My K-Beauty Gateway Drug: Sheet Masks

In case it wasn’t obvious in my last post, I am obsessed with sheet masks. Sheet masks were my gateway drug into my budding Korean skincare addiction, and while I have since expanded my interests, I still get as giddy trying out a new one as I when I tried my first.

What’s not to love? First, they’re cheap. Most sheet masks range from PHP 60-120. Second, they’re really, really, really good for your face. Sheet masks are soaked in concentrated essences infused with skin care favorites like hyarulonic acid, fermented honey extract, propolis, or snail secretion filtrate (SSF). The cloth mask helps ensure that the essence does not evaporate into thin air and is instead absorbed by your skin. And the last reason to love sheet masks is that there’s something for everyone and every skin complaint. One brand alone has probably two or three dozen kinds, so everyone will definitely find one to address every skin situation and a few that their skin will absolutely love.

Which brings me to my favorite masks from the variety I’ve tried so far. These masks are now part of my regular rotation and are the constants in my ever expanding mask pile.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Mask Pack
This might be my favorite mask of them all, in terms of immediately obvious results. When I took off the first one I tried, I actually went “Ooooooooooohh!” My skin was noticeably brighter, more even, and, if this makes any sense at all, calmer. That’s likely to do with the high concentration of SSF, the second ingredient in the list. It’s followed by a host of other things good for your skin like hyarulonic acid, arbutin, and aloe leaf extract. I got my box of 10 via Amazon, but the masks are now locally available from The Skincare Curator.

Etude House I Need You, Honey! Mask Sheet
First of all, I feel the need to clarify that I am NOT Etude House’s target customer. It still freaks me out when I get greeted with “Welcome, princess!” every time I step into a store. But my dearest Lady Snails convinced me to give their masks a try. I chose their honey mask since it was labeled as “Richly Moisturizing” and I needed to amp up my moisture for the cold weather for my trip to Europe. I knew it was risky trying something for the first time while I was out of town, not the ideal time and place for a possible allergic reaction, but my stubbornness paid off. The mask delivered on its promise to “richly moisturize” my mug. It didn’t come with the usual clear essence, but with a thick, white cream. It was a little sticky on the mask, but didn’t leave my face icky. Instead, it left my skin smooth and very, very moisturized up until the next morning. I actually felt bad  washing off any residual goodness from the mask when I cleansed.

Tony Moly Pureness 100 Hyarulonic Acid Mask Sheet
When I was still new to all these “exotic” ingredients (I still am, actually), I was confused as to how an acid could provide hydration. I’ve since educated myself on the matter, of course, and slap on this mask whenever I feel that my skin needs a boost of moisture. The first few times I’ve used this mask, I could still feel the effects of it two days after I’ve applied it.

Tony Moly Pureness 100 Snail Mask Sheet
Now what’s a list of sheet masks without a snail one? If I had to pick one specific sheet mask that opened up the world of Korean beauty products to me, it would be this one. There are probably better snail masks out there (the Benton one, for instance), but this was the product that got me over my intial “ewwwwww, snails, yuck!” reaction to the use of SSF. It’s pushed me headlong into the world of Korean skin care with its snails, bees, rice, and donkey milk (although I haven’t taken the plunge with that last one), to the infinite improvement of my skin, so it will always hold a special place in my sheet mask pile. As for the mask itself, my skin feels soothed and calmed after application.

I may well find better versions of these masks as I keep hoarding and trying sheet masks that tickle my fancy. But for now, these are my go-to masks, the ones that helped improved my skin since I decided to take my skincare seriously.

And I really, really, REALLY want to know. What are your favorite sheet masks? Any ones I should track down like a crazy person and try?