Review: Leaders Insolution Illuminating Treatment Mask

So, as some of you may know, this is my second time reviewing a Leaders product. Considering my experience with the AC Clear mask, I went in with high hopes for this one - especially because it contains niacinamide!



Now, for those who haven’t been on the receiving end of this particular rant from me: I love niacinamide. I really, REALLY love it. It’s the magic ingredient in CeraVe PM that allowed me to go from wearing full-coverage foundation to cover my redness, to being able to get away with just a BB cream, in a matter of weeks. I’m at the point where, if someone were to whisper “niacinamide” in the next room, I would likely full-on Kool-Aid Man through the wall out of sheer excitement.

Ahem. Anyway.

Product Description: A thin sheet mask soaked in clear essence. The mask itself is definitely a thinner material than most other masks I’ve tried, so IMO it clings better. Also, while there was quite a bit of essence, it didn’t drip all over, which was nice. For me, the mask also fits great: narrow enough that it doesn’t get all over my hair, tall enough for my big honkin’ forehead, and with larger/longer eye openings than usual (I can’t stand the feeling of a mask clinging right near my lower lash line, it makes my eyes water like crazy).



As you can tell from the fact that the above paragraph was a copy-paste from my review of the AC Clear mask, the basic idea is the same. Makes sense, since they’re from the same company/line. However, there were a couple differences I noticed, namely:

1) The scent seemed lighter. I don’t have a strong opinion on this, since the AC Clear’s perfume didn’t seem to give me any problems, but for some people that might be important

and

2) The essence was noticeably stickier after being massaged in post-mask-removal. I honestly have no idea how this is possible, since the primary ingredients are the same, but there you have it. That bummed me out a little, since I loved how quickly and easily the AC Clear had absorbed. Still, a little stickiness is far from a dealbreaker for me, though I can only really see myself using this mask as part of my nighttime routine because of it.



Next morning, I was actually surprised at how much brighter and more even my skin seemed. I’m usually really suspicious of brightening products, but this one seemed to have a genuine effect (without “whitening”, which I hate as well). That’s the magic of niacinamide, I suppose. Weirdly, despite the stickiness of the essence - which had absorbed by then, of course - my skin didn’t feel as hydrated as it often does after a mask, though it was by no means dry.



The extra brightness stuck around until early/mid afternoon, which is actually not bad considering that it’d been ~15 hours since I’d applied it at that point. Still, I think this product is the type that might have a more interesting long-term effect, so I’m planning to order one of the 10-packs once I get a couple more reviews of the other ones out. If I discover anything unexpected then, I’ll report back!

Overall: For better or for worse, this mask is one of those that does exactly what it claims to. If you’re looking for brightening and skintone-evening, this is a good choice! However, if you’re looking for a big moisture boost or a mask you can use throughout the day without looking sticky/glossy, there are better options out there. I can see this becoming a “night before a special occasion” mask for me, as the brightening effects were definitely noticeable the next day.



Review: 4/5

1: “I will never use this product again and intend to immediately throw it away or return it”

2: “I’m not a big fan of the product, but I’ll probably use it once in a while”



3: “I’ll use up what I have, but don’t plan to repurchase this product”

4: “I really like the product, and will keep using it unless I find a better replacement”

5: “I absolutely love this product, and will probably never look for a replacement unless it’s discontinued or the formula changes”