Wash-off Face Masks

The long-overdue mask review. Prices are estimates.

Suisse Program Renewing Cream Mask (~HK$600/200ml)

I would give it 2 out of 10 at most. I was told that this mask is similar to the Valmont renewal mask but I don't see any similarity at all. I don't really know what this mask does other than leaving a tangling sensation on the skin while it's on. In fact my skin feels a little fried afterwards. I don't think I will try another Suisse Program product ever again because the eye cream I got sucks big time also.

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Isomarine Intensive Moisturizing Mask (~HK$450/50ml)

My rating: 8 out of 10. I actually think it works! Skin is very soft and supple after use. Can be used around sensitive eye area as well. My only complaint: it's quite pricey...I wonder if I should buy another after I finish this one.

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Origins Drink Up (~HK$180/100ml)

My rating: 7 out of 10. I love the price and the refreshing apricot smell and that's why I am giving it a 7. In terms of moisturising it's not as effective as Isomarine but my skin do feel refreshed and rejuvenated after each use. I leave it on for more than 10 mins usually - until the mask turns transparent - around 20 mins. It's not a corrective mask to be used in emergencies but it's a very nice everyday maintenance. Will keep on buying more.

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Biotherm Aquasource Emergency Hydration Mask (~HK$280/75ml)

My rating: 5 out of 10. More expensive than the Origins Drink Up but not as effective. It doesn't even do anything to my skin on a normal day and I have no faith whatsoever that it would act as an "emergency hydration mask". A bit of a waste of time and I have piled it up with one of my better-than-nothing masks.
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Vichy Rehydrating Thermal Mask (~HK$250/50ml)

My rating: 6 out of 10. It works better than the Biotherm one but the result is not really significant. It does replenish moisture slightly but with this price tag I'd rather go for the Origins Drink Up once again.
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Yves Saint Laurent Hydra Feel Gentle Rehydrating Mask (~HK$280/75ml)

My Rating: 1 out of 10. I don't usually hate a mask - even if it's not overly effective I will still use it since I have a daily mask ritual and the better-than-nothing masks are still somewhat useful in my case.

I absolutely hate this mask however. It's impossible to wash off as it leaves a film of oily substance on skin after. I think that's what they meant by "leaving skin soft and smooth" but it's extremely annoying. The fragrance is very artificial also. Disappointing!

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Bioderma Hydrabio Mask (~HK$350/75ml)

My rating: 5 out of 10. Again it replenishes moisture but it's no miracle. Another day-to-day maintenance mask. Nothing special.
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Coreana Nokdu Pure Pack (~HK$50/100ml)

My rating: 4 out of 10. Recommended by a salesgirl in Seoul I thought I'd give the brand Coreana a try. It is supposed to cleanse but I have yet to see any evidence of cleansing. It doesn't do a bad job moisturising but I have to say the smell of dried/stale seaweed is too much for me, especially first thing in the morning.
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The Face Shop Chinese Herb Mask (~HK$80/120ml)

My rating: 2 out of 10. I didn't have any hope on the products from The Face Shop but while I was in Seoul I thought I'd give it a try. This mask was the most expensive one and allegedly the star product. From what I gathered there's Chinese herbs as well as ginseng in the mask. The result: a complete waste of time. I seriously don't know what it does.

face essence report

O Hui Original Energy 100 (about US$90)

I picked up a number of O Hui products while I was in Seoul a while ago and this moisture boost essence was one of them. The texture is somewhat like water with a slight oily feel to it. I used 4 to 5 drops morning and night in the summer months. To be honestly I didn't really feel any boost in terms of moisture and it didn't really repair my skin condition. It kept my face from being dry but then it was humid in the summer months anyway. Won't be buying another one.


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Shiseido Revital Night Essence (around HK$600)

I like all of the Shisedo Revital products. Period. I used this essence together with the line's toner, emulsion, lotion and night cream and my skin condition and elasticity improved drastically over the course of 2 weeks. When I woke up each morning my face shined with radiance. Highly recommended.

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Aquamoist by Juju Comestics (HK$100)

An essence used only at night, it's main ingredient is hydraulic acid. It has a very thick consistency so one to two drops is more then enough. It does preserve moisture overnight but only if you put another essence underneath first. Pretty good value for what you get.

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Cellex-C essence set (HK$780)

I bought the set because I wanted to give hydra 5 B complex a try. The set has two serums: the high-potency serum is for day and night and the hydra 5 B is for night time only.

The high potency serum is brown in color and had a very pungent smell...kind of like rotten orange peel (not that I know what rotten orange peel smells like). I gagged at times in the morning, especially when I had a hangover.

The hydra 5 B complex feels like a liquid gel and it doesn't smell at all. The set didn't really help my skin drastically and the smell of the brown serum was very over-powering. I am glad they are all gone.

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Cell Shock Cellular Ampoules

I forgot how much the set is but it comes with 8 small bottles and each lasts a little more than a week. I love the tangling feeling, somehow it feels like it's penetrating. I use one when I need a booster and it does help correct problematic skin condition. I bring one with me when I go diving and my face never gets dry. Magic!

paper mask marathon

Guerlain's Super Aqua Mask (around US$100/6 pcs). Very rich and creamy it brings instant relief to sensitive and dry skin. I don't usually like fragrance but I don't find the strong floral mask offensive at all. In fact it's rather relaxing. While I like its soothing and moisturising properties I think it's way too expensive. With that price I expect more corrective features.

*****

O Hui whitening mask (US$80/7 pcs). I don't normally go for whitening products (working hard to keep my tan!) but the sales girl convinced me that the mask will only even skin tone and that its moisturising effect is excellent - I was sold.

The mask has an interesting texture: it's like a piece of membrane - kind of freaky. It does what it claims and my face always feels very plump and smooth after. I don't notice any whitening effect but my face seems brighter for sure. Will consider buying another box again.

*****

Assorted paper masks (US$1/piece) from Korea from the shops Tony Moly and Innisfree. I love the price tag but I have to say they don't really do anything drastic in terms of performance. They are not bad as a day-to-day maintenance but don't expect a t0tal switch-around. The cut and paper texture are generally pretty good with all of these.

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Tony Moly's Ginseng Mask (US$1). Granted it didn't deliver miracles, but my face felt moisturised and it was radiating immediately after. The effects however didn't last too long (1 day maybe?) but I am guessing continuous use would probably give a better result. Too bad I didn't buy more while I was in Seoul!

*****

SKII's Signs Dual Treatment Stretch Mask (around US$100/6 pcs). It works. The mask fits quite nicely and skin feels nourished and repaired after. I don't really notice the tightening and lifting effects as it claims but the overall result is pretty good. However given the price and performance I think I would go for its Treatment Mask instead - Treatment Mask is slightly cheaper and it's just as good (if not better).

*****

Olay's Total Effect (US$17/5pcs). One of my favourites. The stretch makes fitting perfect and no more wrinkly paper folds! It leaves skin nourished but I have yet to see its de-wrinkling effect yet. I am very happy with how my skin feels after though and this is my 3rd box! Will keep on buying.

sugar scrub face-off

Yet another find in Seoul: black sugar scrub (US$7/100ml). I don't even know what black sugar is but it looks remarkably like brown sugar. The scrub is in a dry paste and water should be added to avoid too much friction. While the grains are so much bigger than the Fresh version (see below) they actually melt away while you scrub. I guess this way at least you know when to shop scrubbing. I think its exfoliating effect is much better than normal scrubs and I love the sweet sugar smell. I wonder if you can get the same effect by using real brown sugar?

Fresh Sugar Face Polish (around US$60/100ml). The grains are so much finer and it has a somewhat oily base. It smells very nice too and is excellent in exfoliating also. I don't think it's worth almost 10 times the price to the Innifree scrub though. The winner: Innisfree definitely!

Etude House Black Head Sauna Balm

There must have been 1000s of Etude House dotted around Seoul. The layout of the shops is similar to Body Shop but it's pink and cute and full of teenagers. While the skincare and body products looked too young for me I was intrigued by the blackhead sauna balm and its finger tip silicon.

Here's a close-up on the silicon "finger gloves". As fine as the little probes are I didn't think they'd be small enough for pores. At US$8 per set I was prepared to take a chance though.

The balm has a lemon scene and the lemon oil is supposed to dissolve blackheads and purge pores with no irritating friction. In theory it's pressing all my buttons. The reality (after 1 use) is not quite so drastic. In fact I didn't notice any difference with the before and after. The balm heats up a little when massaged but that's it. My quest for pore-cleaning products will continue.

Enprani Lastian & Super Aqua

Enprani was on my to-try list after I spoke to my friend P. When I got to Seoul it took me a while to find it, but it was somewhat rewarding when the salesgirls gave it their thumbs up when I compared it with other brands in the shop.

The #1 seller seemed to be the Super Aqua line. I immediately decided to get the water mask (US$38). After 3 uses so far and I have to say the moisture replenishing effect is average. It forms a thin film on skin when it dries and it's not penetrating like some of the other masks I tried. I would put it in the better-than-nothing category: good for daily maintenance and not for emergency.

When I saw the Lastian serum (US$120) with "retinol x 8" on the bottle I had to buy it. I have a weak spot when it comes to retinol.

The texture is a little too greasy (similar to the Isa Knox Double Effect Series) and it takes a little massaging to have it all absorbed. A drag. And as most Korean skincare products there are at least 4 layers to put on: lotion, emulsion, serum, then cream. After almost 3 weeks of use I have yet to see an anti-wrinkle effect. My skin feels softer and plump though.

My purchases came with a whole bag of free gifts! The joy of shopping in Korea. There are 3 tubes of face wash, Super Aqua paper masks, Super Aqua lotion, emulsion and cream in trial size.

I lam particularly impressed with the paper mask. With gel serum it pumps moisture and even out complexion all in 15 mins. Highly recommended!

The Super Aqua lotion and emulsion are quite refreshing. Unlike the Lastian line they are non-greasy and go on very easily. Very light in texture they don't add weight to the skin despite the 4-layer ritual. I wish I have got more of the stuff!

face mask marathon

I've been trying a lot of new masks and here's the summary.

Swiss Line Force Vitale Reviving Oxygen Mask (HK$518/50ml)I absolutely love this moisture mask. Once on it gives this tingling sensation for a few minutes. It feels very penetrating indeed. Leave on for 15 mins and after the skin is refreshed, awaken and hydrated. The complexion is instantly brighter! Will buy it again.

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Valmont Renewing Pack, Cellular Anti-stress Face Treatment (HK$430/30ml)I bought a trial size because I didn't want to shell out 900 big ones for something I'm not familiar with. I was warned that the mask is tingly (and in some cases it might even sting) but the sensation should go away in a few minutes. Well when I tried it for the first time it was almost painful, like a heated pain but then surely it went away in a few minutes. Although my skin feels softer after the result is not as noticeable as the Swiss Line mask. The sales girl said I should use it every other day but I am too stingy to be using it quite so often.

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Apivita Deep Cleasing Face Mask with Green Argile (HK$280/12 packets) To this day I have not yet found a mask which cleanses properly. This green argile is not outstanding at all but at least it doesn't dry my skin up. The Apivita individual packaging is good for travelling too. Before I find another good cleansing mask I will buy this again for sure (this is my 2nd box).

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Apivita Firming face Mask with Grape Seed (HK$280/12 packets)One of my favourite masks - my 4th box. When you put the mask on you must gently press on the seeds until they burst in order for the mask to work. The result is not so much of firming to be honest, but the skin is very soft and moisturised. It glows. What more can you ask for?

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Apivita Instant Lifting Mask with Red Wine (HK$280/12 packets) You can tell I kept trying this Apivita stuff. I really like the individual packing because it feels fresh and I can't say it enough times that it's excellent for travelling!

I will be blunt here: I don't like the red wine mask at all because it smells so boozy. I felt nauseous the whole time I had it on. My face didn't feel lifted either. Basically it didn't seem to do anything. Not recommended.

Lunasol

One should never go in a department store 'just to browse'. I made a mistake the other day as I was looking for a face contour highlighter (sounds pro doesn't it) but ended up with something totally unrelated. Well at least it is useful (or that's what I'm trying to tell myself).

This is the Lunasol base for eyelids. Have you ever had your eyeshadows running on your lids? Fading? Creasing? Falling on your cheeks while you blink? Well this base can help you. Once applied it corrects the different tones on the lids. The powder eyeshadow then glides on easily, like on a silk canvas. The colours are also more true and notable with the lighter shades. Best of all it helps keep the makeup on all day, even on a hot day. What more can you ask for?

The sales girl wasn't going to let me off with just the base. Truth be told I was deeply intrigued by the eyeshadows before I laid eyes on the base anyway. There are 2 things that are worth noting. One my lids don't look puffy with the pinkish colour somehow. Wow. The other wow factor is the silver colour glitters. When applied with finger in dabbing motions at the end over the shadow, it adds so much....subtle bling (ha! My first oxymoron I came up with).

Avaiable at all Kanebo shops.

Deep cleansing - NOT!

As a face-mask addict the search for cleansing masks is eternal and so far not too much luck. Time for some bitchin'.

There was so much hype with the launch of Natura Bisse my cousin E and I practically raced to the counter to empty our wallets. Between the two of us we tried 4 products (all masks) and I have to say everything we tried was mediocre at best. I should have stopped buying any more but once again I fell victim to the evil marketing tactics again and decided to give this cleansing mask a try.
Well most of the cleansing masks I tried tend to feel a little dry afterwards and I can totally accept that. One always needs to use a moisturising mask right after anyway. This particular mask though..I don't even know where to begin. It's so dry that it STRIPED my skin! The bits on the side of my nose were peeling despite the deep moisturising mask which followed. My very first in my mask career.

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The Isa Knox hot-and-cold pack has all the right jargon. The hot one "opens pores", "purify", and "clean". It heats up once it goes on and with the circular rubbing motion it will draw impurities out. Truth be told it draws suckers like me in more than anything else. The warming sensation is nothing more than a novelty. I did not feel any cleansing property the two times I used it.

The cold pack is a piece of silicone film which is supposed to refine and condition the cleaned pores. It sucks even more than hot pack. First of all it's really dry, with no more than 3 drops of liquid all together - I can probably squeeze more juice out of my ipod skin.

Then there's the shape. How the heck are you supposed to fit that on your face? When I finally figured out that the mask would just cover my nose and half my cheeks I was even more annoyed. What about the rest of the face? The forehead? The chin? Do we not have pores on those places?

Bye bye wrinkles

The lines around my eyes were hopeless. I gave up the search for an eye gel/cream long long ago. Nothing I used helped, even though they all claim to do a whole list of things. I was lucky if the product did so much as keeping my lids from being dry. No chance on other corrective properties. Then I discovered the power of Retino.
The Shiseido Revital Wrinklelift AA can be used anywhere on the face including the eye area. I started using the trial tube about a month ago and believe it or not the lines around my eyes have somehow started to disappear! I still have lines of course but I am certain that the situation is getting less dreadful. Maybe I won't need Botox afterall!

moisture boost

For those who know me I am hopelessly addicted to face masks. I will try anything when it comes face masks. In my book there are two types of masks: very good ones for emergency and 'first-aid" uses, and maintenance ones (read: useless, might-as-well-use-it crap). Either way I rotate the use of them all pretty much on a daily basis and here is a little review on the stuff I got from my last quest.

I was always interested in the Zensation Intensive Hydromask but there hadn't been a strong enough motive to go out to get one (the poor marketing people). Then I came across this promotion: basically when you buy the hydration mask (HK$580) you get a normal-size moisture cream (HK$635) as a gift ! I ran to the shop the moment I got into town!
The mask is white in color and with a hint of calming lavender smell. It doesn't look very creamy but it glides on nicely and it can be easily spread to a thin layer.

The first time I tried it I really didn't know what to expect, other than the normal moisture boost. My face felt dewy and supple right after, but then most semi-decent masks would do just that. Then I noticed something strange during the day. When I looked in the mirror I noticed this unusual glow! Why did I look better then usual? (I know I am vain.) I thought maybe I had a good night sleep but I kind of suspect it was the mask. I gave it another week and tried it again for the second time. Surely the glow came back once again! Wow! To bad it only lasted a day. :-(
I will try the face cream when I have time (right now I'm still on my Shiseido Revital program). Too bad the mask is so pricey (the tub is only 50g!). It was acceptable with the promotion (with the free face cream) but I don't think I will buy another one on its own. For this price range I think I will go for the Swissline Cell Shock Lifting Replenishing Mask (HK$585 for 50g also). At least the effects last a little longer.

*****
Somehow Guinot products always seem professional to me. I guess I got the impression from seeing them ever so often at spas and beauty salons (ah! the power of marketing). I was more than happy to be able to try the Nutrition Confort mask with a special offer (2 tubes of Guinot masks for HK$500). I know my husband would ask why I would be "happy" when I'm giving my money away. Oh well.

The mask has a cream clay texture but it's almost oily with the essential oil in it. It smells of thyme and something almost minty- very soothing indeed. I tried it a couple of times and I really liked the moisture effect of the essential oil. The smell is instantly relaxing and it feels therapeutic almost...like it's working deep into my skin. Will buy it again.

*****
The Estee Lauder Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Gel mask (HK$270) unfortunately falls into my maintenance category. I didn't really expect it to work too well (never had too much luck with Estee Lauder products) but I thought I would give it a try because I did like its Advance Night Repair fluid. Well, The mask is a disappointment. To put it nicely lets say I couldn't tell any difference at all after using it. I suppose it can't make things worse if I keep using it. I was going to try the Multi-Level Moisture Cream Gel but I guess I can bin the idea.

*****

The Chanel Hydration Mask (HK$350) turns out to be a flop as well. I could feel an allergy coming just smelling the stuff. It says on the leaflet that one should indulge and relax with the fragrance but I find it challenging to do so. Once I had it on the smell is just so artificial it was intruding. Maybe it was psychological but I could almost feel a warm itchy sensation on my skin. I didn't get any allergic reactions from it though (I used it about 3 times so far) but it didn't really do much to my skin. Should have known. Chanel skincare? What was I thinking?

Magic

Magic product #1

Another Menard product I am going to rave about. The Colex ex collagen serum (around HK$1250, 10% off ). I have been using it for a week and my pores have almost all disappeared!! I know doctors will tell you collagen cannot be absorbed into your skin, but something in this little bottle is working, whatever it is. Maybe we just won't need Botox in the future after all. The gel/cream texture is easy to glide on, and is absorbed within 10 seconds. Immediately your skin will feel hydrated and supple. After a week the firming effect will reduce the appearance of pores and also contour the face. Magic!

Magic product #2

I am a sucker whenever I see the terms "pore refining", "AHA", "peel", "collagen", "deep cleansing", well, and the list goes on.



In this instance I opened my wallet and begged them to take my money when I saw "pore refining peel" "advanced solution" on the bottle! It promises the world in just 5 minute's time. It claims to deep cleanse + peel + pore refining all at once. Woohoo!

Goes on as a mask, you might feel a tingly sensation as the AHA works your skin. After 5 mins you may scrub your face with a little water (there are beads in the mask) to remove the dead skin before you rinse off.

I have been using it once a week for about 2 months. My skin feels refreshed and renewed afterwards (like a good scrub - but unlike scrub it doesn't leave your skin dry), although I have yet to see the pore refining property it claims it has.

It is not a bad product to try as you don't have to break the bank this time (HK$250). Mind you I always thought Neutrogena products are cheaper?

Now the word LAME might come to mind as you may ask why would I call this product magic when it is just a scrub?

Well the magic actually happened on my hands. After our week-long dive trip my hands were just dry beyond help. I tried scrubbing + hand cream but the back of my hands were actually WRINKLY. I decided to be extravagant (it was an emergency situation you know) and used the Neutrogena peeling mask on my hands. I was amazed at the result!!! All the dry lines and wrinkles were gone and they felt smooth for the first time. Magic!

Baby's Bum

Imagine your face as smooth as a baby's bum? Well this product can help you. Goes on dry, this peeling gel will help you take off the dead skin you accumulate in the dry winter weather. Massage in circular motion on cleaned and dry skin until you see white flakes come off like "eraser rubbing". Touch Skin. Admire the smoothness. Put hydrating mask on. Wash off. Admire once more your glowing complexion. Continue regular beauty routines.

Menard vs Menard

Recently I became a big fan of Menard skincare products. We started off using the Beauness Lotion and it has become my best friend ever since. I use it most days as a 'pre-toner' (only women my age would be using a pre-toner as well as a toner together), but it can also be used as a face mask - a fast and effective way to replenish moisture after your air travel. Soak up a paper mask with the lotion and 3 mins later - total transformation! It is also very good in getting rid of spots and ance. If you have a break-out or can feel one coming up, dab some Beauness on a piece of cotton and leave it on the skin for 3 mins. Repeat as many times as you can during the day. The spot will often disappear before you know it!

I am also a big fan of the Herb Mask. Again it's a 1-minute mask which you can quickly put on and wash off while your husband bitches at you to hurry up. It was my savior when we had a sailing trip back in the summer.

When we moved to Shanghai last year, I quickly discovered that Menard has a Chinese production line with a whole different range of products. The prices are at least 1/3 of its Japanese counterpart. As we all know being a middle-age woman I simply can not say no to a discount.

The tub on the left is the Japanese version of the herb mask and the one on the right Chinese.

The Japanese version (HK$560) has got 3 types of beads incorporated in the mask. As you put it on you gently massage it for 30 seconds and the orange and green beads will 'melt' into your skin. Leave it on for another 30 seconds and you have yourself a soft and radiant face.

The Chinese version (RMB$150) has only the green beads. You spread it on and wait for 5 mins before you gently scrub your T-zone before rinsing. Again your face will feel moisturised and refreshed afterwards.

Would I buy the Japanese version again? I guess for its 1-minute property I will have to reluctantly reach into my wallet again. I would like to know if there are any other fast-acting minute mask though!