💕😌 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💗

[quspork]

It's always a shame to find a nice one and then bam- no longer available, @lmaster. 

[lmaster]

@quspork I feel that happens often with sheet masks

[itsfi]

Sorry the mugwort mask didn’t meet your expectations @quspork. I’ll have to check out that ETude House mask. 

[quspork]

The EH one really brightens and calms my redness so well, @itsfi. That line is really such a staple. 

[eshoe]

Oh @quspork I am happy to hear that Quinoa mask was good - I was eyeing it so was also very curious. Of course it is discontinued, how disappointing but not surprising!

[quspork]

Isn't that just the way it always is, @eshoe?! 

[eshoe]

Yes indeed, @quspork 🙄

[itsfi]

Q for coenzymeQ10 (aka coQ10, ubiquinone and vitamin Q) 

Q for CoQ10

Skincare benefits of CoQ10:

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CoQ10 has been likened as the red bull for our skin. It helps skin cells to boost collagen production, protect against sun damage and slow down premature aging by repairing skin damage caused by environmental pollutants, toxins and stress. From what I've learned from my research and conversation with folks, our body's CoQ10 production drops off as we get older, and lower CoQ10 levels lead to our skin looking tired and starting to sag.

Sheet Masks: 

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Wear time for each mask was my usual 30 minutes. Each of these masks were good and ones I'd use again. As with most things, which is best will depend on each person's skin needs and preference.

VT Cosmetics:

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The ultra-thin, lightweight, soft, transparent fabric gauze on the VT Cosmetics Gold Honey-Benone Progloss Mask makes for a luxuriously comfortable wear - the sheet hugs to the skin and the melts into the contours of the face, wrapping it in a gentle, cozy embrace. Fit on this one is nearly perfect for my face shape - it was slightly (1/4" - 1/2") too wide) at the temples and sides and the material at the philtrum could have been just a smidge longer. Otherwise, length at the forehead and chin were great, the openings for the eyes and mouth were good and the material covering the nose bridge was not so large that it hovered too closely to the inner corners of my eyes. This mask was really sized beautifully for my face shape, size and features.

The mask is saturated but not dripping in a clear, light, but mildly viscous essence that was neither goopy nor stringy. There was also a lot of extra essence in the packet, enough for the whole body. As far as scent, it leaned on the sweet side, with maybe a very faint scent of honey or a honey-related ingredient.
 
In terms of performance, my skin felt cool for the entire 30 minutes I had on the mask and it looked dewy immediately upon its removal. There was the slightest tack-to-the-touch as I patted / pressed the essence into the skin to help with absorption, but that completely disappeared on its own about 12-15 minutes later, leaving skin feeling refreshed, nourished, and brightened, with a light bounce to it. 

This mask could be used by all skin types, including sensitive, unless you are allergic to any of the ingredients, like honey, in this mask.  It would be great in the cooler months for hydration and nourishment and could work nicely for those with dry or dehydrated skin in the warmer seasons

Ikawoo: 

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The Ikawoo Lucky Mask Vitamin is a repeat mask; I first used it a couple years ago, spring 2019. It's a thicker leaning Tencel mask. Adherence was good and fit was better than most sheet mask; nearly perfect, actually - it was a smidge too wide and 1-1/4" inch too long at the chin for my face, which isn't uncommon at all. This one held a good amount of a very lightly lemon scented serum (though less than the VT mask); the serum here was your standard, clear, slightly viscous type that is common to most sheet mask. My skin was happy after an half hour with this one - it felt moisturized and more plump, with a fresh-faced glow.

ekel: 

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I was not expecting anything spectacular from the ekel Coenzym Q10 Ultra Hydrating Essence Mask and, while I would hardly say it’s a game changer, it is a solid, better than average filler mask that if I can get over the scent, I might repurchase to see whether there may be noticeable results with more prolonged use.

The sheet is slightly thinner than medium thick and holds a lot of essence, that has a toned down but still noticeable faintly chemical and lemon Pledge scent that dissipates though perhaps not as quickly as most other sheet masks. It’s about an inch too wide on both sides of the mask. Openings for eyes and mouth are wide enough though I made small incisions to the lower inner corner just to ensure that none of the essence wandered into my tear ducts. This offers one of the better fits and adherence was good. I left the mask on for 30 minutes but there was enough essence that I could have left the mask on for an additional 15 or 20. The very faint bit of tack quickly and easily fades away, leaving my skin feeling hydrated, with a nice bounciness to it.

Hair Masks:

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Gisou Honey Infused Hair Mask has a thick, whipped texture and has a slightly sweet, white floral scent to it that I'm not so fond of - the scent itself is neither offensive nor pleasant to my sense of smell. It took me by surprise as I was expecting, hoping actually, for a honey scent. It took a little effort to work it through my strands, and to my surprise, made my hair feel a little stringy as I was rinsing out the product and also as I was towel drying my hair. Fortunately though, once my hair was dry, I noticed that it did feel smoother and looked shinier (both pluses) though I wouldn't say that my hair felt much more hydrated or moisturized than when I wash my hair but don't use a hair mask afterwards.

Better Not Younger Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque (I can't seem to tag this product; will try again later) also has a slightly thick, rich, whipped consistency but it feels lighter than the Gisou hair mask. This mask though was easier to move through my hair - it did a wonderful and quick job of detangling my hair. The scent on this is also not my favorite but I prefer it more than the Gisou. I also like the results from the Better Not Younger mask more - it looks more smooth, less frizzy than when I used the Gisou - not that my hair looked really frizzy with the Gisou, but my hair looked and felt more smooth after using the Better Not Younger mask. In terms of shine, both are probably the same. My hair though feels more hydrated, moisturized and soft after using Better Not Younger mask. I have plenty of hair masks to get through, most of them ones that I consider to be favorites, so I don't foresee picking up a full size of either of these masks. That said, however, as between these two, I prefer the Better Not Younger hair mask.

Lip Care: 

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A'Pieu Honey & Milk Lip Oil is no stranger to this thread. This is my second tube. The thick, but not too thick consistency feels good on my lips and leaves them soft and moisturized.
 
L'Occitane Gommage Levres Deliceux 010 Marmalade Kiss has a bouncy jelly texture that is fun to work with and a faint, sweet marmalade scent. The sugar scrubs are very fine and not at all harsh; in fact, the texture of this scrub feels more like you're applying a layer of thick jelly onto the lips and not a scrub nor a balm with scrubby granules in it. 

I'm on the fence with Paula's Choice Anti-Aging Lip Gloss SPF 40 - on the one hand, it contains a SPF and a pretty, subtle sheer pink tint and leaves my lips feeling hydrated and moisturized. On the other hand though, the product can come out of the tube in two separate parts - a clear, runny oil and a chunky pink-hued liquid. This can be helped by shaking the tube before dispensing the product. What is harder to address is the scent - maybe this is an older product, but it gives off a slightly chemical scent that does not smell so good. 

Gisou Mini Honey Infused Hair Mask 2.5 oz/ 75 mL 

[lmaster]

@itsfi the VT mask sounds really nice!! Sorry the gisou hair mask was average for you, I still need to give it a go

[itsfi]

@lmaster, the VT mask was wonderful! 💛🍯 I hope the Gisou hair mask works out for you. I have a mini of the Gisou oil and am hoping my hair will like it more than the mask. Have you used the hair oil?

[lmaster]

@itsfi yes, I really really like the oil

[itsfi]

@lmaster, that makes me happy hearing that! 😃 I found a mini set after Sephora announced it would be carrying the brand but before it launched online or in store - it’s honey based and I couldn’t help myself! 😉 But I am just now getting around to trying everything. 

[eshoe]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the hair masks, @itsfi. That Gisou was in and out of my basket, and you have helped me make a more informed final decision for now.  

[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 😘