SANA Honeyscha

I purchased this lovely trial kit when I went to LA with my boyfriend. Since then I’ve seen this line pop up in stores in New York so I guess it’s starting to get popular? Honey is an ingredient that’s gaining  a lot of attention in skincare and many different Asian brands seem to have a line devoted to honey. I haven’t seen too many reviews for this particular line except for a sponsored post from Asia.

Anywhoo, now that I suddenly feel “inspired” to blog again, figured I would give my thoughts on the trial kit. They’re super handy for travel or at the gym, which is when I mainly use them.  The line smells absolutely delicious with a sweet honey rose fragrance that’s not overwhelming.

Honeyscha all-in-one gel has to be the most disappointing item in the line. It’s heavy and sticky. Despite using a small amount, the gel left a sticky film on my skin. Needless to say, I woke up immensely greasy.

Honeyscha cleansing gel actually looks and feels more like a cream. Well, it emulsifies into a cream and doesn’t foam up whatsoever, but also doesn’t fully remove my makeup. Surprisingly, I like it enough to consider purchasing full size because it smells wonderful and leaves my skin feeling hydrated. It’s great for gym days when I have to wash my face more than 2x a day or as a second step cleanser. Unfortunately, stores price it at around $20, which is far too much for a cleanser.

Honeyscha all-in-one serum is the amazing sister of the terrible all-in-one gel. I actually don’t understand the purpose of creating a “all-in-one” gel AND serum. Doesn’t the name imply one product covers all the bases? I suppose the serum was created as a lighter alternative for people with oily skin. Would not recommend stacking the serum and gel.

The serum was a nice moisturizer in the summer, light and doesn’t cause additional breakouts. It’s also incredibly watery, drips right off! Since I sporadically use this as part of my post-gym skincare, I can’t say whether it makes a difference in my skin. I probably would not make a full-size purchase due to the large amount of honey products on the market. This serum doesn’t stand out.

Honeyscha facial soap lathers up a light foam, but is more on the creamy side. I honestly hate bar soaps and it has a soapy smell after rinsing. While it didn’t make my skin dry, it took a while to remove the residue. Definitely would not purchase full size version, but maaan did it smell great.

Sorry, no soap pic!

Ingredients

This is the only ingredient list it came with 😦 I assume it’s for the cleansing gel. But I might be wrong! Notice, there’s alcohol listed near the bottom of the ingredient list. I’m usually sensitive to products with alcohol, however I believe it’s present in small quantities and did not cause an issue with me.

Pros

• Smells great! Honey ;3
• Hydrating, doesn’t cause breakouts

Cons

• Hard to find online for a good price
• Can’t find ingredient list
• Doesn’t stand out

Rating: 3.5/5

**I am also on Reddit and /r/asianbeauty! /u/throwawaysillypantss**

I’m From Vitamin Tree Water Gel

Hi everybody!

Happy Halloween! It’s been 2 months since I last updated. I admit, I fell out of a skincare routine for a while mainly because of horrible cystic acne. I thought I was past it, but found out since I have PCOS (hormonal disorder), I will probably be fighting this again for some time.

I’m From Vitamin Tree Water Gel

I first started using this gel moisturizer shortly before my onslaught of cystic acne. At first I thought I was reacting negatively to the gel formula, since I noticed I have a tendency to break out using gels. I used this gel around June and July, but have stopped using it since. However, my acne is still growing strong so I don’t think the acne was caused by this gel.

I know summer has passed, but just wanted to give my thoughts on the Vitamin Tree Water Gel. This was originally purchased from Wish Trend because the ingredient list boasts of a highly nutrient rich formula, with no water added. I was sold and eager to try it. It contains a high level of catechin, which is the supposedly a power antioxidant frequently sought after in green tea. Catechin is also supposed to help detoxify and soothe stressed out skin.

My skin type is oily and dehydrated, but found that only a very small amount of product is needed. Anything more than a pinch of this gel made me greasy in the summer and would take a while to absorb into my skin. With that said, only a small amount is needed each use so this will last for a long time. It also did not make my skin feel all that hydrated, possibly because of the small amount I had to use to not turn into a oil slick in the summer.

Overall, I felt disappointed by the gel. I did not notice any skin improvements in the 2 months I tried it, which is possibly hindered by the growing hormonal dysfunction in my body. It also served me poorly as a moisturizer since I had to be careful with how much I used and didn’t feel my skin was quenched. I will continue to use this as an AM moisturizer as I try to get my skin routine back on track. Hopefully, I will have an update for fall/winter usage.

Ingredients:

The full ingredients can be found here. The ingredient list sounds impressive and contains a large number of botanical goodies, as well as Niacinamide, but I didn’t notice much of an effect on my skin.

Pros:

• Lasts for a while
• Lovely ingredient list

Cons:

• Did not notice any improvements in summer
• Can take a while to absorb if accidentally use more than a pinch

Rating: 2/5

It’s Skin Green Tea Cleansing Oil & Missha Near Skin Extra Renew Liquid to Foam

It’s Skin Green Tea Cleansing Oil

I’m not sure if it was just a coincidence, but the first two times I used it I developed a new cyst each night. However, after leaving this aside for a few months and reintroducing it months I found that I no longer develop cysts from it. When I first tried it during the winter months it also dried my dehydrated/oily skin. I reintroduced it during the summer months and found it much more tolerable.

I was sad that the packaging did not provide translations of the ingredients in English, but kind of expected it. I feel better knowing what I put on my face. The consistency of the oil is a bit thin compared to Shu Uemera and DHC, but emulsified quite well. I found that I could easily just wash off the oil without residue. I still double cleanse for good measure. While I was able to get a lot of “grits” with the previous cleansing oils I tried, It’s Skin Green Tea Cleansing Oil was disappointing in comparison. I’ll get one or two a week if I’m lucky. There’s something so satisfying and addicting about getting grits that not getting much made me a bit dissatisfied with this oil cleanser.

The fragrance is moderate. When I first tried the oil cleanser, I was still recovering from fragrance free products so it hit me hard. Now several months and many AB products later, it’s not that noticeable.

Performance wise, I found it didn’t fully remove my Kat Von D Tattoo eyeliner, but easily removed my Physican’s Formula Kohl Liner (Brown) & Sephora Long Lasting Liquid Eyeliner. Even after double cleansing, the Kat Von D Tattoo liner is faintly visible. This is any okay oil cleanser, but I won’t be repurchasing. I’m about 2/3 through with the bottle, after using it almost daily for the past 2 months so a 150 ml bottle lasts about 3 months.

Kat Von D Tattoo eyeliner, Physican’s Formula Kohl Liner (Brown) & Sephora Long Lasting Liquid Eyeliner

After massaging It’s Skin Green Tea Oil Cleanser for about 30-45 seconds

After double cleansing with Missha Near Skin Extra Renew Liquid to Foam Cleanser

Pros

• Affordable

Cons

• Thin consistency
• Fragrance might be strong for sensitive skin
• Doesn’t take off sturdy eyeliner even with double cleansing

Rating: 2.5/5

Missha Near Skin Liquid to Foam Cleanser

While foam cleansers are lots of fun, I always find them to be drying. I still went for this cleanser because I felt the ingredients seemed mild and it was cheap to pick up during the Missha sale. I’m not particularly impressed or disgruntled with the performance, but I’m probably going to look for a different cleanser once it’s done. The foam is very light so I wouldn’t suggest getting this if you prefer puffs of foam overflowing on your palm.

I use it as my second step cleanser after oil cleansing and I don’t think it over dries my skin, but given that I’m oily and dehydrated at the same time, the summer months is not a good time to gauge the harshness of a cleanser. I may update this again since it’s a large bottle. I give it a lifespan of 4-5 months.

I did a quick pH test of my water (pH of 5?) as well as the cleanser and found that the cleanser’s pH is around at 5.5. It’s not miraculous, but I guess at least I can feel reassured knowing I’m not hurting my skin barrier with this cleanser.

Ingredients:

Water, TEA-Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glyceride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Onsen-Sui, Sapindus Mukurossi Fruit Extract, Yucca Vera Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Wood Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, C12-14 Hydroxyalkyl Maltitol Ether, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Dendropanax Morbifera Extract, 1-2-Hexanediol, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Polyglutamic Acid, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Cellulose Gum, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance

A quick search on Cosdna shows nothing problematic for acne or irritation.

Pros:

• Mild fragrance
• Gentle cleanser
• PH Balanced

Cons:

• None that I can tell in the summer

Rating: 3.5/5

Etude House Sheet Mask Reviews

A friend of mine helped me purchase these in HK so I think I have one of each variety. Will be drafting up the mini reviews as I go along. Originally I had planned to review each mask in the series, but fell behind since each mask didn’t seem to produce any different results. I got lazy along the way and forgot to write my reviews 😦 I’ve gone through all of the masks in the picture except for the Green Tea and Rice variety. I will be reviewing them in another post shortly 🙂 I actually like the Etude House Masks a lot more than I thought 😀 A large selling point is that they don’t make my face feel all that tacky compared to Innisfree Masks.

Etude House Korean Ginseng

The mask claims to revitalize exhausted and lifeless skin. It smells mildly of ginseng, which is different and enjoyable. This is one of the milky base masks, which doesn’t contain alcohol. There’s about 20 ml of essence, so it’s just the right amount of saturation without the excess going to waste. No acne or irritation the days following usage and my skin. It works as well as most sheet masks do, minor plumping the next day.

The sheet masks each contain 20 ml of essence, so it’s not super drippy, but well saturated. The main issue I have with these masks is that the slits for the eyes are very narrow and I have small eyes to begin with. It’s a little uncomfortable the way it’s positioned over my eyelids, rather than giving my eye area space to “breathe.” Otherwise, the sheet hugs my face pretty well.

Ingredients:

Water, butylene  glycol, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetyl ethylhexanoate, dimethicone, citrus paradisi (grapefruit extract), polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearte, panthenol, ammonium acryloydimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, xanthan gum, panax ginseng root extract, ethylhexyglycerin, sodium polyacrylate, allantoin, hydrogenated polydecene, tridceth-6, camellia sinesis leaf extract, sophora angustifolia root extract, lonicera japonica (honey suckle) flower extract, prunus persica leaf extract, paeonia albiflora root extract, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, scutellaria baicalensis root extract, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

Pros:

• Affordable
• Did not irritate skin or break me out
• Pleasant ginseng smell
• Not over saturated

Cons:

• Slit for the eyes are super annoying

Rating: 3.5/5

Etude House Pearl Mask

The package says it’s for brightening, but did not see much brightening the next day. It had a mild, pleasant fragrance which shouldn’t offend most people’s noses. One issue I had with this mask is that it contains alcohol, which I try to avoid, but a friend of mine hauled the masks for me and was nice enough to help me get one of each (I only asked for a few alcohol free ones) so this will be the first of several non-alcohol free masks. Like the Ginseng mask, this contains 20 ml of essence, has shitty slits for the eyes, but fits well otherwise.

Eh, on contact the mask stung my face for a short while. I didn’t notice any redness upon removal, but I developed little acne like bumps in the few days following this mask so I’m not impressed. But keep in mind I am somewhat sensitive to alcohol so it was actually my fault for using it.

Ingredients:

Water, butylene  glycol, glycerin, citrus paradisi (grapefruit extract), alcohol, panthenol, carbomer, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, xanthan gum, potassium hydroxide, ethyhexylgycerin, allantoin, camellia sinesis leaf extract, sophora angustifolia root extract, honeysuckle flower extract, peach leaf extract, paeonia albiflora root extract, ginkgobiloba leaf extract, scutellaria baicalensis root extract, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

However, a week later I used the Pomegranate Mask, which also contains alcohol, but my skin was fine. There’s not much difference in terms of ingredients for each mask EXCEPT this mask contains 20mg of hydrolyzed pearl.

Pros

• Affordable
• Not over saturated

Cons

• Irritated my skin & broke me out (NOTE: My skin doesn’t like alcohol that much to begin with)
• Contains alcohol

Rating: 1/5

Etude House Pomegranate Mask

The pomegranate mask is for smoothing and firming, but I think it goes without saying using this sheet mask one time isn’t going to magically make my face more firm. Either way, it’s a standard mask that I have no issues with aside for the eye slits, which I complained about in the previous 2 masks in this series.

I noticed my face was more hydrated the next morning and fortunately no irritation or new pimples after using this mask. I didn’t notice any stinging when I used it either. Maybe it’s because it’s warmer now so my oily, but dehydrated skin can tolerate the alcohol in the mask more. Or maybe my skin doesn’t like pearl powder, but is A-Okay with pomegranate extract. But seriously, if you look at the ingredients, everything is the same exact for the pearl extract. So I guess they just dump 20mg of something into the base and rename it something else!

Ingredients:

Water, butylene glycol, glycerin, citrus paradisi (grapefruit extract), alcohol, panthenol, carbomer, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, xanthan gum, punica granatum fruit extract (20mg),  potassium hydroxide, ethyhexylgycerin, allantoin, camellia sinesis leaf extract, sophora angustifolia root extract, honeysuckle flower extract, peach leaf extract, paeonia albiflora root extract, ginkgobiloba leaf extract, scutellaria baicalensis root extract, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

Pros

• Face didn’t feel that tacky after
• Didn’t irritate skin or cause breakouts

Cons

• Contains alcohol

Rating: 3/5

The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Fresh Cream

I purchased The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Fresh Cream around mid February from Jolse and have been using it ever since as my morning and night moisturizer. I was attracted to the line because of during that period of time I saw a number of posts praising The Saem and I thought why not give it a try!

I started using the moisturizer end of March or early April and have been using it consistently.
I’ve had a pretty good run with the Harakeke Fresh Cream and am actually surprised to see how fast it went. Honestly, I just started being consistent with my skincare so I had no idea how long a 60ml (2.02 fl oz) jar would last me. Since I skipped a few days here and there, I would say one jar lasts 2-3 months when used twice daily.

The floral scent is pretty strong and took a few weeks for me to adjust to, but nowadays I don’t even notice it. I was about to give up on the moisturizer because I couldn’t stand the smell after years of either not using moisturizers or using mild/unscented ones. Despite having sensitive skin, my skin did not become irritated. Those who are sensitive to smells might want to reconsider though.

The texture of the cream is light and is easily spreadable. A little actually goes a long way, but I am heavy handed so a jar can very well last up to 4 months. The cream also quickly dries matte, leaving no tackiness nor does it make me produce extra oil. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for the summer months because it wasn’t meant for any kind of oil control. It’s cool for those who don’t have oily skin though. It might be moisturizing enough to bear the toughest winter months (wouldn’t know for sure since I started using in spring), but provides ample hydration without causing any irritation and breakouts. I definitely liked this moisturizer a lot for the spring, but I will have to move on to something else for the summer.

Ingredients:

phormium tenax extract, butylene glycol, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, glyceryl sterate, PEG-100 sterate, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, cetyl alcohol, beeswax, phormium tenax seed oil, xylitylglucoside, anhydroxylitol, xylitol, panthenol, sodium polyacrylate, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, caprylyl glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, honey, disodium edta, calendula officinalis flower water, CI 19140, perfume

Checking this on Cosdna shows that the ingredients are fairly “safe,” and low on irritants, with only cetyl alcohol and beeswax both with a score of 2. Well beeswax is 0-2, so still fairly non irritating. Surprisingly, several of the ingredients were flagged as acne triggers, for a total of 6-8 points. Regardless, my acne skin liked the moisturizer, but yours may not!

I’m happy to see that the harakeke (phormium tenax) extract is the first ingredient. I hate it when I purchase a moisturizer and all the goodies are at the bottom 😦 Perfume is actually at the bottom of the list, but it still smells a bit strong.

Pros:

• Lightweight, quite hydrating and (slightly) plumping
• Easy to spread, dries quickly and matte, no tackiness
• Did not irritate skin or cause acne for me
• Fairly short ingredient list with no parabens and has the harakeke (phormium tenax) extract as first ingredient

Cons:

• Strong fragrance takes time to get used to, may not be suitable for some sensitive skins
• Contains cetyl alcohol for those who are sensitive

Rating: 4/5

Lululun Moisture Masks

Lululun masks are supposed to be a Japanese favorite, but they don’t appear to be a blogger favorite due to it’s fussy packaging and odd shape. I wasn’t aware of the brand until I went to Mitsuwa in a neighboring state, hello Jersey! Mitsuwa was disappointing to me because most of the items found there are readily available in New York. Aside from their hamburger rice, I wasn’t impressed. As a matter of fact, Lululun masks are available in New York as well, but I just never saw them before because my past hauls were all through the internet and not so much in stores.

My Asian senses started tingling when I saw 42 sheets for $23 (price might not be accurate because this was a few weeks back) at Mitsuwa, but the negative reviews from blogs curbed my impulses. I settled for the 7 sheet pack. Note, only the regular variety packs 42 sheets. The other varieties contain 32 sheets for the same price.

The sheets are saturated in 80 ml of essence and are quite thin. It can be hard to remove if you’re not careful so I prefer to sanitize a pair of tweezers and grab them out. That way my hand never touches the sheets I don’t use. The sheets aren’t heavily saturated, which is actually a plus for me because wasting leftover essence is a pet peeve of mine. I don’t have the patience to throw in a DIY mask to soak up the excess and save for future use so if drippy sheet masks are your thing, this probably won’t be.

Although the sheets are thin, I’ve never had issues with them ripping apart despite how roughly I tug them off. One concern may be the shape, but it’s nothing careful maneuvering can’t fix. The cuts are oddly placed and the sheet was made for an abnormally round face. Just fold over some parts and pull in others and you’re set! The hydration isn’t amazing, and probably won’t do very well for the winter months, but I find it perfect for summer. No tacky residue, new pimples or irritation, just plumper skin in the morning. There’s also no fragrance, so as long as you don’t have any allergies to the ingredients I would say it’s pretty safe for sensitive skin.

The packaging and how basic this mask is, can be a turn off for many, but those points are what make me want to repurchase. Sometimes using sheet masks makes me feel guilty because I’m a frequent user and the amount of essence and packaging I toss out breaks my heart. I also have skin sensitivities so certain ingredients are a definite no-no. The Lululun masks don’t contain any of the ingredients and fits well into my budget.

However, I do find using the same mask over and over again boring so I definitely would buy random sheet masks to supplement my collection. While I may not repurchase the bulk pack right away, maybe after I try 7 sheets of the other varieties, these masks are definitely on my re-buy list. Not many AB products have made it to that list so far 🙂

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, propanediol, niacinamide, sodium PCA, honey, glycosphingolipids, hydrogenated lecithin, lysolecithin, sodium hydroxide, sodium hyaluronate, panax ginseng root extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, vaccinium myrtillus leaf extract, persea gratissima fruit extract, melia azadirachta leaf extract, plantago major seed extract, citrus reticulata peel extract, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, butylene glycol

I entered the ingredients onto Cosdna and the only ingredient flagged was butylene glycol with an acne rating of 1 and even that’s on the bottom of the ingredient list. Niacinamide, which is often sought out in skin care for its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties, is the third ingredient, but I don’t know if there’s enough in this to be fully beneficial unless you use this mask daily. These sheet masks were made for daily use after all.

Honestly, my blog isn’t the best at explaining the benefits of ingredients. I mainly strive to provide the ingredient list and provide my impression of the product for my sensitive skin to help your research. Sometimes my typing may be off, so always refer back to the image of the ingredients, which will always be above the typed out ingredient list. I think typing all these funky names out is the most daunting part about writing reviews, haha.

Pros:

• Light hydrating
• Non irritating, does not cause acne, fragrance free
• No tacky residue
• Affordable
• Bulk packaging is more eco-friendly & no essence wasted

Cons:

• Oddly shaped sheet
• Hard to remove from package

Rating: 4/5

CosRx Centella Blemish Ampule

I was eyeing the Klairs sheet masks on Wishtrend and wanted free shipping so I purchased this little ampule because it was in the “free shipping zone.” Basically purchasing an item in the free shipping zone qualifies your entire order for free shipping even if the order doesn’t go over $69, which is usually the minimum for free shipping.

The CosRx Centella Blemish Ampule targets those with sensitive and troubled skin aka me! My skin is oily, dehydrated and prone to acne. I often get small blemishes, but for the most part have stopped getting acne cysts. It also claims to help with oil control, remove dirt from pores, provide hydration and improve breakouts. More indepth information can be found on the Wishtrend page. I recall purchasing this for the original price of $23.50 for 20ml.

Since this product is no longer part of the free shipping promotion, it can probably be purchased cheaper elsewhere. Wishtrend is worth checking out even if you don’t purchase from them because of the indepth translations/information they present for their products. The bottle is super cute and comes with a little dropper. It also comes with a plastic cap over the dropper, which I saw no use for and ultimately lost before I got to take a picture of it.

One of my fears concerning beauty products is that it would take me forever to finish a product and I won’t be able to try anything new until I’m done. First world problems much? My fears were unwarranted because I finished more than half the bottle in 1 month. I think my fear caused me to be more heavy handed than needed. I remember the first time I accidentally dispensed an entire dropper full of the ampule onto my palms! Definitely don’t squeeze all the way, but I probably don’t have to tell anybody how to use a dropper xD I was just silly/overeager.

I started with two drops twice a day, but noticed I was using too much product so by week two reduced it to one drop twice a day. The image below was actually taken almost three weeks ago, when I was one month into the ampule. There’s even less product in the bottle now, but I admit I stopped using it daily the past few weeks because it’s much warmer now and I don’t need the extra hydration.

One drop is more than enough because it’s very viscous and easy to spread. There’s almost a slimy feel to it at first, but it dries smooth and matte so no tacky/sticky feeling after. It’s also fragrance free and odorless for those who are sensitive to fragrances. It gave me a nice hydration boost, but I’m not sure how it cleans dirt from my pores. It didn’t really help with oil control or my blemishes. I still received around the same amount of blemishes. Luckily, it didn’t cause any more blemishes or oil. Despite not performing as it claims, I noticed a definite glow to my skin after using the ampule for two weeks and I did not introduce any other new products around that time.

Ingredients:

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine,1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Arginine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulos

Nothing acne-triggering or irritating on the ingredients list even though butylene glycol was flagged with an acne rating of 1, and carbomer was flagged with an irritant rating of 1. Those are pretty common ingredients, but I personally have no issues with them and they rank fairly low to cause any issues for most people. I was glad to see the ingredient list wasn’t complicatedly long because my skin doesn’t always tolerate products with elaborate ingredient lists. Centella is supposed to help stimulate collagen. Is this why my skin looks healthier :D?

Pros:

• Gave me a nice healthy glow
• Provided hydration boost
• Did not irritate my sensitive skin or cause more blemishes

Cons:

• Doesn’t really do what it claims
• Product runs out pretty fast

Rating: 3.5/5

The glow was what kept me from being disappointed. Since I still use it a few times a week, the glow is still present, but I wonder if it will disappear once I finish the product. I don’t plan on repurchasing because it’s far from HG status, but I don’t want to lose my glow 😦 Also, I have no idea what other word I can use to describe it besides glow. I need to increase my vocabulary…

TonyMoly I’m Real Sheet Masks Part II: Broccoli Vitality Mask & Rice Clear Skin Mask

Part 2 of my TonyMoly I’m Real Mask series. Part 1 detailing my dissatisfaction, can be found here. Again, I want to leave a disclaimer that my skin is sensitive and acne prone. The masks are worth a try, but I suggest purchasing one to see how your skin likes them before adding in the different varieties!

I’m Real Broccoli Mask Sheet Vitality

I used this mask about 4 days after the tomato mask. During that gap I did not have any additional breakouts. I feel like I should mention during these 4 days I also used 2 Lululun sheet masks with no issues. I decided to give the Tonymoly sheet masks another try. The scent doesn’t smell like broccoli and if my memory was better I’d say all 3 sheet masks smell and feel more or less the same. At 21 ml of essence, the mask was more than saturated so for those who like to insert their own cotton mask sheet to soak up the excess for a second mask, you might have some luck here. I also find that the fit is perfect for my long oval shaped face.

When I woke up my skin looked well hydrated, but I grew yet another pimple (cystic). For the most part I stopped developing cystic acne so seeing several cysts that coincide with my usage of the Tonymoly masks is interesting. If you’ve read my previous post I’m sure you will notice that my tone is growing wearier and wearier with each mask I try from the line. I think I learned a valuable lesson. Don’t buy too many varieties from the same line especially since I don’t know if my skin likes it or not.

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer, panthenol, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, chlorophenesin, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, phenyl trimethicone, brassica oleracea italica extract, carbomer, 1,2-hexanediol, propanediol,tromethamine, brassica oleracea capitata leaf extract, olea europaea leaf extract, dipotassium glycyrrhizate,caprylyl glycol, illicium verum fruit extract, allantoin, disodium EDTA, fragrance, ascorbic acid

Nothing too exciting here. The broccoli extract is toward the middle of the ingredient list and no major alerts on acne triggers/irritants that are unusual. Feel free to copy and paste the ingredients to check Cosdna for yourself and compare with the picture too in case I made any typos! That’s why I always like to put both 😀

Pros:

• Left skin very hydrated the next day
• Great fit for my face
• Lightly fragranced
• Very well saturated

Cons

• Sheet mask felt thin
• Broke me out

I have a hard time gauging whether or not it did what it was supposed to in terms of vitalizing my skin. I mean yeah, my skin looks more hydrated so I do look less tired, but sheet masks are supposed to do that. Not sure if I should give this mask extra points for doing what sheet masks are supposed to do.

Rating: 2.5/5

I’m Real Rice Mask Clear Skin

This mask was actually the start of it all and will be my last in my series of TonyMoly I’m Real sheet mask reviews. I received this in my Memebox and was impressed with the packaging so I wanted to check out the other masks from the line. I held off on using this particular mask because mineral oil is the third ingredient and I was afraid I’d break out from it Funny enough, this was the only Tonymoly mask that I DID NOT break out from. It smells like the other masks, light perfume, except there’s also this Johnson & Johnson baby oil smell to it. Maybe that’s the smell of the mineral oil?

There’s a good amount of essence in the package, 21 ml like all the previous masks, and the sheet was a nice fit for my face. So far so good. The mask ripped when I tried to take it off, but my face felt hydrated with no redness. This mask also feels the least tacky. I woke up the next morning with no new cystic pimples and my skin looked more hydrated, but I will be staying away from the TonyMoly I’m Real line.

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, mineral oil, butylene glycol, allantoin, polysorbate 80, sorbitan sesquioleate, chlorphenesin, carbomer, xanthan gum, sodium hyaluronate, dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, tromethamine, oryza sativa extract, 1,2-hexanediol, propanediol, fragrance, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, caprylyl glycol, illicium verum fruit extract, disodium edta, snail secretion filerate

Like the previous masks from this line, it has very little acne triggers and irritants as per Cosdna. Although it has mineral oil as the third ingredient, this was the only mask from the line that didn’t give me a new pimple. Mineral oil is often thought of as a pariah because there is misinformation regarding it, but it also seems to wreak havoc for some people. I shied away from this mask at first because I saw mineral oil listed. With an acne rating of 0, it’s not “supposed” to cause breakouts, yet it really just depends on the person.

Pros:

• Great fit for my face
• Very well saturated
• No breakouts!!!!

Cons

• Sheet mask felt thin, ripped upon removal
• Slight baby oil smell
• Felt less hydrating than the previous masks

Rating: 3/5

Upon examining the ingredients, the rice mask does not have panthenol or peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer while the other 3 masks all had it. According to Google panthenol is the alcohol form of B5 vitamin and also acts as a humectant and moisturizer. I don’t really under stand what peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer does 😦 There are probably other differences between the masks, but for now I’m kind of tired of looking at these masks. Hopefully when I have more time I’ll be able to sit down and examine the ingredients more thoroughly.

I’m actually glad I tried these masks, because I might be sensitive to panthenol and/or peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer and so now I know to pay attention the next time I see these creeping in one of my products.

Aside from the pimples that developed after using the masks, I seriously wish they smelled different at least. Part of my excitement with trying new sheet masks comes from ripping open the package and enjoying a new aromatic experience. Honestly I felt like I was using the same mask 4 (maybe 3) times despite the variance.

TonyMoly I’m Real Masks Part I: Seaweed Purifying Mask, Tomato Radiance Mask

I first drafted this post three weeks ago. I kind of just do my write-ups as I use the masks, but have been lazy to type out the ingredients and just really finalize the reviews. Part 2 can be found here.

I was expecting to go through the 4 Tonymoly Masks in about a week or so, but due to an issue with using them I spaced them out a lot further to better gauge my skin’s reaction. I waited about a week after I finished using all the masks before I actually published the post. Mainly because I goofed and somehow thought it would be a good idea to make a gigantic post. I’ve decided to separate them.

I want to add a disclaimer that my skin is VERY picky and I break out easily from products so my reaction does not discredit the benefits of an entire line.

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Once again I was suckered into purchasing these masks because of the packaging. The shape is distinct and the color is vibrant. Who can resist? Not me 😦 I also wanted some additional masks to supplement the TonyMoly I’m Real Rice mask I received with my Memebox.

TonyMoly I’m Real Seaweeds Mask Sheet Skin Purifying

The first thing I noticed about the mask after I ripped apart its packaging was that there’s a lot of essence in the sheet. The packet contains 21 ml of essence. It’s a little drippy and the sheet is somewhat thin. I felt like I had to take extra caution to not rip the mask. Well, it’s not THAT thin, but I don’t like applying a sheet mask if it has a tear in it because that would taint the experience. I really liked how the shape fit my long oval face. Of the sheet masks I’ve tried so far I must say this fits my face the best. The mask stuck on tightly to my face and it has a light, but pleasant perfume-y fragrance that won’t overwhelm most people. I was wondering how a seaweed mask would smell, but nope didn’t smell like seaweed if that’s a turn off.

I was pretty satisfied with the mask despite the fact that I apparently grew a big cyst in the middle of face, on my nose bridge while I had the mask on. I swear it was not there before. No irritation or redness upon removal. It left a slightly tacky feeling afterward, but when I continued with the rest of my night routine the sticky feeling was barely noticeable, but still slightly present.

Then I woke up the next morning and found another small cyst on my right cheek. The skin around the new pimples look more hydrated and plump but the pimples doe…Unless purifying means bringing up latent pimples, I don’t think it did much as a Purifying sheet mask. I can’t be fully sure that this mask is to blame, but I was sad. I already added a few more of these masks to my cart, but it looks like they will be sitting there for a while longer.

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer, panthenol, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, chlorophenesin, xanthan gum, phenooxyethanol, fucus vesiculous extract, phenyl trimethicone, carbomer, 1,2-hexanediol, propanediol, tromethamine, pyrus maleus fruit extract, glacier water, dipotassium glycrrhizate, caprylyl glycol, illicium vernum fruit extract, allantoin, disodium EDTA, fragrance

The ingredient “analysis” on COSDNA show very little acne triggers or irritants. I suspect this has more to do with my skin’s preferences than anything. I don’t expect sheet masks to perform miracles or do anything more than offer a temporary boost so I can’t really comment on the ingredients and honestly I don’t really understand ingredients well enough to give my opinion. One thing I did notice was that the extracts are dispersed toward the middle and end of the ingredient list, while it has a pretty standard sheet mask base as the top ingredients.

Pros:

• Left skin very hydrated the next day
• Great fit for my face
• Lightly fragranced
• Very well saturated (it’s more of a con for me, but I think most people consider it pro, lol)

Cons

• Sheet mask felt thin
• Broke me out

Rating: 2.5/5

Rating this was difficult for me because I feel like I’m probably the only person this mask would break out. Well not the only one, but I think I’m in the minority here. There were so many good things about this mask and I really wanted to like it, but my skin just doesn’t 😦

I’m Real Tomato Mask Sheet Radiance

This is my second mask from the “series”  which I applied the night after the first. This probably isn’t the best idea especially for review purposes because I can still be breaking out from the night before. But I went ahead and did it anyway 😦 The saturation and sheet mask fit were similar as the Seaweed mask, so it was both well saturated (21 ml) and well fit for my face. The scent is faint. I still can’t describe it well and it smells similar to the Seaweed mask. One difference I noticed with this mask was that it produced a tingling sensation on my face the first 5 minutes and it tingled sporadically the entire time I wore the mask. I’ve never used a tomato mask before so I don’t know if I might be sensitive to tomato extract.

Upon removal there was no redness or irritation even though I was afraid the tingling meant I’d look like a tomato! Harhar. The mask did make my face feel a little sticky after and I had to splash some water to remove the residue. I woke up to yet another two pimples on my face; one on the side of my face and one on my upper cheek. It’s possible I’m still reacting to the Seaweed mask, but I’m not so sure. It feels more like these sheet masks are breaking me out! But damn, they hydrated my face pretty well, though it didn’t do much in terms of radiance. I always thought of radiance as like a brightening effect. Nope, not any brighter.

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, glycereth-26, butylene glycol, PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer, bis-ethoxydiglycol succinate,panthenol, allantoin, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, chlorophenesin,carbomer, phenoxyethanol, tromethamine, solanum lyopersicum fruit extract, 1,2-hexanediol, propanediol, hydroxyethylcellulose, honey extract, prunus persica fruit extract, caprylyl glycol, illicium verum fruit extract, disodium EDTA, fragrance

Similar to the Seaweed mask, COSDNA rates this mask as low irritation and pretty much acne safe. Not for me though 😦

Pros:

• Left skin very hydrated the next day
• Great fit for my face
• Lightly fragranced
• Very well saturated (it’s more of a con for me, but I think most people consider it pro, lol)

Cons

• Sheet mask felt thin
• Broke me out
• Tingled upon application, but did not cause redness
• Felt very sticky/tacky after

Notice, the Pros are the same from the previous sheet mask, but the Cons are longer.

Rating: 1/5

Mamonde Masks

I’ve been dying to try the Mamonde masks for a long time. The biggest factor being the packaging. The floral design is just so pretty and flower extracts! Their ingredients seem to be more distinct too! I’ve gotten sick of seeing the same ol’ mask varieties. I paid $7 for the 3 masks and my brain can’t remember/doesn’t want to calculate the cost per masks, but regardless, it’s more than what I would have paid online. Considering I saved on shipping costs and saved my wallet the agony of purchasing more products to justify the shipping costs, I think it was a pretty good deal 🙂

Mamonde Lotus Cooling & Soothing Flower Essential Mask

First things first, I failed to research/notice that these masks contain alcohol. While there’s no consensus as to whether it’s harmful to the skin in a well formulated product, I personally avoid alcohol on my face because my skin is dehydrated. I also turn really red from drinking alcohol, so I stand by my personal decision to avoid alcohol in skin products. I don’t avoid drinking alcohol though, lol. Double standards.

The mask had a very faint floral smell that didn’t really linger when I had the mask on. That’s always a plus for me because strong odors are unpleasant especially when I have to leave it on for 20 minutes. I was also happy that despite containing 20 ml of essence, the mask wasn’t drippy. It’s a pet peeve of mine when essence spills onto the floor and I have to go clean it. More isn’t always better in that sense. The fit itself isn’t terrible. I had to scrunch up some parts because the sheet was a bit wide for my face, but it was fairly easy to maneuver.

After removing the mask I did not notice any redness despite the fact that alcohol is pretty high on the ingredient list. It wasn’t particularly soothing, but the mask wasn’t irritating or drying. It provided simple hydration so no complaints. The mask did not leave any tacky residue either. Nor did it cause additional break outs, just a standard mask. The lotus goodies are pretty low on the ingredient list so I don’t know how much work it does for this sheet mask. I’ve grown to accept the fact that sheet masks are simply nice hydrating pick-me ups. I feel like a lot of these special ingredients don’t do much for me, but who knows I might find a sheet mask I’ll fall in love with but for now I’m too optimistic.

Ingredients

water, butylene glycol, glycerin, peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer, alcohol, citrus paradisi fruit extract, betaine, xanthan gym, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, nelumbo nucifera flower extract, nelumbo nucifera root extract, sodium hyaluronate, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

According to COSDNA, Butylene gylcol was flagged with an acne rating of 1, but as you can see the goodies are at the bottom 😦

Pros

• No tacky residue
• Not drippy
• Hydrating
• Non-irritating despite having alcohol pretty high up on ingredients list
• Did not cause any additional break outs

Cons

• Contains alcohol as the 5th ingredient
• Flower extracts not that high on ingredient list (not sure how beneficial they are regardless)

Rating: 3/5

Mamonde Jasmine Mask Oasis Water Flower Essential Mask

My love for all things jasmine scented prompted this purchase. I was hoping for a light jasmine scented mask, but when I put it on my face I swear it smells like cleaning detergent, a tangy citric antiseptic smell. The smell doesn’t linger though. It just smells like something I’d put on my floor and not my face.

The mask made my face sting and upon removal I noticed the skin looked red. Not to mention the sheet tore as I tried to remove the mask, which I must add did not happen when I used the Lotus mask. Did I get a bad mask? My face remained tacky and considering the slight facial flushing I decided I had to wash the residual essence off. I felt disappointed with this mask. I mean my face did feel pretty smooth and soft after I washed off the residue. The redness dissipated as well, but I thought I was going for a sheet mask NOT a wash off mask!

Ingredients

water, glycerin, butylene glycol, alcohol, peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer, citrus paradisi fruit extract, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, carbomer, jasminum officinale flower extract extract, jasminum officinale extract, potassium hydroxide, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

Upon running the ingredients through COSDNA, Butylene glycol has an acne rating of 1 and Carbomer has an irritant rating of 1 as well. Nothing too bad on paper, but my skin didn’t like this mask regardless.

I feel like the formulation of the Jasmine mask was what made the experience so different from the Lotus mask. The Jasmine mask was probably tacky because glycerin is the 2nd ingredient for the Jasmine mask, but is the 3rd ingredient for the Lotus mask. Glycerin is usually what causes sheet masks to feel tacky afterward so having a little more of it is something my skin doesn’t like.

Alcohol is listed as the 4th ingredient the Jasmine mask and 5th in the Lotus mask. Although it’s only slightly higher on the ingredient list I think my skin realized it before I did.

Pros

• Pretty packaging
• Skin felt nice and smooth after I washed off essence

Cons

• Has an antiseptic smell
• Mask tore upon removal
• Leaves tacky residue
• Caused skin to become slightly red

Rating: 1/5

Mamonde Dual Gel Meadowsweet Flower Mask Pure Brightening

Given that it’s my first gel mask I don’t have much to compare it to. However, I think I’m hooked! I felt slightly confused after I tore the package open. Although I’ve heard stories of how difficult application can be, I was just literally staring at it for 5 seconds while scurrying to catch any essence that’s trying to trickle down.

The mask itself was pretty well saturated. The application is a little difficult because hydrogel masks contain two parts, one for the top part of the face and one for the bottom part. I had to return the bottom half back the package so I wasn’t applying the top part of the mask one handed. Such a noob!

Wearing the mask was super pleasant. It smells of peaches and feels luxurious. Sure, I had to struggle with getting it on properly since it’s difficult to maneuver, but afterward it adhered to my skin very well. I think the fact that it sticks so well that makes it hard to move around. My skin just drank up the essence. I was done in a little less than 15 minutes and normally I have to wear sheet masks forever. My face looked a lot more hydrated and no tacky residue whatsoever!  The hydration effects seem much more noticeable than that I get from a regular sheet mask. Heck, I think I noticed a glow. I don’t know if I’m imagining it because I was giddy with how bouncy my skin looked. Granted, it’s also a lot pricier, but I think it’s a well deserved treat. I plan on stocking up on a few different hydrogel masks and repurchasing this along with other Mamonde hydrogels. I’m going to pass on their regular sheet masks though. Not a fan of those.

Ingredients

water, butylene glycol, glycerin, propylene glycol, ceratonia siliqua gum, potassium hydroxide, chondrus crispus, phenoxyethanol, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, spiraea ulmaria flower extract, allantoin, niacinamide, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium starch octenylsuccinate, calcium pantothenate, maltodextrin, citric acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, disodium edta, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, pyridoxine hcl, silica, fragrance

I typed and ran the ingredients through COSDNA and only Butylene glycol and Chondrus crispus were flagged. If I made any typos, please let me know since I have an image of the ingredients too 🙂 Butylene glycol only has an acne rating of 1 so no biggie. Chrondrus crispus or Irish moss has an acne rating of 5 and irritant rating of 2. I was a little worried, but I heard that although COSDNA is an awesome site the ratings should be taken with a grain of salt, as with everything really. I did a quick google search and Paula’s Choice rates the ingredient as “good.” I haven’t reacted so far and my skin reacts fast.

Pros

• Very hydrating
• Absorbs very well and quickly
• Brightening
• Smells great
• No tacky residue
• No irritation

Cons

• Annoying to put on
• Drippy

Rating: 4.5/5