💕😌 2024 Masking Challenge 😌💖

[eshoe]

Welcome to the 2024 Masking Challenge! 

This year is going to be a little different - simplified. Easy. Every month will have a new theme, and that's it. Feel free to join in whenever and wherever. Most importantly - have fun!

Spring Fling - Baskets and bouquets, showers of much-anticipated rain...this month's focus is herbal and floral sensory delights 💮

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January	Fresh Starts - Time for a re-set, or morning masking? However you see it, this month is all about new beginnings.
February	Winter Love - Whether it's a mask you adore, or something extra-special to care for dry winter skin, this month is for some soothing TLC.
March	March Madness - Competition is in the air! Find a $ dupe of a $$$ mask that is share-worthy? Or find a dupe that works even better than the original? Details, please!
April	Spring Fling - Baskets and bouquets, showers of much-anticipated rain...this month's focus is herbal and floral sensory delights.
May	Dew Drops - May Day lore says to wash your face in the dew you collect in the morning of the first day of May for radiant skin. This month is for absorbing all of that good-for-you H2O.
June	Summer Sunshine - Ice cream, sunglasses, SPF, check! Once the sun is down (or before it's up), extra care is most necessary. How do you give your skin cooling repair?

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

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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, fit, adherence, mask type (hydrating, brightening, exfoliating, detox, sleeping, etc.) as well as your overall experience.

Most importantly: Would you repurchase it? 

Second most important: Have fun and merry masking!

2023 Mask of the Week Challenge

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2022 Mask of the Week Challenge

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2021 Mask of the Week Challenge

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2020 Mask of the Week Challenge:

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/2020-Mask-of-the-Week-Challenge-PART-1/m-p/4995162/h...

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   

Thank you @Aaliaa for starting this thread, and giving us a place to share our love for masks💗

[keana1]

Somehow I can’t tolerate bubbling masks @itsfi ! I constantly worry about having bubbles reach my eyes ! I’m glad that enjoyed the eye mask and that you were able to find a box of them at Miniso ! Miniso Canada went bankrupt last year 🥺

[itsfi]

I feel the same way about bubbling masks @keana1. I much prefer them in the form of a tinted wash-off mask - that way I can see where it will start foaming and I can control placement of the mask. Miniso here was having financial trouble before covid and if I’m remembering right, it declared bankruptcy not long after most retail stores were closed due to the pandemic. 

[keana1]

Same thing is happening up here @itsfi ! Bummer for everyone! 

[WinglessOne]

This afternoon I did a head-to-head with the new “clean” and old “dirty” versions of the Sephora Cucumber Eye Mask. 

New version on top, old version on bottom.

Notes: 

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Claims: Soothes skin and reduces puffiness. 

Ingredients: Straight away, I wish the new “clean” version contained some of the old version’s skin soothers (aloe, licorice root, horse chestnut). I don’t know what ash tree bark (Fraxinus Excelsior Bark) extract is supposed to do in the old version, but I do know what niacinamide should do—and I’m kinda bummed it’s not in the new version. Also, note the dyes used in the new version that aren't in the old "dirty" version. 

On a positive note, the new version contains hydrating trehalose plus antioxidant-filled passion fruit and watermelon. In fact, it seems there’s more watermelon extract in the new cucumber eye mask than there is in the new watermelon face mask. 😂 Go figure. 

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New “clean”: Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lecithin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Glycosyl Trehalose, Parfum (Fragrance), Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1), Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 16035 (Red 40) 

Old “dirty”: Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Niacinamide, Mannitol, 1,2 Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycolic Acid, Parfum (Fragrance), Caffeine, Potassium Citrate, Zinc Gluconate, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seet Extract, Silanetriol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol 

Performance: Both versions of these thin gel eye patches are sandwiched between mesh backing. The new patches seem to be the same size, shape, and thickness as the old ones. I stuck both of the new patches on the right side of my face and both old patches on the left side. I had patches under my eyes as an eye mask, plus on my nose area and cheek as a spot treatment mask. 

Old version of eye patches.New version of eye patches.

The new patches are tinted green, probably from the green gel serum, while the old ones are white. Both sets of patches stayed in place quite well: no slipping or bunching. The old ones have some of that laundry detergent scent mixed with cucumber. The new ones smell much more like cucumber, thank goodness. Both sets felt fairly cooling on my face. I meant to wear these for just 15-20 minutes but accidentally went 40. By then, all 4 patches had given all they had: there was no residual serum left behind to massage in. One of the new patches did leave a little green dye on a small bit of skin in my oily zone that’s been flaking up today. A full fast mist of cica water toner helped me rehydrate and tap away the green. These eye patches left no tack or pilling behind. 

Results: The old and new patches depuffed my undereyes. Can’t say one version depuffed better than the other; they’re equally fine. The old patches soothed more inflammation than the new ones, which is unsurprising considering the ingredients at play. Neither version of this eye mask tops my favorite eye patches but, eh, they’d be good fillers—with a weartime caveat: don’t go longer than maybe 15-20 minutes, lest the patches dry out on you.  

[eshoe]

@WinglessOne what a great comparison you did here! Interesting and somewhat disappointing finds on the ingredients lists. It’s good to know that at least they work as well, though.

[Shosh85]

@WinglessOne  I love that you compared these! It's great that they both equally depuffed, but the ingredients in the old "dirty" version definitely seem better than the new "clean" version, which seems a little oxymoronic to me. 🤔🤨

[lmaster]

Now I must ask @WinglessOne what are your favorite under eye patches?? 

[Shosh85]

@lmaster  This was the first question that popped in my head @WinglessOne 😃

[WinglessOne]

@Shosh85  @lmaster  JayJun Green Tea Eye Gel Patch are my favorite eye patches. 🙂 They soothe and hydrate the heck outta my undereyes. They can also firm skin a bit. They make me look less zombiefied after long stretches of sleeplessness. 

The eye patches I reach for most often.

I just got a jar of the Roselle Tea version of these eye patches. Looking forward to trying those, though they contain bitter orange flower extract so I probably won't use them as often as the Green Tea version. 

[lmaster]

Ok I've used the rose version, so looks like this will be another addition to the family @WinglessOne 😊🌻 thank you

[ShortErica]

This is so interesting @WinglessOne! Too bad they didn't keep some of the good ingredients in the "clean" version.

[haleyvvvv]

Thank you for the direct comparison, @WinglessOne!! Nice, I guess, that there's no overt difference in effectiveness.

[eshoe]

Post-sun masking, for some soothing and Deep-Moisturizing:

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I've been wanting to try the Huxley Secret of Sahara Healing Mask for awhile now, as the Anti-Gravity Cream is so good to my skin. This has the same fragrance, which is kind of grassy/herbal. The gel is quite soothing and includes ingredients like centella asiatica, prickly pear seed oil and HA. There is something in the gel that is a bit lumpy, and I believe that would be the citrus peel (guess this one's out for @WinglessOne!).

I've used this a handful of times, and it is different from other hydrating gel masks I've tried as it begins to dry after 15-20 minutes, leaving my face feeling slightly tightened. My skin does feel nice after using it, but the tightening isn't my favorite, especially coming from a hydrating mask. Still, it is pleasant enough and will be a great summer staple.

The Avarelle Herbal Infusion Cica Extract Sheet Mask is the second I've tried from the brand. The first was the Rosehip Seed Extract Mask, which I really enjoyed. This one was good, but not something I would repurchase. The scent - what you would expect from a cica mask, and it quickly dissipated once I wore it. The fit was ok, there was some snipping involved around the eyes but that was it. I left it on around 20 minutes and removed. Very minimal tack. The strange thing was that my skin appeared brighter; not what I would expect from a soothing mask! I think there are so many good cica masks out there that I wouldn't repurchase this, but I'm not mad I tried it 🙂

[Shosh85]

@eshoe  Both of these sound pretty decent! The Huxley mask definitely sounds like a great summer mask - do you keep this one in the fridge?

[eshoe]

No but I’ve thought about it, @Shosh85! It’s too big for my mini fridge, I did try😄 it seems like a masks that just needs to be chilled, though-I am going to do that for next time.

[lmaster]

The gel mask sounds interesting @eshoe you say you feel your skin is tightened,, do you think it's drying at all?

[eshoe]

No, I don’t think it’s drying my skin, @lmaster. it doesn’t feel that way once it’s removed. I just find it unusual when gel or cream masks that aren’t detox masks dry and tighten in the skin. I might be applying too thin of a layer, will note that for next time!

[lmaster]

Good to know! Thanks @eshoe 

[ShortErica]

Now I gotta ask what your favorite cica mask is @eshoe or ones you would repurchase 😉

[eshoe]

I wish I had a list to go off of, @ShortErica 😞 however, most Cica masks I have tried have been good; this was probably the most ill-fitting of all. I am going to start using a physical journal to track my mask notes next month, for one year. Curious to see how that will pan out!

[quspork]

The Huxley mask sounds nice, @eshoe. I've found that I need to rinse most wash off masks somewhere in the 10 to 15 minute time frame anyway, so the eventual drying probably wouldn't be too much of a deal breaker for me.