The world of skincare has significantly changed within the past few years. I may be behind with the trends, but I thought I would give one challenge a try. Have I become addicted to skin care? Find out below!
Hot off the press: soft skin!
09 June - 18 July, 2020
Back in April, when quarantine season began, I cleaned my bathroom, where I found a few skincare products I've been saving for some time. Turns out, I've collected a number of sheet masks. From Disney to Thai monsters, there was a sheet mask in every category imaginable. So I started to use these sheet masks, and found them to be quite relaxing - however, I was using them every night.
Curious to know whether using a sheet mask every night had its benefits, I did some research. What I found out was basically this: it depends on the sheet mask. Moisturizing sheet masks are okay, but brightening or tightening masks are not recommended for every day use. I searched on YouTube for more answers, when one challenge caught my attention:
30 Days for beautiful skin? Sign me up!
Based on Euniunni's results, I wanted to see whether I could have glowing skin like her. So I bought all of the products mentioned in the video and performed the challenge on myself. Thinking the order would take some time to arrive, I could use my remaining masks - my package arrived about a week after I placed the order. Now that's fast delivery!
After a few months of using my remaining sheet masks, I was ready to dive into this challenge. Coming from South Korea, Beauty of Joseon has their Cantella Asiatica Calming Mask. Cantella Asiatica is a common ingredient found in South Korean skincare products, which reduces the redness of skin, leaving your face feeling refreshed and moisturized - let's see where things go.
I also got the Pure Cloud Bubble Toner, which was recommended to use before the sheet mask. When I opened the box, there were a few surprises inside. Originally, I bought 30 sheet masks, but the company added a bonus one - it now became a 31 Day Challenge. There was also a few samples inside the box, but I'll talk about that later on in the post.
Initial thoughts on the packaging: minimal, yet appealing. The colour tones are simple, and has an organic feel. I especially love the transparency of the products, it shows they have nothing to hide.
Pretty in pastels
Clean and clear
With a washed face, I was ready to get rejuvenated. Starting off with the Bubble Toner, I placed three dollops on my face: forehead, cheek, and neck. I felt a tingle on my face, with a stinging emphasis around the area of my mouth - perhaps my skin has gotten sensitive where I shave.
After the bubbles settled, it was time to put on the Calming Mask. There may be one mask inside each packet, but there was a lot of serum inside... not to worry, I placed the rest on my body. Once on my face, the sheet left a cooling sensation on my face. Thin and light, these masks felt like a second layer of skin - some people didn't even see the mask when I shared photos.
Aiming for the glass skin texture
For 15-20 minutes each night, I let my face absorb that serum while I browsed on my phone, laid on my bed, and on certain occasions, passed out? Despite my own faults, I managed to capture each day through a photo timeline. Keep in mind, all photos were taken before I applied the sheet mask to see how each day progressed.
Days 01 - 10
After the first ten days, I felt my skin getting softer. I would say that it was pleasant to treat my face with a sheet mask. Before, I would usually go to bed without even washing my face - this was a good change.
Between these ten days, I wanted to try the complimentary sample. Not knowing much about cleansing balms, I wanted to see how effective they worked; so I used a sunscreen that looked like foundation that day. The Radiance Cleansing Balm was soft on my skin, and warmed up nicely as I continued to apply. Only using YouTube videos as a reference, I cleansed my face twice, and honestly, that butter packet had enough product to clean your face three times!
It may be a while for me to add a cleansing balm to my routine - I would have to do more research to see if it suits me. Perhaps I'll incorporate a balm during colder seasons? If anything, using a cleansing balm would be an excuse to massage my face.
Small and mighty cleaning agent
Days 11 through 20 was where I broke my streak. I missed Day 12, and that wouldn't be the only night. In total, I missed a total of eight days, but I don't think my skin was affected from those delays. Do not be fooled by the picture from Day 11 - I left my phone at work, and took that picture with an old phone.
Days 11 - 20
Coming to the end of this challenge, I used less Bubble Toner, and went a little over the recommended leave on time, with some days ranging between two to six hours - I had to linger the final moments with the last sheet masks. I was more surprised that I managed to sleep with a mask on without moving around in bed. If you want to leave your sheet mask on for a longer period, just remove it when it starts to feel dry.
During the final 11 days, I got a bump on my nose; I think it was a zit. Having a longer nose did compare to the pain of getting serum in my left eye (happened more than expected), but it did go down by the end of this challenge... Perhaps that's the benefit of Centella Asiatica?
Days 21 - 31
After a collective 31 days, here are my thoughts: while there were not many physical differences, my face felt great every morning. There were some day where I felt hesitant washing my face, fearing that my face would dry up with my morning routine. The recovery period from scars and bruises (in this case, a zit) went by quickly, which was a great outcome. In addition, the serum made the rest of my skin feel smooth.
Before vs After
Getting into the habit of a night skincare routine have shown some great benefits for my face. However, there were some days where I would directly go to bed and skip my routine - those lead to not so pleasant mornings. Despite missed days, the difference of using a mask once a week to every day has lead to better skin (even if the results are subtle). With the summer season coming through, I feel like my skin can conquer all the sunblock I constantly apply on my face.
Would I do this challenge again? Perhaps when I have the funds to purchase these sheet masks again. Retail price for one sheet mask is reasonably priced (about $2.30 USD), but I would like to explore other options. If you would like to purchase these sheet masks, visit the Beauty of Joseon to get your own. Until then, I'll be on the journey for that glass skin complexion.
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