ARCHIVE - 2019 Mask of the Week Challenge!

[eshoe]

Hello lovely masking mavens! Please continue posting on the Q4 Thread which can be found here:

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https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/2019-Q4-Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/4995162/highl...

Many thanks to the wonderful @Aaliaa for beginning this thread and excited you are here. 

To Post:

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Each week features a different theme, as well as a letter of the alphabet for coming up with new masking ideas. Feel free to post as frequently or infrequently as you would like, with or without following the challenge; they are guidelines and just something we do for fun. We love hearing about every masking experience, and suggestions are always welcomed!

Please include the brand and name of the mask you are trying out, as well as a photo if possible. Any other details are greatly appreciated, including scent, if it's an exfoliating mask (include acid info if known), your overall experience, and whether or not you would repurchase. Don't forget to include a grade (thanks to @ShortErica for the idea) to help others along the way.

Most importantly, have fun and merry masking!

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/td-p/3615125 

Mask Hacks - Here are a few to get started thanks to our lovely BIC-ers, a big thank you for these fabulous ideas!

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Trim off long chin and add to forehead for sheet masks	itsfi
Squeeze tube lip balms (like Bite) into pans and place in magnetic palette	sonnydee
Layer lip sleeping mask (such as Laneige) over regular balm	cianni
Derma plane prior to a peel-off mask to ease the pain of removal	heartsmyface
Warm water helps remove clay masks quicker than cold	cianni
Lay sheet masks flat prior to use so the serum is more evenly distributed	eshoe
Remove clay/difficult masks in the shower to keep towel clean and removal easy	itsfi/BIC
Use an HA serum prior to trying a mask with alcohol high on the ingredients list	keana1
Use a Makeup Eraser to remove wash-off masks	lmaster
With a detox mask, apply a thicker layer where pores are	Ather
Use a resurfacing exfoliating spray (such as Kate Somerville’s Liquid ExfoliKate) before a detox mask to better clear out your pores	Miamia27
Re-use a large sample jar for a blank sheet mask pellet and fill it with essence/toner	Itsfi
Use a nail clippers to trip a mask if scissors are not on hand	ShortErica

Female-owned companies, for reference:

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Amika (Co-Founder Vita Rayhkman)
Annie’s Way (Annie Wu)
Beauty Pie (Founder Marcia Kilgore)
Biobelle (4 sisters)
Bite Beauty (Founder Susanne Langmuir)
bkr (Co-Founders Kate Cutler and Tal Winter)
bliss Spa/bliss Skincare (Founder Marcia Kilgore)
Briogeo (Nancy Twine)
By Terry (Terry De Gunzberg)
Captain Blankenship
Drunk Elephant (Tiffany Masterson) 

Esker (Shannon Davenport)
Glossier (Emily Weiss) 
Glow Recipe/Sweet Chef (Sarah Lee & Christine Chang)
Herbivore (partners Julia Wills and Alexander Kummerow)
Honest Beauty (Jessica Alba)
Indie Lee
Josie Maran
Jane Iredale
Juice Beauty (Karen Behnke)
June Jacobs
Kate Somerville
Kora Organics (Miranda Kerr)

Dr. Loretta

NuFace (Carol Cole)
Odacite (Valerie Grandury)
Omorovicza (husband and wife Stephen and Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza)
Ouai (Jen Atkin)
Pacifica Beauty (Brook Harvey-Taylor and husband Billy Taylor)
Pai (Sarah Brown)
Peach & Lily/Peach Slices (Alicia Yoon)
Pixi (Petra Strand)
Purlisse (Jennifer Yen)
Rael (Yanghee Paik)
Sand & Sky (twin sisters Emily and Sarah Hamilton)
Saint Jane (Casey Georgsson)
Sara Happ
Skin Laundry (Yen Reis)
Soap & Glory (Founder Marcia Kilgore)
Soko Glam (husband and wife Charlotte and David Cho)
Sol de Janeiro (Heela Yang, Co-Founder)
Summer Fridays (Founders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland)

Jill Stuart
tarte (Maureen Kelly)
Tata Harper
Tatcha (Vicky Tsai)

Charlotte Tillbury

Wander Beauty (Co-Founders Divya Gugnani and Lindsay Ellingson)
Joanna Vargas
Yadah Cosmetics (Founder and CEO Anna Kang)

2019 Mask of the Week Challenge Schedule

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WEEK     LETTER       THEME

Jul 1 - 7          A           Hydrating Masks to get over the dehydration of Air-Conditioning! Meetup: Crème Shop -My Melody Softer than Cookies -  Saturday July 6th. Thank you @lmaster!  

Jul 8 - 14        B           Masking Hacks - share your masking secrets that make your life easier and your skin happy 

Jul 15 - 21      C           Lip, Hand or Foot Masks to help that summer skin 

Jul 22 - 28      D          ’Weird Mask' Bubbling, Peeling, Colour changing other worldly wonders! 

Jul 29 - Aug 4 E           Multi-Masking How many masks can you use at one time or in One Day?? 

Aug 5 - 11       F           Blind Pick Your Mask - Let's make it fun to use the masks in our stash! Meetup: Biobelle #Peachy mask Saturday 8/10

Aug 12 - 18     G           Sheet Mask Focus - from cotton to cupra, coconut gel to bio cellulose, what are your favorites and why? Meetup: Biobelle Pineapple mask Saturday 8/17
Aug 19 - 25     H           Drugstore & Grocery Brands Week 

Aug 26 - Sep 1 I           Favourites Week - Your go to miracle in a mask 

Sep 2 - 8          J          Rainbow Week - Bring out the colorful masks in every hue Thanks to @Sonnydee

Sep 9 - 15       K           Autumn Masks - Fall goodness in a mask 

Sep 16 - 22     L           When you are getting GLAM for a night out and want that  Glow Meetup: Lookatme Watermelon Saturday 9/21 thanks to @GalPalVal17 and @ShortErica! 
Sep 23 - 29     M          BIC Made you do it! Masks recommended/inspired by other BIC members 

Sep 30 - Oct 6 N          Sephora Collections Week - House Brand Goodness 

Oct 7 - 13        O           French Pharmacy Week 

Oct 14 - 20      P           Ends of the Earth - masks that use ingredients from or are made in far away places 

Oct 21 - 27      Q          Overnight Masks - Sleeping miracles in a jar 

Oct 28 - Nov 3 R          Duel Week V2.0 & Mask Meetup thank you @mrsmouse for suggesting the Wish Formula Bat Eye Mask!

Nov 4 - 10        S          Forgotten Wonders - Shop your stash for an unloved mask 

Nov 11 - 17      T          Gross/Odd/Unusual Ingredients - Spirulina, donkey milk, bee venom, snail mucous - what masks have you used that have strange ingredients? 

Nov 18 - 24      U          Flash Masks - masks that do doubly duty in half the time 

Nov 25 - Dec 1 V          Morning Masking - Masks that help give a pep to your step 

Dec 2 - 8          W          Asian skincare Brand - Visit old cultures and their ways 

Dec 9 - 15        X           Sample Dive - I know we have them! 

Dec 16 - 22      Y           Holiday Party Prep Mask 

Dec 23 - 31       Z          Masks you discovered in 2019

First Half of 2019:

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Jan 1 - 6     A    Masks you discovered in 2018 - What new loves did you discover last year?
Jan 7 - 13    B   Favourite Mask of the “Masking Week Challenge 2018” 
Jan 14 - 20  C   Favourite Mask in your regular routine - What do you buy in bulk, so you always have it on hand in case of masking emergency?@itsfi
Jan 21 - 27  D   Clean Week - Masks that give your skin a boost without the guilt

 Jan 28 - Feb 3 E  Lip, Hand or Foot Masks to help that winter skin
Feb 4 - 10    F     Vitamins Week - masks that nourish your skin with vitamins and minerals@Kim888
Feb 11 - 17  G     Special Occasion Masks - the mask(s) you use to pamper yourself@itsfi
Feb 18 - 24  H     Gross Masks - whether it's the scent or results, share the details please!@Aaliaa
Feb 25 - Mar 3 I   Spring Flowers - floral ingredients or scents that add a spring to your step
Mar 4 - 10    J      Female Owned Brands - In honour of Women's Day March 8th
Mar 11 - 17  K      Favourites Week - Your go to miracle in a mask
Mar 18 - 24   L     Sample that made you buy the FS - You tried it, and decided to buy it!@itsfi
Mar 25 - 31  M     Favourite Smelling Masks - Watermelon, Kale, Spa??
Apr 1 - 7       N     BIC Made you do it! Masks recommended/inspired by other BIC members
Apr 8 - 14     O     The Oozoo Week - share your Oozoo and Neogen loves!

Meetup: The OOZOO Capsule Rose Petal -  Saturday April 13th. @Shosh85
Apr 15 - 21    P     Luxe it Up or a Pretty on a Penny - the $ and the $$$$ of Masks
Apr 22 - 28    Q     Sample Dive - I know we have them!
Apr 29 - May 5  R  Sephora’s ‘Best Selling’ Masks Meetup: Sephora Collection Honey Face Mask -  Saturday May 4th. Thank you @missjeanie!  May 6 - 12      S     Overnight Masks - Sleeping miracles in a jar
May 13 - 19    T     Summer Masks to refresh and sooth during sunny months May 20 - 26    U     Fruits & Veggies Week - masks that use natural goodness to nourish your skin@Keana1
May 27 - Jun 2  V   Guess this Mask - using only a pic or description, see if you can stump fellow BIC masking mavens. Meetup: Bawdy Butt Mask- Your pick Saturday June 1. Thank you @faeriegirl! Meetup: Mediheal Vita Lightbeam Essential Mask EX Wednesday 5/29 thanks to @ShortErica & @Shosh85  
Jun 3 - 9         W     DIY Mask - Skincare meets Chemistry. Meetup: Bawdy Butt Mask 2.0
Jun 10 - 16      X     Morning Masking - Masks that help give a pep to your step Meetup: Bawdy Butt Mask 3.0
Jun 17 - 23      Y     Masks you've discovered so far in 2019. Meetup: Yadah All Day Mask Pack - Your pick Saturday June 22. Thank you @ShortErica!           Meet up: Bawdy Butt Mask 4.0 - The Finale 
Jun 24 - 30      Z      Masking Duel - Dare to compare 2 (or more!) masks in one session

Masking Surveys Thread: Curious about others' masking habits? Join the fun w/ @ShortErica: 

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https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/2019-Masking-Surveys/m-p/4857667

Next Mask Meetup Info: Crème Shop - thanks to @GalPalVal17 date and mask TBD in October ALSO just added: Halloween Wish Formula Bat Mask Meetup thanks to @mrsmouse !  

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We have scheduled monthly meetups as well as impromptu sessions because you cannot compare masks only once a month :D. Please check the 2019 Schedule to see what meetups are coming up next. If you have an idea for a week’s Meetup or a particular month, tag me so I can add it to the schedule.

April: The Oozoo Rose Capsule, April 13th
May: Sephora Collection Mask - Honey Mask, May 4th (Thank you @missjeanie!) 
June: Bawdy Butt Mask Month. Let's try all four masks, one a Saturday (Thank you @faeriegirl!) On the 22nd we will also be trying out a Yadah mask - your pick, thanks to @ShortErica. 
July: @lmaster suggested a Crème Shop Sanrio Mask for our July 6th meetup, and you all voted for the My Melody Softer Than Cookies.

August: Biobelle Tutti Frutti Collection - the Peach is on deck for our mid-summer masking! Join us Saturday August 10th to compare notes on this mask. Then Saturday August 17th we will be comparing the Biobelle Pineapple mask. Thank you @lmaster, @Shosh85 & @PrettyPaint for suggesting Biobelle!
September: @ShortErica and @GalPalVal17 are interested in everyone's thoughts on the Lookatme Watermelon Face Mask. Join us Saturday, September 21st for the fun!
October: @GalPalVal17 suggested a Crème Shop Mask, will update with more info. ALSO: October 31st join us for the Wish Formula Bat Eye Mask thanks to @mrsmouse!

[itsfi]

Oh, that’s so interesting @sonnydee! I like the peel because I feel like it doesn’t dry my skin.   Will be interested in knowing how it goes the next time you use it.

[sonnydee]

My face didn't feel dry @itsfi it was a shock when I started rubbing on my creme & it got absorbed immediately 😁I took it has, it exfoliated away all the gunk so my skin could really soak it in. or maybe my skin was just thirsty.?🤔

[itsfi]

Ahhh, I see. I find that my products absorb more quickly after I use the AP peel. It’s been nice to use before applying an essence or mask, @sonnydee.

[Shosh85]

Ginger in the AM and Glacier Water in the PM

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Sweet Chef Ginger + Vitamin C Fresh Pressed Sheet Mask

This is the second of the three Sweet Chef Masks I've tried so far, and unlike the Kale one that was made of a white Rayon fabric, this one was Tencel and was super thin and see-through. The fit was almost as bad as the Kale one – too short width-wise, and too long at the forehead and chin. On this one though, the chin length and mouth hole position wasn't as bad as the Kale one was. It was soaking in serum and the scent of it wasn't horrible, but also not too pleasant either – it is a difficult one to describe...it may have just a hint of a stale ginger smell, but like @eshoe said in her review, it kinda also had a hint of a dirt sort of smell. It was pretty light though, so it didn't bother me too much. This one was more comfortable to wear than the Kale one, but I've always liked the Tencel material better than the cloth type. I kept it on for about a half-hour, when the bottom half of the mask stopped sticking to my face. There was a little serum left on my face that was slightly tacky, but after massaging it a bit, it absorbed pretty quickly. My face looked brighter and my complexion looked clearer. My skin felt soft and smooth, comfortably hydrated and even had a nice glow. I'm not sure if I'd make a big effort to use this one again, but if it happened to fall into my lap I'd use it because the results were so great. The fit and the scent wasn't the greatest, but the results were fantastic, so I'll give this one a B-

The little pictures on the mask👇

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Dewytree Glacier Water Hydrating Focus Mask

This is a cellulose sheet mask, that was soo thin it was practically see-through. It was literally dripping with serum that had a refreshing, clean and fresh scent. It had a good fit – just a little too long lengthwise and had pre-cut slits all around the mask for more customization. It adhered very well and was comfortable to wear, almost to the point I forgot I was wearing it. I kept it on for about 40 minutes. When I removed it, most of the serum had already absorbed and what was left wasn't tacky or sticky at all. My face felt hydrated, soft and smooth, and had a nice glow. This one gets an A+
ETA:  Well, POOP!! Everything on the back of this package was in a different language, and I've been going from website to website trying to find those darn ingredients..... I finally found them and it's very disappointing! I'm so sad.... it has alcohol aaaaand parabens! I thought for sure this one couldn't have alcohol in it, because it did such a great job hydrating, it was sooo good! I now wouldn't recommend this one and change the grade to a C- 😳😢😡😠😥😩😭 @eshoe @itsfi @missjeanie 

[lmaster]

oh man that's a bummer and exactly why we should definitely try to look up those masks that are not in English. @Shosh85 thanks for the detective work, that's really a big let down on that one

[Shosh85]

@lmaster I usually do try and check online before trying a mask that's not in English, but I have used a couple others by this brand that I really liked that didn't contain alcohol, so I assumed I was safe. But nope! Also, sometimes it SO hard to find ingredients online! There were so many companies that carried this mask, but only found ONE that listed ingredients! Definitely a big bummer! 

[lmaster]

@Shosh85  will I sure am glad you did find them 🤗

[bakeamuffin]

I have been curious about sweet chef products, it's too bad the masks have a weird fit, but the results sound so good @Shosh85! 

I'm curious about the Glacial Water mask- do you know what type of alcohol it was? I learned that Cetyl alcohol is an excellent emulsifier that binds together the watery ingredients with the oils, it also helps to thicken the product enough so that it isn't dripping off your face (kind of like corn starch in gravy 😋), and it can also moisturize the skin. Stearyl alcohol is a cleanser and and emulsifier. 

Parabens might also not be so bad?? I'm still digging into these and I'm not a scientist or anything!

But apparently, there were only a few animal studies done, that showed if you add enough parabens to the dish you can stimulate hormone-like activity but there's no evidence of parabens causing harm to human health, so you may be able to continue using the mask, if you liked it until discovering these ingediants (that we're lead to believe are harmful). 

I'm really curious on others' perception of alcohols and parabens in skincare, and what you've learned? I used to think they were awful but when I look into the studies and read what dermatologists have to say, it seems that they have mostly just been demonized by brands. Thoughts?? 

[Shosh85]

@bakeamuffin The two Sweet Chef Masks I've tried, the fit was off and the smell was a little strange, but the results were so good!

The alcohol in the the Glacier mask was just alcohol and it was the 4th ingredient. I've read about what alcohols are the good, fatty alcohols (like the one's you mentioned) and which ones are deemed as the 'bad' ones – like alcohol denat and just straight alcohol (like this one has.)

I've read a lot of controversial arguments about this topic. Some think that all alcohol in skincare is bad, including the 'fatty' kinds and others – (which is what seems to be the winning argument) that the fatty alcohols are good but the others you should stay away from. I have noticed when using products with the 'bad' alcohols, that my skin does feel more dried out, despite the claims of giving hydration. That's why I was so surprised this one did so well hydrating!

This is something I've been reading up on and researching as much as I can, and hope to learn more about it! I've definitely been learning a lot since I've started looking up ingredients!

ETA: I have recently read that parabens aren't as bad as everyone thinks, but that most companies leave it out because of the studies saying that they could be cancer causing. Other studies I've read have said that there's no real proof that it causes cancer and that they are preservatives that keep bacteria and other microbes out. I also read that they are made up of a natural acid found in blackberries and raspberries. So, I'm obviously not an expert either, but will continue to try to educate myself! 

A little tid bit of an article I just read, which is what most articles I've read have been saying:

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[bakeamuffin]

@Shosh85 @itsfi I love that we can all come together share the things we've learned 💕

I totally know what you mean, products with straight alcohol do feel drying, or feel like they're lacking moisture. 

I'm really curious about silicones. I had written them off in my skincare, but now I'm reading that silicons are actually great for locking moisture into the skin to prevent trans epidermal water loss. 

One ingrediant I am certain irritates my skin, is fragrance. If skin care and cosmetic brands could please stop using fragrance in products, that'd be swell 😀 I know it doesn't seem to irritate everyone's skin, but I read that allergies can develop over time from repeated use so that may be something to consider.  

I hope to see more studies regarding parabens so that it isn't such a grey area to consumers. More importantly though, I cure for cancer would be excellent ❤ 

[Shosh85]

@bakeamuffin @itsfi Ive been curious about silicones as well.  From the little bit I've read on it, like you said, silicones improve the delivery of other ingredients. In an article I read, it stated that "silicones themselves can benefit the skin and hair because of their conditioning properties, emolliency and ability to prevent water loss by creating a breathable barrier"

The negative thoughts on silicones are that, because they penetrate ingredients so well, one could experience issues if those ingredients aren't compatible with your skin type. An example that was given was, "silicone may increase the penetration of comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients, thereby leading to the development of acne" – so because of that, people with sensitive skin types, like rosacea or acne-prone should not use products with silicones.

Im with you on added fragrance!! My skin doesn't seem to be sensitive to it, but my nose sure is! I tend to get headaches if it's too strong. When it's the very last ingredient it doesn't bother me, but I recently used the Sephora Golden Mask and that one had fragrance listed half way down in the ingredients! Why?! I definitely don't find it necessary and think these masks (like the Sephora one) would be SO much better if they just left it out!

There is definitely still so much to learn! Sorry for the long post, I'm just so interested in all these different ingredients! I've just been trying to stay away from the ingredients that have controversy around them, just to be safe.

[itsfi]

@Shosh85 @bakeamuffin  I'm really interested in your research and thoughts on ingredients. I've done some, but not extensive, research on alcohols, parabens and silicones in skincare. A significant factor for me is what type (particularly alcohol) and where they fall on the ingredients list - the lower they appear on the list, the more warm and fuzzy I feel about the product. 

[missjeanie]

@Shosh85  What a bummer.  I've tried looking up ingredients this way at one point as well... so much work and then boom... bad stuff.  Well it's better to know now. 

[Shosh85]

@missjeanie It's crazy too, because my skin is so dry/dehydrated that I can usually tell when there's alcohol in it.... but this one did SO good with hydrating! 😢😕

[missjeanie]

I was just reading the other day about how glacial water is supposed to be so great for you, both in skincare and as a water @Shosh85 .  Sounds like this one was so great on so many levels!

[Shosh85]

@missjeanie This one did feel pretty great... then I found the ingredients and they're not so good 😢.... Read the ETA part in my review....

[eshoe]

@Shosh85 I’m with @itsfi -that Dewytree sounds like a great mask! I haven’t tried too many thin cellulose masks, and I’m guessing it just feels like a second skin. Will scout this one out😊

[Shosh85]

@eshoe I just found the ingredients for it ....... Read the ETA part in my review – I don't recommend this one anymore 😢

[eshoe]

@Shosh85 I almost asked you if it had parabens in it-I returned 2 unopened boxes of their masks when I read the ingredients at home🧐 So sorry!!

[Shosh85]

@eshoe Luckily I've done a good job sticking to my rule of only buying single masks if I haven't tried them yet. I've noticed there are a lot of Dewytree masks that have alcohol in them, but haven't looked out for the parabens. This one was only a couple bucks, so it's not a huge loss – I'm just sad I put that on my face. It had such great results and the hydration was so good, I was super surprised to find it had alcohol. 😳😕😢

[eshoe]

That rule (or one similar to it) has really helped me too @Shosh85. I did notice that the boxes were still there on multiple trips back to the store, so apparently other maskers are more diligent than I 😄