Fifty Shades of Snail

Finding the best skin care products since 2014. Started with a focus on Korean skincare and grew from there. Skincare tips and beauty tips that work, maybe some hamster butts too

recent posts

about

  • Guest Review: My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask, 2015 Edition!

    Guest Review: My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask, 2015 Edition!

    Crazy Snail Lady editorial note: Redditor /u/GiveMeABreak25 is back with an unboxing and review of the 2015 My Beauty Diary Black Pearl masks!

    I have struggled with how to tell you all this since my last time reporting to you with the help of the Crazy Snail Lady. This is not so much a good news/bad news situation as it is good news…and better news. So like a band-aid, let’s just rip this off.

    My Beauty Diary is not making hydrogels. Yet, that is.  I hope you are not too disappointed, because if you are, I am to blame. I am innocent! I got excited! I don’t speak Taiwanese! There were pictures of water droplets and side by side comparisons that showed the old sheet makes and……..new masks! With more water! The ultimate squirt, guys.

    So let’s start off with how I acquired them. I have gotten to know many lovely people in the Asian Beauty subreddit, Crazy Snail Lady included. I was lamenting about not wanting to wait who-knows-how-long before a website or seller I was familiar with would have these new masks for sale. I got a message from a fellow user who gave me the contact information of a Taiwanese buyer. I was skeptical. The buyer used a Hotmail account, after all.

    We did some introductions, and I sent her a link to the product I wanted and asked her about pricing. Within a day, she emailed me back with the price, minus shipping, and I couldn’t get my PayPal account open fast enough. Just like that. I had no idea who this person was or any way to know that she wouldn’t just take my $24 and run, but I considered it an acceptable risk. For science.

    Two more days passed. She had the masks and informed me of shipping costs. Being that I was still anxious to get my grabby hands on these masks, I ponied up the EMS rate. I sheepishly told myself, “You only live once!” I am sure that phrase was never meant to be applied to skin care products. Unless, of course, you are an addict.  Guilty.

    In 13 days, I had my masks. It was a very good day indeed.

    So, let’s get down to the unboxing so we can take this journey of translation loss together.

    My Beauty Diary 2015 Black Pearl sheet masks
    They’re here! They’re here!

    It was the end of my work day and I needed a shower. I work from home, okay? Please don’t judge me. It was still kind of early to start my routine, but I knew the time of day wouldn’t matter much. I showered, put on my C serum and got dressed. I was starving as I somehow missed lunch, so I ran to get some chicken. There were two things on my mind: a fried chicken breast and,trying out these masks. By the time I got home, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer and tore into them. (The masks, not the chicken breasts.)

    The box is extra sparkly!

    Back of My Beauty Diary Black Pearl 2015 edition box
    I didn’t have an old box to compare it with, but I am certain it is extra shimmery.
    Comparison of old and new My Beauty Diary Black Pearl sheet masks
    I did have an old Black Pearl sheet mask to compare it to, though.

    On the left is the old sheet mask. The right is the new. Also (important to note before you get yours and freak out), the notches for opening are at the bottom instead of the top of the envelope. Or at least on the ones I got. If you are not familiar with My Beauty Diary, they manufacture for  many different markets, and the packaging varies. Although some counterfeits do circulate, it’s important to know that if yours looks different from what you’ve seen online or gotten before, you may not have a fake so much as a package for a different market. It would be great if they just stuck with one design for all markets to limit confusion.

    2015 My Beauty Diary Black Pearl sheet mask back of packet
    Back side.

    Ok so, here is where things made a sudden change.

    First observation: this is not a hydrogel mask. What?! What did I do all this international espionage for? But this is different than the My Beauty Diary Black Pearl sheet masks you’re used to.

    My Beauty Diary 2015 Black Pearl sheet mask shape
    Is it the new No-Face design? Nope, just the new My Beauty Diary mask shape.

    The eye, nose and mouth holes are not the traditional ones I am used to with MBD, so that was a curiosity. Hopefully improved, although I was a tad worried, as their masks usually fit me pretty well. I hoped I wasn’t going to lose that. Now, to the moment of clarity…

    New My Beauty Diary 2015 Black Pearl sheet mask
    Well this is different.

    This is not hydrogel. It is something, but not a traditional hydrogel mask as I have known them.

    According to the little bit of English on the package, this is a trademarked material called Cosphingotm  X Aquaroutetm. This is a hybrid, folks. They are much thinner than the traditional sheet mask, yet not as thin or the same composition as their My Beauty Diary Platinum Series masks, which are also not the regular sheet masks. This is something else entirely.

    The mask is also dripping with essence. This point cannot be understated. I was wearing a V-neck, and I was literally spending the first 15 minutes of wearing the mask rubbing the essence down my neck and all over my chest, which to me is a super bonus. The fit was also different. Now we get to the part where I embarrass myself with a sheet mask selfie.

    Wearing My Beauty Diary 2015 edition Black Pearl sheet mask
    Don’t judge me, guys.

    I tried to get as much natural light as I could. But I feel like this was trying to make my skin underneath look worse than it is for the viewer. (Crazy Snail Lady note: I don’t see anything bad.) Or, I am just a little neurotic. (Crazy Snail Lady note: Yes.) Anyway, I DO have lip tint on. I mean, my hair is frizzy from the rain and isn’t even all the way dry, isn’t that bad enough? (Crazy Snail Lady note: Shh bby. You look beautiful. No tears. Only mask.)

    The fit was good. The extra crazy amount of essence and the new thinness were all great and made for a great cling. You will NOT need your silicone mask to keep these on.  All the face holes were good. The biggest change was in the chin area. It basically ended right at the bottom of my chin. Usually the old sheet masks on me would go about another 1-2 inches, wrapping below my chin.  Did I mention you will drip in essence?

    As for the essence itself, it seems to be basically the same as the old Black Pearl mask. The fragrance may be a tad stronger, but not a lot. The ingredients could have changed, but if they have, I could not find that information anywhere. Not surprising, as it was hard enough to find these masks in the first place. I look forward to them being widely available.

    As for the effects, I would say they were a bit better than usual at the temporary brightening/whitening. But the absolute best part is, I was able to wear one for an hour and fifteen minutes without it drying up on me. AN HOUR without the aid of a silicone mask or it falling off from the essence drying up. Granted, it had rained quite a bit and so the weather was humid, but still. When I took it off, it was not because it felt dry, but because I couldn’t wait any longer to eat my fried chicken.

    Oddly, it did not feel dry, but when I peeled it off, this is what it looked like.

    Dry My Beauty Diary 2015 edition Black Pearl sheet mask
    Huh.

    As you can see, this is not hydrogel at all. It feels like a sheet fiber, injected with hydrogel. Like the cotton fiber helps hold the hydrogel part on your face and together until it dries up.

    If you cannot wait for your usual seller and do not want to seek out a private buyer, one of our lovely friends over in the Asian Beauty subreddit found they are now for sale on the BGO site if you would like to try your hand at that. Personally, I got a stomachache from trying to figure the site out. Others did not find it that difficult, I should add. They are also available on eBay; sort by “new” and look for the word “NEW” in the upper left hand corner of the box itself.

    As for me, I will be hoping another more user friendly (for me!) site carries them before I run out of these two boxes.

    Happy masking!

  • Honey Cream Review Battle: COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream vs. I’m From Honey Cream

    Honey Cream Review Battle: COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream vs. I’m From Honey Cream

    Well hello, honey. It’s good to see you back. ლ(´◉❥◉｀ლ)

    Ever since I discovered the joys of honey and propolis, I’ve been finding more and more ways to get the sweet stuff into my routine and loving just about every bee product I try. But as great as serums and ampoules and sheet masks are, they’re just not as integral as moisturizing creams. A good moisturizer is one of the foundational components of a well rounded routine: everyone needs one. That’s why I’m glad a nice number of Korean brands also make honey creams. I’ve been testing and comparing two such honey creams for the last several weeks.

    I'm From Honey Cream and COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream
    On the left we have I’m From Honey Cream, from the makers of my beloved I’m From Honey Mask. On the right, COSRX’s contender, the Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream. And on top, we have a Minecraft chicken.

    I’m From Honey Cream vs. COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream

    The humectant and emollient components of honey make it a natural fit in moisturizing creams, and the sky’s the limit for brands to blend in additional skin-friendly actives and botanicals. Both of the honey creams I tested provide intense moisturization, but I’m From Honey Cream also focuses on brightening and anti-aging, while COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream aims to strengthen skin’s moisture barrier. Here are the contenders’ ingredients.

    I’m From Honey Cream:  Propolis extract, glycerin, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, honey, propylene glycol dibenzoate, macademia integrifolia seed oil, betaine, cetyl ethylhexanoate, butylene glycol, niacinamide, polysorbate 60, cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, glyceryl stearate SE, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, sodium hyaluronate, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, stearyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, panthenol, tocopheryl acetate, royal jelly extract, morus alba bark extract, centella asiatica extract, carbomer, arginine, polyglutamic acid, beeswax, hydrogenated lecithin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, menadione, polyglyceryl-10 diisostearate, adenosine, 1,2-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, caprylhydroxamic acid, boswellia serrata resin extract

    COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream:  Honey extract, butylene glycol, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, betaine, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, dimethicone, 1,2-hexanediol, beeswax, elaeis guineesis (palm) kernel oil, elaeis guineensis (palm) oil, hordeum vulgare leaf extract, cetearyl alcohol, sodium hyaluronate, ethylhexylglycerin, ceramide 3, xanthan gum, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, adenosine

    Let the battle begin!

    Round 1: Potential irritants and acne triggers

    Our first step when looking at any skincare product should be the ingredients, so I ran both of these lists through COSDNA.

    I’m From Honey Cream: Uh-oh! CosDNA analysis of I’m From Honey Cream pops up quite a few warnings, so people with acne-prone or sensitive skin will want to use this cream with caution. Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil gets a whopping 4 in the acne column, meaning that it is likely to cause breakouts if you’re acne-prone, and glyceryl stearate SE gets a 3. A whole bunch of other ingredients score 2s for acne as well: cetyl alcohol (a moisturizing, rather than drying, alcohol), stearic acid, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, and stearyl alcohol, which is another moisturizing alcohol. Butylene glycol gets a 1. CosDNA also identifies several ingredients in I’m From Honey Cream as potential irritants: coconut oil, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate SE, jojoba seed oil,  stearyl alcohol, and carbomer. Beeswax is also noted as a potential acne trigger and irritant. Bottom line is that if you want to try I’m From Honey Cream, definitely patch test for at least a few days first.

    COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream: CosDNA analysis of COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream shows that it has a much blander, objectively safer formulation than I’m From Honey Cream. Cetearyl alcohol is the only ingredient to score higher than 1, with twos for both acne and irritation, while the very common ingredients butylene glycol and dimethicone get 1s in the acne column. COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream does also contain beeswax, which CosDNA notes may be an acne trigger and/or irritant in the 0-2 range.

    The winner: COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream. This isn’t surprising, given COSRX’s stated goal of using minimal ingredients in the production of high-performance skincare products suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

    Round 2: Actives

    Moisturizing creams can be a great vehicle for the delivery of proven actives to improve skin condition. In this round, we’ll take a look at what proven functionality the contenders offer.

    I’m From Honey Cream: Wishtrend’s lengthy and ridiculously capslock- and exclamation point-filled I’m From Honey Cream product page makes a lot of claims about the cream. In addition to hydrating and nourishing, which are baseline expectations for any cream, I’m From Honey Cream also supposedly calms, firms, and whitens skin. The nice thing about this product is that it has the actives to back up the claims. Niacinamide will both brighten and improve elasticity, arginine shows significant promise as an anti-aging ingredient, menadione (vitamin K3) activates epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR), and the anti-inflammatory adenosine has been shown to significantly improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. All in all, this is a great mix of actives for a moisturizing cream.

    COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream: Adenosine is the only active to note in this cream. The ingredient commonly appears near the end of product ingredient lists, and here it’s allllll the way at the end, indicating that there is only the tiniest bit of it in COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream. To be fair, however, COSRX doesn’t make any claims about this cream that aren’t backed up by its ingredients. This is just a simpler product overall.

    The winner: I’m From Honey Cream. That list of actives is just too good to ignore.

    Round 3: Performance

    Now we get to the fun part. What’s it like to actually use these honey creams?

    I’m From Honey Cream has an interesting texture. It’s a stiff, silky cream that’s easy to scoop out of the jar. Upon contact with my face, it softens up quickly into a melty, very spreadable oil texture with a faint sweet scent. I like the rich feel of the cream, but it takes quite a while to absorb–as Wishtrend warns on the product page–and leaves a very glossy finish afterwards, even with extended patting sessions. For this reason, I only use I’m From Honey Cream at night. It adds too much shine for daytime, even for a dewy skin lover like me.

    I'm From Honey Cream jar
    To be honest, when I first opened the package, I felt the jar was upsettingly tiny–but this stuff does last.

    As far as effects go, I’ve enjoyed I’m From Honey Cream a lot. When I use it, I wake up to soft, firm, and supple skin, and in conjunction with the rest of my skincare routine, it keeps my skin looking even and bright. I’ve been quite happy with this product.

    I’ve also been happy with COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream, however. Like I’m From Honey Cream, COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream is a fairly stiff and silky cream, but unlike I’m From Honey Cream, it has a waxy rather than oily texture, pats in quickly, and dries matte, making it more suitable for daytime use as well as nighttime. The matte finish and lack of scent remind me strongly of Cerave in the tub. This will be a good thing for Cerave users wanting to try out some Asian products.

    COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream
    You could almost consider it a sweeter Asian version of Cerave, if that’s what you wanted to think.

    The ceramides in this cream give it barrier repairing capabilities, which I was able to put to the test several times. My neck is very prone to overexfoliation, and I always forget whether I’ve used acids on my neck the night before, so my neck gets irritated, itchy, and overexfoliated quite a bit. Few creams help alleviate the discomfort, and the I’m From Honey Cream hadn’t, but I’ve found that a single application of COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream will completely calm the irritation and help my skin feel like it’s back to normal. The soles of my feet were also feeling unbearably dry and tight after a Tony Moly Shiny Foot Super Peeling Liquid molting session. Not even Neutrogena hand cream was helping, but COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream did. And on my face, it keeps my skin smooth, lustrous, and velvety soft.

    The winner: COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream for superior versatility and fast, impressive barrier-healing results.

    Conclusion: For those of you who know of my passion for niacinamide, it may be surprising that I picked COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream as the winner in this competition. Here’s the thing. I love niacinamide (and my other favorite actives) so much that I’ve built an entire extensive routine around it. The ingredient features prominently in so many other things I use that I don’t really consider it critical in my moisturizing cream. I can live without it for the sake of the faster absorption and skin-calming powers of the COSRX.

    That’s not to say that I’m From Honey Cream is an inferior product, however. All those actives really are compelling, and the glossy finish may be attractive if you’re looking for much more glow than your current products give–in fact, Wishtrend advertises it as a benefit.

    When choosing between these creams, ultimately it will boil down to your skin type and your product needs. If your skin is sensitive, acne-prone, or suffering from a compromised barrier, then the COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream will most likely work better for you. On the other hand, if you can handle the ingredients in the I’m From Honey Cream and want a richly moisturizing multi-tasker that will help brighten and firm your skin while it softens, then I’m From Honey Cream will be your winner. Both of these creams are very good products, and I’d be happy to use either one of them again.

    Ratings:

    I’m From Honey Cream: 4/5

    COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream: 4/5

    Rating scale:
    1 – This should be taken off the market.
    2 – Caused me some problems; would not buy again.
    3 – Meh. Neither great nor bad.
    4 – Pretty good. Would buy again unless I find something better.
    5 – I’ll never be in the market for a replacement unless this one is discontinued.

    Where can I buy COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream?

    A 50ml jar of COSRX Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream is available from the following Crazy Snail Lady-approved retailers:

    Where can I buy I’m From Honey Cream?

    I’m From Honey Cream appears to be exclusively distributed by Wishtrend* (affiliate link), where a 50ml jar currently sells for $31.90.

    But wait! There’s more!

    My honey cream adventure isn’t over! Sometime in the next couple of weeks, I’ll be receiving a trio of products I’ve been dying to try for ages. Remember how much I love the Banila Co Miss Honey & Mr Flower Hydrogel Mask? I’m getting the Banila Co Miss Honey & Mr Flower Essence Oil, Essence Oil Stick, and Cream! So stay tuned, because I’m sure I’ll be bursting with excitement to tell you all about those honey products as well!

    What’s your favorite honey product? Tell me about it in the comments!

    This post contains affiliate links, which help support Fifty Shades of Snail. Full disclosures can be found here.

  • Review: COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol

    Review: COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol

    Have you ever accidentally bought the wrong product, but then the product came all the way from Korea and returning it would be way too much hassle so you tried it out anyway, and the product ended up taking you on a journey of discovery?

    No? Really? Just me? (more…)

  • #1일1팩 Review: Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask, Rose

    #1일1팩 Review: Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask, Rose

    With a huge collection of sheet masks to use, some of them really delightfully obscure and amazing, it can be easy to forget about the less fancy varieties among them. I’ve still got quite a few masks left over from my first Innisfree mask haul that just haven’t been getting any of my attention lately. But I had some time today for an impromptu morning mask session, and the Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask in Rose caught my eye.

    Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask in Rose
    It’s very pretty and feminine, as you might expect.

    Lots of brands have rose-themed sheet masks. The My Beauty Diary Bulgarian Rose sheet mask is a popular option, and I’ve heard good things about Innisfree’s rose offering, too.

    Purpose: Innisfree’s It’s Real Squeeze Mask in Rose claims to smooth and brighten skin. It “makes the skin smooth and glow,” according to the back of the mask packet.

    Do not use if: You are sensitive to alcohol, fragrance, botanical extracts, or anything else in the ingredients list.

    When and how to use: After cleansing and toning (or after all your serum/ampoule steps, the way I like to do), take mask out of the packet, unfold, and smooth over face. Wear for 10-20 minutes as directed or longer, being careful to remove the mask before it dries out on your skin. Pat in remaining essence and finish with a moisturizing lotion or cream.

    Ingredients list: Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, alcohol, betaine, citrus paradisi (grapefruit) fruit extract, rosa centifolia flower juice, xanthan gum, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium hyaluronate, citrus unshiu peel extact, orchid extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract, camellia japonica leaf extract, opuntia coccinellifera fruit extract, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

    Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask Rose Korean and English ingredients and directions
    I like looking at the graphic representation of how the mask sheet moisture penetrates the skin. It makes me feel funny on my face.

    Notable ingredients: Lots and lots of botanical extracts here. Innisfree’s main distinction is the company’s focus on botanicals, especially those from South Korea’s Jeju Island. You’ll find the same cocktail of botanicals in the vast majority of Innisfree skincare products; that cocktail includes things like grapefruit extract, satsuma peel extract, and white and green tea leaf extracts as well. It’s an antioxidant-rich blend that theoretically elevates Innisfree sheet masks above the typical “water, glycerin, butylene glycol, bunch of fillers, a few humectants, star ingredient all the way at the end, fragrance” inexpensive sheet mask.

    Here, the star ingredient is rose juice, and it’s near the top of the list. Along with the other botanicals in the Innisfree rose mask, the rose juice contributes brightening, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory powers to soften skin and restore radiance.

    Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask botanical ingredients
    Yeah, I’ve started Excel spreadsheets to keep track of botanical ingredients. Sue me.

    My CosDNA analysis of the Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask in Rose came up nearly clean, with butylene glycol the sole ingredient singled out, getting a lowly 1 as a potential acne trigger. Butylene glycol is pretty much everywhere, so if you haven’t had an issue with it yet, I doubt you will with this mask. Do watch out for the alcohol and fragrance in this mask, however. I haven’t experienced any problems, but the more sensitive-skinned user should patch test a little of the essence in an inconspicuous place first.

    Performance

    It’s been way too long since I’ve used an Innisfree sheet mask, and now I feel guilty. My 45 minutes with this mask (laid over a My Beauty Diary Puffiness Intensive eye mask to help hide the evidence of a string of late nights and a stolen Skinfood undereye concealer) were incredibly relaxing and an amazing way to restart my day after an unexpected early morning crisis.

    Wearing Innisfree Rose sheet mask over My Beauty Diary Puffiness Intensive eye mask
    #doublefisting is the new sheet-mask-a-day.

    Despite a somewhat strong initial whiff of alcohol, which fades quickly, the mask essence here smells lovely. The rose scent is pretty and natural, in my opinion better by far than the fragrance in the My Beauty Diary Bulgarian Rose; it’s not strong at all, and it lingers, which in this case is a good thing. I laid back and breathed in the fragrance and could just feel my muscles loosening up and my mind clearing.

    This mask isn’t just good for the mind, either. After I took it off, I was very happy with the hydration and the brightening effect. While nowhere near as dramatic as some other masks provide, the brightening is noticeable and gives a nice boost of radiance. Finally, the very light, watery, non-sticky essence pats in and absorbs quickly and thoroughly, leaving no sticky residue to interfere with moisturizer, sunscreen, or makeup, making this mask ideal for morning use or before big events. My lotion, Biore UV Rich Watery Essence sunscreen, and Hera UV Mist cushion makeup went on like a dream.

    I go through phases. Sometimes I’m all about the simple sheet mask; sometimes I just have to have fancier hydrogels or ferment gels. Every phase I go through makes me temporarily forget the benefits of the mask type I’m forsaking. The Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask in Rose reminded me, in the midst of a Hydrogel Masks with Lots of Cachet phase, that sometimes simple things can make for lovely experiences.

    Rating: 4/5

    Rating scale:

    1 – This should be taken off the market.
    2 – Caused me some problems; would not buy again.
    3 – Meh. Neither great nor bad.
    4 – Pretty good. Would buy again unless I find something better.
    5 – I’ll never be in the market for a replacement unless this one is discontinued.

    Where can I buy Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask in Rose?

    If you want to try this mask out for yourself, you’re in luck: these aren’t difficult masks to find, and they aren’t expensive, either. You can get the masks at the following recommended links:

    What’s your favorite rose mask?

  • Baby’s First Innisfree Haul, Plus Goodies for Me

    Baby’s First Innisfree Haul, Plus Goodies for Me

    At long last, the day has come: Mr. Crazy Snail Lady has joined the Dark Side. I mean the Hydrated Side. The Balanced Side. The…the Bright Side? I don’t know, forget about it. I tried.

    Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Skin Care Set
    It’s his Korean skincare starter kit, with gift card from me.

    His experiment with the Innisfree Green Tea samples I started him on went so well that by the second night, he was asking me what else he could layer on and quite disappointed when I advised him against adding any more layers for the moment. It’s wise to go slowly when going from next to nothing to a full routine. But the Green Tea line has been working out well for him, so it’s time to move up to some full sizes.

    Innisfree Green Tea Balancing set
    The set contains one travel size each of the Green Tea Balancing Skin, Green Tea Balancing Lotion, and Green Tea Balancing Cream as well as one full size each of the Skin and Lotion.

    He’ll also be getting the rest of my full-size Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum. I’ve been using (and enjoying) the serum for over a month now, but though I love its light hydration and green tea antioxidants, I’m throwing in the towel and admitting that it’s just not quite moisturizing enough for my normal/aging skin in the dry Southern California air. If I added my Hada Labo back in, I’d feel too sticky, but I do need a slightly more nourishing serum than the Green Tea. Mr. Crazy Snail Lady is a few years younger than I am, with combo/oily skin, so it works out much better for him. I am moving on to the Innisfree Canola Honey Serum. Because, of course, one has to take advantage of Innisfreeworld‘s new member shipping discount.

    Innisfree skincare products and eyeliner
    So I threw in the Canola Honey Serum, a few Second Skin fermented soybean gel masks, and a creamy shimmer gel liner for me.

    And while we’re on the subject of hauls, today the mail carrier also brought me a pretty incredible care package from US-based Kbeauty shop Peach and Lily! I won’t go into too much detail about all the things I gasped over when I opened the box (gotta save some of that for the reviews), but take a look at this.

    Sponsored haul from Peach and Lily
    Mizon cleanser, Hera BB cushion (!!!!!), May Coop maple syrup-based essence and cream, a Peripera balmy color-change lip tint, and a snail sheet mask.

    I’ve already washed my face, because there’s no way I’m not going to try out the Hera cushion right this instant. Coming up soon: Lots more reviews, some first looks at recent arrivals, and updates to Mr. Crazy Snail Lady’s journey down the rabbit hole! What exciting things have you hauled recently?

  • Guest Post: New My Beauty Diary Masks for 2015!

    Guest Post: New My Beauty Diary Masks for 2015!

    Note from Auntie Snail: I wouldn’t know anywhere near as much as I do about Asian skincare if not for the amazing community over at Reddit’s /r/AsianBeauty. Today, one of those amazing community members, /u/GiveMeABreak25, gives us the scoop on the new My Beauty Diary masks she’s uncovered for 2015!

    It all started off as an innocent search for a sheet mask on a slow day at the office.

    Since discovering Asian skin care products, I have found my biggest love to be sheet masks. I don’t know where they have been all my life, but now that I have found them, I will never let them go!

    Customization is by far one of the greatest aspects of an Asian skin care routine.  I typically have a dry, sensitive and…maturing skin type.  I rarely have a breakout anymore. However, with the weather changing where I live, sometimes the heat, humidity and extra sweat can contribute to small blemishes for me.

    So I knew I needed to stock up on sheet masks in general (Gasp! I am falling to a record low of 30 or so!) but first, I needed my trusty My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask for the times when I feel a break out coming on.  I logged onto Amazon and began my search. I noticed the box I chose said “New Edition,” which is not unusual for Asian skin care products. Unlike Western brands, Asian companies tend to reformulate or at least repackage their items yearly. Additionally, they manufacture different products for different markets. The boxes that go to US suppliers vary from those destined for other countries.

    So off to Google I went to find out if this was a reformulation or just a repackaging. After all, it works so well for me, maybe I should find out what the new edition meant.

    Cut to hours and days later and many, many open tabs. I had fallen this time, fallen so hard! I even thought, in all seriousness, “Maybe it’s time to learn another language.” What school had failed to inspire me in, skin care had me contemplating.

    Google translate becomes a really handy tool when you only speak/read English. The ability to translate a page is a godsend.  Suddenly I am watching videos I don’t understand, reaching for some kind of context and trying to interpret images. What I found stirred me so much, I had to call on the crazy snail lady to share my excitement–I know she too loves some My Beauty Diary masks!

    MY BEAUTY DIARY HAS UPGRADED THEIR SHEET MASKS TO HYDROGELS, GUYS!!!

    But before I came to that conclusion, I thought they were keeping the sheet masks and adding hydrogels.  Who could blame me? One of the promo pages showed side-by-side “twins,” one wearing a sheet mask, one wearing a hydrogel.  Plus, when you have translations to sort through like these, who can really be sure???

    My Beauty Diary Found upgrade my beautiful natural key piece super facelift listed I felt people in Taiwan for the first time the beta test mask race with old twins dressing will know plus actual smoke mask every day. Pulls out 30,000 yuan Beautiful funds began to experiment

    I still was not convinced that I understood what I was reading. After all, maybe the images of water droplets meant they added extra essence (which would be ridiculous, they are already dripping as is!). So, back to more translating.

    Pole wire bare skin hydrogel membrane using Tencel fabric to create the ultimate squirt interleaved layer of ultra-thin water-bearing permeable and efficient structure of the essence, so that the skin effectively absorb the essence of the mask, carefully lift the skin moisturizing Hydra touch, not adding chemical adhesives and natural decomposition in the environment, eliminating the burden of skin-friendly sense of the Earth’s ecology

    The ultimate squirt! Interleaved layer! Oh yes, MBD has hydrogels!!

    This is such great news, as they are the leaders in sheet masks for me and for many others. They are generally inexpensive, usually low on fragrance, and pretty widely available. But I recently have learned to really like hydrogels as well, so this just combines two great things I love!

    I went on a hunt for a buyer because I have not gotten comfortable with any buying services yet, found someone I hope I can trust, and placed a very small order of the Black Pearl variety. I would not recommend this for most people. Stick to a buying service and let crazy people like myself throw their cash at an unknown person in the cyber universe.  Better yet, perhaps wait for them to be sold by the company you most trust.

    Sadly, it appears some of the standard My Beauty Diary masks, like Royal Jelly and Sake Yeast, did not make the cut. Here’s hoping that changes.

    I will be sure to report back to Auntie Snail when I receive my order, presumably with improved and bouncy skin!

    ~/u/GiveMeABreak25 is not yet a blogger. The sheet mask superhero calls herself “just a regular middle aged mom who works too much and loves to research things most would consider trivial.”

  • Why I Stopped Using Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

    Why I Stopped Using Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

    Don’t worry, Hada Labo fans. I didn’t suddenly discover something bad about the famous and bestselling hydrating toner.

    The thing is, I just keep discovering other products that, for my purposes, are better.

    Why I stopped using Hada Labo lotion
    Sorry, Hada Labo.

    Here’s why a toner like Hada Labo Super Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion can be so useful:

    Anti-aging isn’t just about preventing wrinkles. It’s also about mitigating the loss of volume in your skin (yes, I, too, have seen the Juvederm commercials). Volume–that plumpness and firmness that differentiates youthful skin from aging skin–decreases with age (and UV exposure) as collagen breaks down, the natural hyaluronic acid content of skin decreases, and skin begins to lose its ability to effectively hold moisture.

    A hyaluronic acid product like the Hada Labo lotion helps minimize the appearance of volume loss by infusing skin with an extra shot of hydration and humectants for a temporary plumping effect. That’s why I used Hada Labo lotion diligently for a long time.

    The thing is, the farther down the rabbit hole I fell, the more I discovered other products–serums and ampoules, primarily–that were capable of providing an equivalent amount of plumping hydration, while also adding other key ingredients that my Hada Labo lotion does not. The products in my current routine that do this are:

    • COSRX Galactomyces 95 White Power (ugh) Essence, which provides fermented nutrition and the brightening, anti-aging, oil-controlling, barrier-strengthening properties of niacinamide along with light hydration;
    • Shara Shara Honey Bomb All In One Ampoule, which delivers the healing, antioxidant, and moisturizing powers of my new favorite ingredients honey, propolis, and royal jelly extract along with more niacinamide and a number of other anti-aging antioxidants and provides intense hydrating moisture for a plumped-up glow; and
    • Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, which gives me a large amount of powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant green tea extract and yet more volumizing hydration.

    Taking a look at the rest of my lineup, I realized that my essence, serum, and ampoule had rendered my Hada Labo lotion redundant. It was an extra step in my routine without any compelling actives–I wouldn’t call it a waste of time, but it was a waste of mine.

    Yes, Hada Labo does make a couple of lines of products with other actives in them, such as their brightening line with vitamin C and arbutin and their anti-aging line with collagen and a retinoid, but I’ve looked into those, and I still don’t find them as compelling as the products I’m using.

    That’s why what’s left of my current bottle of Hada Labo lotion has been removed from my basket and placed in the medicine cabinet. I’ll still draw on it when the weather is just so arid that every drop of hydration matters, and I sometimes put it on my lips before primer or lip balm, but I no longer consider it an everyday must.

    How do you keep your skin plump? Do you use Hada Labo lotion?

  • Review: Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Mask + A Chat with Glow Recipe Cofounder Christine Chang

    Review: Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Mask + A Chat with Glow Recipe Cofounder Christine Chang

    Note from your Auntie Snail: Glow Recipe provided the product I review in this post. I review it as honestly as I review products I purchased myself. I do not have an affiliate account with Glow Recipe and will not earn any revenue from sales of this mask. You can read my sponsorship policy here.

    Two of my favorite perks of being a beauty blogger are the interesting things I get to try and the interesting people I get to meet. These two perks converged when Christine Chang, cofounder and co-CEO of Glow Recipe, reached out to me late last month to introduce herself and offer me a bottle of Lee Ji Ham Vita Propolis Ampoule for review. I took her up on the offer (LJH review to come after my 4-week ampoule testing period is up) and ended up on the phone with her for a quick intro to Glow Recipe. The day after we spoke, my package arrived with two bonus Whamisa hydrogel masks snuggled in next to my LJH ampoule!

    Whamisa hydrogels and LJH Vita Propolis Ampoule
    I didn’t realize Christmas had been rescheduled to May.

    Though very new to the K-beauty webshop scene–Glow Recipe launched just last November–the site’s profile has already risen to recognizable status among AB bloggers. In my opinion, its mission and curation standards are interesting enough to merit an interview. Ready to learn a little more about Glow Recipe and the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel mask?

    Christine Chang Talks Glow Recipe Standards

    If you compare Glow Recipe to the other well-known US-based K-beauty sites, you may notice something a little bit different. Glow Recipe doesn’t carry the kinds of Korean skin care brands that US audiences are starting to recognize (often more for cutesy packaging or gimmick ingredients than for real skin benefits). Nor does Glow Recipe offer a large selection. At present, the site’s offerings are limited to just a few brands: Caolion, Dr. Oracle, Goodal, Isoi, LJH, Shara Shara, The Lotus, and Whamisa.

    Whamisa fermented hydrogel masks
    My shitty staging and photography don’t do these beauties justice. Sorry.

    Glow Recipe’s narrow selection is by design. Both Chang and her fellow co-founder and co-CEO, Sarah Lee, bring a decade of experience at L’Oreal in South Korea to their ingredients-focused perspective on K-beauty.

    Chang: “Our goal for skincare has not been ‘curiosities.’ We felt a lot of the products [being popularized Stateside] were too trendy, and US customers were buying it once, but were they really buying it again?”

    In contrast, Glow Recipe takes a serious approach to skin, with a rigorous curation process and strict standards.

    Chang: “Our curation process starts with ingredients. We want to minimize certain ingredients that we prefer not to have in our products, like parabens, synthetic dyes, fragrances, things like that. We know that brands can formulate without them and create beautiful products without them. Not that everything on the site is 100% ‘natural’–greenwashing is rampant and we do not want to do that. But we curate based on ingredients.

    “We have a multiethnic panel of people, 15 right now. We refresh it every quarter. They blind test each sample for a minimum of two weeks, up to three. We’re making sure it works on all skin types, because certain ethnicities are a little more oily or a little more dry, and we want to make sure it’s right for US customers. If anyone breaks out or has a problem, we don’t curate the product.”

    That strict curation process reduces the legwork that a serious, ingredients-aware skincare consumer would normally have to do before making a choice. Glow Recipe does the work of plowing through the vast universe of currently trending Korean skincare products, weeding out everything except a very small but highly vetted collection of products.

    Leejiham Vita Propolis Ampoule
    Products like the LJH Vita Propolis Ampoule, which has been brightening my life (and face).

    In my opinion, Glow Recipe’s approach helps visitors to the site see the potential long-term value of Korean skincare products, rather than allowing consumers to view K-beauty as just a fad. The Glow Recipe website provides clear, detailed information on each product.

    Chang: “US women tend to be practical in their approach to skincare, whereas Korean women have a huge rush to buy it, [following] trends, not testing. They’re okay to experiment and be adventurous, and that is what fuels the industry today. The US market is more practical, a little more cautious. That’s why we had trial kits on our site for a while, and we’re revamping that. We’re mindful that we need to be very clear in our descriptions and extensive in our instructions, because if K-beauty is not paired with the right education, it’s just a fad. The main difference [between US and Korean cosmetics consumers] comes from that practicality, and it forces brands to be clear and bring really value-driven products.”

    Of course, trends have value too, especially when they’re based around real advancements in technology. Two of the trends Chang is most enthusiastic about are fermentation and “waterless skincare,” the eschewing of water as a skincare ingredient in favor of other liquids, like botanical extracts, that can deliver not only hydration, but also other skin benefits. It’s a clear rejection of fillers in skincare formulations.

    The Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask that Glow Recipe sent me does contain water, but when it comes to fermentation, this mask is king. But is it as amazing as Glow Recipe’s standards might lead one to expect?

    Review: Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask, courtesy of Glow Recipe

    Ever since I read The Beauty Wolf’s glowing review of the Whamisa Organic Fruits & Tomato Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask, I’ve been avoiding the brand like the plague. I’m afraid I’ll fall too hard for the pricey masks and end up with an addiction worthy of a Dr. Drew show. (Okay, I did round out my Shara Shara Honey Bomb AIO purchase with one Organic Sea Kelp mask after The Beauty Wolf raved about it, but you haven’t heard about that mask yet because it’s on back order.) Let’s just say that I was more than a little excited when I got my hands on these Whamisa hydrogel masks.

    Purpose: The Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask claims to lift, whiten, and moisturize skin.

    Do not use if: You are sensitive to botanical extracts.

    When and how to use: Use after cleansing and toning, either in place of or following your usual essence, serum, and/or ampoule steps. Peel the front of the package off and put it down on the counter. Take out the mask sheets in their protective backings and lay them down on the peeled-off label. Now use your hands to scoop up all the excess mask goo still in the tray and spread it liberally over your face, neck, and chest.

    Excess serum in Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe hydrogel mask
    No, but for real, though. There’s a lot of goo, and you should do yourself a favor and make the most out of every drop.

    After you’ve slathered all the extra goo on yourself, very carefully peel the protective plastic backings from the two mask halves and carefully position them on your face. Now walk quickly to the sofa and lie down as fast as you can. I’ll explain why later.

    Ingredients list: Water, camellia sinensis leaf extract, chrysanthemum sinense flower extract, lactobacillus/aloe barbadensis ferment filtrate, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, ceratonia siliqua gum, xanthan gum, lactobacillus/chrysanthemum sinense flower ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/nelumbium speciosum flower ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/dandelion leaf/root extract ferment filtrate, scutellaria baicalensis root extract, paeonia suffruticosa root extract, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, alpha-bisabolol (LOL), aniba rosaeodora (rosewood) wood oil, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil

    Notable ingredients: Okay, so the first thing you should know about these ingredients is that CosDNA did not flag a single one of them for either acne or irritation. Not a single one. And it’s not because CosDNA didn’t recognize them, either. The site knew what the vast majority of the ingredients were and apparently doesn’t consider a single one of them unsafe for skin.

    The second thing you should know about these ingredients is that a significant number of this mask’s calming, brightening, whitening, tightening, and hydrating plant extracts appear here in fermented form. In skincare, fermentation may provide benefits similar to those offered by fermented foods. Namely, fermentation breaks the ingredients down into smaller and more bioavailable components that may be more readily absorbed and utilized by skin.

    The third thing you should know is that the vast majority of the ingredients in the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask were organically grown. The anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, penetration-enhancing ingredient alpha-bisabolol (LOL) is even certified organic and environmentally friendly by Ecocert. That’s the eco-conscious icing on top of this fermented flower cake.

    Performance

    As soon as I opened the package, the smell hit me. But not in a bad way. No, the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera hydrogel mask smells absolutely divine. Citrusy, faintly herbal, crisply floral, it’s a fresh and natural fragrance that I would love to bottle and wear as my signature perfume. And I don’t even wear perfume.

    The mask comes in two pieces, like most hydrogel masks, but unlike many, the mask sheets are gel all the way through, with no supportive inner mesh. They’re on the thin side–not as thin or Saran Wrap-y as Leaders coconut gels, but thin enough to make putting them on a challenge. Be careful when handling the Whamisa mask, as the gel sheets are quite slippery.

    I felt a little sad when I discovered that while this mask fits me perfectly from the eyebrows on down, the forehead is way, way too short. I know I have a pretty high forehead, but this was ridiculous (though maybe I’d just applied the upper half of the mask a bit too low). Luckily, the mouth cutout had made it into the package, so I popped that onto the top center of my forehead to get a bit more coverage.

    Review of Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera hydrogel mask
    No shame in my Whamisa game.

    Remember when I said to lie down quickly after applying this mask? This mask is very, very slidey at first, especially on skin that’s heavily lubricated with extra mask goo. The mask began trying to slide down off my face immediately after I put it on.

    After about 15 minutes, however, the slidey feeling passed. The extra goo had mostly absorbed, and the mask itself had warmed up and begun to adhere snugly to my skin. I stayed on my back, though, since I wanted to let gravity pull as many molecules of the good stuff into my skin as possible.

    I wanted to keep this mask on as long as I could, because the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera hydrogel feels incredible. It has this intense cooling, soothing, refreshing sensation that persists long after the mask isn’t refrigerator temperature anymore.

    At the 45-minute mark, the mask had thinned significantly, and I started gently tapping my face, hoping to encourage just a bit more melting and absorption. Amazingly, that cooling, refreshing sensation remained as strong as ever. I tapped and patted away and didn’t want to take the mask off, ever.

    I finally made myself take it off after an hour and five minutes. I was very sad about this.

    Used Whamisa hydrogel mask
    R.I.P. Tears were almost shed.

    So now let’s talk about the results.

    My exact words when I looked in the mirror were:

    “Wow. WTF?!”

    There are literally no words in the English language available to adequately describe how even and bright and firm my skin looked right after I removed this mask, or how deeply and totally hydrated and plumped and refreshed and rejuvenated it felt. I don’t sleep enough. I don’t eat enough, or as healthily as I should. I’m usually more stressed than is healthy. But this mask. This mask. This mask made my skin look like it belonged to a pampered noblewoman who gets up at noon for her first massage of the day, follows it up with an invigorating hour of hot yoga, and then eats a perfectly balanced and healthful lunch in the bathtub while being gently lathered up and scrubbed by konjac sponge-wielding fairies. Even my skin texture looked more refined, especially on my forehead.

    Brightening effects of Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera hydrogel
    Crappy “everything is yellow” bathroom lighting, but see the difference between the skin at my hairline, which the mask didn’t reach, and the rest of my forehead?

    The next morning, after a solid 4.5 hours of sleep, all the brightening, plumping, and skin tone perfecting effects were still very much in evidence.

    Conclusion

    I’m doomed. Seriously, I’m doomed. In everything except fit, the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Hydrogel Facial Mask blows my Holy Grail Banila Miss Flower & Mr Honey straight out of the water. Literally, I need a new rating scale to accomodate this mask. I’m just sorry I waited so long to try it out. Also, I’m seriously considering increasing my workload a bit just so that I can keep a comfortable stash of these in the house.

    Rating: 8/5. If there’s a heaven, they’re handing these out as welcome gifts at the gates.

    Where can I buy the Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Facial Mask?

    The Whamisa Organic Flowers & Aloe Vera Fermented Facial mask is available at Glow Recipe for $9 apiece. I’m not usually one to find enough value in a mask to justify anything more than $5 for one (sorry, Missha Terribly Underperforming First Treatment Essence Mask), but I completely believe that this one is worth every penny, and that everyone should have at least one on hand for special occasions.

    Have you tried a Whamisa mask yet? Are you planning to?

  • 7 Masks 1 Goal Part 2: The Mask That Caused Me Physical Pain & the Scariest Hydrogel Around

    7 Masks 1 Goal Part 2: The Mask That Caused Me Physical Pain & the Scariest Hydrogel Around

    When I chose the masks I used in my 7 Masks 1 Goal whitening experiment, my criteria were simple. I wanted the masks to contain niacinamide, and I also looked for licorice root extract, two lightening agents that have been proven to produce results on excess melanin and hyperpigmentation. It seems the combo isn’t terribly common in sheet masks or even hydrogels, however, as out of my 100+ mask stash (well, now 200+, but that’s another story), I could only find five that provided both. And just because a mask contains two ingredients I want doesn’t always mean it won’t contain any ingredients or cause any issues I don’t want. Case in point: the Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack that I used on Day 3 of my week of whitening masks.

    Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack Mini-Review

    A lot of my more random masks come from Memebox. What can I say? Memebox runs a lot of sales, and I have a lot of whims, so it usually works out well for both of us.

    The Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack is a two-step treatment with an ampoule and the mask. Like the May Island Donkey Milk Mela-Tox mask pack I mini-reviewed last time around, this one doesn’t provide ingredients for the ampoule. For that reason alone, I already knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending this mask, even if it worked well, but as it turns out, I found other reasons for not recommending it, too.

    Mask essence ingredients and CosDNA analysis are available here.

    Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack
    “Genius.” Okay.
    Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack back
    I’m kind of sorry for the difficulty you’ll have if you try to read this package, but I’m not that sorry, because a) this mask sucks, and b) it’s not my fault they chose to print it in tiny white letters on a shiny pink background.

    Performance

    I didn’t see any red flags when I first opened this mask up and applied the ampoule step. The ampoule is a slightly stiff, clear gel with a pleasant if slightly perfumey smell; it comes in a generous amount, so I did two applications of the ampoule before moving on to the mask. It was when I cut open the mask section of the package that I knew I was in for some trouble.

    If you look at the CosDNA ingredients list I linked above, you’ll see something unusual about this mask’s formulation: the placement of fragrance in the ingredients. It’s not at the end of the list, where you’ll typically see it. Instead, it’s somewhere near the middle.

    I’m not sensitive to fragrance, nor am I an anti-fragance-in-skincare person at all. In fact, I enjoy it when my face products smell nice. They’re going to be right on my face and next to my nose, so if they provide a nice olfactory experience, it’s all good with me. But there’s a difference between “making your product smell nice so that it’s more enjoyable to use” and “putting so much fragrance in your product that it becomes like a long elevator ride with a lady who bathed in cheap perfume, x1000.” The Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack fits in the second category.

    The fragrance itself is seriously awful, a mix of baby powder and drugstore $2 designer perfume knockoff, and it is completely overpowering. In fact, it’s hard for me to even want to talk about any of the other characteristics of this mask, because I cannot get past the fragrance. I wore this mask for about 30 minutes. By the 20-minute mark, I had developed an intense, throbbing headache that got worse and worse until I finally tore the mask off, despite the fact that it still contained plenty of essence left for my skin to absorb.

    Fragrance aside, this would have been a decent mask. It’s very saturated and drippy, fit my face nicely and adhered well, and the brightening and skin tone evening effects I saw after removing it and popping a few Advil were actually excellent, but the fragrance issue completely ruins it. In fact, I’m not going to make buying this mask any easier for those of you who still want to try it. You’ll find no links here. Just avoid this: there are masks that deliver equivalent results, without the horrific fragrance problems. Putting so much fragrance in the essence was a terrible idea, and this mask is an utter loser.

    Botanic Farm Syn-Ake Hydrogel Mask Mini-Review

    Syn-ake! I’ve heard plenty about this ingredient but never quite came to a decision about whether I found it compelling or not. Syn-ake, or dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate, is synthetic snake venom that’s said to work like topical Botox, temporarily reducing muscle movement in the face and therefore helping to prevent future wrinkles and smoothing out existing expression lines.

    Most of you people don’t know me in person, so you aren’t aware that I have a very mobile face that’s always making one ghoulish expression or another. For this reason, Syn-ake seems like it might be a good fit for me. Theoretically, it should help minimize certain lines I have from expressions I make too frequently, and it might also calm down my facial expressions in general so that I’m not as frightening to small dogs and children. This mask contains 100ppm of syn-ake. I don’t really know what that means, but the ingredient is quite high up in the ingredients list, so that’s good. Ingredients list and CosDNA analysis are here.

    Performance

    By the way. This is a black mask. A black hydrogel mask.

    Can you do something for me? Can you go turn off all the lights and light just one candle for a little eerily flickering illumination? Are you ready?

    Okay, click here.

    Mwahaahaaa. Sorry. I couldn’t resist. But at least I only linked the image instead of embedding it in the post, right? Now you can close that tab and continue reading without my horrifying black hydrogel mask face glaring vacantly at you from the middle of the page.

    From my notes as I wore this mask:

    Good God it’s a black mask. I look like a nightmare.

    Compared to many other hydrogel masks I’ve tried, this one wasn’t the best-feeling or best-fitting. The gel material is a bit thicker and stiffer than I’m accustomed to, and the stiffness made it very resistant to molding around my nose and chin. In fact, even after the mask warmed up a bit, it never seemed to get really moist or to fully adhere to the contours of my face like most other hydrogels. The fit is actually quite a disappointment.

    The results are not, though, and that’s what really matters, right? The brightening effect of this mask was strong and noticeable, but what I appreciated even more after I removed the mask at 45 minutes was how smooth, plump, and firm my skin looked and felt. Since I’ve pretty much already achieved my main skin brightening goals, I’ve become more interested in anti-aging effects like plumping, firming, and lifting. The Botanic Farm Syn-Ake hydrogel mask definitely delivers on those counts. It isn’t the best hydrogel mask experience around, and even its good results are not out of the ordinary for a really good hydrogel mask, but it’s something I am seriously considering restocking for future use.

    I purchased this mask from Memebox, but the product appears to have disappeared from their website. That’s not a good sign, as products that are temporarily out of stock typically aren’t totally scrubbed from their site. I couldn’t find it on any of my trusted K-beauty webshops, either. If you run across this mask out in the wild or know where they can be purchased, please comment here and let me know!

    So…what’s the worst mask you’ve ever tried, and what’s the scariest-looking one?

  • Mr. Crazy Snail Lady Got His Own Routine…

    Mr. Crazy Snail Lady Got His Own Routine…

    …and he’s loving it!

    My other half will be hydrating his skin and protecting it from free radical damage with the Innisfree Green Tea line.

    Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, Green Tea Balancing Lotion, Green Tea Sleeping Pack, and Hada Labo foaming cleanser
    Not pictured: Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Skin.

    Some COSRX will get in the mix eventually, too.

    I’ve always thought it’s awesome when men care about their skin. Now I think the already awesome Mr Crazy Snail Lady is even more awesome.

    What do you think about men and skincare?