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 

[Shosh85]

@lmaster  Besides the fit and scent it sounds pretty good - sorry to hear this one didn't wow you. 

[lmaster]

@Shosh85 the scent was odd and not for me, I just can't remember if it smelled like that before 🤦

[eshoe]

I haven’t picked up any masks from this brand, @lmaster - the reviews seem to be an overwhelming

[lmaster]

@eshoe the scent and fit were blahhhh or mehhhh 😆 not my favorite!!

[eshoe]

Such a bummer, @lmaster but thankful for your review so I don’t pick them up in the future😉

[skcfan]

Mitomo Vitamin + Lithospermum Essence Mask

Not really relevant info:

Spoiler

I’ve been in quite a funk recently, between a lot of family health issues and some health issues of my own, so I haven’t really worn makeup or done more than a bare-bones skincare routine in months now. I really want to get back into doing more skincare stuff for me, and luckily the wonderful @missjeanie gave me a bunch of sheet masks in the Christmas gift exchange. Plus, I think I still have one or two left from @eshoe from the galentine exchange last year. Thank you both. Please let me know if I am doing the formats or anything wrong for this thread.

More relevant info:

Spoiler

The packaging is so cute! I also really like the scent of this mask. It’s a very light citrus scent that was very refreshing and nice. I also have issues with some sheet masks falling down, so it was nice that this stayed in place the whole time. Overall, I’m not sure that I see/feel any results. Usually my face feels a bit softer after a sheet mask, but I didn’t really notice that after this mask. However, my skin is in pretty bad shape right now, so that might be it.

[quspork]

I'm sorry you and your family are having a rough go, @skcfan. I hope things turn around soon. As to the mask- I'm sorry you didn't get more oomph out of it!

[PrettyPaint]

@skcfan  The packaging is lovely on this one! I'm so sorry to hear that you and your family have been experiencing health issues. I hope things get better for you soon. I agree that it's definitely hard to find time for skincare and stuff when you aren't doing well, though a nice sheet mask definitely helps me to relax a little bit when I'm feeling down. 

[ShortErica]

I'm sorry to hear about the health issues for you and your family @skcfan. I hope your skin gets some extra help as you try some other masks too. Everyone does reviews differently and yours is great. @lmaster has mentioned a mask holder if you have difficulty with masks staying in place.

[Shosh85]

@skcfan Sorry to hear you're in a funk. I hope things improve for you soon.

I've used a few versions from this line and would say they're decent, nothing super amazing, but they're great filler/everyday masks.

Sounds like you got some great suggestions 👍

[itsfi]

@skcfan, the packaging on the masks from this line are like art work. 😍 Your format is perfect; there’s not really a right or wrong way to share your thoughts on masks, at least in my mind. You mentioned that the mask didn’t make your skin feel as soft as you normally experience with sheet masks. That can be for many reasons, including maybe the masks isn’t the best one for your skin type or perhaps exfoliating beforehand might have helped your skin absorb the skincare benefits from the mask better.

Centella asiatica or cica (one of the ingredients @eshoe mentioned) is good for redness among other things and hyaluronic acid (or what eshoe called HA) is good to help the skin retain moisture. Are either of those benefits something your skin is needing right now? You mentioned your skin isn’t in its best state - is there anything in particular you’d like to care for first? Texture? Tone? Moisture? Dullness? Softness? Just let us know whenever you’d like and we can all chime in with our thoughts or recommendations for products or skincare ingredients. 

I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been in a funk. It’s understandable that makeup and skincare are not on the forefront of your thoughts. You’ve got a lot on your mind and that can affect your skin as well. I hope you are able to get some rest. 🤗 

[skcfan]

Thank you so much @itsfi for the very informative post.

I think the things that are bothering me the most about my skin are the texture and moisture. My skin feels rough all the time, no matter how much moisturizer I pile on. 

I really love AHAs, even though I haven’t used them in so long. I know I need to work on adding those back in. I would love to hear other suggestions as well!

[itsfi]

@skcfan, for texture issues, there are a couple of options you might want to consider.

AHA's are great and if it's been a while since you've used them FIRST AID BEAUTY - Facial Radiance Pads are a great way to start back into them. If you prefer more of a manual or physical exfoliant, consider AMOREPACIFIC - Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder or TATCHA - The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder or Dermalogica Mini Daily Microfoliant Exfoliator 0.45 oz/ 13 g.

In terms of moisturizer, it depends on your skin type. If you're on the dry side, something like Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL or BELIF - The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb are good choices. If you are very dry, consider DR. JART+ - Ceramidin™ Cream. On the other hand, if your skin leans on the oily side, Tatcha The Water Cream Oil-Free Pore Minimizing Moisturizer 1.7 oz / 50 mL or DERMALOGICA - Active Moist Moisturizer Mini are good choices. Other good choices are BIOSSANCE - Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer or Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Deep Hydration Moisturizer 1.69 oz / 50 mL

If you need more hydration, applying a hyaluronic acid serum before your moisturizer is a good option. Ones I like are Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster, The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Hydrating Face Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL or Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mL.

Adding an oil to you moisturizer can also be helpful if your skin need even more moisture. The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL and tarte Mini Maracuja Oil 0.5 oz/ 15 mL are great and should work for all skin types.

[skcfan]

Thank you so much @itsfi. It’s very kind of you to put so much thought and effort into writing all that out for me.

I have a lot of those products, and I loved them when I was doing more of my routine. I really need to get back to actually *doing* a routine again. That’s the hard part for 

me right now ☹️.

[itsfi]

@skcfan, maybe just work with a smaller routine, focusing mainly on one thing and gradually build up to a lengthier skincare routine. Maybe just exfoliating once per week and a moisturizer. You’re managing a lot right now. 

[eshoe]

@itsfi thank you for such gentle encouragement and helpful advice🤗 @skcfan I couldn’t agree more, a little at a time:)

[lmaster]

@skcfan this is gorgeous packaging! Thanks for sharing

[eshoe]

@skcfan the artwork on these masks is beautiful. I think they all are good masks for daily use, but given your current situation, I think your skin might benefit from something more ‘robust.’ Maybe something with cica/centella, lots of HA (different forms of it to help address varying needs), etc. 

Thanks for sharing, I’m sure others will have some good input to add as well!

[skcfan]

Thank you @eshoe ! I will look out for those ingredients 

[l8totheparty]

I pampered myself with @PrettyPaint 's gift of this Whole Foods coconut mask!  It is lovely and moisturizing.  I wish there was easy access to Whole Foods in Canada! These masks are really lovely. Thin cotton, no tackiness after absorption, this would even work as a daytime mask. I just wanted a bit extra for my skin. Thanks, @PrettyPaint for this mask!

[PrettyPaint]

@l8totheparty  Oh yay! I'm so very glad you enjoyed it. I have enjoyed all of the Whole Foods masks I've tried too. I don't have a store by me either, so I have to order from Amazon's Prime Pantry (though I don't know if they still have them anymore) or convince friends or family to grab me stuff when they go. 🙂