💕😌 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]

@eshoe, it didn’t work for me, but everyone’s hair is different. The results were fine enough; if there’s a foil sample or promo for it, that might be a good way to see if you get better results than I did. I was really hoping for a honey scent. 

[eshoe]

I anticipated a honey scent as well, @itsfi. It seems the majority of feedback I have read/heard is middle of the road. I am keeping my eyes out for a promo still, of course;)

[Emy10]

Paula's Choice really need to get in Sephora. 

Im in Canada and its crazy expensive to order from  there. 

That lip gloss looks really nice.

[itsfi]

@Emy10, the PC lip gloss worked well with a few tweaks to keep it from coming out of the tube in separate parts. That stinks that PC isn't carried in Sephora Canada. Sephora online doesn't carry the entire catalog of Paula's Choice products but it stinks that Sephora Canada doesn't have any of them. ☹️ 

A few months back, I caught sight of a PC bottle in the store when they were ringing up my purchase and I mentioned to the cast member that the brand has some very good products and it would be nice to see a few of them in store and more of the product line available online. The cast member mentioned they were sent the bottle of the BHA 2% toner for a class or training? but that she had never heard of the brand and didn't know whether or when that store might stock any of the products. Maybe with the acquisition by Unilever, PC products will become more accessible at Sephora, both in store and online across North America. Keeping my fingers crossed that will be the case. 🤞

[Emy10]

@itsfi  wait, Paula's Choice is in Sephora in the US???? 

For all the reasons in the world (like brand deals etc) certain brands are super slow at getting in Canada.

Yes we have strict rules for cosmetic and stuff, but thats a good thing, so brands needs to do more and faster.

The more information we customers get on products, the better!!

[itsfi]

@Emy10, we have certain PC products online in the US. I haven’t seen any products in store for purchase. 

[itsfi]

Animal print

I went with a grapefruit theme for Monday's masking. While The Creme Shop offers some cute selections in their animal print series, I think the illustration on the packet for The Creme Shop Calm Down, Skin! Animated Animal Face Mask Infused with Soothing Pink Grapefruit more closely resembles the intended cat design than the print on the actual mask itself. 😺

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The Creme Shop Calm Down, Skin! Animated Animal Face Mask Infused with Soothing Pink Grapefruit is quintessential (yes, I can get in the Q theme with this mask too!) The Creme Shop - soft, medium-thick, cotton sheet that is overly large along the perimeter and soaked in a clear, watery, runny but not drippy essence. Adherence is fine and like other masks in their animal line, includes flaps for the eyes. Scent is light and faint, with a slight citrus bent, but not one that made me think immediately of pink grapefruit; it dissipates almost immediately. Results after an half hour is typical of masks from the brand or just sheet masks in general - no irritation and skin feels lightly hydrated. I couldn't say whether the mask lived up to its claims to heal inflammation and sun damage, but I would say this mask, like most masks from The Creme Shop, is really best thought of as a filler mask. This one happens to include this fun fact: "cats sweat through their paws." Didn't know that before using this mask, but now that I do, I will have to see if I slide that little bit of knowledge at a dinner party conversation or drop that little nugget in passing at work. 😉 Thank you @Shosh85 for such a fun theme!

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Q for Queen

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The thick, stretchy sheet of Japan's Quality First Queen's Premium Mask Ultra Moisturizing is said to be "carefully woven with Hakusan's underwater water" - I'm not sure what the significance of "underwater water" is but if someone knows, please do share.

Like most sheet masks, adherence was good and fit was overly large all along the perimeter of the mask, and there was just enough of the clear, slightly viscous essence to soak the sheet without oversaturating it. In terms of scent, I didn't really pick up anything that stood out to me not even a signature sheet mask scent.

Results were fine - I wouldn't say my skin felt ultra moisturized. Rather, my skin felt lightly hydrated, which is what I expect, at a minimum, from all sheet masks. Overall, this isn't a bad mask, but not a standout; would make for a good filler mask or for daily masking, though in my opinion, there are a lot of masks in the market that can serve that same function at a lower price point and provide more hydration.   

[lmaster]

@itsfi oh my goodness ☺️ look at those eyes!!! Too cute,,, the queen mask, I was so hoping for more,,, the packaging is gorgeous, the crown, well of course you have one 😘

[itsfi]

@lmaster, I was really hoping this mask would be great, as well. I had been on the lookout for it for a while so when this 'ultra moisturizing' popped back on the shelves at a small local boutique, I grabbed it. It's not bad; maybe I just overhyped "ultra moisturizing" in my mind. Onto the next sheet mask . . . 😆

[lmaster]

P is for Panda 🐼

• this was a white medium thickness sheet with a super cute panda print
• Fit was not the best, good ol airplane wings 😆 and it was bunchy around the chin
• Scent I could pick up light fruit/ typical sheet mask scent blended together 🤷
• Wear time was 20 minutes
• Results,,, well not super hydrated or moisturized more like that cleansed feeling, maybe the alcohol in the ingredients helps make the skin more twords matte? I didn't get over dry skin, it actually helped my skin, my skin did have a glow to it as well
• No tackiness
• Repurchase? Ehhh probably not, mostly the material is not me favorite

   

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[eshoe]

That looks much cuter on you than it did on me, @lmaster 😂 You make a great panda!!

[lmaster]

Awwww thank you! @eshoe you sooooo make a good panda too 😘

[itsfi]

@lmaster, what a cute panda print. 🐼

[lmaster]

It is @itsfi decent mask absolutely

[itsfi]

From last week's P masks, P for pearls

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This light, thin, soft and delicate 100% silk material of the Lovemore Black Pearls True White Mask Sheet feels wonderful against the skin and gently hugs the contours of my face, despite the overly large perimeter and narrow openings for the eyes and mouth, the latter of which was simply a slit across the sheet. The clear, watery and very runny essence had a noticeable, but quickly dissipating scent that was neither remarkably pleasant nor grossly offensive. 30 minutes of wear left my skin hydrated and plump, with zero tack or stickiness. 

Best suited for: 

This mask is probably better suited year-round for those with normal to oily or combination (leaning oily) skin. For those with dry or dehydrated skin, this is a decent mask for hydration, though one that may be better for that skin type in the warmer months. All in all, this wasn't a bad mask, but it wasn't particularly standout either. 

Areas for Improvement:

If I were to make suggestions for areas for improvement (other than size of the mask), I'd recommend that the openings for the eyes and mouth be enlarged, that the stated claim be changed to brightening (instead of whitening), and either to change the name to include just a generic "brightening and clearing" reference, or to not tout black pearls as the key / main / star ingredient if the formula will stay the same - as currently written, black pearl, the key ingredient is the 31st of 33 ingredients listed, just ahead of two preservatives found in skincare -  potassium sorbate and sorbic acid. I guess I should be happy that the preservative ingredients were at the end. 

[eshores]

@itsfi - wow. That's impressive that you keep a journal of all your masks. Your penmanship is beautiful! 😍

[itsfi]

@eshores, thank you! 😊 I just recently started keeping a handwritten journal for my sheet masks. Before, I kept my notes on a spreadsheet on my computer. I still have an online spreadsheet of my notes. I started keeping a handwritten journal after I went through all my pre-2021 sheet mask purchases. It can take up some time but over time I’ve narrowed the things I want to track so that makes it easier. I try to go back every so many days to highlight which of those masks are the real standouts. Those get transferred into my online notes, along with the few that are a hard “no” for me. 

[eshoe]

“Love, like or loathe” - at least it wasn’t the latter of the three, @itsfi 😳 It sounds pleasant enough, and yes…way to look at the bright side, at least the star ingredient skipped ahead of the preservatives🤷🏻‍♀️

[itsfi]

@eshoe, I like Lovemore masks and this one was fine; just very disappointing that the ingredient highlighted is so far down the list. 

[lmaster]

Sorry it wasn't a stand out @itsfi 

[itsfi]

@lmaster, it's fine. Not all masks can be standout ones, right?! It didn't irritate my skin or cause any negative results, so that's a win. I really like the material of the Lovemore masks so it was  disappointing about the results and where the "main" ingredient ended up falling in the list - I mean, 31 out of 33?!!