There are so many sleeping masks on the korean market, I haven't tried many of them, but as for now I can say that one of my 'holy grail' sleeping masks is the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing mask . My skin seems to like everything I try from the brand, and who doesn't love it?

Just like sheet masks, sleeping masks have become a part of my 'self spa' treatments. With the 'self spa' I mean products that provide my skin with that something extra, in addition to my regular skincare routine. Of course they don't replace real salon facials, but sometimes I just wonder if these regular facial at the salon really make a difference, expect the extractions part. Maybe my money would be better spend by buying more products? Okay, now I really sound like a skincare addict.

Because the brand isn't cheap and it was my first time trying the product, I bought two sample tubes, 30 ml each. Seriously isn't it amazing that we can try all these Korean products in different sample sizes, I wish this would be the case for many western brands.

The Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing mask promises to hydrate and reawaken your skin's natural glow . The words 'hydration' and 'glow' are the keywords to look for if your skin is dry/dehydrated dull, just like mine. The ingredient list is full of herbal extracts . According to Sulwhasoo: The mask contains acute lobed angelica and pomegranate that are supposed to help brighten skin tone. Walnut extract create an essential moisture layer on the skin , promoting optimal absorption of nourishing ingredients and white mulberry extract minimizes redness and irritation.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Squalane, DI-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cyclohexasiloxane, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Flower/Leaf/Steam Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Adenophora Stricta Root Extract, Angelica Tenuissima Root Extract, Honey, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, C14-22 Alcohols, Stearic Acid, Silica, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyacrylate-13, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, C12-16 Alcohols, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

Running the formula through Cosdna no major red flags pop up, there are some minor acne triggers on the bottom of the list. Take the Cosdna analysis with a grain of salt, skin reaction depends on your skin type and the formulation of the product.

As you can see in addition to the key ingredients mentioned by the brand, the mask contains numerous other extracts. Staying true to Sulwahsoo, the product has ginseng listened. What would Sulwhasoo be without ginseng? Ginseng has been used traditionally in eastern Asia over thousands of years. It has been used orally to treat various diseases and topics as a beauty treatment. Scientific studies might be limited, but the ones conducted so far show that ginseng protects against UV damage, reduces hyper pigmentation and wrinkles, increases and stimulates collagen production . In addition, topical applications has been shown to heal wounds and reduce skin inflammation.





Here are some Scientific studies if you are interested:





Packaging

The full size product is a sleek elegant 120 ml tube. I have the sample size 30 ml tube, but still the packaging seems similar to the original, really beautiful. Its impressive that they give sample size products similar packaging as the full size products. In general, I just love how Sulwahsoo products are represented, so elegant, classic and traditional at the same time.





Application





Just as with all sleeping packs the mask is designed to be the final step of your PM skincare routine. I either use a sleeping mask or a sheet mask, never the two together in a routine, otherwise it can become to much for my face, but I imagine that folks with dry skin could use both.



The smell is divine, it's that famous Sulwhasoo signature hanbang scent. The texture is quit creamy, thick and soft. How much you use depends on how dry your skin is, but I think you don't need much. I use a penny size amount for my entire face. Even thought the cream is thick it's not heavy or oily, spreads very easily. The instruction say to wash it off in the morning with only water, but I just cleanse my face regularly, like I always would. I think the mask has enough time to do its work while I sleep and is fully absorbed by morning.

