My Month of Masking: Part 3
Link to Part 1
https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/06/my-month-of-masking.html
Link to Part 2
https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/06/my-month-of-masking-part-2.html
I feel like there should be a preamble, as there are going to be a lot of these posts!!
I'm using a sheet mask most evenings to prep my skin for a wedding at the end of the month.
I would usually apply some of the higher end Sulwhasoo serums samples in the run up to a big event, rather like how some people use sheet masks, so I thought, what if I add sheet masks too?
In this post
Day 9
AM: no extras
PM Mask: SNP
I'm not going super super basic this evening (which is what I assume the Ekel are), I'm doing the SNP.
Now, I think they're fairly budget. Stylevana has these for £12 for 10 (full price) and current on offer for just under £8.
That seems about right on first impressions.
Ok so I did baste but it is so so drippy.
I basted with the JM mask and it absolutely wasn't running down my neck like this. 5 minutes in and I've already mopped up three times. Argh!
Fit is not great, either. It's a one piece and no slits so it's all creases and doesn't sit over my nose properly.
Even the damn thing fully tenting my nose, the edges are nearly in my eye, they're right down over my eyebrows too. Like I know I am white and I also have a rather wide face but still.
The fragrance is quite nice for a cheapo thing, albeit a bit perfumey.
The mopping continues. I'm instituting a Mop Counter: 6 Mops.
Two more minutes and I'm taking it off. I am done. This is not fun.
I knew I was right to use a crappier one tonight, after using the excellent Aestura - or I'll never use up the cheap ones (I'll just go buy more of the good stuff and the point is also to use up the freebies because you never know, one of them might be great).
My eyes are slightly stingy too. Thank the Snail Gods that I only had one of these 🐌
I managed just over 10 minutes. On the upside the mask didn't dry out but it was altogether an unpleasant experience and the Mop Counter hit 6.
I'm putting on Sulwhasoo Timetreasure serum to try and counteract the disappointment.
No skintertainment here.
Even if my skin looks great tomorrow, I wouldn't buy this.
Aggressive fanning required and then my face was sticky. W the actual F. Not what I signed up for! But then that's the Wheel of Skincare Fortune with unknown products 🤷🏻♀️ Sometimes you get a Klairs and sometimes SNP.
Ugh it feels like there's glue on my face. It made Hera turn into glue. I did a glue mask 😭
I've now used two layers of my precious Sekkisei Miyabi Ultimate Emulsion, I keep forgetting I should be a little sparing with it because it's discontinued. Oh well.
I also understand that I could wash my face and start my routine again.
I understand that is probably what a normal person would do.
But I've used half a sachet of another precious discontinued product as well as the Sekkisei so that's not happening.
AM: ooh my face is hella crêpey.
Obviously the glue mask sucky all the hydration out of my skin. It feels dry to the touch and dehydrated inside cos it feels tight.
To add insult to injury, my skin tone is uneven and red.
I conclude this mask sucks and even at under £8 for 10, it's overpriced.
Fit: 2.5/5
Fussiness: 2.5/5
Because the mopping was annoying AF.
Hydration: 1/5
The sticky glue-effect is clearly dehydrating.
Dry down: 2.5/5
Dewiness (AM): 1.5/5
It's not getting lower because it was recoverable with a seriously dewy routine.
Glowiness (AM): 2.5/5
See reasons above.
Total: 2/5
RP: WNRP - and if I had any more of these, they'd go in the bin.
We have a new winner for lowest score. Sad times.
I clearly have to do a good mask following this to rectify the badness.
I'm tempted to just consign the Ekel to the bin. You can't even get them on SJ anymore either but I remember them being $1 each, which does not fill me with joy at the prospect of trying them.
I don't mean to be snobby but in my experience so far every lower-end sheet mask I've tried has been a waste of time. No noticeable sheet masky effects and risk of dehydration.
Granted this is with a sample size of 5 lower-end sheet masks but all from different brands, some brands that are popular on the sub too.
I will definitely try the one from The Face Shop (the Real Nature ones are actually The Face Shop), although hilariously these are actually even cheaper than the Ekel, the Real Nature ones are currently retailing at 0.81c (41c on offer) but it's an LG brand so I have tepid hopes.
Of course, sheet masks are like any skincare: some of the budget ones can be great and some are just eh.
Day 10
AM Serum: Sulwhasoo Ultimate S
PM Mask: Sulwhasoo FCAS
Did I drown my face in product to make up for the worst mask yet last night? You're damn right I did!
Extra toner too: Decorte Softener (x2), Albion, Sum:37 Fermentalift.
Then more a bit Hera Signia serum than I usually apply, the Sulwhasoo and Stratia Lipid Gold.
Top off with Hera Signia emulsion and Sekkisei. All that product and my skin isn't sticky to the touch.
There's a slight tackiness but barely noticeable.
Oh yeah.
I got my skin back to looking nice and well balanced in terms of dewiness.
So, the Sulwhasoo mask.
No backing for this one and it's a one piece. Sigh, I was hoping for two pieces after my delightful experience with the Klairs.
It didn't really drip as I took it out of the packet, it wasn't difficult to unfold and it had some slits, but not lots.
If I'm remembering correctly, and I may not be because yesterday was a long ass day so I am writing this bit 36 hours later (I prioritised the really important stuff, notes on skin look, yesterday), it had little cuts around the eye holes.
These were welcome as it meant it was better over my nose than the average sheet mask. I could just about get it flat against my nose without the eye holes being totally in my eyeball.
It was big enough to make folds to avoid areas where it would have otherwise creased and not laid flat. However, obviously not as a good a fit as the two piece wonder that was the Klairs.
The fragrance.... Omg best ever!
After I'd put the mask on and done a bit of basting, I kept squeezing open the packet and sticking my nose in there.
It kinda makes me want to get the FCAS itself now, but only kinda, see the note below.
It was properly well-balanced, smelled like nature, not perfumey, a kind of flowery-citrus smell that is my all time favourite.
It's not complex but it is just really, really nice.
I left the mask on for about 20 minutes and it wasn't dried out, although the folds were a bit drier than the rest.
The essence was so delightful, and a lovely amber colour, that I went against my policy so far and spent more time than I had available applying it in layers.
I did three of these post-removal layers, fanning aggressively between layers.
So, the next products (Sooryehan The Black serum and Hera Signia cream) applied swimmy and wet but they dried down to a tacky finish.
I will dock marks for this but it's probably not the fault of the mask. I mean, I don't think it says apply as much of the essence as you have time for but, true to form, I didn't bother reading the instructions.
I didn't apply emulsion in the interests of time and usually I'll do at least one emulsion or light cream plus a heavier cream. This may have been an error.
Although maybe my skin just didn't love this mask.
I did a Sooryehan Ginseng mask once and that didn't do a lot for me either.
I do wonder if I'm aged out of the FCAS line? Fifty Shades of Snail has raved about this mask but keep in mind she was in her 30s at the time (I think) and I'm 40+ now.
Also it may have been reformulated, because Sulwhasoo does reformulate a lot, and Fifty Shades of Snail reviewed it in 2017.
https://fiftyshadesofsnail.com/2017/05/06/review-sulwhasoo-first-care-activating-mask-plus-special-event-masking-tips/
I think the Timetreasure lines have been reformulated once since then and the Invigorating also been replaced with the Ultimate S.
FCAS itself was recently reformulated.
I'd had a rough day at work with the prospect of more extra hours the rest of this week too so my everything wasn't in the best place. But I'd hope a sheet mask would help counter things like that!
My skin was a bit red, but I was hot when I woke up so that's not unusual, and it wasn't quite so red after I'd left the house.
Interestingly, and I'm not sure what to make of this exactly, once my skin had calmed down, it was red ish throughout the day but very evenly red.
In that, no area looked too red, I just looked quite pinky all over.
Certainly far more pinky that I'd prefer but it was even and this is the nicest I've looked with pinky skin ever. My skin tone is even, just... pinky. Like a very mild sunburn.
I'd argue, apart from rocking the mildly sun kissed look, my skin looks fairly healthy.
I'm confused.
Thinking about it really carefully, I think the redness is less than usual but also all over so there was a certain evenness.
With the other masks, I think the red wasn't really much less than usual but the other areas were paler so you could interpret the red bits as just waaaay too much blush.
Maybe?
I would say the Aestura or Klairs was better for even toned skin appearance but I should also add that I used 5% lactic acid on the night of the Sulwhasoo mask and, as I was applying the acid, I'd kinda thought that perhaps I shouldn't as my skin was feeling a bit dry.
But I did it anyway and perhaps that had an effect?
I am not prone to over-exfoliation with a mild product but I have been doing crazy things with all these sheet masks plus a new Whoo product.
However, I'd reiterate my earlier point: even if I'd over-exfoliated a bit (and only a bit because it's a measly 5% concentration), I'd still expect a good sheet mask to have some counter effects. Or maybe that's expecting too much? Not sure.
In the morning, I also used the Be The Skin sunscreen right after my routine because it was sweaty humid and my skin looked crazy dewy.
This is the perfect dewiness right off the bat, which suggests perhaps using my usual Whoo sunscreen would have been too dewy.
It pains me to not give this the highest score so far because I really thought it would be the best.
The score is still high, though, as it did great in a lot of areas.
Fit: 4.2/5
Fussiness: 4/5
Hydration/moisturising: 4/5
Dry down: 3.8/5
Should this score higher? I put almost all the essence on my face so without doing that, it probably would have dried really well but results are results: my skin was quite tacky.
Dewiness (AM): 4.5/5
Glowiness (AM): 3.8/5
Taking it down 0.2 because it was harder to see the glow through the pinkiness.
Total: 4.1/5
RP: MRP-WRP
Given the price of the JM versus the price of the Sulwhasoo, I'm not sure I would RP but the JM does drip and the Sulwhasoo doesn't, plus the Sulwhasoo fits better and smells divine, so from a pure UX perspective, arguably the Sulwhasoo is better.
And in terms of the right level of dewiness.
But what if I used the Be The Skin with the JM? That may also be perfect dewiness.
I have, however, rated the glow less for the Sulwhasoo so that should also be considered.
My skin tone also appeared better with other options - in that it was less pinky overall, although I still can't really argue with the fact that whilst it's pinky, it's actually more even. Hmm.
I'd kind of like to try this again and not use an acid first and not having had a super grumpy day in one of the busiest weeks during our busy month at work.
It just doesn't feel like a fair test, whilst I would like a mask to help offset this stuff - I absolutely could be expecting too much.
One of these masks, on SJ, is $3.66.
I might of course fair better with the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask, which is $5.66 for one.
Worth trying at that price!
Note: a box of 5 is less good value, fyi.
Day 11
AM: None
PM Mask: My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Ultra Moisturising Clarifying
I made sure I used both emulsions plus Stratia Lipid Gold to combat the lack of moisturiser the night before but then I was like too shiny so, as I said, I did the Be The Skin to tamp it down.
On to the mask: first off the bat, the naming is a bit different from what is listed on the MBD website and places like Yesstyle.
Could be a regional thing, old info on websites or I've got some fakes.
https://www.fanserviced-b.com/authenticate-korean-beauty-products/
I will say, if they're fakes, I'll be disappointed but for entirely the wrong reasons.
This mask did great so whatever it is about it, I want a repeat performance!
[A slight edit here: it could be a coincidence, probably is a coincidence, but now I'm breaking out a few days after using this one. To be fair, it could just be an accumulation of me putting new things on my face, ie all these untested masks. It is making me rethink this series of posts a little, I may stop a week before the wedding to be safe, we'll see!]
The MBDs are something of a pain to get hold of generally as I can get them from Yesstyle or (a possibly dodgy) UK site.
On the other hand, only those two sites (ignoring Amazon) carry the JM Solution (I've been spelling it wrong).
[I did totally cave and just order a ten pack of the JM Solution Ringer from Amazon anyway]
The packet is tiny, I was wondering if there really was a mask in there (there was).
It is a bit drippy getting it out of the packet but it wasn't super hard to apply - unfolding it wasn't too tricky and it went on fine.
That fragrance, though: lightly grim. Smells like 80s hairspray.
This is particularly noticeable after the intense joyous aroma of the Sulwhasoo.
However, whilst it's not super strong, it did detract from the experience, especially as these aren't the cheapest.
They definitely weren't cheap in my I Want It Now purchase but more than the JMs from Yesstyle too.
Other than fragrance, I really rate the essence.
The mask itself didn't dry out and on removing, I applied four layers of the essence.
It actually dried much better on my hands than I expected. The Sulwhasoo did dry with enough rubbing but MBD dried way quicker, no stickiness, no residue.
The essence also didn't take as much effort to fan dry either.
The results in the morning were seriously impressive: fine lines really plumped out and my skin tone was calm and even.
The glow was excellent: my skin looked super healthy and radiant.
My skin time remained fairly even through the day.
I used Be The Skin sunscreen as I did have significant dewiness from my AM routine.
I'd say my skin was a bit too dewy but I figure that's partly from working from home, I'm not outside much so my skin is generally more dewy.
Fit: 4/5
Less gappy than some others but a bit fiddly on the face, quite a bit of repositioning.
Fussiness: 4/5
A bit drippy
Hydration: 4.5/5
I don't think I can give this a 5 because I applied the essence 4 times, as I didn't reapply essence for the JM and the levels hydration were the same.
Dry down: 4/5
Four layers of essence and it was only tacky, not sticky, and also less tacky than the Sulwhasoo, plus the essence dried more quickly on my hands than the Sulwhasoo.
Dewiness (AM): 4.5/5
Like the JM, docking half a point for a bit too dewy.
Glowiness (AM): 4/5
It was a good glow.
Total: 4.2/5
RP: WRP
Yeah, it was a good mask with good results. I think it's a fair score.
Scores so far
And let's rate them in order now for clarity
(Super Luxe Routine: 3.8-4.5/5)
JM Solution: 4.4/5
My Beauty Diary: 4.2/5 Klairs: 4.13/5
Sulwhasoo: 4.1/5
Aestura: 4/5
Biodance: 3/5
Whoo toner pad: 2.75/5
3W Clinic: 2.67/5
SNP: 2.5/5
I think the Super Luxe has to go top because, whilst cost is a factor of course, for the purposes of this series of post, I'm looking for results.
It's not a sheet mask so I am bracketing it, particularly as my initial plan was to use serums etc as a booster, not as an actual routine.
Another round of reviews and the JM is still winning but it's interesting to see that the MBD is up there.
It will be super interesting to see what happens when my order of JM Solution Ringer turns up and I put all the essence on (or most of it).
The Sulwhasoo was a bit of a disappointment psychologically but not in reality - it's just that I really thought it would win out. Still, it's got a high score.
I do also wonder, as my experience with masks widens, whether some of my other scores should be readjusted as my judgements are being refined.
However, doing that retrospectively is tricky.
Once this whole thing is done with, I'll call out the extent to which I think my ratings become more nuanced as I try more masks.
I'm already suspecting it has and I'll know more as if progresses. If it looks like I'm right about the nuance, I'll add some text to the initial post.
Comments
Post a Comment