💕😌 2023 Mask of the Week Challenge 😌💖

[eshoe]

Welcome to the 2023 Mask of the Week Challenge! We love hearing about every masking experience, on or off-theme, and suggestions are always welcome.

Letter of the Week: L

Theme: Masks that make you hungry! Fall/Winter Edition - Pumpkin, Cranberry, and scents perfect for this time of year 🎃🍁☕️

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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!

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💗

[itsfi]

T is for Take Two (aka "Do Over")

G is for gold (rose gold in particular) and "giving it a good ol' college try"

Sheet Mask Focus: Bubble sheet mask

Sheet Mask:

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Bubble masks and I don't get on super well. It really is a case of "it's not you, it's me." If I go for a bubble mask, it's usually of the wash off varietal and I have a strong preference that it is tinted as it helps to keep it away from the eyes by making it easier to see where it will foam up.  I used the JMsolution 24K Gold Premium Peptide Mask Rose Gold Limited Edition in the spring and it was a hard pass for me. But alas, I have another in my mask bin so here we are. 

To give it a fair second shake, I decided to make some adjustments to how I approached the mask in the first place. Since being overwhelmed with bubbles is a concern of mine with these types of masks, my plan this go around was to perform a little mask surgery immediately upon removing the mask from the pouch - a feat made slightly more challenging because the opening on this one is rather narrow. To address that, I just opened it from the bottom. Easy fix there. 

Then it was time to turn the mask from a one-piece sheet mask to two pieces. Instead of cutting the mask horizontally so that there's a top and bottom piece, I decided to cut the mask in half vertically, giving me a piece of the mask for the left side of my face and one for the right. Much of my fit issues with sheet masks has to do with the area between the inner corners of the eyes - it's usually too wide so parts of the mask hover uncomfortably close to my tear ducts. I was hoping this would address that or at least put more space between mask and my eyes. And, it did. Though I wouldn't say it revolutionized the way I view bubble sheet masks. That would be asking for a lot.

Results-wise, my face felt cleansed, soft and smooth - my complexion had that fresh / refreshed look to it. As with most bubble masks, certain parts of my face felt dry as well; it wasn't unbearable, but it was noticeable. As I mentioned, that's not an uncommon result for me so I quickly followed up with a hydrating and moisturizing skincare routine after rinsing off the serum from the bubble sheet and then I topped off my evening routine with the Sephora Collection Water Gel Mask as an overnight mask before climbing into bed. The immediate results from the bubble sheet mask carried over to next morning and it seemed using the Sephora Collection Water Gel Mask as a sleep mask helped to keep my skin from feeling dry and tight. 

Overall, I'm happy with the results, but it's unlikely I'll repurchase either of these masks. I have a couple more bubble masks to get through, and the design of both of those masks seem more likely to be something that I, dare I say it, would like, so it'll be interesting to see how they perform. But those are for another day. 

Wash Off / Sleeping Mask:

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The Sephora Collection Water Gel Mask contains amino acids  and claims to hydrate and refresh. My skin is dehydrated year-round, so it generally doesn't get enough hydration from gel type masks like this one, except in the warmest part of the summer. However, I've found that these gel masks do make decent sleeping masks - as the last step of a moisturizing skincare routine. The night I used this mask was warmer than most nights we've been having so the conditions were great for seeing how this one performs. In a nutshell, not bad, but not a standout for me either.  The scent on this one isn't horrible, but it is stronger and more perfume-y than I prefer. That, coupled with the fact that I'd be limited to when it would be put to optimal use makes it a pass for me in terms of a repurchase.  For my part, with it looking like the weather will cool down sooner, I've been working through the product by repurposing it for my hands and feet, with the occasional use, like the other night, as a sleeping mask. Even though it's not hydrating enough on its own for me, I do think someone with oily or oilier skin might enjoy this one. 

Lip Care:

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Most lip products work pretty well for me; it's not often that I come across one that just doesn't work for me, but these two, StackedSkincare Hydrating Lip Peel and the Sara Happ Sweet Clay Lip Mask are ones that I haven't been able to get on board with, after several tries and through different seasons. The Sara Happ I'm surprised by as I love pretty much all of her products. 🙁 Now, I'm just trying to find the best way to re-purpose these two items.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Water Gel Mask Hydrate + Refresh 

StackedSkincare Hydrating Lip Peel 

[lmaster]

@itsfi I kinda like bubble masks 🤷 as long as my skin doesn't get too dry

[itsfi]

@lmaster, what is it about them that you like? The results? The bubbling? I find my skin does better with them in the summer when it’s more combo. 

[lmaster]

@itsfi I do like the bubbling and the clean feeling I get after using, I have used one recently that was too drying, but the others I have tried have been a good experience,, mostly 😆

[Kim888]

@itsfi @I agree - bubble masks always seem to be more effort than they are worth 

[itsfi]

@Kim888, the novelty of them wears off pretty quickly. 😆 I’m reminded of that whenever I use one. If only I remember that when I’m in the store or shopping for sheet masks online. Ha!

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Bubble masks... ughhh. I mean I get the 'fun' factor, but I generally now think they're more for people who mask occasionally or for a girls night in laugh kinda thing.  I'm always scared to get them in my eyes too.  I'd never have thought of cutting it down the middle like that, glad it worked out okay!

That Sara Happ lip mask... I kept mine out on my counter for three months trying to get myself to use it more.  Let us know when you find a repurpose... I need one too lol

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, it’s all fun and games until those bubbles get in my eye!!! 😂  Have you seen (or used) the Elizavecca wash off bubble mask (not a sheet mask). There are photos and videos of how it foams up all over the user’s face - it looks like a gray cloud over the face and all you see are eyes and lips. Most of the comments are  “cool” or “wow” and all I can think of is how fast and hard my heart would be beating if it bubbled up like that on me.

I’ll let you know about the Sara Happ. I have a couple of ideas of how to get through it but need to actually see if any of those will make it better.

[missjeanie]

@itsfi funny enough that was the first bubble mask I've ever tried.  A guy I was dating had a tub of it.  I remember seeing it in his washroom and wondering "who the heck have you had over that's leaving a mask behind??" This is a guy who's idea of grooming was a bottle of two in one shampoo and body wash and then a face wash, whichever one was on sale at the grocery store.  Turns out he was trying to get rid of some acne and was too shy to ask for help so he bought this off amazon or the like.  We both did a mask together then I got him set up with a basic routine (which I recently asked about... still follows it to a T).  I remember laughing as all the bubbles kept growing!  I think the bubble masks are great for things like this, people having a laugh, enjoying the experience.  I'm not convinced they're amazing for great skincare though.  You just brought back an awesome memory!

[itsfi]

@missjeanie, what a fun memory!! Yaaay that he is still using that skincare routine! 👊🏼 You go, girl!!! 😃 It makes me happy when people find skincare routines that work out for them. 🥰

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  I'm with you, if I'm gonna use a bubble mask I'd prefer using the tinted wash-off kind. The last bubble sheet mask I used was LOADED with serum, so I squeezed it out a bit before putting it on and it seemed to have less bubbles and felt more calm compared to the first time I tried it. So if I ever get a bubble sheet mask again, that's probably what I'll do. 😉 Happy to hear this one was a little better the second time around and the results turned out great for you!

[itsfi]

Oh, I like the idea of separating the serum from the mask @Shosh85.💡😃 Making a note of that now. 📝  I’m pretty sure that going forward, full face bubble sheet masks will be on my “no buy” list (and a no buy I won’t have much temptation to break - ha!). There’s always the possibility though that I pick up a bubble mask without realizing that it is a bubble mask. 😔 I just need to be better about making sure I check what kind of mask it is and not just assume it’s not a bubble mask if it doesn’t have bubbles somewhere. 😝 

[emaisgr8]

Monday I used the 7 days mask Tea Tree by Ariul made with Tencel from the sweet @eshoe .

It had a Creamy serum with a Tea tree scent and something floral. The Mask was large and long at the chin which was a good thing since that is where the majority of my breakouts are. The felt good on, but afterwards I had to rinse my face with water as the scent bothered me even 20 minutes after I removed the mask. I’m so happy I got to use this mask.

 

 

[eshoe]

Oh my, sorry about the scent, @emaisgr8! it’s such a bummer when the serum is right but the scent is all wrong😂

[quspork]

Sorry the scent was too much on this one, @emaisgr8!

[missjeanie]

@emaisgr8 I find TeaTree is one of those fragrances that people either love or hate.  I'm with you, its not one for me.  Glad you got to try the mask though!

[Shosh85]

@emaisgr8  I loved the creamy serum on this one, but like you, I was not a fan of that scent. Happy to hear you saw some great results from it! 😃

[itsfi]

Tea tree oil in masks presents such a challenge @emaisgr8 - results are good and the creamy serum and Tencel material on this one sound like a marvelous combination. That scent though! So sorry to hear it lingered so long after you removed the mask. 😔 

[tjffc]

@emaisgr8 Looks like an interesting mask. Glad you had a chance to use it.

[lmaster]

@emaisgr8 I have a few from this line, I still need to try!! 😆

[quspork]

T for Tea Tree -- Beyond's Herb Garden Tea Tree

I've enjoyed this whole line from Beyond and this mask which focused on tea tree extract was no exception. I adore tea tree as an ingredient because I've found that my breakouts respond well to using it as a treatment. Of course the trademark tea tree smell is terrible, but one nice thing about this mask was that there was no tea tree scent. There's a fresh, almost soapy scent but it's refreshing. The mask itself is a good fit for my face and no adherence issues. Removal left my skin soothed with some of my redness calmed. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this again!