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
Note from Fiddy: Originally published on May 7, 2015, this review was updated with a revised rating and some new observations on 2/23/16. New content is in purple.
Hi, honey! (´ε｀ )♡
If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I’ve developed a slight honey problem. The problem is that I can’t get enough of it on my face (this goes for propolis, too). It started when I fell hard for the Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr Honey hydrogel masks. Now I’ve got propolis extract in my COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol and honey, royal jelly, and propolis extracts in my Shara Shara Honey Bomb All In One Ampoule. I’ve been bingeing hard on honey and propolis sheet masks and testing out two different rich honey creams. Let’s not forget the unbearably adorable Skinfood Honey Pot Lip Balms I’ve been carrying around like a grossly disproportionate Winnie the Pooh. Nearly a year later, my bee fetish continues to rule my routine–in fact, I think I’ve got more bee in my stash than I have snail. And my honey infatuation led me to the I’m From Honey Mask, the topic of our review today. (more…)
A bit over a week ago, I came up with an experiment. I wanted to see whether daily use of sheet masks containing specific ingredients could produce real, lasting improvements to skin–essentially, I wanted to disprove the idea that sheet masks are for temporary results only. I’m very happy to say that I proved myself right. When you practice ingredient awareness in your choice of sheet masks and use them consistently, sheet masks can indeed be a useful part of your regular skin care routine.
Let’s take a look at the results!
The focus of this round of 7 Masks 1 Goal was brightening. Essentially, I wanted to see if masks containing niacinamide and licorice root extract could actually lighten up some of my lingering sunspots.
The interesting thing is that the results you see in the final picture appeared quite suddenly, a couple of days after the end of the experiment. I’ll note that I did not change anything else about my skin care routine during this time, nor did I add any other whitening/brightening products to the mix. On the morning of the third, I woke up, looked in the mirror, and did a double take, because it seemed really obvious that a bunch of the freckles on my cheeks had just given up, packed their bags, and bailed during the night.
Here’s the same b&a, with the areas of most significant change circled.
As you can see, I seem to have finally made a dent in a bunch of sunspots that had proven resistant to everything else I’d thrown at them so far.
Of course, there may be other factors that contributed to this. I’ve been making slow and steady progress through the use of many niacinamide-containing daily skin care products, as well as AHA and vitamin C treatments and liberal daily use of PA++++ sunscreen. What makes me think that the sudden change was due to my 7-day intensive sheet masking regime is the fact that it was quite sudden and noticeable and did appear shortly after my weeklong assault. You can draw your own conclusions, and I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
You probably want to know more about the specific masks I used. Behold, mini-reviews for the first two masks I used during my experiment! If there are any that you’d like me to review to the standard level of detail, please let me know in the comments.
Day 1: Leaders Insolution Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask
Woohoo, Leaders! The brand’s masks have been gaining some popularity in the AB community lately. These gel masks are made of fermented coconut gel and claim to alleviate dullness and uneven skin tone. Actives of note include niacinamideand acer saccharum(sugar maple) extract, the latter of which is a natural AHA. These masks also contain a veritable cocktail of brightening and antioxidant plant extracts. Full ingredients and CosDNA analysis are available here.
This was one of my favorites out of the masks I tried.
Performance: This was the first of this type of gel mask that I’ve tried, and I found it super, super weird at first. So delicate that it’s protected by two backings instead of one (you peel off one backing, stick the mask on your face, then carefully remove the other backing once it’s on), it has a filmy quality, like Cling Wrap soaked in Elmer’s Glue. Or like a membrane that you’d be stored in if you got abducted by aliens, I guess.
The weird texture grew on my very quickly, however. It really, really adheres to the face. Talking isn’t difficult, and I can even make ghoulish facial expressions without a problem, which is very important to me.
Fear me.
The cut of this mask wasn’t great, as the eye holes were far too big and didn’t cover all the freckle areas I was trying to treat, but I don’t knock off points for mask cuts, since everyone’s face shape is different.
Ultimately, this mask gave me excellent initial results. Not only did my skin feel hydrated and supple, but based on a comparison between my uncovered eye area and hairline and the parts of my face that the mask did cover, the brightening effect was quite apparent. Winner!
Day 2: May Island Donkey Milk Mela-Tox 3 Step Mask Pack
Okay, I’m going to preface this one by saying that I really took one for the team using this mask. A 3-step treatment that includes a foaming cleanser and a treatment ampoule as well as the sheet mask itself, this mask only provides an ingredients list for the mask essence itself and not the cleanser or ampoule. I categorically do not recommend using any product for which I cannot provide the full ingredients lists, so I’m not even going to be advising you on where you can buy this product. But I’ll talk about my experience with it anyway.
Three steps, three sections.
Cleanser: This foaming cleanser has a nightmarishly high pH. It’s somewhere between 8 and 9, and on my strips, it looks closer to 9.
I did this with 5 different strips. Same result. Seriously, I have bad dreams about this kind of thing.
This cleanser was awful. My skin was squeaking before I’d even finished rinsing off the cleanser. In addition, my C21.5 vitamin C serum burned pretty hard afterwards, which it usually doesn’t. On the plus(?) side, it does smell exactly like my memory of the random dish soap we used at my grandma’s house in rural Taiwan when I was a kid, but then again, I don’t really want to wash my face with dish soap, so.
Ampoule: It’s a clear, fairly stiff gel that pats in quickly and doesn’t smell like much. A generous amount is included; I patted on one layer, let it dry, then applied a second layer before putting on the mask.
Sheet mask: Now we come to the meat of the review. The active ingredients in this mask include niacinamide and licorice root extract; the essence is also 1% donkey milk. Full ingredients and CosDNA analysis here.
This is by far the drippiest mask I’ve ever used, far drippier even than the My Beauty Diary masks. For the first 15 minutes I wore this mask, I felt liquid running down my neck and was wiping the excess off and massaging it out of desperation onto the tops of my feet. The brightening effect is quite good, but this mask didn’t feel particularly hydrating or moisturizing. I’m going to give this a pass for the reasons I mentioned above.
Stay tuned for part 2, with more sheet mask mini-reviews, coming soon!
Some time ago, I had a request on Reddit to make my sheet mask spreadsheet available. I’ve been thinking about the best way to do it, and I’ve decided to make it super easy for you!
For reference, this is the collection that my spreadsheet now tracks.
Two bins. 50 pounds. (jk I don’t know how much these weigh.)
And these are some of my most exciting recent acquisitions. Be on the lookout for reviews soon!
I’m dying to try that Tosowoong Pure Propolis Mask. You know I love me some propolis.And the Guerisson 9 Complex hydrogel. Swoon.
Also new to the basket: More honey and propolis goodness!
Gotta love Wishtrend’s fast-ass shipping on the COSRX Honey Ceramide Cream and I’m From Honey Mask.
Also, a couple bits of Auntie Snail news:
Last month, Fifty Shades of Snail was mentioned–along with some snaily friends!–in Fashionista’s “The 14 Best Blogs and Websites for Learning About Korean Beauty Products.” Squee! Now I’m excited to announce that you’re looking at Fashionista’s new K-beauty correspondent! Check Fashionista or this space for my K-beauty correspondence soon.
And finally: I’ve only had this blog for a couple of months, and in those couple of months, I’ve been so overwhelmed by the amount of interest and attention it’s gotten. Readership has grown in huge (for me) numbers.
So I wanted to take a minute to welcome new readers. I hope you enjoy reading my blog! Here’s a quick list of my favorite, Holy Grail products to make finding the best of Asian skincare a little easier for you.
I really like using spatulas to dispense products that come in jars. It’s not that I’m overly worried about contamination, as products formulated with appropriate preservatives are perfectly safe in jars. It’s just that I don’t like using my fingers to scoop things out because I hate getting creams under my nails. That drives me crazy.
Unfortunately, I’m constantly losing the spatulas. They end up at the bottom of my skincare basket, costing me precious minutes having to dig them out every time I want to use a jarred product. I wanted to use Velcro dots to fix the problem, but we’re fresh out of those.
Asian Mom Ingenuity to the rescue!
There. I’ll never lose a spatula again.
Do you use spatulas for your jar products? How do you keep them together?
If you’re just getting into skin care, or if you’re generally attracted to brands with a “natural” or “organic” focus, the phrases “chemical exfoliation” and “alpha hydroxy acid” can carry some frightening (or at least unappealing) connotations. Don’t let those connotations put you off. Chemical exfoliation is often one of the best things you can do for your skin, and AHAs like the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid are powerful weapons against skin issues like:
Active acne
Closed comedones (those pesky, persistent little pimple-like bumps that never seem to come to a head or go away)
Fine lines and wrinkles
Dull skin tone
Flaky, rough, or coarse skin texture
Before I got my hands on the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid, I’d been using Paula’s Choice 8% AHA Gel for many months. I’m glad I made the switch. For my skin, the COSRX has rapidly proven much more effective, and my bank account enjoys the significantly lower cost. Let’s take a look at what COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid has to offer.
The plain, almost clinical aesthetic of COSRX packaging is a great fit for their simple, functional products.
Purpose: COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid is an alpha hydroxy acid chemical exfoliation product. It dissolves the bonds between dead skin cells to enable faster cell turnover, reducing acne and revealing brighter, clearer, smoother skin. The AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid is also lightly hydrating.
Do not use if: You are currently suffering from overexfoliated skin (signs include increased roughness, scaliness, sensitivity, redness, or a shiny but dry appearance and texture) or are sensitive to glycolic acid or anything else in the ingredients list.
When and how to use: Once a day after cleansing, spread COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid over clean skin. It is best to use on skin that is as close to bare as possible, then wait for 30 minutes if possible before applying more products. If you also use a BHA product, apply after your BHA to take advantage of the BHA’s oil solubility. The order of acids in my skin care routine is pH adjuster (COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol), vitamin C serum (C21.5) with a 20-minute wait, BHA (COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid) with a 30-minute wait, then COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid with a 30-minute wait.
Many people, including me, consider the wait time following acids to be critical for achieving maximum results. Chemical exfoliants work best at a low pH, with the recommended range between 3 and about 4.5. Below 3, the product will be too acidic and may cause irritation or even chemical burns; above 4.5, and the product’s effectiveness drops significantly. It takes about 30 minutes for a product’s pH to neutralize and therefore for a chemical exfoliant to become ineffective. Applying another, higher-pH product immediately after a chemical exfoliant therefore arguably cuts short its effective time and limits the results you’ll see from the product. Unfortunately, there is little research specifically into this, so we’re just going by common sense here.
Finally, two cautions for those who are new to chemical exfoliation. If you’ve never used a correctly formulated AHA before or have sensitive skin, introduce products like the AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid slowly. Apply once a day every third day for a couple of weeks and then go to every other day for a couple of weeks before you move to daily use, and dial back the frequency if your skin begins to become irritated or overexfoliated. And always wear sunscreen! AHAs are photosensitizing, so unprotected UV exposure will lead to increased sun damage. It doesn’t matter whether you put your AHA on at night or in the morning, either, as the photosensitivity will persist for 7 days after application.
That may seem like a lot of cautions, but trust me–this product is worth it.
If you have great eyesight and can read Korean, here’s the label for you.And the inner label that’s uncovered when you peel back the outer.
Notable ingredients: As you can see, the ingredients list for the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid is short and sweet. Unlike many other products, this one doesn’t use water as its main ingredient. Instead, this product is apple water-based. As COSRX Marketing Team Assistant Manager Lee Hye-Young explained to me in our COSRX interview, apple water contains natural AHAs, boosting the exfoliating power of the 7% glycolic acid while maintaining the product’s relative gentleness on skin. The AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid also contains niacinamide, which by this time we all know is a brightening, barrier-strengthening, oil-controlling, anti-aging workhorse ingredient. Sodium hyaluronate, meanwhile, helps keep skin hydrated.
A CosDNA analysis of this product turns up only one warning: the common slip agent and penetration enhancer butylene glycol scores a 1 as a potential acne trigger. Butylene glycol is incredibly common in Asian skin care products; if you use other products containing it without issues, chances are good that it won’t trigger you in this one, either.
Performance
Since the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid is an AHA chemical exfoliating product, the first thing we need to talk about is its pH. Wishtrend’s listing for the product claims that it has a pH of 4, near the upper end of the effectiveness range. My own simple pH test puts it in that same range, though possibly a couple of decimal points lower.
After a lot of squinting and agonizing, I’m going to say it’s about a 3.8 or so, according to my strips.
The relatively high (though not deal-breakingly so) pH of the product may explain its gentleness in comparison to comparable AHA products.
COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid is a thin, slippy, clear liquid. I prefer liquids over gels and lotions for my chemical exfoliants, as they absorb more thoroughly, creating less of a potential barrier to all the essences and serums and ampoules I apply afterwards. This product smooths easily over skin. Unfortunately, it smells like the A-Sol of the devil himself.
I’m not kidding. Holy crap. I talked a bit about the smell in my First Impressions look at this product. It really is strong. It’s acrid and chemically, with notes of scorched rubber. The smell doesn’t linger, however, and after a couple of weeks, you’ll go nose-blind to it, so don’t let that put you off. I also haven’t heard any complaints from Mr. Crazy Snail Lady about the smell, and he’s not shy about letting me know if something I’m using doesn’t smell good.
I’ve used this product every night for over a month now, and I’m here to tell you that it has done amazing things for my skin.
After a month, I can see that the 100mL bottles hold enough product for several months’ use, making this a very economical choice.
Overall, my skin is brighter and feels much softer. The COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid has dramatically smoothed and refined my skin’s texture as well–I’d even call my skin “silky” these days. The colony of tiny little closed comedone bumps I’ve always hosted on my forehead are vanishing like Roanoke villagers, and a few invisible clogs on my cheeks have purged out and gone–I get far fewer grits when I oil cleanse these days than I have before, because there are simply far fewer grits to get out. I haven’t experienced any irritation or overexfoliation from daily use, nor have I broken out from the product, besides a few tiny little purge bumps that disappeared within a day. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve become nose-blind to the odor of the stuff, so that’s no longer a problem for me at all.
Conclusion: Though I’m deducting a couple of decimal points for the truly heinous smell of the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid, I still feel comfortable in awarding this product with Holy Grail status. It’s done everything I expect a daily use AHA to do. I’ve found it much more effective than the Paula’s Choice 8% AHA Gel, which never eradicated the bumps on my forehead or purged out the clogs hiding in my cheeks. And it’s much more affordable, another serious plus.
Rating: 4.8/5
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 AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid?
In case you haven’t noticed from the various pictures of my unadorned hand holding product containers, I don’t really do a lot with my nails. It isn’t a stylistic choice, just a consequence of laziness. But I did a thing to my nails the other night, and I even did it to the nails on my feet, too. And it isn’t just a basic single color. It’s two basic single colors.
BEHOLD.
Lavender really is my favorite color at the moment.
Lavender: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear, Lacey Lilac
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: flexibility is critical to maintaining healthy skin. Your skin is a complex living ecosystem, subject to all sorts of ever-changing influences, like diet, lifestyle, stress levels, living environment, overall climate, and day-to-day fluctuations in the weather. And if that wasn’t complicated enough, just about anyone’s skin care routine will also be impacted by factors like budget, boredom, and the discovery of exciting products or interesting ingredients. An effective skin care routine is not a static thing. It’s not about loyalty to individual products–after a while, that wouldn’t be fun at all. Once you’ve developed ingredient awareness, the door to a whole world of wonderful products will open for you.
In fact, routine overhauls can be some of the most fun and exciting parts of your long-term Asian skin care journey!
The routine I started this blog with.What I’m working with now.
One of the main goals of my summer skin care routine adjustment was to introduce lighter products wherever possible. I love the Banila Co. Clean It Zero cleansing balm, but it is a little on the rich side. I’ve put the rest of my jar in the cabinet to save for dry days and substituted Innisfree’s light and amazing-smelling Green Tea Pure Cleansing Oil.
Innisfree’s Green Tea Pure Cleansing Oil is the only new player in the cleansing team.
I’ve a feeling I won’t be getting much more use out of my Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask in future. My pores have been looking smaller and cleaner than ever since I started using COSRX products, so I haven’t felt the need to reach for that jar. That mask may soon be relegated to under the sink, too.
Chemical exfoliant acids and actives
Ever since I first learned about the benefits of chemical exfoliation, AHAs and BHAs have been staples of my daily routine; the same goes for vitamin C serum. In recent weeks, my somewhat pricey Paula’s Choice acids have been usurped by COSRX products. The COSRX acids are lighter in both texture and price, so my skin and wallet have happily submitted to the new regime.
All my acids are now from COSRX, and that includes my C21.5 vitamin C serum. C21.5’s parent company is–you guessed it–COSRX.
By the way, COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid and I just passed our one-month anniversary, so you’ll be seeing a review on that soon, and the one-month mark is rapidly approaching for both the Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol and the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, too.
Essences, serums, and ampoules
My routine wouldn’t be complete without some essences, serums, and ampoules to hydrate my skin, repair past damage, protect against future damage, and deliver my favorite ingredients and actives night and day. This part of my routine has undergone a near-total transformation since the days of Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule and Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence.
In fact, Hada Labo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion is the only survivor of the Purge of Spring/Summer 2015.
I wasn’t super happy to hear about the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence (FTE) reformulation and didn’t want to continue paying FTE prices for what I considered to be a downgrade to the FTE recipe. I sold off what remained of my FTE and brought in the notoriously named COSRX Galactomyces 95 White Power Essence, which uses the same ferment ingredient as the famous Shiseido SK-II first essence and costs half or less than FTE. I haven’t abandoned Missha completely, though. I’d already decided I liked their Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator “Long Name” Ampoule, and Missha’s reformulation of that product actually improved it. Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator “Longer Name” Borabit Ampoule is a winner.
You might be wondering, What’s with the jar of honey there? It’s kind of a long story.
For one thing, I’ve developed a passion for honey-based products. Honey is soothing, moisturizing, and antimicrobial, and honey cousins like propolis and royal jelly are also nourishing and intensely antioxidant, making them excellent for skin.
Honey products are my jam. Hurr hurr.
I’ve also been growing increasingly tired of dealing with the concerns around my Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence. It has been a fantastic product for me in terms of reducing redness, calming the occasional pimple or irritation, and providing a little light hydration. Problem is, Benton uses only weak natural preservatives. That makes the essence more prone to spoilage than I’d like. I’m sick of squinting at my bottle of Benton essence every day, making sure that nothing’s growing in it before I put it on my face. And when I read The Wanderlust Project’s glowing review of the Shara Shara Honey Bomb All In One Ampoule, with its honey, propolis, and royal jelly extracts as well as niacinamide and a host of other skin-friendly ingredients, I knew I had to have it.
I got mine in from Glow Recipe just today, complete with personal, hand-written thank-you card, because Glow Recipe gives awesome customer service!
Blurred out the part where whoever wrote this card made an extended pun about my name ❤
I couldn’t be more excited to start using it.
Finally, the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum is another new addition. Summertime means lots of time spent out in the sun, walking to the beach, hanging out on the beach. Lots of time spent out in the sun demands sunscreen, of course, but also a potent daily dose of antioxidants. The Green Tea Seed Serum provides those, along with a light extra layer of hydration to keep skin moist in the salty ocean breezes.
Another thing I like about both my Innisfree serum and Shara Shara ampoule is that they come in containers significantly larger than the Benton essence, Mizon ampoule, and DD’ell serum I had before. It’s more product for the buck. I like more product for the buck.
Emulsion and cream
I like to seal my hydrators in with a rich, occlusive cream at night, but during the day, I typically only want a light emulsion under my sunscreen unless the air is exceptionally dry. I’d been using Mizon’s Snail Recovery Gel Cream. I’ve got no complaints with the excellent and fantastically affordable Mizon snail gel cream, but I really enjoyed a sample of Innisfree’s Green Tea Balancing Lotion. More green tea antioxidants are always a plus. And that honey fetish of mine led me to I’m From Honey Cream, which I’m enjoying so far–though I’ve got a jar of COSRX Honey Ceramide Cream on the way with which to compare it.
Green tea and honey. My routine is, if nothing else, delicious.
I’m using up the last of my Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence as a hand cream. You might be shocked to learn that my Mizon Returning Starfish Cream has been pulling its weight as a rich foot cream at night. Flip-flop season means I’ve got to take better care of my feet, and the niacinamide in the Returning Starfish is helping take care of last year’s flip-flop tan lines.
Sheet masks and sleeping packs
Of course, I wouldn’t be Auntie Snail without a giant stash of sheet masks with which to further customize my evening routine. The collection has grown a bit recently, but luckily I’ve found the perfect way to store it. Right at my bedside!
At night, I can hear them whispering to each other of plumping hydration, brightening extracts, and happy skin.
Sleeping packs are another way to customize my night routine and help deliver a few extra actives to take care of my skin while I sleep (or lie awake reading Reddit or listening to paranormal podcasts). I prefer light, fast-drying gel-textured sleeping packs that seal in the rest of my layers without feeling heavy or ending up all over my pillowcases. Mizon Good Night White has been a mainstay in my routine for two jars now. Innisfree’s White Tone Up and Green Tea sleeping packs are new additions. I’ve been liking them both–you’ll see first impressions and reviews soon.
Putting these on before bedtime is akin to tucking my face in under cool silk sheets.
No, I don’t use all three every night. I pick one a night. All three contain niacinamide and are fairly equal in terms of pleasant texture and weightless occlusiveness, so mostly the choice boils down to my mood and scent preference. Mizon’s Good Night White has a lovely, feminine fragrance, kind of soapy and kind of floral. Innisfree’s Green Tea Sleeping Pack smells fresh and green, like, well, green tea. And the White Tone Up Sleeping Pack is bracingly citrusy with a hint of other botanicals.
Sunscreen (and some extras)
Summer or winter, rain or shine, I wear a full 1/4 tsp of sunscreen on my face if I’m going to leave the house at all. My sunscreen game was fine last year but fell a little short of perfect. This year, however, I’m completely covered and totally satisfied thanks to my skin care fiance, Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++.
For me, this is the perfect sunscreen in every single way.
As a closing note, take a look at how I’ll be keeping my lips moisturized in the cutest possible way.
Oh. My. GOD. Will you look at these adorable Skinfood Honey Pot lip balms. Will you just LOOK at them.
I picked these up from Amazon on a whim while I was searching for honey-based sheet masks, and I love them. First of all, they are the cutest lip balms I have ever seen in my life. I’m not a huge fan of the Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bars–they’re just a little bit too childish for me to want to use them in public–but these Skinfood honey pots are something else. The honey sticks are functional. You use them instead of your fingertip to dip out the balm and apply it to your lips, which I prefer because I hate getting goo under my fingernails, and also the mouths of the jars are too little to use a finger anyway. The balms give wonderfully long-lasting moisture and a light glossy finish, and they function very well as lip prep before lipsticks or stains, too.
And there you have it! Started from the bottom, now we here. And we’ve got nowhere to go but forward and up.
Are you adjusting your skincare routine for summer? What are you planning to change?
If you’ve been reading a lot about sheet masks, you may have come across the admonition not to expect anything from them in terms of real skin improvements. The common knowledge is that sheet masks are pretty much only good for a temporary boost that will fade within a couple of days at the outside. And while that’s definitely true if you only use a sheet mask occasionally, I’ve always wondered if the conventional wisdom still holds if you, like me, use a sheet mask every night and have an enormous and diverse stash of both standard and higher-quality masks to choose from. Last night, I planned out an experiment to find out exactly that.
Hypothesis: Consistent daily use of sheet masks carefully selected to target a specific skin issue can produce real results.
Reasoning: Sheet masks really are a more intensive treatment than regular serums and essences. The essences are able to penetrate the skin in larger quantities and for much, much longer periods of time than everyday products can, due to the mask sheets preventing evaporation. In addition, the penetration enhancers (most commonly, glycols like butylene glycol, and often alcohol as well) in sheet mask essences also, uh, enhance penetration. Combining the intensiveness of the treatments with regular and consistent use and proven ingredients should therefore result in results comparable to those produced by everyday products like serums and creams, but at an accelerated rate.
Method: I will choose seven sheet masks that all contain the same proven ingredients that target a specific skin issue.
This week, I’ll be focusing on whitening masks. While my freckles (sunspots) have faded significantly in the year and a few months that I’ve been on an effective Asian skincare regimen, I started out with a lot, and I still have some very persistent ones that don’t want to budge. You can tell they’re from sun exposure because they’re across my cheekbones at the highest points, exactly where the sun would hit. Crappy bathroom lighting brings them out even more, as you can see below.
Upsettingly close-up before picture. I took this picture immediately after my nighttime cleanse last night, before I even put my A-Sol on my face.
I’d like to see if a really targeted approach to sheet masks can make a difference in these things.
The Masks
For this challenge, I picked seven masks out of my ginormous stash. Ingredients are the only way to gauge potential effectiveness, and they all look promising, with five containing both niacinamide and licorice root extract, two of the most reliable dark spot lightening ingredients in the Korean skin care market. The sixth only contains niacinamide and the last only contains licorice root extract, because I didn’t have seven that fit the bill. The niacinamide-only mask will be Day 1, the licorice root extract-only mask Day 7 so that I can maximize the effectiveness of the combo by using the masks that contain both on consecutive nights without a break. I’ll be using:
Leaders Insolution Brightening Recovery Mask with niacinamide (I actually used this one last night; it was fabulous, and a review will follow soon)
Naexy Genius Luminant Mask Pack with niacinamide and licorice root extract; this is a two-step treatment with an ampoule meant to be applied before the mask
Botanic Farm Syn-Ake Hydrogel Mask with niacinamide and licorice root extract (by the way–Botanic Farm is a new addition to Memebox‘s mask offerings, and the ingredients look unusual and excellent)
Botanic Farm Hippophae Rhamnoides Water with niacinamide and licorice root extract (and doesn’t that name sound like a monster out of Bloodborne?)
May Island Donkey Milk Mela-Tox with niacinamide and licorice root extract; it is a three-step treatment that includes a (high pH) cleanser, a serum, and the mask
Botanic Farm Salmon Egg Hydrogel with, of course, niacinamide and licorice root extract
and My Beauty Diary Black Obsidian Moisturizing Black Mask with licorice root extract. This is one of the more premium MBD offerings, packaged and priced similarly to the My Beauty Diary Platinum Mandelic Acid Brightening Mask I recently reviewed
This is the chosen lineup.
I’ll be taking progress pics every day and posting reviews along the way. In seven days, we’ll know whether my hypothesis has any merit.
I was looking through my bins o’ sheet masks earlier and found myself drawn to the ElishaCoy Honey & Royal Jelly. As my eyes scanned down the front of the packet, however, my attraction quickly turned to some straight-up WUT.
Why, you ask?
Hmm, maybe it’s not obvious enough here.
Let’s take a closer look.
Wait a minute…
Let that sink in. Maybe reading a transcription will help this gloriousness penetrate. But don’t think too hard. Just know that no, this doesn’t sound good to me, either.
Elishacoy is which can cause irritation to the skin to minimize the chemical composition of vegetable ingredients to the skin a valid prescription for the skin, optimized for “natural cosmetics”
If you’ve been following the changes I’ve made to my skin care routine recently, then you may have noticed that I’ve swapped out my trusty Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid and 8% AHA Gel for a Korean brand you may not be as familiar with: COSRX.
My current COSRX lineup is comprised of the Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol, the AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid, the Galactomyces 95 White Power Essence, and the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid.
COSRX, whose sister brands include C20 (makers of the famous C20 and C21.5 vitamin C serums) and Ciracle, has made a big splash in the AB enthusiast community thanks to the company’s AHA and BHA products. Chemical exfoliants are rare in Korean skincare, and finding a correctly formulated Korean AHA or BHA product is almost as difficult as catching a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest. But if Professor Quirrell can do it with Voldemort growing out of the back of his head, can do it, so can we.
COSRX tells us about COSRX
I recently had the pleasure of conducting an email interview with COSRX Marketing Team Assistant Manager Lee Hye-Young, who generously took the time to tell me more about the brand and how COSRX feels about the love it’s getting from Western-based AB bloggers.
Can you tell me a little about the history of COSRX?
Lee: “COSRX is a brand built from about 13 years of experience in Korea cosmetic industry, product development backgrounds, and various bestselling products. We have collected what customers need and want regarding their skin types and concerns. Finally, all those needs came into ingredient-oriented cosmetic brand after numerous simulations. So we are committed to make high performance products with safe and natural ingredients only without any side effects. Moreover, we minimize the advertisement and design cost to produce product with best ingredients. Our vision is to make practical and high performance cosmetic products.”
The unfortunately named Galactomyces 95 White Power Essence, for example, packs the same fermenty, niacinamide-packed punch as Missha’s First Treatment Essence, at about half the price.
COSRX products have been getting a lot of attention from Western bloggers lately. It seems that it’s hard to find Korean chemical exfoliants that are properly formulated and at the correct pH. Why do you think such products are so rare in the Korean market?
Lee: “We would like to thank our customers in Western culture for such interest. It is our pleasure to see reviews from them.
“Many Koreans have sensitive skin types, so people tend to avoid AHA/BHA products. AHA and BHA are popular exfoliating ingredients, but there are high regulations on their pH level and formula. So it is hard to satisfy the customers’ need.
“Still, we use glycolic acid, a kind of AHA, because it is less irritable to skin. Also we work hard to develop natural BHA product to keep our relationship with customers for the best. It seems customers do recognize our efforts and we are very thankful for that.”
I’m finding both the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and the AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid more effective than the Paula’s Choice equivalents.
Another thing many of us find exciting about COSRX products is their excellent ingredients. Your products seem simple and include only ingredients that benefit skin. Can you tell me a little more about the R&D process behind a COSRX product?
Lee: Many COSRX customers are sensitive skin types, especially due to skin problems like acne. If too much ingredients are included in the product, it is impossible to tell which ingredient causes more troubles. Therefore, our formula contains minimum amount of ingredients that are skin-friendly yet giving the best result. One of our secrets is to use natural water instead of just purified water to maximize the effect of other active ingredients. For instance, BHA product is a white-wallow water base, which contains natural BHA elements. AHA product has its ingredients dissolved in apple water, which contains natural AHA elements. Natural water like these two also is very skin-friendly and alleviates irritated skin.
The Returning A-Sol, meanwhile, contains 60% propolis extract, which is antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant.
Can you tell me what COSRX is planning in the next year?
Lee: “Our first goal is to lessen the burdens of our customers’ skin concerns. The ultimate goal is to help our customers find their own beauty with our products. We are designing the products that are inspired by customers’ desires.
“There are few plans for the next year. First, we are building global B2C [business to consumer] online shopping system to satisfy customers’ need from overseas. In the following year, we plan to make the system where customers from all over the world can communicate.
“Second, we are working on more effective exfoliator and other types of products to make our customers happy.”
What else would you like to share with Fifty Shades of Snail readers?
Lee: “We would like to present deep gratitude for all the love and interest.
“Our team believes that cosmetic should look for meanings more than just beauty. So we are devoted to enable individual with each skin type to solve the problem, gain self-confidence, and find own beauty. That’s why our brand name is COSRX: COSmetics + RX = COSRX.
“We will keep move forward and always be on our customers’ side to offer beauty for all. We will always make ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ products that provide the best solutions to skin problems.
“‘Expecting Tomorrow’ is the motto of our company. Our high performance cosmetics products will make you excited to see the positive change tomorrow.”
Why I switched from Paula’s Choice to COSRX
I’ve said that properly formulated chemical exfoliation products are hard to find in the Korean market, but the truth is, they’re hard to find on Western shelves, too. It’s difficult and expensive to formulate an effective AHA or BHA product thanks to the pH limitations, and I imagine many companies don’t bother trying, since most consumers are unaware of the importance of variables like concentration and pH. (But not you lovely people.)
Paula’s Choice is one of the few Western companies producing correctly formulated chemical exfoliants, and that’s why I used their products pretty much from the minute I learned what makes a good chemical exfoliant.
Unfortunately, I strongly dislike Paula’s Choice, the brand. I’m not a person who tells others to boycott companies, or who is prone to boycotting companies myself, but really–their entire marketing strategy seems to revolve around bashing other companies’ products through blogs, videos, and their extremely conflict-of-interest-y Beautypedia product reviews. Their marketing often argues based on false premises, such as the idea that everyone wants or needs antioxidants in every single product they use (yes, antioxidants are great, but you don’t need them in everything) or that anyone who’s interested in Korean skincare is deluded and fad-chasing. This style of marketing grinds my gears.
That’s why I was happy to find a way to switch from PC to another company. COSRX chemical exfoliators are formulated just as correctly as PC’s, and I’ve found them more effective for my skin. They’re also much more affordable. Tell you the truth, I don’t think I’m ever going back. I’m just dreaming of COSRX’s R&D team coming out with a stellar retinol product or two to add to their lineup.
Have you used COSRX products? What do you think of them?
Fifty Shades of Snail 