💕😌 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 💮

Spoiler

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:

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, 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

Spoiler

2022 Mask of the Week Challenge

Spoiler

2021 Mask of the Week Challenge

Spoiler

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]

@ather, keep us posted on how it works for you. The blueberry seed powder looks fun scattered throughout the pink whipped clay and it gently exfoliates. It's just too gentle for my chin/jawline to be as effective as I'd like.

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Love a watermelon theme - especially on warm sunny days! ☀️🍉😋  I had never heard of yellow watermelon until I came across the L'Herboflore masks - thought they were lemons at first glance. 😅 I still haven't even tried them yet, so it's good hear they turned out great! I have tried the strawberry version though and thought it was nice.

Good to know about the GR clay mask! I haven't been hearing the greatest reviews on it, so I haven't been to excited about picking it up. Doesn't sound like I'm missing out on too much. 😉

[ather]

@Shosh85  I agree. I did not know there was such a thing. I may need to set out and find one so I can taste it. I did plant watermelon radish in my garden this year. I’m very curious to see what it will taste like!

[Shosh85]

@ather @itsfi  I don't even know where you buy these different kinds of watermelon? I don't believe I've ever seen them at a regular grocery store. 🤔 

Watermelon radish? I've never heard of that either! I had to Google that one 😂 They look super pretty! I'll be interested to hear what it tastes like! 

[itsfi]

@Shosh85 @ather, when I do a search for "yellow watermelon" it shows that it's available at Safeway (ather, I think Canada has Safeways, yes? I have a recollection that I went into one when I was in Vancouver a couple of years ago...), but when I go to check the site for my local store it says it is out of stock. Alright, I'm going to keep checking around here. Maybe I'll ask some of the folks at the farmers' market next week. This is going to be on the top of my "to do" list for the summer. 

I also looked up watermelon radish. I've had those before!!! They are in a salad that I used to order. Interested to hear what they taste like to you ather. And now I'm going to have to try to remember where I ordered that salad, just to try it again. 

[ather]

@itsfi  Yes we do have Safeway here in Canada great memory!!! No Safeway in my town but I’m heading to the city in a couple weeks I’ll check when I’m there! I’m also going to check here locally. Maybe one of us will have some luck! I’ve bought 4 regular watermelon this year and all 4 terrible. One was actually mouldy. Yuck. I’ll keep you posted on my radish they are coming up nicely! They maybe ready in a month!! On the plus side most of my garden got very damaged from a bad hail storm but the radish survived!!!! If you happen to find that salad I’m curious what was in it so I know what it will pair nicely with!! 

[itsfi]

@ather, here are a few salads I've had with watermelon radish:

• little gem lettuce, watermelon radish, avocado, sugar snap peas, asparagus tips, freshly grated pecorino cheese (with green goddess dressing)
• baby spinach, satsuma (or mandarin) oranges, watermelon radish, goat cheese, almonds slices (with olive oil + balsamic vinegar dressing)
• romaine, kale, arugula, watermelon, watermelon radish, cojita cheese, pepita (with jalepeno vinaigrette dressing)

I've also had it on avocado toast. It has a bit of a peppery taste to it.

That's awesome that your watermelon radish may be ready in a month! 

Ack! Too bad about the watermelons you picked up. 🍉 Keeping my fingers crossed you get a good one. 🤞 They're so refreshing in the summer months. 

[ather]

@itsfi  I will definitely try one or all of those salads and on the avocado toast which I love!!! Mmmmm anything with goat cheese is my favourite! Fingers crossed this weekend we get a good one. 

[itsfi]

@ather,  🤞🤞 🍉 😁

Oh, so one of my favorite summertime meals is avocado toast with heirloom tomatoes, and goat cheese. I usually add arugula as well but you could substitute watermelon radish for the arugula and get that peppery taste. Drizzle lightly with a little olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette and a pinch of sea salt . . . yum!!! 😋 🥑🍅🐐🧀🍞

[ather]

@itsfi  Omg yum. That sounds soooo good! As soon as it’s ready I’ll let you know how it turns out!!

[itsfi]

@ather, I went on an avocado toast kick at one point last year, trying out different toppings. 😋 

I'm so excited for your watermelon radish. Has your little guy been helping with planting it and watching it grow?

[ather]

@itsfi  Omg yes. He loves to help me with my gardening. He’s been begging me to pick my tomatoes already but they aren’t quite ready yet! But I think it’s a great life skills! He loves avocado toast too. I was on a kick a few months ago and ate it every day!! I need to bring it back tho! 

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  I did a search a search for yellow watermelon and also came up with Safeway and Albertsons. I also found that you can buy yellow and orange watermelon seeds at Walmart and on Amazon.

Then I read that yellow and orange watermelons taste sweeter than pink and red and have more of a subtle honey-like flavor...... and now, I really want to try one 😋😍

Oh, and then I came across these cute lil' guys... 👇

Spoiler

 

[itsfi]

Sweeter than the pink ones? And like honey? Ohhh, now I must find them @Shosh85! Hmmm...the closest Walmart isn't super close, so I may need to pick up those seeds off of Amazon. 😀 I wonder if San Francisco has the right climate for growing watermelon; somehow, I think not. Boo.

Those mini thumb watermelon are so friggin' cute, Shosh!! 😍 

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Haha! Yeah, I don't think I'd be successful growing watermelon here, Im tempted to try though!

Edit: I did read this though 👇

Spoiler

[itsfi]

@Shosh85, I was intrigued when I read California as being in the top 4 producers of watermelon, but if we're playing Sesame Street's One of These Things Is Not Like the Others in that list of states, California sticks out as the one that's not like the others. Weather, at least in SF, is very different than the other 3 states.

I'm thinking it's Southern California that's responsible for the watermelon production in the State, or possibly parts of the state that are further north of San Francisco. The generally moderate temperatures are nice but not for watermelon; and the fog definitely wouldn't be. lol. 

[Shosh85]

@itsfi  Yeah, you're state is pretty big... like two states in one 😉

[itsfi]

I do love me some watermelon and watermelon masks @Shosh85! 🍉  I really am interested in trying a yellow watermelon now. Well, really all different types of watermelon. Yeah, the GR watermelon clay mask wasn't a winner for me; it didn't irritate my skin so that's good, but there are better performing masks out there for me. 

The warm spring weather came to an end today in my neck of the woods; how fitting for the Bay Area that it did so on this first day of summer. Hahaha! Of course it would. 😂

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi  Out of curiosity, what is your very favorite clay mask? 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, hmmm... that's a good one. I feel like I have clay masks I like depending on their strength and my skin needs so it's hard to pick just one. I know, I know. Doesn't completely answer your question. These are the ones I've been keeping on hand. 

Spot Treatment:

Gentle, but effective: I'm currently using innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask 3.38 oz/ 100 mL and I've been liking it for when my skin is feeling a little sensitive but I need/want to bring down a tender pimple but don't want to irritate or dry my skin. Another really gentle one, more gentle than the Innisfree is the The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque 1.7 oz/ 50 mL (thank you for gifting that to me a while back). The Innisfree mask contains both bentonite and kaolin clays while The Ordinary mask is kaolin clay based. Both really gentle; it means it will take a bit longer than the more potent masks but sometimes that's better for my skin. I've left both on a pimple overnight and had no issue with drying out my skin around the spot (though I wouldn't recommend that approach to everyone).

Potent: GLAMGLOW Mini SUPERMUD� Charcoal Instant Treatment Mask 1.0 oz/ 30 mL is what I reach for when I really just need to make a zit go away or flatten asap. It can be drying to the areas surrounding a pimple, even if I'm using it as a spot treatment. This one is kaolin clay based and also contains more AHAs and BHAs than the Innisfree and The Ordinary masks. 

All Over Mask: For masks that I like for all over, my favorites have been Origins Clear Improvement™ Charcoal Honey Mask to Purify and Nourish 2.5 oz/ 75 mL (kaolin clay) and Skinceuticals Clarifying Clay Mask for Acne Prone Skin (kaolin and bentonite clays). Both are gentle enough for me to use all over my face, with the Origins one being the more gentle. Both of these are ones I've repurchased, though I find myself more inclined to go for the Origins in the last year or so. 

If I had to narrow these down, I'd go with the Origins or the GlamGlow. That's supported by my current stash - of the masks mentioned, I have unopen backups of each on hand. 😉

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi  Wow, thank you so much for all the info. I will definitely put the origins on my list - that sounds perfect to me. I don't think I've tried it before. I know I've tried one by the brand, but I think it was the active charcoal to clear pores version.