Sephora is kind of killing it right now when it comes interesting sheet masks. Yes, some are awesome while some are duds, but all have been featured in such a way that I am utterly fascinated and HAVE to experience them! The three newest masks to the Sephora Collection are the Peeling, Freezing and 2 in 1 Oil Mask - all of which seemed too cool to miss out and I am SURE you all have been dying to find out what they are all about!
Some PR samples
The Peeling Mask*
This is a 3 minute chemical peel using a cocktail of fruit acids to refine skin texture, even skin tone and brighten complexion. Someone asked me once if I knew of any exfoliating sheet masks and I responded that it would be a challenge to make one that was strong enough to make a significant impact because the acid would literally eat up the actual sheet mask! When I saw this mask, I wondered what acids would be used because glycolic acid is commonly used in AHA treatments, but is VERY aggressive so generally lactic acid is a nice option for daily chemical exfoliation and is one of the acids featured in this mask!
I did test the pH of the essence with litmus paper and it was between a 5-6 so keeping in mind that pure water has a pH of 7, this isn't too acidic which is probably why the sheet mask hadn't disintegrated. The mask was also reaaally hard to unfold because the material was very smooth and plush while being quite thin. This mask could have used a plastic barrier to make application go more smoothly, but I understand wanting to reduce on waste as well.
Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum (Fragrance), Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), Tocopherol
Mask Summary:
Price: $9 CDN
Scent: Citrus
Essence Type: Slightly watery
Duration: 3 minutes! This is a fast one!
Thickness: Thin
Mask Fit: Good with big eye holes so that acid essence does not get in your eyes!
Tackiness: None because you need to rinse this mask off
Brightness: A little brighter, but not a massive difference
For the price and the amount of work involved (unfolding the mask and adjusting it), I would go with a serum or AHA treatment that is in bottle form. A sheet mask feels almost inefficient if a good peel is really what you are after!
The 2 in 1 Oil Mask
It took me awhile to figure out what this mask did because in Asian skincare, there are such things as oil masks and they are like regular sheet masks, but with an oil-based essence for an extra boost of hydration. Initially, that's what I thought this mask was, but I was very wrong! This is a one minute microfibre mask for CLEANSING. This is a mask soaked in a thick and actually quite moisturizing oil cleanser that you leave on for a blink of an eye for a crazy $8/use! Please just get an oil cleanser instead and save your money! The only positive thing I will admit about this mask is that my skin DID feel very soft afterwards, but again there are so many great cleansing oils and balms, especially in the Kbeauty world, that will do this for you!
Ingredients: Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquicaprylate, Hydrogenated C6-14 Olefin Polymers, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Parfum (Fragrance), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil
Mask Summary:
Price: $8 CDN
Scent: Kind of herbal
Essence Type: Oil
Duration: 1-2 minutes (I left in for at least minutes so that I could feel like I was getting my money's worth and then did a nice little face massage with the oil which was fairly thick.)
Thickness: Unwieldy and thick
Mask Fit: Refused to lie flat
Tackiness: N/A as this mask was a wash-off mask
Hydration: Good! Skin felt supple upon rinsing
The Freezing Mask*
This was my favourite mask of the trio and is a blue hydrogel mask containing eucalyptus and menthol to give an instant cooling effect! Though this mask is for most skin types, I would probably stay away from this if you have sensitive skin. This is a no-rinse mask, but the only real skincare benefits are some temporary tightening and firming action and a hint of moisture. It does smell really good though and was so refreshing to use during our heat wave!
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Gum, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, CI 42090 (Blue 1), Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Potassium Chloride, Polyacrylate-13, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), Phenyl Trimethicone, Allantoin, Menthyl PCA, Sucrose, Polyisobutene, Fragrance, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Water, Menthol, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Hydroxide
Mask Summary:
Price: $9 CDN
Scent: Minty!
Essence Type: Light and minimal so nothing was dripping
Duration: 10 minutes (I left this mask on for 15 min because it just felt so nice)
Thickness: Average hydrogel
Mask Fit: Good, but may have been better if the mask was split into two parts
Tackiness: Light
Hydration: Actually good!
Final verdict: Out of all of these masks, the only one I would want to use again is the Freezing Mask. It was refreshing, smelled of one of my favourite scents and surprisingly left my skin feeling comfortably hydrated. The other two, while a unique concept, were just far too expensive to be used regularly and you would be better off just purchasing a bottle of an AHA treatment and an oil cleanser!
You can find the Sephora Collection Sheet Masks in all Sephora stores and at www.sephora.com
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