My Month of Masking (Part 1)

As soon as I came up with the title, I was like, that seems familiar... I've recently read My Year of Rest and Relaxation so I think that's where I got it from.

Well worth a read if you grew up on stuff like Sylvia Plath and Bret Easton Ellis. I'm not saying it's quite like those but imagine a comic book crossover and you're not far off, although the nascent feminism of Plath is very much tempered by the Ellis (or is it Easton Ellis if we're surnaming, not sure).

Digression aside (I like to reference my sources, even if it's just a blog post name), on to the point of this post.

Links to subsequent posts:

Days 5-8

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/06/my-month-of-masking-part-2.html

Day 9-11

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/06/to-part-1-httpscommercialpoemferments.html

The Why

I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding at the end of June and I thought I'd give my skin luxe treatment in the run up.

OK so it's not like I don't treat my skin well anyway (Hera, Stratia, Sooryehan, Whoo and suchlike) but I tend to add several days of Sulwhasoo serums leading up to some social events.

I decided to use up my stash of Sulwhasoo, using it every day, up to the wedding.

Then I remembered I don't usually mask and I've got a ton so I might as well do that too!

Maybe this'll also get me over my dislike of masks. I'll be trying so many that it's immersion therapy (lol, get it, cos my skin will be immersed!) and also I'll probably find something I don't mind wearing.

The Plan

Every evening, I'll try and add something extra: I've got masks, toner pads for quick masking and a handful of Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Invigorating sachets left plus quite a few Ultimate S Serum sachets.

If run out, I do also have some Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng serums, although I prefer the Timetreasure and Ultimate S.

And I just remembered that I have two Whoo Hwanyu Imperial Youth serum pots so that'll be fun.

I could also do a week of the Hera Signia Concentrate, although I might save them for before another event later this summer.

OK, I didn't realise I had so many choices!

I counted up my sheet masks too: 20 (it was 15 but I actually bought 5 more, edit: I bought 10 more on top of that lol). Realistically, I've probably got two to three uses of the Whoo Cheongidan Illuminating Refining toner pads. I could use my Klairs Toner Mate 2 in 1 cotton pads but I'm running low and I really like to use them for a post-micellar water cleanse.

It's very likely I won't manage doing something masky every night and that's why the Sulwhasoo Serums are particularly useful, as I can add it as a catch up the morning after a missed evening. Note: this very quickly turned into just adding a Sulwhasoo in the morning regardless because why not just go for the maximum possible niceness?

And this is my super busy month at work including extra weekends work so my stressed skin could do with extra love anyway.

The point is to do something extra fancy on top of my usual routine, whatever that might be.

I should note that some masks were StyleJolly freebies, from brands I haven't heard of so, who knows how they will be! 

They are definitely cheap, though, so I don't have high hopes but you never know, they might be great.

Product List

Serums

• Sulwhasoo Ultimate S Serum
• Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Serum
• Whoo Hwanyu Imperial Youth Recovery Serum
• Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Invigorating Serum (pretty sure some of these are expired, but only in May!) 
• Hera Signia Concentrate (maybe, I might save these)

Sheet masks / toner pads

• 3W Clinic Fresh Snail
• Sulwhasoo First Care Activating
• JM Solution Plantsynergy Silky Mask Calendula (x2)
• Sooryehan Black Firming Mask
• The Face Shop Real Nature Tea Tree
• The Face Shop Real Nature Red Ginseng
• SNP Gold Collagen Ampoule
• Esfolio Vitamin C Ampoule
• Ekel Red Ginseng
• Ekel EGG
• Ekel Olive
• Aestura Ceramide Intensive (x4)
• Whoo Cheongidan Illuminating Refining toner pads

The following products I purchased part way through the testing process because I wanted more!

• Klairs Midnight Blue Calming 
• Dr Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis Anti-Oxidant
• My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Clarifying(?) - although the photo on eBay matches the Brightening version. Who knows what I'll get! The other option appears to be the Ex (x2)
• Biodance
• JM Solution Luminous S.O.S. Ringer Amino (x10)

The usual routine

It does vary greatly but usually it will include a selection of the below products and I'm only including products I use regularly, not things I use sometimes.

• Acid: The Ordinary Lactic 5% or Glycolic 7%
• Toner(s): Hera Signia Skin Refining Water, Decorte Hydra Clarity Softener, Albion Flora Drip
• Serum(s): Hera Signia Core Lifting Serum, Sooryehan The Black Serum, Stratia Lipid Gold
• Emulsion: Hera Signia Essential Balancing Emulsion, Sekkisei Miyabi Ultimate Emulsion
• Cream(s): Stratia Interface, Hera Signia Vital 
• Eye cream: Sooryehan Chunsam Sanghwang Regenerating Cream (the face cream, not the eye cream)
• Sunscreen: Whoo Fresh UV Cream, CNP After-Ray Sunquid, Haruharu Airyfit Sunscreen (chemical), Be The Skin Sebum Zero AloeRice, Suncream, Hera UV Protector Extreme Force 

AB Muse's Reccs

I have received incredibly good products from AB Muse in our gift exchanges (as well as excellent recommendations generally, AB Muse is responsible for the gateway drug that is Sooryehan's The Black Serum and therefore my foray into luxe).

The Emergency Sheetmask came from AB Muse and so she sent me the JM Solutions mask listed above. 

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-emergency-sheetmask.html

The Stratia and Albion are also courtesy of AB Muse and they are extremely good products. I haven't reviewed them yet but they definitely deserve their own posts.

I made a couple of additional mask purchases as well, inspired by AM Muse: Biodance, Klairs and My Beauty Diary. 

The Biodance as AB Muse tried one recently, Klairs inspired by her previous use of Klairs Midnight Blue Cream and My Beauty Diary was a recc (and you'll find lots of reviews on this on Fifty Shades of Snail's blog, link further down).

A note on my ranking system

I've decided one metric does not fit for each mask/mask type ingredient but the categories are broadly the same.

I'm also not going to rate AM serums (unless something about said serum changes my mind).

Consequently, although my ranking system can't really be trusted to properly compare each product, I don't think that matters because sheet masks are not a homogenous category. 

All you need to do is read through the blog of serial masker Fifty Shades of Snail to know that.

https://fiftyshadesofsnail.com/category/masks/sheet-masks/

And also Snow White and The Asian Pear has also done a month of masking, link for anyone interested:

http://www.snowwhiteandtheasianpear.com/2016/06/sheet-mask-review-empties.html?m=1

Day 1

PM Sheet mask: JM Solution Plantsynergy Silky Mask Calendula

This one was courtesy of AB Muse, thanks AB Muse!

Now, we both agree it's not as juicy as the Water Luminous S.O.S. Ringer Amino Mask.

It doesn't have that wow factor: the Ringer absolutely feels like I've had some kind of mountain spring adventure of refreshingness.

But then maybe that's to be expected, calendula seems to be aimed more at calming (I think).

It is, however, a very decent sheet mask.

My skin wasn't angry so I'm not sure of the calming effects but it was definitely a hydration boost.

As usual, it's gappy over nose and the top of my nasolabial folds. Masks just don't fit in that area for me.

The mask had a whole ton of essence, it absolutely did drip when I put it on. I did the Fifty Shades of Snail thing and basted my face with the extra essence.

https://fiftyshadesofsnail.com/2016/03/17/lherboflore-ginseng-anti-aging-mask-quickie-review-sheet-masking-tip/

It might have been fragranced, I didn't notice anything but that's a bit meaningless because pretty much all my products

I think one of the reasons I don't like sheet masks is partly the drip, partly the way it fits and partly the lack of dry down.

The JM Solutions is interesting, though, because it does dry down super well. I used Sooryehan The Black Serum after felt a bit wetter than usual but not super different. So I'd give this top marks for absorption.

The next day my skin really did look extra nice!

It was a bit over-dewy shiny because I didn't reapply a mattifying sunscreen (as much as I love my CNP Sunquid, it really can't copy with damping down the dewinsss of my current routine, only Haruharu Airyfit or It's The Skin Sebum Zero AloeRice can do that).

But: regardless of my preference for less dewy-shiny, my skin looked incredibly healthy - the glow (underneath the dewy-shiny) was properly maxed out.

AB Muse sent me two of these, I'll be saving the other for later in the month because despite my preference for the Ringer, I'm pretty impressed with this one!

Fit: 3.8/5 (sheetmask scissors may improve it)

Fussiness: 3.9/5 (drippy)

Hydration: 5/5

Dry down: 4.5/5

RP: WRP

Total: 4.3/5

Day 2

Nothing :'(

No routine at all, I was late home from work and knackered.

I had hoped I wouldn't break my plan quite so quickly but what can you do?

Life happens even to the best laid skincare plans.

Either way, all is not lost. My skin can survive no PM routine every so often, even when it starts feeling dry in the evening.

I usually ask still wake up with skin that is perfectly fine, although not sumptuously glowy.

And I did the JM Solutions the night before which really did leave my skin looking nice.

The JM Solutions is way better than no routine lol.

Day 3

AM Serum: Sulwhasoo Ultimate S

PM Toner pad: Whoo Cheogidan Illuminating Refining

To make up for not doing anything last night, I used half a Sulwhasoo Ultimate S serum sachet this morning.

That's more than I'd usually apply but I'm pleased to say that it absorbed really well. Like really well.

I suspect the absorption on the Ultimate S is probably a bit quicker than the Timetreasure but I'll have to test this out! I don't often use these serums AM, I feel like you'd get max benefits from applying them PM but I don't know that for a fact.

It's a great serum, only the price puts me off, although I'm happy buying the sachets for special occasions.

My usual argument is that of AB Muse's: use the sachet instead of a sheet mask. It has very similar effects and is unarguably less wasteful.

However, I'm apparently doing both so let's ignore that for now.

It really was going to be one or the other but I realised I could properly capitalise on this (potential) routine momentum and also maximise my benefits by doing both 🤷🏻‍♀️

I also have zero conceptual willpower: in that both my willpower is conceptual (not real) and that a concept for my routine totally kills my willpower to do literally anything else.

I don't often stick to my concept routines and I do not expect I will be masking or using Sulwhasoo anywhere near as often after this month!!

Anyhoo. I digress.

The toner pad: fine.

I have masked with it before but I used four; two cheeks, one forehead, one chin.

As much as I like these pads, and I do, this didn't really offer me much.

I prefer them in their post-cleanse routine slot and that is where they will stay.

Fit: 1.5/5 (even four doesn't really give me something approaching a mask)

Fussiness: 4/5 (unfussy but what's the point!) 

Hydration: 2/5 

Dry down: 4/5 (dries great but what's the point!)

Total: 2.9/5

JM Solutions is better but are we surprised, the Whoo is a toner pad.

Day 4

AM Serum: Sulwhasoo Ultimate S

PM Mask: Biodance Collagen

Disclaimer: I did not follow the mask instructions.

However, I am not sure I would ever bother following the instructions except out of curiosity.

Even if it's great, even if it lives up to its claims, I am not the person to go to bed with a mask on or wear it around the house for a long time.

Granted there's a wait for an order to arrive but I can get a Sulwhasoo mask for cheaper on StyleJolly. For cheaper!!

That is not to say that the Sulwhasoo is better but it's a standard sheet mask so it's bound to be less fussy.

I mean, probably, but you never know because this is the brand that tells you to wrap your hands around your face in inhale the fragrance of the Timetreasure (OK, so Whoo does this too).

I will say that when I followed those instructions, I did really enjoy it!

And same with things like Decorte's use a thin emulsion before toner thing (and Albion for that matter).

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2023/12/can-some-moisturisers-be-first-step.html

https://www.abmuse.net/2025/04/review-mostly-albion-routine.html

Sometimes the instructions aren't just marking. Sometimes it matters.

I'm pretty sure that the instructions matter with the Biodance.

You should absolutely judge me for my use of this mask.

First, it's in two pieces and has plastic separators. It's not a backing, it's quite a stiff folded plastic.

It's very slippery jelly and in my efforts to unfold it properly whilst trying to keep a hold of it, I ripped it a bit. However, it only ripped a little so I'd say the odd jelly material is pretty well constructed.

The two piece jelly meant that it fit pretty well: the usual gapping was evident but less so than a one piece mask.

Thing I Did Wrong Number 1

I put it on nearly bare skin.

You're meant to put on all your routine, apart from moisturiser, on first.

I did a toner pad clean (light toner on cotton pad) then applied the mask.

Thing I Did Wrong Number 2

I didn't leave it on long enough.

It's meant to be at least 3-4 hours until it turns transparent.

I did about 25 minutes because that's how much time I had.

Thing I Did Wrong Number 3

I took it off and put moisturiser on.

You're meant to just sleep in the damn thing.

As it of course hadn't actually dried, I ended up with all kinds of pilling around my jaw line.

Thing I Did Wrong Number 4

I washed my skin in the morning.

ABers say you should just rinse your skin AM following the mask.

Well, I put my Hera Signia cream on top so my skin definitely needed its usual wash.

Did my skin glow (more than usual)?

No.

Did it glow like the JM Solutions mask?

No.

Was my skin fine?

Yes.

Do I think all this was down to user error?

Probably, I certainly didn't give it a good chance.

Another point to note on this is the preservatives issue with long wear masks but that could be a spurious concern, given I'm at present masking constantly...

https://www.abmuse.net/2024/05/science-preservatives-in-sheet-mask.html

Fit: 4.2/5

Fussiness: 2.5/5 (for the slipperiness and time of use, I would give it 0 but that's hardly fair)

Moisturising: 2.5/5 (hydration is a poor comparison)

Dry down: 4/5 (I'm only knocking one off for pilling, as user error on my part)

RP: It's between WNRP and MRP (just out of curiosity, AB Muse thinks these firm and that would be interesting)

Total: 3.3/5

Even if it's amazing, 3-4 hours or overnight is not what I want to do. Especially when I got such good results from the JM Solutions.

Verdict? JM Solutions is better.