Following years of popularity in Asia, where they were invented, sheet masks were launched a couple of years ago in North America. Meant to be used two or three times a week (in Korea, they form part of that country’s gazillion-step beauty regime), they’re simply paper soaked in serum. The selling point is that they promise to essentially “push” skincare ingredients into your skin, being as that the paper stops the liquid from evaporating.
But there are a few drawbacks with the original generation of masks. After 10 minutes or so on the face, the paper (or cotton, another of the masks’ primary materials) get drier than the skin, and thus start to suck back all the moisture, undoing its good work. The whole process is kind of drippy and messy, too. And then there’s the freaky way they look: Many a partner or child has been scarred for life by the sight of someone in a sheet mask.
Fortunately, there’s now a new generation of masks, with new technology that delivers better results, less mess, and zero need for a loved one’s trauma therapy.
Nannette de Gaspé Youth Revealed Masque
Created by a Canadian team, this is the world’s first dry sheet mask. According to the company’s eponymous founder, the water-free formulation means the mask holds 87 per cent active ingredients, compared to wet sheet masks, which are typically around 85 per cent water. The formulation is printed onto a special soft fabric, which drives ingredients (such as anti-aging plant extracts) deep into skin. Each mask can be used three times on cleansed skin for 15 minutes. Because it’s dry, it won’t self-adhere – it has to be hooked around the ears, giving it the most Hannibal Lecter-esque look of any mask we’ve tried. But it works! Skin looks brighter and more hydrated, and our crow’s feet appear diminished after a single use. $145 at Holt Renfrew and HoltRenfrew.com. (There are also masks for hands, eyes, neck, and mouth.)
For Beloved One Hyaluronic Acid GHK-Cu Moisturizing Bio-Cellulose Mask
Developed by a Taiwanese company, this mask is made of bio-cellulose, a material usually used as artificial skin to help treat burns. It’s extremely thin, yet dense, so it cleaves, limpet-like, to skin. The brand claims this helps deliver the skincare ingredients 20 times more effectively than paper or cotton masks. Each mask contains copper peptides (a common anti-aging ingredient) and hyaluronic acid (for hydration). It sticks so tightly that the texture of your skin is actually embossed onto the mask after use, and leaves your complexion feeling moisturized for 24 hours. $63 for three, at T & T Supermarket.
Bliss Mask A-‘Peel’ Radiance Revealing Rubberizing Mask
This isn’t really a sheet mask, but it acts like one. It comes as a fine powder, which you mix with water to make a paste. You then spread it over your face and allow it to dry (around 20 minutes). The powder contains antioxidants, vitamin C (for brightening) and seaweed (to calm the skin). It works even better if you apply a serum first – it’ll push the ingredients into skin more effectively. The mask peels away easily to reveal a softer and smoother complexion. $15 for one mask and $38 for three; at Sephora, Sephora.ca, Hudson’s Bay and TheBay.com.
The Face Shop Kakao Talk Character Mask
Here’s a novel way of solving the whole “freaky face” look. These masks have characters from Kakao Talk (Korea’s equivalent of WhatsApp) printed on them, so you look like a freaky cartoon animal instead. Each character has a different function and its own bizarre personality: Apeach (the sexy peach) is for hydration, while Muzi (the bunny-suit-wearing radish – no, really!) soothes. We like Tube (the duck with the split personality), which delivers brighter and more radiant skin in 15 minutes. $4, at the Face Shop and TheFaceShop.ca.
