SKINCARE | b.liv Immerse Me Utmost Moisture Original Japan Silk Mask Review

Asian skincare is dominating the North American market and I could not be happier to find my favourites in the aisles of Sephora and in Asian cosmetics stores downtown. I wouldn't say that I necessarily stay on top of Asian beauty trends, but I have been following Singaporean bloggers for the last 5 years and reading about what's hot and happening in Asia. Back then, all of it was so incredibly foreign that I remember having to order Asian beauty products from obscure online shops. When the Malaysian-based brand b.liv (my home country!) reached out for a collaboration, I was thought, "Where have I seen this brand before?" and I realized that their parent company is Cellnique, a more "medically-targeted" line that I had read about.

b.liv already has some hero products, mainly targeting blackheads and pores as the foundation of the brand rests on "pore management solutions". The packaging and website feel fun and youthful with product names such as "Off With Those Heads" and "Feel No Sluggish" to give you a bit of a laugh! I was sent a few things to try, but based on my skincare needs for the last month, I wanted some moisture! The Immerse Me Utmost Moisture Original Japan Silk Mask* ($2.50 USD each) was introduced in 2011 and provides skin with a massive dose of hydration with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and cogongrass extract, known for imparting immediate and lasting hydration.

Though it says that this mask is for extreme dryness, I think any skin type will enjoy this mask. I wasn't sure what to expect with "Japanese Silk", but the mask feels soft and almost spongy. The scent of the essence is pleasantly neutral and I used Ms. PBunnieP's tip of soaking the packet in warm water so that the mask wasn't cold when it touched my skin. I can't be the only that equates the initial coldness of applying ANY mask to the ripping of the first wax strip when getting a Brazilian!

After 20-30 minutes, I removed the mask and my skin was a bit sticky, but SUPER bouncy and soft. I actually hopped into the shower and noticed that my skin was not dry even after rinsing off with water! My skin did not feel tight like it normally does when coming out of the shower and I barely needed much moisturizer!

Don't I look beautiful?

Final verdict: This mask did surprise me in that my skin STAYED hydrated even after having a shower where my face was in the water! The Japanese silk texture felt a little more plush than the conventional sheet mask and seemed to hold quite a bit more essence as well. I was worried that this brand would be hard to get a hold of, but b.liv offers free worldwide shipping on all purchases $50+ which let's face it shoppers, is pretty easy to get to!

Available at http://www.bliv.com