💕😌 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]

@PrettyPaint, absolutely! Have to keep an eye on those expiration dates. With the ones from masksheets, I usually take the approach that the larger the discount, the shorter the time between date of purchase and expiration date. If it's really close, I've noticed some online retailers will note the upcoming expiration date on the product page, which is a nice touch. In any case, I have emailed customer service to ask about certain masks. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi So smart - I don't think I've ever considered emailing CS about mask dates, but that's a fantastic idea. 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, I think it's worth a try. There's also a part of me that thinks "well, maybe if they field enough questions about expiration date, they'll list them on the product page. Or, at least list the expiry dates of those masks that are say 6 months or less from expiring, or in the clearance sale. OR, put something in the FAQ section that has some sort of general rule on the expiration dates of masks that are heavily marked down or in their clearance section. That doesn't seem like an ask that would create that much of a hardship. But, in the absence of that, I email customer service and see what I get back. 😆 Responses vary, of course, but no harm in asking. 

[itsfi]

Facetory - 30% off with code MEMORIALDAY. Sale does not apply to subscriptions, of boxes or auto renewals of sheet masks. Be sure to select "one-time only" - also, if you select a box of 5 or 10, you should make sure that it's cheaper to buy a pack of 5 or 10 (vs just picking up 5 individual packets of each mask)

Hautelook / Nordstrom Rack is having a sale on masks by Leaders, Thank you Farmer, etc. Leaders masks are anywhere from 37 - 44% off. 

Skinstore - 25% off sitewide with code MD25. Exclusions may apply. Bawdy Butt Masks are on sale too! 

[itsfi]

Rael is having a sale on its mask @Shosh85!

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[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Thanks for posting all these great deals! .... looks like I got some serious decisions to make 😉

[itsfi]

@Shosh85😆 There are a lot of good deals, and a lot of good masks just waiting to be hauled. 🛍 Definitely hard to decide what to get now and what to save for another day. I made a small order last night. 😃 Will see if I can hold out until the weekend before making another small-ish haul. 

[itsfi]

In keeping with this week's other theme, maybe one or two of these masks make you hungry 😋

Food and masking: two of my favorite pastimes, not necessarily in that order. lol

Ole Henriksen Power Bright 3-Step Brightening System (paired with some sweet honey tangerines) 🍊  

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Ole Henriksen Power Bright 3-Step Professional Brightening System has been touted by many maskers on this thread, and the praise is deserved. This is definitely one of the top at home peels I've used. Every time I use this peel treatment, my skin feels hydrated and looks more clear and bright.The only downside to this system is that it's been discontinued, but pre-pandemic, I  stocked up whenever I've found them at TJ Maxx or Marshalls and, as a result, I have a very healthy and robust supply. lol. 😂

avatara Juicy Watermellow Hydrating Watermelon Mask 🍉  

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The soft, thin Tencel fiber material of the avatara Juicy Watermellow Hydrating Watermelon Mask Sheet is saturated in a clear, unscented watery essence that can drip a bit at the bottom at the chin and jawline. The usual adjustments are needed for a tailored fit for my face shape, size and features - a couple of small incisions to the corners of the eyes and mouth openings to keep the essence from getting into my eyes and mouth and to help material to lay flat against my skin. The mask is also slightly wide at the temples and chin, but with respect to the latter, slits are well-placed so that I can simply fold the extra material upwards instead of having to cut away at the excess length.

Due to its softness and thinness, the mask adhered perfectly and wore comfortably for the entire half hour wear time. I felt like I could have worn the mask longer, maybe another 10-15 minutes, if I wanted to given the amount of essence, which absorbs quickly and smoothly without tack or stickiness, leaving my skin feeling nicely hydrated and slightly moisturized with a matte (but not drying or flat) complexion. 

About the Brand:

avatara is the second brand founded by Linda Wang (her first was Karuna), who was introduced to sheet masks by her mom. Described by its founder as "skincare playtime," avatara's product lines are vegan (some are also gluten free) and are created with the philosophy that "effective skincare doesn't have to break the bank or feel like a major time commitment." 

Sephora Clean Collection Spirulina Face Mask 🌊  

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I'm close to finishing up with the Sephora Collection Mask Stick - Spirulina (Purifying), a pale cornflower blue hued cream that feels cool as it glides on the skin. This is a quick and easy mask, with the tiny granules embedded in the mask providing a very light and gentle exfoliation. These mask sticks have been discontinued and I'm not sure whether there are plans to release a similar product in the clean line. 

Generally speaking, I've found most of the new clean collection masks to be a little underwhelming compared to the original versions. There are, however, a few standout "flavors", a few of which do not have a counterpart within the original series. The Sephora Collection Clean Face Mask - Spirulina is one of those standout masks from the new clean collection of sheet masks. The Eucalyptus fiber material feels soft and adheres well to the skin. The mask has a standard fit, is saturated but not dripping in a clear, slightly viscous watery essence that has a nice, but non-descript scent to it. Results-wise, my skin is happy with the dose of hydration it receives with 30 minutes of wear. 

Spirulina bowl: it was too cold to make a spirulina bowl the last time I used this pair of masks. The spirulina bowl made for a refreshing snack. 😋

Etude House 0.2mm Air Therapy Sheet Mask (Green Tea) 🍵  

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Etude House 0.2mm Air Therapy line is among my favorite mask collections. The Tencel material is very soft, thin and lightweight, making adherence a dream as it clings to the skin, gently hugging the contours of the face. This green tea version contains a moist water type essence and claims to moisturize and soothe skin, and the inci list supports its claim with skincare goodies such as green tea leaf extract, allantoin, licorice root extract, ginger root extract, hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and ceramides. The essence absorbs quickly and without tack or stickiness after my standard 30 minutes of wear, leaving me with hydrated, brightened skin. This green tea varietal is suitable for all skin types, except those sensitive to or seeking to avoid added fragrance (listed as the 6th ingredient).

P.S. The Sugarfina matcha bears were tasty. Yum! 

 SEPHORA COLLECTION Clean Face Mask Spirulina 

[eshoe]

@itsfi I am with @PrettyPaint...food. Yum 😋 

I love the little background you provided on avatara; ‘skin playtime’ is a very apt description! Adding this brand to my to-try list:)

[itsfi]

@eshoe, Target carries the avatara sheet masks online and in certain stores. The store one near me has them along with several que bella sheet sheet masks and now the Vitamasques, ♥️ which are definitely worth checking out in my opinion. @Shosh85 @PrettyPaint 

[eshoe]

I will definitely check before heading over to one of my stores, @itsfi - the Vitamasque ‘flavors’ @Shosh85 picked up look very interesting! @PrettyPaint 

eta and YES they do🙌🏼

[PrettyPaint]

@eshoe  @itsfi  @Shosh85  I'm so behind on my masking, but I actually have several Vitamasque flavors that I picked up from Target stashed away. I have been waiting to use them because I'm trying to use up things that expire this year first, but I'm tempted to bump them up the list ! 🙂

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, that's awesome that you are working your way through masks that expire this year. 😁 Not sure if this is helpful but just throwing it out there - when I was trying to work through some masks with expiration dates in the same year, I would tell myself that for every 3 or 4 of those masks I used, I could use one newer mask with an expiration date that was further out. That helped me to stay focused on getting through some masks I needed to and also be able to try some masks I wanted to try. @eshoe @Shosh85  

[eshoe]

@itsfi That is a good rule of thumb to follow, and good advice moving into the next season😉

[eshoe]

Ooooh I hope to hear some recommendations @PrettyPaint! I think I have added most of them to my ‘Save for Later’ Target cart, just waiting for July 1st:)

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi  Mmmmmm...food. 

How gentle is the Ole Henriksen Power Bright? It doesn't actually result in any peeling, does it? Perhaps a silly question. 

And I don't think I knew that Sugarfina has matcha bears. Oh my! 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, not a silly question at all. One of the steps can be a bit potent, but you can tone down the strength by using a less product and applying with a lighter hand / shorter duration or watering it down a little. 

Sugarfina has gummy bears in matcha green tea, peach tea and rose tea. They sell them in individual cubes and a set of three. The green tea and peach tea are the best of the trio; the rose tea version, at least the one I had, seemed a bit ... rubbery. 😬 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi  Thanks! I've been trying to be a lot more gentle with my skin lately, so I was curious.

I totally know what you mean about a rubbery consistency. I don't think I've tried a sugarfina one like that, but I've definitely had some from other brands that are too dense or something. 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, I applaud being gentle with your skin. It's so easy to go overboard with over-exfoliating. For gentle exfoliation, I like powder peels like AMOREPACIFIC Mini Treatment Enzyme Peel 0.7 oz/ 20 g or Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder Gentle. If you want more of a chemical peel, I've found First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads with Glycolic + Lactic Acids  to be gentle. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi  The tatcha is one of my favorites. 😍 Many thanks to @eshoe for helping me to recognize that overuse of exfoliator was the culprit of my foundation pilling issue. Now that I've been a bit more gentle, my makeup is looking better. 

[eshoe]

@PrettyPaint yay!!! What a relief to have pinpointed the problem and see results so quickly☺️ I wonder how many people are struggling with this issue, thinking it is the makeup, when it’s really aggravated skin? I have been using the Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer 0.7 oz/ 20 g more regularly now and it never causes pilling anymore. I am so, so happy that your skin is recovering!!