ARCHIVE - 2020 Mask of the Week Challenge! - PART 1

[eshoe]

Please join us on Part II of this year’s challenge:

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/2020-Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge-PART-II/m-p/5433327/...

Welcome to a new year of masking adventures! ***The second half of the year thread will be up June 28th (or earlier), thank you for the suggestion @heartsmyface, @Kim888 & @quspork!***  

Thank you @Aaliaa for starting this thread and giving us a place to share our love for masks💗 Below is the 2020 schedule. Post as frequently or infrequently as you would like, with or without following the challenge. We love hearing about every masking experience, and suggestions are always welcome. Looking forward to sharing some new masking 💖 with you all this year!

This Week’s Theme: Masking Duel - Dare to compare 2 (or more!) masks in one session

Letters of the Week: “Z” and “A”

Spoiler

Jan 1 - Jan 5	A & Z	Mask Stash Clean-Out! Finish those masks before they expire.	l8totheparty/ShortErica
Jan 6 - 12	B & Y	Masks that Make you Hungry	itsfi
Jan 13 - 19	C & X	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 20 - 26	D & W	Clean Week - Masks that give your skin a boost without the guilt	eshoe
Jan 27 - Feb 2	E & V	Transportation Masking	@lmaster/@ShortErica/@missjeanie
Feb 3 - 9	F & U	Best fitting mask - Mask that best fits your facial features	PrettyPaint
Feb 10 - 16	G & T	Special Occasion Masks - the mask(s) you use to pamper yourself	itsfi
Feb 17 - 23	H & S	Gross Masks - whether it's the scent or results, share the details please!	Aaliaa
Feb 24 - Mar 1	I & R	Snubbed It: Masks you don't want to use & are continually passed over	ShortErica
Mar 2 - 8	J & Q	Female Owned Brands - In honour of Women's Day March 8th	Aaliaa
Mar 9 - 15	K & P	Masks Good Enough to Eat	heartsmyface
Mar 16 - 22	L & O	Sample that made you buy the FS - You tried it, and decided to buy it!	itsfi
Mar 23 - 29	M & N	Favourite Smelling Masks - Watermelon, Kale, Spa??
Mar 30 - Apr 5	N & M	Mask While You Task	l8totheparty
Apr 6 - 12	O & L	Most Outrageous Mask Claims	ShortErica
Apr 13 - 19	P & K	Hi-Lo Week: Mix or duel of $$$$ and $ masks
Apr 20 - 26	Q & J	Sample Dive - I know we have them!	Aaliaa
Apr 27 - May 3	R & I	Targeted Skin Concern - Mask to address a current skin issue	PrettyPaint
May 4 -10	S & H	Overnight Masks - Sleeping miracles in a jar
May 11 - 17	T & G	Mask with a Partner	Alphaboo
May 18 - 24	U & F	Vitamins Week - masks that nourish your skin with vitamins and minerals	kim888
May 25 - 31	V & E	Best/Cutest Printed Mask	Shosh85
Jun 1 - 7	W & D	Mask that best describes your personality or mood	PrettyPaint
Jun 8 - 14	X & C	Fruits & Veggies Week - masks that use natural goodness to nourish your skin	Keana1
Jun 15 - 21	Y & B	Forgotten Wonders - Shop your stash for an unloved mask	missjeannie
Jun 22 - 28	Z & A	Masking Duel - Dare to compare 2 (or more!) masks in one session	eshoe
Jun 29 - Jul 5	A & Z	Masking Pet Peeves - use a mask that has some component that drives you crazy!	ShortErica
Jul 6 - 12	B & Y	Masking Hacks - share your masking secrets that make your life easier and your skin happy	eshoe
Jul13 - 19	C & X	Lip, Hand or Foot Masks to help that summer skin
Jul 20 - 26	D & W	’Weird Mask' Bubbling, Peeling, Colour changing other worldly wonders!	Aalia
Jul 27 - Aug 2	E & V	Multi-Masking How many masks can you use at one time or in One Day??
Aug 3 - 9	F & U	Blind Pick Your Mask - Let's make it fun to use the masks in our stash!	veronika23
Aug 10 - 16	G & T	Sheet Mask Focus - from cotton to cupra, coconut gel to bio cellulose, what are your favorites and why?
Aug 17 - 23	H & S	Drugstore & Grocery Brands Week	eshoe
Aug 24 - 30	I & R	3-Step Masks/Multi-Step Masks	heartsmyface
Aug 31 - Sep 6	J & Q	Rainbow Week - Bring out the colorful masks in every hue	Sonnydee
Sep 7 - 13	K & P	Autumn Masks - Fall goodness in a mask
Sep 14 - 20	L & O	When you are getting GLAM for a night out and want that inner GLOW
Sep 21 - 27	M & N	BIC Made you do it! Masks recommended/inspired by other BIC members
Sep 28 - Oct 4	N & M	Sephora Collections Week - House Brand Goodness
Oct 5 - 11	O & L	Masks that Make you Hungry - Fall/Winter Edition	itsfi
Oct 12 - 18	P & K	Forgotten Wonders - Shop your stash for an unloved mask
Oct 19 - 25	Q & J	Overnight Masks - Sleeping miracles in a jar
Oct 26 - Nov 1	R & I	Masking Duel Week II
Nov 2 - 8	S & H	Buddy Up! Dare to compare the same mask with another BIC-er	eshoe
Nov 9 - 15	T & G	Gross/Odd/Unusual Ingredients - Spirulina, donkey milk, bee venom, snail mucous - what masks have you used that have strange ingredients?	Aaliaa
Nov 16 - 22	U & F	Flash Masks - masks that do doubly duty in half the time	eshoe
Nov 23 - 29	V & E	Morning Masking - Masks that help give a pep to your step
Nov 30 - Dec 6	W & D	Mask that would make a good band name (kinda silly, I know)	PrettyPaint
Dec 7 - 13	X & C	Holiday Party Prep Mask
Dec 14 - 20	Y & B	Most Artistic Sheet Mask	Kim888
Dec 21 - 27	Z & A	Favourite Masks of All-Time	itsfi
Dec 28 - 31	123	Masks you discovered this year

Mask of the Week Misc. Info & Previous Year's Links:

Spoiler

To Post:
Each week features a different theme, as well as a letter of the alphabet for coming up with new masking ideas. 

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!

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

Spoiler

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

2019 Mask of the Week Challenge:
https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/2019-Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge/m-p/4497678/highligh...
2018 Mask of the Week Challenge:

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

NEW!!! Got an idea for next year's challenge? Let me know! Was there a challenge you'd rather not repeat? Share below, so we can start building the 2021 schedule:

Spoiler

https://forms.gle/JYfmPU7YXR4k6Sb19 

[lmaster]

@eshoe @Shosh85 I'm really trying to focus on my masks expiring this year, so any that expire next year and so, have been placed in a different drawer,,,,😆 yeah maybe that is a sign,,, you might be on to something

[lmaster]

Oh shoot! @Shosh85 that's right 🤦 now I'll have to hoard it 😆 joking!! Well... Maybe for just a few months 😉

[itsfi]

Hmmm @lmaster 🤔, I guess I would say (and I hope I’m not out of turn saying this for @Shosh85) but ...

Oh, and by the way ...

Hahaha! 🤣🤣🤣 I do think you’ll love it! 💕

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Haha! This is the best combo of GIFs! 😂

[lmaster]

Baahaaahaaaa!!! 🤣 @itsfi @Shosh85 perfect,, just perfect

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  So happy you loved it too! I saw the words snail, honey and jelly and was immediately sold! 😂 I think the only thing I didn't absolutely love was the scent - it wasn't bad, just wasn't the greatest to me. It just would've been so perfect if it had a honey scent! 🍯

Also, it does have ceramide NP listed as an ingredient - but it is 5 lines down in the list😉

[itsfi]

So many great things about this mask @Shosh85! Love, love, loooove! ♥️ Even more now that I’ve learned it also has Ceramide in it! Just an amazing sheet mask all around! Thank you again! 🤗 

[WinglessOne]

Not one of my favorite smelling masks, but last night I used a Jayjun Real Water Brightening Black Mask for the 4th time. I keep asking myself why I haven’t bought several more boxes yet. 😄 It’s a popular mask for a reason and, so far, my favorite Jayjun mask. 

I’m sure this one’s been mentioned several times before, and with good reason.

Notes: 

Spoiler

Claims: Cleanser removes makeup, softens dead skin cells, and moisturizes. Essence brightens and promotes health and resilience. Mask hydrates, moisturizes, and promotes resilience. 

Ingredients: I never use the essence step because its 7th ingredient is anise extract, something I try to avoid—and it’s easy enough to skip this step of a 3-step mask. I have no issues with ingredients in the cleanser and mask, aside from fragrance. I don’t particularly care that the cleanser contains no sulfates (I’m not aboard the no sulfates train), as long as it actually cleanses skin. I do care that the mask contains great hydrators, moisturizers, and my good friend niacinamide. 

Spoiler

STEP 1 Real Water Cleansing Foam
Purified water, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sea Water, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance 

STEP 2 Vita Snow Essence
Purified water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sea Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Betaine, Beta-glucan, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine HCL, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, 1,2-Hexandiol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Sodium Starch Octenyl Succinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance 

STEP3 Real Water Brightening Black Mask
Purified water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexandiol, Niacinamide, Sea Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Allantoin, Ceramide 03, Beta-glucan, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Tryglycerides, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance 

Performance: This is only the second time I’ve used the cleanser step (vs. four times using the sheet mask). I could easily get 2 or 3 uses out of a single foil. It has a very nice consistency and doesn’t get as airy foamy as some other foam cleansers. It rinses off cleanly. It’d be even better with less fragrance. 

The sheet is one of my favorites. It’s kinda thick but also quite soft and comfy. It fits my face nicely: no scissors required; just slightly too wide at the temples; covers most of my jaw; slightly too long at the chin, but stays stuck in place when folded under. I wish it wasn’t so heavily floral fragranced, but I can deal with that. It feels quite cooling during wear. I always end up wearing it for at least 30 minutes because it feels so good on my face, I lose track of time. This night I went 40 minutes. After removal, I spent a minute massaging and pressing serum into my skin. My face was slightly tacky but had no pilling. 

Results: The cleanser leaves my skin feeling clean, but not in a squeaky-clean (stripped) way. My oily zone responds well to this cleanser and my dry zones don’t throw a tantrum over it. I don’t do foam cleansers on my face anymore, except for this one. I can’t say much about the exfoliation claim since I rely on leave-on AHA and BHA exfoliants to remove dead skin cells. But if Jayjun sold a non-fragranced (or at least a less fragranced) bottle of this stuff, I might buy it. I’ve been setting aside the cleanser foils for travel purposes. 

The sheet mask is a skin plumping marvel. It leaves my face looking bright and kinda dewy, without swamping my oily zone. It’s so hydrating and moisturizing, I always go straight to my cream moisturizer after pressing/massaging in the serum—and I use the thinnest layer of moisturizer possible. I don’t do anything more to my face after that, aside from an overnight lip mask. 

The overall experience (well, minus the essence step) of this mask is luxurious. It’s the 96 point Chateauneuf-du-Pape in my sheet mask bin. Red CdPs have been my favorite kind of wine for decades, and this Jayjun has become one of my favorite masks. 

[lmaster]

@WinglessOne I seriously don't think I've ever seen this mask!! It sounds excellent

[Shosh85]

@WinglessOne Another mask you've added to my purchase list 😂 This one sounds wonderful! Glad to hear you've been loving it! 😃

[WinglessOne]

@Shosh85  There’s a reformulated version of this mask that includes a neck piece. I haven’t tried that one yet but plan to order it soon! The reformulation includes cica, so I’m excited to try it. 

[Shosh85]

PSA: I emailed The Creme Shop about the expiration dates on some of their masks and they responded back to me today.

There are some Korean masks that use a letter instead of a number to represent a month. For instance, the letter A would be Jan, B = Feb, C = Mar, etc. 

A  B  C  D  E   F  G  H   I    J   K   L

1  2   3  4   5   6  7  8   9  10  11 12

Here's an example:

The last two numbers represent the year and the letter before those two numbers represent the month. So since "E" is the 5th letter in the alphabet it represents the 5th month of the year which is May. So, this one expires in May 2022. 
Hopefully I explained that clearly! @lmaster @ShortErica @mrsmouse 

ETA: So, I emailed them again because I thought I had a mask with a "W" and didn't know what month that would be if it were all sequential- turns out that "W" is actually an "H!" Haha! Sometimes the imprint is so hard to read. 😂

[itsfi]

Thanks so much for sharing @Shosh85. 🤗  This is good information to have. I’ve operated under the assumption that those last two numbers referred to the expiration year. Nice to know that was a good assumption to make! 😅😆 

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  I've always operated under that assumption as well! I'm glad we guessed right! I still need some more clarification on decoding the month - they said it was sequential, but I'm thinking they forgot to mention something because I have a mask with a "W" and if it were all sequential that wouldn't make sense because last I checked there's only 12 months in a year 😂 I'll be waiting for a response back from them about that, but at least I have the year part confirmed! 😉

[itsfi]

Maybe there’s a bunch of months we don’t know about, @Shosh85? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hahaha! 😂  I’m so intrigued now by what they will tell you! 🤔 

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  So, it is all sequential. I thought I had a mask with a "W," but it's actually an "H" Haha! The imprint was just hard to read. 😂 

[itsfi]

Hahahaha! Oh my goodness! That made for

 a good laugh @Shosh85! 😂🤣😂

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  @lmaster Haha! 😂 Ok, I have to show you what I mean:

This is what I thought a W looked like:

..... until I saw this:

[itsfi]

Heeheeheeheehee 🤣 That’s so funny @Shosh85 @lmaster! 😆 But now I’m confused. Isn’t that an “E” in front of the expiration year in the first pic? So it expires May 2022?

[Shosh85]

@lmaster  @itsfi  Oh, sorry, I had I feeling I might confuse you with that! This was just to demonstrate the difference between an H and a W and to show you why I got them confused - and these masks were just a little easier to photograph.  (Please tell me I'm not crazy, that H looks like a W, doesn't it?)

Yes, the top one expires May 2022 and the bottom one expires March 2022 😃

[lmaster]

I absolutely see where you would think it was H @Shosh85