Get ready for some bonus sheet mask reviews as my theme for this month is #SooaeSeptember! I had purchased a number of their masks on my last Walmart trip sometime in 2019 and fully intended to use them that year, but surprise, surprise, I got distracted with other sheet masks! This year I fully intend on making more of dent in not just my sheet mask stash, but in my overall beauty stash as I focus more on contributing financially to my Emergency Fund, RRSPs and TFSA. I also have some big car and house expenses coming up this Fall so with the exception of the Natasha Denona Glam Palette and one more Chromium eyeshadow, I have no immediate plans for anymore beauty purchases. It will need to be either a REALLY good sale or an absolute must-have product (which I realize is all relative)!
Soo'Ae (pronounced "soo-eh") is an affordable Korean skincare brand with a focus on tradition and science found exclusively at Walmart in Canada. They are cruelty-free and moving towards sustainable and/or biodegradable packaging. I have had a few people tell me how wasteful sheet masks are as they are one-time use with packaging that cannot be recycled and that is something I feel guilty about, but the entire beauty world is honestly one of consumption so it's not just sheet masks that fall into this wasteful category. I do my best to be kind the planet in other ways and if you really want to get dirty with the argument, not flying for work or for wanderlusting is a HUGE factor in decreasing your carbon footprint. Anyway, I digress only to say that Soo'Ae is a drugstore brand that aims to be kinder to the environment.
The first trio of masks I tried were from the vegan Hanbang Collection which are formulated with a blend of 10 traditional herb extracts and without phthalates. Each of these sheet masks is also biodegradable so into the compost they went after I finished using them! The masks were also all very soft and held essence well. All of three masks looked the same so I only took one mask selfie which is shown at the very end.
The first trio of masks I tried were from the vegan Hanbang Collection which are formulated with a blend of 10 traditional herb extracts and without phthalates. Each of these sheet masks is also biodegradable so into the compost they went after I finished using them! The masks were also all very soft and held essence well. All of three masks looked the same so I only took one mask selfie which is shown at the very end.
Collagen Hanbang Mask: Rejuvenating and Firming
In addition to the 10 traditional herbs, this collagen mask is also formulated with adenosine, green tea extract and collagen extract. I figured this mask would be extremely hydrating and it was! I actually found it really tacky, but I was still able to go to bed fairly comfortably.
Mask Summary Collagen:
Price: $6 CDN
Skin concerns: Lack of firmness, needing rejuvenation
Scent: Like warm cotton
Essence Type: Lightly viscous, clear. When massaging it in, the essence has a bit of a jelly glide.
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Thickness: Not super thin, but still thin enough to feel like a second skin.
Mask Fit: Very good! No chin goatee.
Tackiness: High
Hydration: Really good, but the tackiness made it hard to enjoy.
Other notes: N/A
Cica Hanbang Mask: Soothing and Calming
This Cica mask is a blend of the 10 herbal extracts, centella asiatica (cica), green tea extract and aloe to soothe and hydrate skin. This was my favourite of the three as it was the least tacky while still being incredibly hydrating and firming.
Mask Summary Cica:
Price: $6 CDN
Skin concerns: Soothing, irritated skin
Scent: Like warm cotton
Essence Type: Lightly viscous, clear. When massaging it in, the essence has a bit of a jelly glide.
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Thickness: Not super thin, but still thin enough to feel like a second skin.
Mask Fit: Very good! No chin goatee.
Tackiness: Medium
Hydration: Good. No additional moisturizer needed.
Other notes: N/A
Hyaluronic Hanbang Mask: Hydrating and Moisturizing
Like the other two masks, the Hyaluronic Acid Mask has the 10 herb extracts as well as mineral-rich sea water, sodium hyaluronate, allantoin and centella asiatica. In terms of ingredients list, I felt like this mask was a bit of a fusion between the Collagen and Cica. This mask was THE MOST hydrating of them all, but it was so sticky on my skin that I actually had to remove some of it because my hair, cat fur were all sticking to me for hours after removing the mask!
Mask Summary Hyaluronic Acid:
Price: $6 CDN
Skin concerns: Lack of firmness, needing rejuvenation
Scent: Floral and powdery. Not my favourite scent.
Essence Type: Lightly viscous, clear. When massaging it in, the essence has a bit of a jelly glide.
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Thickness: Not super thin, but still thin enough to feel like a second skin.
Mask Fit: Very good! No chin goatee.
Tackiness: High
Hydration: Really good, but the tackiness made it hard to enjoy and this one I had to wipe off some of the tackiness because I felt like everything was sticking to my face.
Other notes: N/A
Final verdict: I really wanted to like this collection of masks more than I did and it may have been a combination of factors like the warmer weather and time, but I felt like these masks were a bit too hydrating for me. I have normal/dry skin so usually my skin can tolerate it, but the tackiness was too much for me. The fit, the actual mask material and the overall experience leading up to removal was enjoyable so perhaps a drier climate would be more suitable for using these masks, but I will not be repurchasing for now.
You can find the Soo'Ae Hanbang Collection at Walmart Canada or at www.sooae.ca (free shipping over $40!)
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