I can but then the chin area pops up. The mask didn't reach my forehead, leaving about a finger's width of skin exposed. As well as my jawline, there was about two fingers' width of exposed skin. BUT.. there was SO much on the nose.. It seriously folded over and covered my nose so I couldn't even breathe without the flap covering my nostrils.  It looked like I had snots coming out of my nose. Yuck. I had to flip it up just so I can breathe. 

Excuse the close up of my face, but this is how ridiculously long the nose piece was. 

I took it off after 45 minutes. I just couldn't handle it anymore. The essence sunk is slowly, taking about another 30 minutes to fully sink in and stop feeling sticky. That smell was STILL on my skin. Yuck. 


My skin was noticeably bouncier after everything sunk in. The next morning, my skin looked plumper, pores looked smaller and my skin appeared to be more even. I was impressed with the results! However, due to its smell, CRAZY long nose piece, and the fact that it's hard to find, I will not be repurchase it. 

Innisfree Berry Hydro Gel Mask 

 So I got this mask during my whole "I NEED more hydrogels in my life!" purchase from TK. I decided to try it the night I got it home from the post office as Innisfree was having a half off shipping event that week. I wanted to see if I liked it enough to warrant a haul from Innisfree. *spoiler alert* I didn't.

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus crispus (Carrageenan), Cellulose Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polysorbate 20, Mannan, Octyldodecanol, Trideceth-6, Portulaca Grandiflora Extract, Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Metricaria) FLower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Jasminum Officinate (Jasmine) Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Ceramide 3 (1.25mg), Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, CI 19140, CL 15985

The mask has a very light floral smell, kind of a generic skincare smell. I don't know how to describe it besides generic. It was not dripping in essence or anything but enough to keep the mask moist. 

I found the mask to be kind of stiff, it doesn't hug my face as well as the others. I think that was the general consensus online as well regarding how stiff it was. The fit wasn't the best, my jawline was pretty exposed. 

I had this big angry bump on my face and the essence actually stung it when I put it on. It took a few minutes before it stopped stinging. I can't remember exactly how long I had it on because it was kind of late and I just wanted to sleep. But I know it was over 30 minutes. I took it off after the edges started to dry and I can feel the mesh on the surface. There was no excess essence on my skin but my skin feels a little sticky. 

As for results, I honestly cannot remember. It moisturized my skin as any masks will do. But I most likely didn't see any results or else I would have written it down or it's stuck in my mind. All that I can remember is that it didn't impress me at all and put me off from buying any hydrogels during Innisfree's sale.

Skinfood Marine Food Gel Mask in Oyster 

I got these from TK but I think it's cheaper if you get it from Jolse as you only pay $1.40 more for shipping. They just released this line of hydrogel masks a few months ago, and there are few flavours in this line. However, there is no discernible difference between each flavour's purpose. All of them has the same blurb on the back. I know, I compared all five flavours together. 

Ingredients: Unfortunately it's all in Korean and Google Translate didn't help :( 

When I opened the package, no smell wafted out of it. I stuck my nose right in there and took a big whiff. It has a faint perfume smell that I would say it's something I smelled quite often in skincare. But since it was light it wasn't too bothersome. 

This mask came with a stiff pearl paper and a thinner softer pearl paper. So it's a similar deal withe the other hydrogels and Lovemore silk masks. Just take off the stiffer one and use the softer one as a guide to where the hydrogel is sitting on your face. Or if you are like me, it's may be easier to just remove all the backings and use a mirror to put it on. These are mesh too so they won't tear that easily if you move them around on your face.

The fit was...... I honestly think my face isn't suited for hydrogel masks. It's pretty good with sheet masks, but with hydrogels I keep on having problems. The upper portion's fit was okay but it didn't reach all the way to my hairline. So a part of my forehead was exposed. The lower portion... I have so much problem with lower portion of hydrogels. It barely reached my jawline. I tried to move it around and push it down so it would cover it, but that just caused it to tent up. The upper lip area also falls off nonstop. I ended up busting out the silicone mask cover from Daiso in an attempt to help keep it in. That didn't help at all, the upper area kept on falling out of the mask cover and just want to part ways with my face. 

Because I had the silicone mask cover on, I had the mask on for a REALLY long time. I had it on for an hour with the silicone cover. The mask was still super moist despite being on the thin side. So I left it on for another hour without cover and it was still super moist to the touch! Wow.. But by that time it was almost 2AM and I had to sleep. So I took it off and just went to bed with a sticky face. 

By next morning and I was pleasantly surprised when I looked in my mirror. My skin was bright and I had nice even skin tone. The little breakouts on my forehead was much calmer. My skin felt super bouncy to the touch. I couldn't stop playing with my cheeks. 

I don't like the fit of these masks but I quite like the result! I will have to save these for when I have 3 to 4 hours to spare so all of the essence can sink into my skin. Or when my skin is just really need that extra punch of moisture. Will definitely repurchase these. 

*side note* Using the silicone cover made me wonder how much of the essence on masks does our skin really absorb and how much is be evaporated??? 

Tonymoly Intense Care Fugu Collagen Hydro Gel Mask 

So I got this from a H Mart in Vancouver when I was there on vacation. I just really wanted a hydrogel mask so my lovely friend took me to H Mart and waited patiently while I picked out a mask. I was deciding between the Aquaporin which cost about $4 or the Fugu Collagen one. But I knew I had the Aquaporin one coming from TK so I decided to go with the more expensive Fugu Collagen one. It was hella expensive!! $9 after GST + PST. Just wow.. Thankfully RRS has it cheaper but once you factor in shipping and currency exchange it is not much difference. 

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Ceratonia, Siliqua Gum, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylate-14, Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Mineral Oil, Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Methylparaben, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soluble Collagen (100ppm), Sodium Polyacrylate, Pearl Extract, Laminara Japonica Extract, Laminarla Digitata Extract, Sea Water, Squalene, Fragrance, Cl 42090

Uh oh, it's got mineral oil in the ingredient list. It's halfway down the list but if your skin doesn't like having mineral oil I would probably avoid this mask. :( I like that it's got two types of collagen and three types of seaweed in there.. But my main question is.. WHERE IS THE FUGU?! I can't see it in the ingredient list. The ones with scientific names that look like it may be fugu turns out to be seaweed.... T__T **I know it's fugu collagen and there are two kinds of collagen in the ingredient list. But that doesn't tell me specifically it came from fugu you know.. :(**

The mask is a two piece gel mask that is sitting in a really thick essence and has no discernible smell to it. Yay for no smell. But I think because of the thick essence, it kept on slipping off my face so I couldn't do much besides laying down.

The mask has two different textures/sides. One side is slightly rough and you can see the grid pattern while the other side is soft and squishy. I assumed the rough side is the outside and placed the squishy side to my face.

Excuse the quality. I had to take it on my friend's bathroom counter. :P 

The mask was really short around my chin and jawline. After 30 minutes or so as it was starting to dry out above the lips. But there was still quite a bit of essence on my cheeks and the mask itself. So I just took off the bottom part and left the top mask on for another 30 minutes. Even then there was still a lot of essence on the mask itself so I just put it on my decolletage

The mask left my face feeling super sticky that wouldn't go away for a while. Though my face does look brighter and my pores appear to be smaller. The next day my face felt like there was a layer of moisture sitting on top of it. Such that when I try to pinch my skin, I can feel that layer of moister/something against my fingertips instead of my skin. It was weird but nice.

I wouldn't buy this mask again. Not at $9CAD and gotta admit, I am kind of sad it doesn't have any fugu extracts in there... :(

That's all the hydrogels I have tried in the last couple of months. I got quite a few more to try so I will post them sporadically. :P 

Mask #6

Okay, so I have been trying to use masks and then wait until I have enough for one specific benefit before doing a post. But that just takes forever since I use masks depending on what I am feeling like. It sometimes ends up being months later, I can't really remember much and my notes doesn't help. So I am just going to post them as I use them.

Oh, just a clarification! I usually post links to where I bought my items from, unless they are no longer stocked there. Then I may or may not post links to other places, but if I do, I make note of it. I would suggest looking into different website and compare prices if you are interested in a product. I tend to do large hauls so TK is usually my go to place. :)

Masks #5 - Brightening

This post will be full of masks that is touted to brighten your skin. Asia uses "whitening" a lot, but they actually meant brightening. Whitening sound so scary, like your skin will whiten after usage. But these kind of products are  actually supposed to help even out your skin tone and give it a "glow".


RE:CIPE made by nature Slowganic Sheet Mask Tangerine of Jeju Island - Whitening

Man that name is a mouthful. I purchased this from TesterKorea but it seems like they are no longer selling it. I purchased it for $4 per sheet. Then a few weeks later it went down to $1.50 so I was not happy I paid more than twice the cost. I was intrigued by the brand and thought a mask was a good way to try them out. I chose the tangerine "flavour" as it was just calling out to me. I don't really need "whitening" but I do need to even our my hyper-pigmentation.

It selected only the domestic local food which has been grown and riped (ripened) with sincerity and this is the natural sheet mask which includes natural ingredients of good quality obtained. 
As it includes the tangerine which has been riped in Jaeju Island, it brights the dark skin and it creates transparent and clear skin. Therefore it helps for whitening. 

*SLOW + RAW + ORGANIC = SLOWGANIC
Slowganic Sheet Mask which is the compound word of [SLOW] and [RAWGANIC] is the natural mask which is made by including the original ingredients of good quality, obtained from the nature in their natural states. 
*It increases adhesion property to the skin with application of the high elasticity fabric sheet and it delivers effective ingredients in most effective way. 

That's the only English blurb from the package. The ingredients list is all in Korean and Google translate was no help. Though from what I can tell, the first ingredients are water (purified it looks like), glycerin and mandarin extract (1,000ppm). The rest are just gibberish translations. I tried to see if I can find an ingredient list somewhere else, but alas no luck. T__T

My first impression of this mask that it is heavily fragranced, I can smell it as soon as I opened it. The smell is an artificial floral orange smell, similar to my tangerine hand soap. Though I would say it leans more on the floral than the tangerine side. It was so strong that I got a headache after 5 minutes of putting on the mask. That is some strong fragrance for something made with organic ingredients.

The essence is clear and thick like gel, there was just enough of it to soak the mask. The mask itself is quite thick so it took a bit of an effort to have it stretched out properly on my face. It had large eye sockets so no tiny eye sockets where half are sitting on my eye lid. *I am looking at you! Etude House's I Need You line!* There was a little bit of excess flap around my forehead but other than that, the mask fit my face pretty well.

Like I mentioned, I got a headache after 5 minutes or so from the fragrance. I ended up removing the mask after 10 minutes because it was starting to feel dry to the touch, and I didn't want reverse osmosis to occur and draw moisture from my skin. Which is odd since instruction said to take it off after 15 minutes or so, so it should have enough essence to last that long. My face felt tacky after I removed it and it remained that way in the morning.

I found that my skin did look slightly brightened and evened out, but I would not pay the $4 or $1.50 for such a heavily fragranced mask that dries up in 10 minutes and have minimal effect.

**Apologies for the lack of photos, I forgot to take them beside random shots of the mask inside the package and an empty package**

Tonymoly Changing U Sheet Box in Black pearl

 I got this as part of the Tonymoly Changing U box set, but TesterKorea is no longer selling it either. So I have linked it to Soko Glam, the only store I can find selling it besides Amazon. I paid $6 + shipping for the box of 7 sheet masks, but since I ordered it as part of the larger order, the shipping is slightly lower compared to if you were to order it on its own. Soko Glam offers free shipping over $50USD so I'll let you decide if their price is worth it.

Ingredients: So there's no ingredient list listed on the back and I can't find the product on Tony Moly's website. Soko Glam has it posted on their product page under "ingredients" tab. However it seems like a generic one for the set instead of the individual ones so I can't say if the ingredients are true to this "flavour".

The mask is a clear watery essence that has a fake smell. It wasn't too distinct, and if I have to guess, I would say it's probably the alcohol in there. Thankfully it wasn't too strong and it went away once I put on the mask.

Looks like a frowning panda face no?

As for the fit, it was a bad fit. The eye holes are HUGE so quite a bit of my cheeks were not covered. The mouth hole is also very big. I managed to place the lower part sit on my chin while putting it on.

There was quite a bit of the essence such that it squirted out a bit when I opened the package. That also means it was more than enough to keep the mask wet after 30 minutes. I took it off and used the excess essence on the rest of my body.

The extra essence on my face absorbed in quickly. My face felt smooth and moisturized. The faint redness in my cheeks has reduced and the sun spots on my cheeks has lightened, such that I can tell a difference with photos taken with flash.


Holika Holika  Ampoule Mask Sheet From Nature in Vitamin + Pineapple

 This looked interesting honestly because it made me go "pineapple?! PINEAPPLE?! Alright I'll try it". According to their website, the mask contains no artificial olourings, mineral oil, petrolatum, talc, sulfate,  and benzyl alcohol. The combination is supposed to revitalize your skin, and make your skin sleek and soft. So let's see how it did.

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefuit) Fruit Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Magneisum Ascorbyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance. 

 

The mask was soaked in a clear essence that had a very chemical smell. I was hoping it would have that distinct pineapple smell but alas no such luck. The smell wafts into my nose every once in a while as I had it on. There was an abundance of essence left in the package, enough to cover my neck and some arm.

The mask itself fit my face okay. I wish there was some slits around the temple so I can adjust it and overlay the excess parts. I also would have liked if there were more slits around the jawline so I can spread it out instead of having a bunch in one spot.

The mask started to feel dry to the touch after about 15 minutes on my face so I took it off. But there was actually quite a bit of essence left on my skin, and I let that sink in before checking for results.

It made my face look brighter and my pores appear to be smaller. Though it made my face feel quite tacky even after a bit of a wait. Honestly, I barely have any recollection of it. So whilst it did have good results, it is not great enough for me to go out of my way to repurchase it.


Etude House I need You Mask in Vita Complex

This was purchased along with the rest back in late 2014 where Etude had free shipping over $30 USD and 15% off using Paypal. So of course I picked out all of the "flavours" in the I Need You line and slowly working through them. 

Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Butylene Glycol, GLycerin, Citrus Paradis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Alcohol, Pnanthenol, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Ethylexylglycerin, Allantoin, Niacinamide, Sodium Startch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Camellia Sinenisis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCL, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Prunus Persia (Peach) Leaf Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Ginkgo Bloba Leaf Extract, Scutellara Baicalensis Root Extract, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance. Vita Complex: Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbylphosphate, Tocopherylacetate, Pyrodoxine HCL, Calcium Panthothenated (B5) 

Woo! Niacinamide is in there so it should brighten your skin! Too bad it's only the 13th ingredient on the list. It's so much lower than alcohol, which is in the 4th place.

First impression was this had a super strong sweet smell, not something I would associate with vitamins. It has that fake sweet smell that some erasers has, similar to the Sally's Mask in Apple.

Since I have tried the line of mask before, I am not going to go too much in details. The fit is similar to the rest, it's got super tiny eye hole and a big upper lip part. It dried out faster than the others, it started to fall off in areas after 15 minutes so I ended up taking it off. The extra essence sunk in fast and does not feel sticky to the touch. Though it feels like there is a layer of something there. My skin doesn't feel softer but it feels moisturized. I don't know how to describe it any better. My skin appeared to be more even and a big raging zit on my forehead was much calmer after use.

Overall Thoughts

I have to say, I can find faults in all of the brightening masks I have tried, but if I HAVE to make a list ranking them, it would be :

1) Etude House  I Need You Mask in Vita Complex - Too Sweet of a smell but it works and it's on sale quite often at Etude.

2) Tonymoly Changing U Sheet Box in Black Pearl - Good results but can only get it in a box set

3) Holika Holika Ampoule Sheet Mask From Nature in Vitamine + Pineapple: makes my skin tacky and its chemical smell outweight the good results.

4) Re:cipe Slowganic Sheet Mask in Tangerine of Jeju Island - Minimal result, cost more than the other masks, hard to find and dries out too fast.