The products featured in this post were provided for my unbiased review by Cupidrop. To learn more about my rules for working with sellers and brands, please take a look at my sponsorship policy. A full and current list of Fifty Shades of Snail sponsors is available here.

I’m sure you guys have noticed by now that I love sheet masks and really love trying out new sheet masks, whether they’re masks I picked out myself or masks provided or gifted to me by others. So when Kate, the owner of US-based K-beauty shop Cupidrop, offered to send me a variety pack of Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Masks, I jumped at her offer. It’s taken me quite a while to get through the pack, since I didn’t want any unintended cumulative effect to throw off my assessments of each individual mask, but now I’ve finished the pack and am ready to talk.

These masks aren’t the standard one-piece pulp or fabric sheet mask most of us are accustomed to. Neither are they the standard two-piece hydrogel masks that many of us have tried. Instead, they’re an unusual hybrid. The top half of the mask is made of regular sheet mask material and soaked in essence like any other sheet mask, but unlike a regular sheet mask, it stops just above the mouth. The bottom half, meanwhile, is made of a soft gel on a thick, soft, and stretchy fabric backing, with a long slit at either end.

The two halves of each mask are sealed separately into each mask packet. To put on a mask, you first open up the part of the packet that contains the top half, remove it and apply to your face. Then you take the bottom half out of its side of the packet, peel back the protective plastic strip covering the gel side of the mask, and fit it onto and under your chin, gel side in, pulling the ends up on either side of your face and looping the slits over your ears to hold it in place.

I somehow managed to forget to take pictures of myself wearing these masks all five times I used them, and I feel pretty stupid about that. There was, however, nothing really notable about the way they fit, either positively or negatively. The sheet mask half is made of a thin but slightly stiff material that has some minor issues with molding and clinging to my facial features. The slit up the upper lip portion of the mask and more cuts around the nose do help with customizing the fit, though. The bottom half fits and adheres snugly around my chin and jaw. The gel is soft and comfortable, and I had no problems eating, drinking, or talking while wearing these, which is a definite bonus. The top halves also stayed in place reasonably well. The essence can be quite drippy when you first apply them, however, so make sure to keep your mouth tightly closed until the dripping subsides.

The masks in this set are all targeted at different skin issues, but it’s important to note that that only applies to the top, sheet mask portion of each mask. The bottom halves are all made with the same ingredients and claim to firm and tighten the V-line. Kate was able to provide me with English ingredients for all the masks; the gel ingredients are below.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask lower half ingredients: Water, glycerin, gelatin, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, 1,2-hexanediol, salicornia herbacea extract, cellulose gum, aluminum hydroxide, phenoxyethanol, titanium dioxide, tartaric acid, butylene glycol, disodium EDTA, polysorbate 80, ethylhexylglycerin, triethylhexanoin, fragrance (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

There isn’t much to note about the lower half ingredients, either positive or negative. This portion of the masks primarily contains some humectant hydration, thickeners, preservatives, and fragrance, which I didn’t really notice during any of the five times I had it strapped to my chin. The single botanical extract listed, salicornia herbacea extract, was shown in a 2009 Korean study to have melanin-inhibitory and antioxidant properties. The small amount of titanium dioxide present may also contribute a temporary lightening effect.

I’m not the best candidate to judge any V-line tightening effects in a mask like this, as my face and jaw are already fairly narrow. In my experience, they did have a slight firming and tightening effect, most likely due to the glycerin and gelatin they contain. They were also brightening enough for the lower half of my face to match the upper half even when the upper masks had brightened my skin tone, which was a relief. Before I tried these, I had worrying visions of a bright and clarified upper face and a clear border between it and a duller and darker lower face.

Below, I’ll give the ingredients and talk about the effects of each of the upper masks. Let’s get started!

Mini-Review: Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Wrinkle

Purpose: Claims to smooth skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Wrinkle, upper mask ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, betaine, panthenol, phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, ethylhexylglycerin, xanthan gum, adenosine, sodium polyacrylate, disodium EDTA, allantoin, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, arnica montana flower extract, artemisia absinthium extract, achillea millefolium extract, gentiana lutea root extract, portulaca oleracea extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, phellinus linteus extract, olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, pseudoalteromonas ferment extract, caprylyl glycol, alcohol, potassium sorbate, fragrance (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

This was the third mask I tried out of this set, and by then I was accustomed enough to the extreme drippiness of the upper masks to take preventative action. I first held the mask over the sink for a minute to release some of the drips, then clamped a facial cotton between my lips while I applied the upper mask and for about two or three minutes afterwards. I found this variety a little on the perfumey side, but not triggeringly so. The fragrance fades after about five minutes and the drippiness after about 15.

Once the fragrance and drippiness go away, this mask became extremely comfortable to wear, like the others in this line. There’s no futzing with an ill-fitting or constantly sagging or slipping chin section, for one thing. I could actually relax, have a drink, eat a snack, instead of lying around endlessly adjusting my mask. The upper mask sheet stayed moist for about 50 minute. When I took it off, I was happily surprised to find that it had significantly smoothed out a lot of my fine lines, especially the really aggravating ones around my eyes.  The effect lasted well into the next day.  I’m thinking about getting several of those to test their effects when used on consecutive days.

Rating: 4.3/5

Mini-Review: Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Pore

Purpose: Claims to minimize the appearance of pores and control oil.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Pore, upper mask ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, betaine, panthenol, phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, ethylhexylglycerin, xanthan gum, sodium polyacrylate, arbutin, fragrance, disodium EDTA, arnica montana flower extract, artemisia absinthium extract, achillea millefolium extract, gentiana lutea root extract, portulaca oleracea extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, mineral water, alcohol, potassium sorbate, allantoin, dipotassium glycyrrhizate (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

This was the last mask I had of the five; I used it just this morning. This one was as comfortable as the others while on, with a faint herbal scent that I liked much more than the fragrances of the other masks. It also had a slight cooling and tightening sensation the entire time I wore it, which turned out to be for about 45 minutes.

I’m not in the habit of taking before-and-after pictures for sheet masks, as their effects aren’t typically dramatic enough to show up clearly in my terrible selfie camera shots, but pore minimizing is the type of claim that does call for a before and after.

I noticed a couple of things. One, despite the fact that this mask was nicely hydrating, giving me a 25% increase in skin hydration according to my digital skin analyzer (the only time I used the analyzer with these masks, since I tested the others before I got that little gadget), it did reduce the shine on my nose and the rest of my face. Today was very humid, but the shine control effect still lasted until midafternoon. The second thing I noticed was that although my long-term, daily BHA use and tretinoin have already done a good job of minimizing my pores, this mask managed to make them a little more…muted, let’s say. In general, they look a little lighter and less noticeable, and some do appear smaller and clearer. All in all, it was more than I expected from this mask.

Rating: 4.5/5, the best of the bunch

Mini-Review: Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Nutrition

Purpose: Claims to nourish and hydrate skin.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Nutrition, upper mask ingredients: Water, butylene glycol, glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, PEG-32, hydrogenated polydecene, phenyl trimethicone, sodium hyaluronate, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, polysorbate 60, phenoxyethanol, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, arginine, ethylhexylglycerin, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, disodium EDTA, fragrance  (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

I don’t know what’s going on here. There’s a (cute) snail pictured on the packet, and the product listing for the mask claims that it contains snail mucin, but I don’t see snail mucin anywhere in the ingredients list. While it’s possible that this list has broken the mucin up into its components for regulatory compliance or other purposes, I’m more inclined to think that it was just omitted for some reason. If anyone can shed light on this, I’d love to hear what you know.

Snail or no snail, I really liked the results I got from this mask. I didn’t find the fragrance too strong, and in any case, the smell was fairly standard and inoffensive. Like the Wrinkle and the rest of the masks in the set, the Nutrition mask lasted for about 50 minutes, and the results were excellent, on par with other good snail masks and much better than most mediocre ones. My 50 minutes with the mask evened out my skin tone and eradicated the little areas of blotchy redness I tend to develop by the end of the day. In addition, the mask hydrated my skin nicely and left it feeling soft and smooth.

Rating: 4/5

Mini-Review: Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Moisturizing

Purpose: Claims to moisturize dry skin.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Moisturizing, upper mask ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, betaine, panthenol, phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, ethylhexylglycerin, xanthan gum, sodium polyacrylate, fragrance,  disodium EDTA, arnica montana flower extract, artemisia absinthium extract, achillea millefolium extract, gentiana lutea root extract, portulaca oleracea extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, alcohol, potassium sorbate, allantoin,  dipotassium glycyrrhizate, sodium hyaluronate, phellinus linteus extract, olea europaea (olive) leaf extract (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

Despite being the second (I think) variety that I tried, I found this mask experience to be on the nondescript side. I didn’t notice any particular fragrance with this upper mask or any unusual problems with the fit or adhesion. I did write in my notes that I wished the entire mask were made out of the stretchy lower mask material. It seemed to be melting into my skin particularly well, maybe because of the temperature at the time that I used it.

When I took this mask off, I found that it had done a great job of plumping up and hydrating my skin. I didn’t use any heavy creams afterwards that night, just a light emulsion and Tosowoong moisturizing gel. Despite that, I woke up the next day to skin that still felt soft and nicely moisturized. While this mask wasn’t spectacular, it did the job without undue annoyance and did a better job than many others I’ve tried.

Rating: 4/5

Mini-Review: Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Whitening

Purpose: Claims to brighten skin tone.

Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Mask, Whitening upper mask ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, niacinamide, betaine, panthenol , phenoxyethanol , PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, ethylhexylglycerin, xanthan gum, sodium polyacrylate, arbutin, fragrance, disodium EDTA, arnica montana flower extract, artemisia absinthium extract, achillea millefolium extract, gentiana lutea root extract, malva sylvestris (mallow) extract, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract, primula veris extract, alchemilla vulgaris extract, veronica officinalis extract, melissa officinalis leaf extract, portulaca oleracea extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, acer saccharum (sugar maple) extract, alcohol, potassium sorbate, allantoin, dipotassium glycyrrhizate (Ingredients list provided by Cupidrop)

CosDNA analysis

There was a time in my skincare journey when I would have reached for this mask first. Brightening used to be one of my major concerns, thanks to the sunspots that a decade of tanning without sunscreen left on my face. But by the time I received these masks, vitamin C, AHA, niacinamide, and plenty of sunscreen had made such a difference that I didn’t use this mask until only it and the Pore variety remained.

I’m not sure whether I’m the most qualified to review a brightening mask anymore, as I think my skin is getting close to max brightness. It may be for this reason that I didn’t find this mask particularly brightening. Having a fivehead means that I can usually tell whether a mask has had a marked lightening effect based on the contrast between the part of my forehead that had been covered by the mask and the part that hadn’t been. There was little contrast in that area, even after a solid 50 minutes wearing the mask. The essence also left a sticky residue behind, which I hadn’t noticed with any of the other masks. Out of the set, this was the only one that failed to impress me.

Rating: 3/5

Rating scale:

Where can I buy Regen Cos 2 Step Synergy Effect Masks?

These masks were provided to me by Cupidrop, which sells the set of 5 masks for $25 and singles of all the varieties for $5/apiece. If you choose to purchase them from Cupidrop, make sure to use the code CHACHACHA at checkout for 10% off of orders over $30. Cupidrop also provides free US shipping for orders over $50.

Have you ever used masks like these? If you have, what did you think of them?