What 153 sheet masks + DIY dry mask patches looks like.

View from our car during

a Haboob (dust storm)

(Photo evidence at right!)

In this Post:

Mini-reviews for: the Bad, the Good, and the Holy Grail

Ranting about hydrogels and bio masks

Liberal use of stickers as a form of expression

Ingredients translation for the HG mask

The Bad:

Sadly I don't have a sticker with a

'what the hell is that smell?' face Sooryehan Pomegranate Mask: 2/5 stars Oh man. You know how you can see a really handsome man and be excited to talk to him, and then he opens his mouth to talk to you and this cloud of noxious fumes billows forth from his breath and you turn the colour of a dying seagull and flee? Yeah. This package was so promising, and the sheet mask was cotton, had a generous amount of essence, smelled herbal at first sniff ... until I unfolded it and put it on my face, where it suddenly turned into laundry detergent and stale nicotine. What. The cotton was also a bit heavy/stiff so it didn't cling to the face well. It was nicely hydrating, but that smell though: Saint Snail save me. Would not repurchase.

Supposedly potato is a folk remedy for

whitening; specifically the raw liquid



Malie Potato: 2/5 Stars Yep, you read that right, POTATO. "This is quirky" I said. "They're only 17 cents each" I said. "I should get this" I did. Spoilers: it does smell like raw potato, and unless you're really into your face smelling like a french fry cutting assembly line, I'd skip it. I do like Malie masks because they are cheap, have a decent cotton, and a reasonable amount of essence, just not ... eau de spud. Don't Tater me, Bro. (Ok I will stop.) Would not repurchase this specific 'flavour'.

I am suspicious that this mask broke me out, but I will need to retest it (once my face calms down) before I can make a final judgement.



This was the first synthetic snake venom (known as syn-ake) product that I have tried, so I am a bit disappointed.



These masks are cheap & overall I like them, but if it breaks me out, it has to goooooo. Would not repurchase.

Illi Lotus Water Nutritional Mask: 2/5 Stars Smells gorgeous, but the sheet feels papery rather than cottony, has weirdly placed eyeholes, doesn't stretch or curve to fit, and the essence is runny. Would not repurchase.



(Still sad about this one; it smells so nice but it otherwise sucks. Alas.)





Illi Artemisia Truly Nutritional mask: 2.5/5 Stars.

2nd Illi mask. Scent is pretty and herbal but very overpowering. Generous essence, fit is still terrible, and cotton is too stiff to mold to the face. Would not repurchase.













AR Meang Aloe Water Mask: 2/5 stars Nice cotton sheet, but holy exploded perfume factory smell, batman! Ugh.



Was not as soothing as I expected. Would not repurchase.





AR Meang Acacia Water Mask: 2/5 stars Holy fragrance. I think I have a headache. NOPE.



No soft cotton sheet can make up for the vendetta of olfactory terror this is unleashing on my nasal passages.



Would not repurchase, might even destash the rest.





Hydrogels and Bio Masks

Hydrogels/Bio masks deserve a special mention. I am aware that hydrogels are a Big Thing, the Next Big Thing in fact. People write breathless reviews and articles about how they 'melt' into the skin, how they're scientifically advanced, how they're sooooo much better than regular masks. This 'overwhelmingly superior technology' justifies the (in my 1일1팩 eyes) outrageous price of hydrogel/bio masks; they're often in the $5-$10 range per mask. Sometimes $2-$5 if you're lucky.

So when I finally got to try out these much-hyped newfangled masks, you can imagine my shock and dismay when I realized that they don't work for my skin/climate I actually kinda detest them. You can see how I grow increasingly disillusioned as I review more and more of them:

I think this sticker face sums up

my feelings pretty nicely Mizon Returning Starfish Bio Mask: 3/5 stars I both love and hate this mask.



Love: This essence smells just like the Returning Starfish Cream (one of the few products I have repurchased) and is slippery, hydrating, and so wonderful I wish Mizon made it in bottled form because I'd buy it. Hate: The star shape of the mask. Too far, Mizon, too far. Having something that's a cross between an 'Aliens' Face grabber Hugger and Hannibal Lecter's mask might have been a charming 'starfish' concept but in real life it just makes the tips dry out quickly while the rest of the mask is wasted. (Edit: Actually, you need some visuals. See below; not my image, found on Google, source is here. You see what I mean? Now imagine this on someone who has a larger face. Like me, sadly. Like I said, half Aliens Face Hugger, half Hannibal Lecter mask. And the texture ... welp, you'll see when you get below.)



(I also have to include this actual ad from Mizon which pretty much sums up my description above about how this mask felt; maybe this was intentional?)



Not my image image source I can't believe this ad actually exists, but it's hilarious! (The translation says 'STARFISH' but as a verb, literally 'starfish do'. It's so ... menacing though. Looks like a horror film ad. Anyway, back to the mini-review!) They're also ridiculously expensive. If these were $0.50 or less I'd be tempted to pick them up for those days where I want to feel the clammy grip of a many-tentacled condom on my face, but these are up to $7 a piece (mine came free with my Cream repurchase.) I love Mizon, but no. Would not repurchase.

Innisfree Olive Hydrogel Mask: 2/5 Stars Hydrogels just aren't hydrating enough for me. The bottom kept trying to slide off my face and the mesh backing (one side is smooth, the other side has a texture) formed a bit of a textured edge around the eye holes that I did not like. It had a generous amount of essence that could have been used for a few days after; I layered it on my face first before putting on the mask to boost hydration. Would not repurchase.

Petitfee Koelf Jewelry Mask Ruby + Bulgarian Rose. 2/5 stars. Hydrogel.

Yes, it smells like roses, yes it is pink, yes it has gold shimmer in it. It also fits terribly and doesn't cling to the skin, feels dry when it's on, dries out quickly & gets crusty in places, and leaves my skin feeling ... dry afterward.



Lesson learned: Hydrogels are not for me/the desert.

Leader's Insolution Coconut Bio Gel Mask in Orange: 2/5 stars

This was the second 'Bio' mask I tried, (the first was the Mizon Returning Starfish Bio Mask), and the 4th 'gel' type.



I have realized I don't like Bio/Hydrogel type masks; they always feel dry- dry while I am wearing them, they dry out and become hard in weird places, and worst of all- they leave my face feeling dry afterward. :(



When I take off my mask, I want to feel like my skin is ~suffused with glorious moisture~ but gel masks just feel like I've put on a clammy condom for 20+ minutes and got nothing good out of it. They're also super expensive; a single bio mask goes for around $3. Do not want. Will not repurchase.

Final thoughts: I am pretty sure that it's just my environment that is compromising the gloriously hi-tech uber hydrating unicorn tear melting gel awesomeness that Hydrogel/Bio masks supposedly have, but I know of a few other people who just don't get along with them either.



They are a pain to apply because they often have double-lined backing, meaning you have to peel off a lot of stealthy liners in order to expose the fragile gel. It tears easily, is very slippery, and it is like saran wrap if it manages to flap onto itself; you will never get it unstuck/unfolded without a lot of cursing and tears in the gel.





Also, they're expensive, so I'm quite lucky they don't work for me! I suppose even if my face is a temperamental and harsh mistress, when it comes to sheet masks, least it's got cheap tastes? Wait, we haven't gotten to the HG masks yet, I take that back. *sobs over charred ruins of wallet*





The Good

I am so glad I finally got an excuse

to use this sticker <3

SNAAAAILS! If you follow my blog, you know I have an ongoing love affair with snails. The Maile mask did not disappoint; it was nicely hydrating, soothed my skin, and left it plumped with hydration afterward.



The scent surprised me- normally snail products have a herbal smell, but this smelled a bit like ... candy? Vaguely floral/herbal candy.



As usual, Malie masks are a new staple because they are less than 20 cents USD (plus shipping from Korea, so I get them when I haul from Avecko) they have a nice light cotton, a generous amount of essence, and hydrate my skin. They're not ultra luxe masks, but for that price, they're fantastic. Would definitely repurchase, and I regret only getting 3.

Malie Green Tea: 4/5 Stars Green tea masks are a staple for me for #acnecare and soothing my skin if I've gotten too excited with acid exfoliants or didn't hydrate enough. Malie masks are cheap, made with a cotton (not papery) mask, fit reasonably well, and have a good amount of essence. Will definitely repurchase.

(Green tea masks are my jam; I bought 10 of these and have almost used them all!)





Finally a pretty Illi mask works out! Illi Camellia Oil Nutritional Mask. 3/5 Stars

Last of the Illi masks. I finally gave up and cut this mask in half, hydrogel-style, and it solved the mega fit/stiffness problems. I need to do this more often! (I actually do this as a matter of course now, you can read more about how I cut my masks for a perfect fit, and my unnessarily pretty scissors here.)

Lots of essence (a few days' worth) and surprisingly creamy. Scent isn't as strong as the others, very pleasant. Would repurchase this one!

Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask ~ Rice. 4/5 Stars

Soft enough material, decent fit, generous essence, and the Rice type is a little more creamy and moisturizing than some of the other types.



Good for dehydrated/dry, maybe not for oily skin. These are a staple in my stash. Repurchased.





Hanayuki Moisturizing Facial Mask 4/5 stars

A Japanese mask! These have a LOT of essence; enough to fill a small jar and be used for a few days, so you might want to squeeze it as you take it out of the package.



Has an unusual fit but stays on the face fine and is very hydrating. Was a gift, not sure of the cost. Would repurchase if cheap!



AR Meang Cactus Water Mask. 3/5 stars

I like the cotton sheet (paper masks have a terrible fit) and it has a lot of cuts to help with fit.



Medium fragrance, reminds me of something I can't put my finger on, almost aloe-like + perfume.



My face was feeling a bit warm/sensitive so I put this on and it definitely soothed it. It's nice, but not nice enough to repurchase.

I do love the art on these masks, though AR Meang Cherry Blossom Water Mask. 3/5 stars.

Pleasant, if strong, Cherry Blossom scent, nicely soothing, but not intensely hydrating.



Possibly a good summer mask, but it left me wanting to do a second mask afterwards.



Cotton mask has a lot of cuts for customization of fit. Watery, but not drippy. Would not repurchase.





With the last two, you might be wondering why a pair of 'would not repurchase' masks ended up in the 'Good' pile, but as you can see, they were both decent masks. Just not good enough for me to shell out for more of them and stock them in my limited-space stash. With the last two, you might be wondering why a pair of 'would not repurchase' masks ended up in the 'Good' pile, but as you can see, they were both decent masks. Just not good enough for me to shell out for more of them and stock them in my limited-space stash.

Hanbang time!



As you may know, I'm unrepentantly obsessed with all things Hanbang, (traditional Korean herbal medicine) and I especially enjoy Hanbang sheet masks. Although most of my other 'risky' sheet masks purchases turned out to be duds, taking a chance on these ones turned out to be worth it in spades.



Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet mask ~.행인 - Prunus armeniaca: 5/5 stars.

One of my beloved Evercos Hanbang masks, these are so hydrating, made of lightweight but still soft cotton, and are so soft and flexible/stretchy that it's effortless to stretch and drape for a perfect fit. They're also under $1 USD.



I want all the fermented Hanbang herbs on my face. ALL OF THEM. As you may know, I'm unrepentantly obsessed with, (traditional Korean herbal medicine) and I especially enjoy Hanbang sheet masks. Although most of my other 'risky' sheet masks purchases turned out to be duds, taking a chance on these ones turned out to be worth it in spades.





Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet mask ~ Phellinus. 5/5 stars

I think this is probably Phellinus linteus, the variant of Phellinus fungus that wikipedia says is used in traditional herbal medicine in Korea, Japan, & China = therefore not the scary rotting kind D:



I love these hanbang masks, because they fit so well and are so soft, hydrating, and full of fermented herbal hanbang love.

Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet mask ~ Licorice. 5/5 stars

Fits like a dream, clings weightlessly to the skin, rich/hydrating essence.



I love Hanbang everything; fermented herbal goodness on mah face.



Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet mask ~어성초 - Houttuynia cordata: 5/5 stars

I've raved about these masks before, and I'm doing it again. Cheap, great fit, generous essence, and they're Hanbang. What's not to love? This mask was unusual compared to the others as it had a noticeable yellow tint (presumably from the herbs, it was in all of my masks of this type) but it did not stain my face.





Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet mask ~ Ginseng. 5/5 stars

Final mask from this series, just as amazing as the others.



Beautifully thin and soft cotton, curves and stretches for a great fit, generous and hydrating essence.



I need more of these; a lot more.

Holy Grail

:

Mediental Bidanpo Balhyo Healing Masks



I just want to preface this with the disclaimer that 1. I hate the term and concept of 'Holy Grail', 2. I am so product-promiscuous that I could meet something I like better tomorrow and leave without a backward glance, and 3. my HG could be the worst thing you've ever tried.





That being said, if I could afford it, I would replace everything in my mask stash other than the Evercos masks with these beauties.











From left, ranked from most loved: Balhyo Jinjeong Troubled Skin Healing Mask (green)

Healing Mask (green) Balhyo Mibaek Whitening Mediental Healing Mask (purple)

Mediental Healing Mask (purple) Balhyo Tanryeok Firming Mediental Healing Mask (yellow)

Mediental Healing Mask (yellow) Balhyo Boyangsu Hydrating Mediental Healing Mask (blue) I like all of them, but the Troubled Skin mask is just ... *swoony sigh*

Why they're so good: The fit/fabric: They are very high-quality masks, which are not only fabric (instead of paper) but they also have an interesting cross-woven texture which allows them to stretch and flex perfectly to fit your face. These are the 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' of masks, because even though I have a completely different face shape (and size, blooo hoo hoo) than the friend who recommended them to me, they fit us both perfectly. Scissors not needed! I don't even have to cut or fold over parts of it, they just seemly mold to the face, like hydrogels are supposed to do, but don't. The plush weave of the fabric allows it to hold a lot of essence without having weird patches drying out far ahead of the others. It even perfectly shapes around my nose and mouth, even though I normally need scissors to cut masks in half (hydrogel style) for them to fit in those spots. The essence: O Saint Snail. This essence. The scent is definitely Hanbang but without the cheap floral notes so often used to reduce the herbal bouquet in many masks. The mask and the essence for all 4 is faintly yellow/brown, like it it's been infused with tea. : 3 The essence is a wonderfully thick, slippery, and easily-spread hydration bomb that makes my dehydrated skin croon a little when I apply it, and I find myself randomly texting Asian skincare buddies and breathlessly gushing about how it feels. If they ever release bottles of this essence on the market, I am going to be all over it. Not only do these masks (all 4 of them) plump my face with sustained hydration that lasts for hours even in the desert, they're so soothing. The Whitening (purple) type is my 2nd favourite and it does have a noticeable whitening effect for about 12 hours; I assume that it is chock-full of anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredients which temporarily reduce the look of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), redness, and uneven skin tone. It's encouraging, because if I can ever succeed in fading those marks through long term whitening product use, my skin might look that good as a regular thing.

My favourite is the Troubled Skin (green) type, because it just ... I am not even sure how to describe it. It feels so good to wear that my eye roll back in my head a bit and I make involuntary NC-17 noises. I never want to take it off. It calms down my skin and eliminates redness, irritation, reduces the look of PIH, reduces the visibility of my pores, reduces redness of blemishes, and gives my skin this transparent glow that I wish it had all the time. Or I'd take just weekends? I'm flexible, skincare gods, just please just give me that look naturally. Balhyo (발효) is one of the Korean words I instantly recognize in Hangul because, well, a huge part of Hanbang medicine is the fermentation process so a large portion of the products I own, lust after, or research are 발효-heavy. The Hanbang pedigree is lovingly depicted at the top of these masks, which is adorable.

The only problem is, they're expensive. Really, really expensive. With shipping, they're around $3 USD ea at the cheapest, sometimes much more. If I ever find them under $2 including shipping, I'm just going to set fire to 6 months' worth of my skincare budget and stock up.





For that reason, they are special-occasion-only masks for me, because I can't justify wearing $3-$6 worth of 1 time use items on my face as a regular thing. This is also why there are no action shots, because I can't bear to sacrifice one of my expensive fancy masks when I'm not going anywhere this weekend. Please forgive me!





Lin Lin Hime came to my rescue and translated the ingredients right off the back of the mask for me. <3 The ingredients aren't available anywhere online, butcame to my rescue and translated the ingredients right off the back of the mask for me. <3





Ingredients for Balhyo Jinjeong Troubled Skin Healing Mask:

Distilled Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Rosin Hydrolyzed Collagen, Witch Hazel, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Lactobacillus/Soybean Extract Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Artemisia Princeps Leaf Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/ Plum Extract Fermentation Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/ Fermented Green Tea Extract, Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Honeysuckle Flower Extract Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Phellodendron Amurense Bark Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Rhus Semialata Gall Extract Ferment, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Lycium Chinense Fruit Ferment Extract Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Ferment Filtrate, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Malt Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Pinus Thunbergii Leaf Extract, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

Mmmm, so much fermented plant extract action! And look, real preservatives! Only one ingredient scored a 2 or above in Cosdna, which was PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, which is a surfactant and emollient, and a few usual suspects in the form of pH-adjusters, Vitamin E, and preservatives (Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.)





Where to buy them: I bought mine during I bought mine during imomoko 's 20% off masks sale, which dropped the price down to around $2.40, and they had a low threshold for free shipping. I did try to get some from Korea, where they go as low as $18 for a box of 10, but the shipping costs completely negated any savings. You can sometimes buy them on eBay for $2.50 each , and they're a whopping $3.50 on Amazon incl shipping





Avecko) and want to throw these in: 비단포 발효진정 메디엔탈 힐링 마스크 You can also get them in various places online, and here is the name in Hangul if you're going to be hauling from Korea anyway (say, from) and want to throw these in: 비단포 발효진정 메디엔탈 힐링 마스크





Final thoughts:





my runner-up masks are the Evercos Luxury Bogam Herbal Clinic sheet masks which are also Hanbang, have wonderful essence, delicate and soft fabric (much lighter than the Mediental ones) and cost 870 krw (around $0.80 USD) if you get them from Korea. Read about how I purchased mine here: Sheet Mask Shortage, Frantic Hauls, & Introducing Sheet Mask Reviews



If you're looking for some amazing masks that won't set your wallet on fire,which areHanbang, have wonderful essence, delicate and soft fabric (much lighter than the Mediental ones) and cost 870 krw (around $0.80 USD) if you get them from Korea. Read about how I purchased mine here:

I like them at least 80% as much as the Mediental ones, but they're so much cheaper and come in a wider range of 'flavours'. I am down to 96 masks (from 153 at the end of February) so I recently ordered 60 of the Evercos masks from Avecko to restock my supply; I plan to rely on them as my staple masks and pad them out with cheap-and-minimal masks like the Malie, and get a few 'quirky' ones here and there. Otherwise, it's going to be all Hanbang all the time, baby, for quite a while.





All the best

-Cat





**Disclaimer: All products reviewed/mentioned are 100% purchased with my own money and my opinions are entirely my own. This blog contains both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and clicking the former before you shop means that this blog may receive a small commission to assist in this blog supporting itself. Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.

As I mentioned in my prior weekday postI would be doing mini-reviews of any new sheet masks I've tried on my. I don't post mini reviews daily, as I don't use new masks daily, only when I am not patch testing a new product.However, since not everyone uses Instagram, someone suggested I periodically do a masterpost of the mini-reviews here, and I'm happy to oblige! Besides, I do have a lot of masks:I'm definitely a member of Team 1일1팩 (1 day, 1 pack) which is a Korean trend of using a mask every day, whether it is a sheet mask or wash-off mask pack. Also, some Asian celebrities like Fan BingBing use sheet masks twice a day ( link to CNN interview ) and she is famous for her skin.Applying essence/serum/ampoule type products usually results in evaporation before my skin has had a chance to benefit. I also dislike wash-off masks; the water here is also, well, gross. It's highly chemically treated and is a bit high on the pH scale, so by the time I rinse off the mask, my skin feels stripped and dry. I'm notfancy as to break out the bottled water to rinse my face, so sheet masks are my best friend, and I use them up to 2x daily.As with everything in skincare, YMMV; if you skin doesn't like masks/doesn't like frequent usage, listen to it!That may seem brief, but there are 27 mask reviews in this post, so that's plenty of reading!Let's rip off the bandaid and start with the things that I regretted putting on my face.I should note before we start that I have really minimal expectations when it comes to sheet masks;I also expect them not to be so poorly made/shoddy material that they flap around and jut over my chin, thus dribbling their very watery essence all over my chest. (I'm looking at you, Etude House masks; stop peeing on my chest, I aminto that!)I also refuse to pay more than $1-$2 USD for my masks, and prefer under $1, because I use so many. If it's over $1, it had better beI didn't haaaaateof these masks, but I disliked most of them quite a bit. Sometimes violently, with extreme prejudice.A fellow Asian skincare addict (sadly blog-less so I can't credit her) recommended these Hanbang masks to me, and once I heard her describe them as 'fermented angels' on her face, I was sold.