💕😌 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💗

[lmaster]

@eshoe I'm going to need that one 😆

[nuinui933]

@eshoe, lots of fancy wash off masks for you. Fun. 

[eshoe]

Nordstrom has had some great samples lately, @nuinui933. It is always exciting for me to see masks as as option!

[nuinui933]

@eshoe, that's good to know. I never seem to catch the mask samples. They get grabbed up fast; makes sense as they'd be the ones I'd go for. Will have to check online at Nordstrom for products when it comes time for my next shopping trip.

[eshoe]

I don’t see them that often, @nuinui933, but when I do, I make sure to select them! It has helped me eliminate more than one mask, which helps me narrow down my wish list.

[ather]

@eshoe  Great choices!!! I agree I also find my face feels right after clay masks! I like to use a heavier moisturizer! 

[eshoe]

Ahhh, great tip, @ather! I need to remember to use an extra-strength moisturizer after a detox mask👍🏼

[itsfi]

@eshoe, I like that the Chantecaille mask did not harden or make your skin feel tight; probably the honey in the mask, yes? 🍯 

[eshoe]

Oooh yes, I would think so, @itsfi. Honey is a natural antibacterial too, I believe. It was such an impressive mask. But now I just want to try others from the brand! I wonder how their Jasmine & Lily Healing one is…

[itsfi]

@eshoe, I've heard good things about that Chantecaille one; I've just been a little skittish about what the scent would be like - jasmine and lily can be strong.

[eshoe]

Yes I can see that, @itsfi. Strong lily and gardenia scents can be pretty overpowering. This would definitely need a sampling before buying.

[Shosh85]

@eshoe  I really love that Cicapair mask too, and both the Chantacaille and Celarion masks sound wonderful! I don't think I was even aware that Chantacaille made masks! 😃

[eshoe]

Chantecaille makes a few masks, @Shosh85! This is the first I have tried, and it was a very positive first imporession. 

[itsfi]

B is for Blooms & Blossoms, with a brand spotlight on Facetory and in particular, the sheet masks in its Dream Garden Collection. Most of these masks I used last week, but the camellia one made its way into this week's masking for C week.

tl;dr: Based on results, the chamomile and the camellia masks were my favorites of the bunch. It's odd that I had such great results from the camellia sheet mask with the stinging I felt both while I had the mask on and after I removed it. I'll want to revisit that mask again, when my skin is less sensitive. The elderflower one is fine, as is the lotus bio-cellulose mask but both are ones that can be duped. If I were to rank them, in order of most to least liked, it would be the chamomile mask, followed by the camellia mask, the elderflower mask and the biocellulose mask. Ingredients list can be found on the Facetory site; will update post later today.

Mask:	Camellia	Chamomile	Elderflower	Lotus
Material:	Microfiber	Cotton Waffle - thin-ish, but has a slight heft to it but still soft	Microfiber - this one leans thicker than standard microfiber sheet masks, feels slightly weighty, and contains pretty floral print at forehead and cheeks.	Biocellulose
Adherence:	Great; feels like you're wrapped in a blanket.	Excellent	Good	Good
Fit:	Good; about 1/3" inch too long at chin; great width-wise. Openings for eyes and mouth too narrow; adjustments needed at corners.	Good. Slightly large at temples; about 1-1/2" too long at chin; adjustment to inner corner of eyes.	Better than most sheet masks. Adjustment to inner corner of eye opening to help material lay flat against skin. About 2" too long at chin for my face shape/size.	Good; width and length are slightly larger than my face but not by much; adjustments needed to the openings of eyes and mouth.
Essence / Serum:	Oil-infused, has a slightly viscous, watery, liquid  consistency, neither runny nor goopy	Jelly essence	Clear, thin but not runny, watery liquid.	Gel-like serum infused into biocellulose material
Scent:	Herbal (rosemary and lavender extracts), but also had a slight cleaning product scent to it.	Light scent; slightly citrusy, slightly herbal. I think it's the bergamot I pick up most.	Very faint tea tree scent.	None.
Claim(s):	Nourishing & Strengthening	Calming & Hydrating	Rejuvenating & Illuminating	Balancing & Firming
Results:	I experienced some stinging  on my cheeks but no adverse results from it.  Dark spots appear lighter, as does redness. Complexion looks clear, brighter. Skin felt soft, smooth, moisturized.	Redness is calmed and skin feels hydrated and moisturized after 30 minutes; can be worn longer.	Feels nice against the skin; slight heft of the mask lends itself to a cocoon feel - like a lightly weighted blanket for the face. Complexion has a healthy glow to it and looks fresh faced; skin feels lightly moisturized.	Can't speak to balancing or firming. Skin looked and felt lightly hydrated and redness from PIH seemed to have been soothed slightly, albeit temporarily.
Best Suited For:	Dry, Dull, Combo	Normal, Combo, Dehydrated, and Dry; may be too much serum for those with oily/oilier skin	All Skin Types	Combo, Oily
Repurchase?:	Yes; I'd like to try this again, perhaps when my skin is less sensitive.	Absolutely	Maybe	Probably not; there are similar masks on the market that I like better. That said, I might give it another try when my skin is more combo/oily.

Lip Care:

Spoiler

Lip care was part of every masking sesh with these Facetory masks because . . . it's lip care! Sheet masks and lip balm are a dynamic duo for me. Sephora Collection Lip Scrub & Balm Honey has been a favorite of mine since it was released. It's a tried-and-true favorite and up until it was discontinued, a repeated repurchase. I shall now savor all of the sticks I've been hoarding. lol 

A recent discover is the Ilia Lip Wrap Clean Hydrating Mask, which I paired with the Facetory Chamomile Mask. Lemme tell ya, this was surprised me in the best way. I didn't go into it with any preconceived expectations. Consistency is soft but firm, thick-ish but not unmalleable consistency; has a cushiony feel to it. Melts into a nourishing balm once the product is warmed by contact with the lips, glides on smoothly and feels like lips are wrapped in a cozy blanket of hydration and moisture. I'm quite pleased with myself for reaching for this blister sample; even more pleased that I ordered it during the spring sale despite not needing another lip balm. lol. This one I like a lot.

I like that the Chidoriya Trade Recipe Yuzu Lip Balm has 4 ingredients to it - camellia oil, beeswax, yuzu oil, rosehip seed oil. It feels nourishing on the lips and made for a nice pairing with the camellia mask. 

Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Lip Gloss SPF 40 was the new lippie for me last week - so far, so good. I like that it has an SPF and a light pink tint; it makes it convenient on weekends when my already minimalist morning skincare routine becomes even more so. Having the SPF is helpful when I'm outdoors and the pink tint is a nice one too. It's called a gloss but I feel like it's more of a light balm with a sheen to it. Well, that's my take on the couple of days I wore it last week. Will use it a bit longer before making a final decision on it.

The masking theme was inspired by my time spent in the back yard. As I thought, I missed the season for the gardenias, but other flowers have been doing well. @missjeanie, you kindly asked about updates to the blooms and here are some of the ones that have been thriving:

Spoiler

ILIA Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment 0.34 fl oz / 10 ml 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Your flowers are GORGEOUS!!!  Such beautiful blooms always put a smile on my face!

[itsfi]

Awww, thank you @missjeanie! I think these pansies and my orchids are the only things I've been able to keep going year over year. <<knocks on wood>>

[missjeanie]

Orchids!!! @itsfi  You’re a gardener extraordinaire in my books then!! 

[itsfi]

Ha! I would never consider myself a gardener @missjeanie, but, thank you! That is really kind of you to say. I will keep that in my back pocket for when my friend, who is really good at caring for plants, etc. makes a comment that "oh, orchids are easy." Ummm, no siiiir, missjeanie says I'm a "gardener extraordinare", thank you very much. 😉 The only way my thumb is green is if I stuck it in something green, like Dr. Jart+ Mini Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment 0.5 oz/ 15 mL! 😂 So far, for me, caring for orchids means giving them access to good, but not direct, sunlight, and a consistent weekly routine of ice cubes, sometimes more cubes or more frequently when the temperatures rise. 

[missjeanie]

Lol! You crack me up @itsfi ! I used to try so hard with the orchids but they just consistently  died until I felt like I needed to move on for both of our sakes! 

[nuinui933]

@itsfi, wow, your chart is awesome. The waffle material sounds interesting.

[itsfi]

@nuinui933, thank you! I like charts. 😆 Easy to read; lol. The waffle material on the Facetory Chamomile sheet mask was wonderful.