💕😌 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💗

[itsfi]

@Samtian, the Zombie mask is super cute! 😍 I edited my original post to include pics of both sheet masks. ⬆️ The mask really does match the illustration on the front of the packet.

[Shosh85]

A is for apple 🍎 This one was gifted to me from the lovely @Samtian! 😃

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Remiina Moisturizing Apple O2 Soda Mask

Material:

Thin and meshy cotton

Serum:

Clear and watery

Scent:

Not really much of a scent on this one - maybe just a typical sheet mask kind of smell

Fit:

A little too long at the chin, a smidge too long at the forehead, and the mouth hole didn't line up right and hung too low. Despite the folding and scrunching up I had to do, it was pretty comfortable and adhered well.

Wear Time:

Half hour

Tack:

None

Results:

My skin felt moisturized, a little bouncy, soft & smooth and had a nice glow.

Repurchase?

I really liked the results from this one, so I probably would!

 

[ather]

@Shosh85   Glad this one worked out for you! 

[Shosh85]

Thank you, @ather! I definitely results from this one! 👍

[lmaster]

This would be more awesome if it smelled like apples 😆 @Shosh85 sounds really good

[Shosh85]

@lmaster  Haha! I agree! The results were really great though, and that's what is most important! 😉

[Samtian]

@Shosh85 Ooh I can't wait to try it!

[Shosh85]

I really loved the results! Thanks again @Samtian! 😃

[itsfi]

The results from this mask sound great @Shosh85! 😍 And the packaging looks so refreshing. Signature mask scent is better than (and much preferred over) a really bad one, but I was hoping you'd say it had an apple or apple soda scent. 🍎

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Yeah, an apple scent would've been really nice, but no scent or a signature sheet mask is not so bad either... definitely better than floral/perfumy 😂 

[itsfi]

Z for zippy, zany, and zero waste?

tl;dr: Conceptually, I'm on board with the eco-friendly aspect of this "machine-washable, naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antimicrobial" lyocell fiber (from organic bamboo) reusable sheet mask. In practice though, it doesn't seem to provide the same results as you would get from a traditional sheet mask,  though that needs to be vetted more thoroughly. 

About the Mask:

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Sheet masks are wonderful for infusing hydration quickly into the skin. Recently, it seems like we're seeing more biodegradable packaging and materials. There's the daily mask packs, of course; in 5-days, 7-days, and month-long versions. Now, there's the Jenny Patinkin Luxury Organic Reusable Sheet Mask with Matching Spa Headband, a "machine-washable, naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antimicrobial" lyocell fiber (from organic bamboo) reusable sheet mask (and matching headband, which is very soft and despite initially feeling like it's a little large for my head, fit securely and comfortably). 

The sheet mask, however, has some fit issues, at least when it comes to my face, which is par for the course. Size-wise, it's not too bad - maybe 1/2" too long at the chin which is really nothing; but it's about 1" too short at the forehead, at a minimum, that's what it looks to be. The mask feels soft like terry cloth and the ear loops feel comfortable on - no tugging, pinching or smooshing. The openings for the mouth, while on the narrow-ish side, can be moved about and adjusted for a more comfortable fit.  The openings for the eyes are very round. It's large enough so that my almond-shaped eyes can fit width-wise, but it just fits. Overall, fit isn't bad, but it does feel a little off.

The draw of this mask is that it can be washed and reused. The instructions provide for 3 different ways to use the mask, none of which I followed. Hahaha! I take that back, I tried one of the recommended approaches, but only after I decided to put my own spin on usage. 

How The Brand Recommends Using The Mask:

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from Jenny Patinkin direct

How I Used the Mask:

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The "warm" and "chilled" methods seem like they could be accomplished with a regular washcloth, though that would make it more challenging to walk around while doing so. I also wasn't sure how effective the mask would be incorporating either approach, especially the warm method as the mask cools down fairly quickly. So instead of either of those ways of using the mask, I decided to see about saturating it in an hydrating toner or essence. [NOTE: I would not recommend using a toner / essence that contains AHA / BHA / PHA with this mask - the chemical exfoliants in pre-soaked sheet masks are are usually highly diluted, as water is usually the first ingredient listed and those chemical exfoliants appear later down the inci list (as they should).] 

For my toner / essence of choice with this mask, I chose Peach & Lily Wild Dew Treatment Essence. I went with a new, unopened 1 oz. deluxe sample to see how much product it would take to saturate the mask - because it's not going to be worthwhile if I'm going to go through a lot of toner / essence to soak the mask. Turns out, it takes about 3/4 oz. to just coat it. I should have just used the entire 1 oz. 

So, how did it perform? Eh, it was okay. My skin felt refreshed and lightly hydrated. There wasn't any excess serum; mainly, I think because it remains in the mask material. I found the best thing to do with the mask is to do a little facial massage while wearing it so that the serum is being pressed into the skin, either with the pads of your fingers or with a face roller. This is similar, but not identical, to the third way the brand suggests that this mask can be used, post derma rolling. I did this for maybe 5 minutes, and then I tried the "use warm" method, which was also okay. 

Conceptually, I'm on board with this mask or ones like it for its more eco-friendly approach to sheet masking, though I do wonder how many uses you can get out of it. The sales associate at Credo Beauty, where I purchased the mask, was sharing her excitement over it when I asked about it. She told me that she "loved it" and has "three of them" so she can use them throughout the week. Ummm, I'll start with just the one for now. At $38 a pop (I had a gift card so I wasn't out of pocket for it), it's going to have to wow me before I even contemplate picking up any more.

She also mentioned that she didn't know how long it would hold up over time with all the washing. That wasn't super reassuring. I will continue to play around with this mask through the end of July, so roughly a month, including using it as recommended by the brand, and will report back periodically on how it's going. If y'all have thoughts on other ways to use the mask to make it work better, I'd love it if you'd share.

[ather]

@itsfi  I can see where the issue would be. The material looks like it will more soak up the serum but doesn’t really deposit it on the skin. Too bad. I like that it’s more eco friendly 

[itsfi]

@ather, it’s a bummer that it soaks up so much product without distributing it onto the face. 🙁 I will try it again, next time following the directions 😆 to see how that works out. 

[ather]

@itsfi  Hopefully you can make it work out better!

[itsfi]

Me too @ather; I'm certainly going to give it a try! 🙂

[lmaster]

@itsfi very interested in how this will perform over the month!! Kinda exciting! Looking forward to hearing more

[itsfi]

@lmaster, I’ll keep you posted. I’m trying to put together a schedule that I think will work best to try out different serums with the mask. 

[quspork]

@itsfi This is definitely an interesting concept. I'm all about reducing waste and using biodegradable and recyclable products as much as possible, but I do wonder how effective this would end up really being, depending on what one is looking for in their masking experience. Part of my concern would be the mask material itself given that I often mask looking for some sort of soothing and even a relatively soft cloth may be too rough to really replace the same type of smooth feel you'd get with hydrogel or Tencel or something of that nature. But I do really like the idea of it for being able to be re-used with various essences/serums. I can't wait to hear about your further experimentations! 

[itsfi]

@quspork, I'm with ya. From the perspective of reducing waste, this is headed in a good direction, but based on this first use, it doesn't really give the same results as you would get with a sheet mask. Also, given the price and I'm not sure if it is cost effective in the long run. I noted to @Shosh85  that I incorporate the "7-skin method" into my skincare routine more frequently in the warmer months, in lieu of using a sheet mask and that seems more eco-friendly (and cost effective) than a reusable mask. 

Your point on the cloth being too rough, even if made of a soft material, is well noted. My cheeks are sensitive and while I fortunately didn't have any issues with this reusable mask, I did wonder how my skin would respond to the material, and to the tag on the inside (which you could cut off). I will be sure to pay attention to whether the same softness I felt this first time continues or whether it becomes less so over time.

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Hmm, this does seem like a nice concept! I like the idea of laying on top of serum... but I think I would've done the same as you and soaked it in serum/essence. I think I might run into an issue with washing - I don't use a fragrance free detergent, and I feel like for this I would need a gentle, fragrance free one. Does it have special washing instructions? I'm guessing you'd need to put it in a mesh/bra bag, and maybe on gentle cycle?

[itsfi]

@Shosh85, on the brand's site, it just says "Machine wash and tumble dry after every use." The sales associate said that she puts hers in a mesh / lingerie bag; that seems the way to go, especially since it would be easy to catch onto something with all the holes and loop on this mask.  Yeah, a fragrance free detergent would be the way to go with this one. Nordstrom has a fragrance free detergent for delicates that I usually pick up when it goes on sale or with a rewards note. That or a baby detergent is the way I'll go.

I was thinking more about their instructions / intended usage. Just applying toner / essence and then laying this atop it doesn't give the same effect as using a sheet mask, which is often saturated in serum. Not sure adding water to the mask does anything other than dilute the serum. In the summer months, I find myself using the 7-skin method more frequently and often as a substitute for a sheet mask and that to me is both more eco-friendly and effective than this mask.