Sheet Masks and Patches: Etude House, My Beauty Diary, Mediheal, Saem, Secret Key and Vprove

  

ETUDE HOUSE Black Hydrogel Eye Patch

I got this mostly because it's cute and it looks like a Catwoman Halloween mask, but I've tried Etude House's Line Patch and I find their stuff is quite good. This is a black hydrogel mask that promises a firming, brightening and moisturising effect.

The patch: It's a classic hydrogel mask with a honey comb design. This means it's slimy when you take it out of the pack and you might have some problems with it sliding off, but as soon as it warms up in the first few minutes, it's stuck on pretty well. It fits nicely around the eyes, I put it close to my lower lash line, so I covered the circles with it. The only issue I had was with the ears falling off because they reached my hair line. The masks is a smoky grey colour instead of the advertised black.

Essence: The hydrogel is the compressed essence, but you get some extra fluid in the plastic tray which prevents it from drying out. It's a very light essence that completely absorbs and fast.

Scent: is nothing special, just kind of chemical.

Effect: If we go one by one:
1. Firming - haven't really noticed much in that respect, not that I have that much to firm yet, but I haven't noticed any lines under the eyes being reduced or that my skin would feel any different that usual.
2. Brightening - I saw no visible effect, neither in the general area and neither just on my circles. I wouldn't say my circles are terrible (some disagree, but I dismiss them. I admit I sleep little, 5-6 hours, but I wake up naturally with no alarm clock), however, I have pronounced redness under my eyes, since I was a child. I saw no improvement in lightening or making my under eye area more even despite niacinamide being high on the list of ingredients.
3. Moisturising - it was nicely moisturising, I'll give it that.
One great use that Etude house failed to mention is that since this is a hydrogel, it's fantastic for putting on tired eyes after a long day, as it has a pleasant cooling effect and it relaxes the eyes. 

Ingredients: here

Worth it? I'll admit it's more or less a gimmick, but it's fun and nice if your eyes are tired and need some much needed relaxation. 

Cosmetic Love, $1.59

ETUDE HOUSE Bubble Pore Cleansing Patch

Another absolutely adorable cat themed patch. It's a bubble mask that promises to cleanse, minimize pores and help with excessive sebum production. 

Fit & sheet: The patch is from the same type of soft black sheet material as Sexy Look black sheet mask and Balea black mask, so it's soft and comfortable on the skin. It covers the nose and a part of the cheeks. 

Essence: This starts bubbling as soon as you take it out of the bag (they advise you rub the packaging in circular motion before you use the patch) and it quickly bubbles so much it covers the whole patch with a thick layer of foam. It happens in less than a minute and you feel a tingling of bubbles popping. The patch must be removed after 10-15 minutes and the remains of the foam massaged into the skin, then rinsed off. That foam is so luxurious! It's super fluffy and thick, it's just the most luxurious cushion of bubbles I've tried in a long time. I wonder if Etude House has a cleanser similar to this because it's very fun (I had something similar from Skin 79, but it felt drying)

Scent: it smells refreshing, like grapefruit and the same as The Saem Grapefruit mask. I loved it.

Effect: This pretty much just really cleans the skin. It felt cleaner than just with oil and gel, and it definitely removes all oil because my skin had no left and it started to feel tight. But in terms of pore minimising effect, I saw no change. 

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? I give it a 3/5 and I'll say it's more or less a gimmick as it works like a regular cleanser, but, that foam is fantastic and so pleasant to use, plus the smell is great and it looks cute, so if you want it, it's not a complete waste, especially if your skin is oily.

Cosmetic Love, $1.27

MY HOIN NI Arbutin Whitening Mask

Since I've gone through most of Balea masks which proved to be disappointing, I decided to splurge on one of these because based on ingredients they are the most similar to Asian brands, in fact they look very impressive, so I picked up the brightening version first, since those are the ones I like most.  

Fit & sheet: This is almost exactly like My Scheming Mask alongside some others like Etude House, Lovemore,… The sheet is thin, but not extremely, it fits ok (like most it's slightly too big around my chin), it's very saturated with product and the product drips when you take it out of the packaging. It has a plastic protective filter just like My Scheming and some others

Essence: is light and absorbs fast, so this is nice also for oily skin (they market it for oily skin here). 

Scent: was not my favourite, as it was kind of chemical and sour. 

Effect: was noticeable - brighter, more healthy looking skin as it usual as brightening masks (arbutin does its job here). My skin started to feel tight in a few minutes, so my normal-dry skin needs some extra care after it. So far it's the best sheet mask I've found in Slovenia and the only one I can compare to Asian ones.

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? If you're looking for a proper Asian sheet mask in Slovenia or central Europe (I'm not sure where these are sold, but the importer is Hungarian), give these a try. They aren't cheap and they are pretty much a dupe for My Scheming which is cheaper, though the effect of this one better and the ingredients are nicer.

Műller, 2.99 €

MY BEAUTY DIARY Natural Key Series Facial Mask 

Squalene Restorative (Hydrating)

I'm a fan of the Black Pearl version from this brand and I got Squalene based on recommendations for a mask that is great for dry, winter skin. 

Fit & sheet: It's a standard sheet, so not one of the ultra-thin invisible ones and it fits me just like most sheet masks, so ok on the top half on my face and a bit big on my lower part. These have a larger section than others above the lips.

Essence: it has a comforting milky essence. Not all absorbs into the skin and it leaves a slight tacky filter which is gone by the morning. 

Scent: is pleasantly creamy.

Effect: I used this when I noticed some dry patches on my skin and this mask is great for hydration plus restoring the moisture barrier. As weird as it might sound, this left my skin looking "creamy". What I mean by that it had that milky, porcelain look, like someone put an Instagram filter over it, it was almost a bit blurred, still normal looking skin before anyone thinks I'm telling you fairy tales. But it wasn't all that perfect because where the sheet was creased on my cheek, it formed a deep crease on the skin and that didn't go away until the morning when I used my two products that add elasticity to the skin (Banila essence oil, which is discontinued *cries* and Sulwhasoo ginger serum). It also made my lines look deeper, so that was a bummer, however, the skin was hydrated, with zero dry patches and it felt very comfortable.

Ingredients: here

Worth it? Yes, especially for skin that needs hydration or has been over exfoliated, however, I'd use it only in combination with products that give the skin elasticity.

eBay, $2.03 

THE SAEM Natural Skin Fit Mask (Disney Edition) 

Grapefruit

I couldn't resist the packaging of this one, though Olaf is actually not my favourite Disney side-kick. It exist in a non-Frozen packaging and in other versions (this one is moisturising). 

Sheet and fit: this one has an ultra thin sheet, almost invisible when wet and very comfortable.

Essence: is just so nice. It's like a luxurious lotion, very comfortable and pleasant on the skin, plus it absorbs completely. It's similar to Banobagi, but with absolutely no stickiness. 

Scent: is a huge plus for me. It's got a strong grapefruit refreshing scent, like a refreshing drink. I enjoyed it a lot.

Effect: it promises a moisturising effect and that's what it did. The skin looked happy after use and properly moisturised.

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? Definitely, it's one of my favourites I've tried so far. I love the sheet, comfy essence and the fantastic scent, so this one was a proper pampering experience. It's cheap on some websites (check everywhere before you go on eBay which has mostly for $2+). I give it an A+ and I already ordered more of these, plus a lemon brightening version.

Cosmetic Love, $0.59

VPROVE Snail Essential Mask Sheet

Gold Expert

I got this one as a GWP and I can't find it on eBay, at least not this version. The name says it all, it's a sheet mask with snail extract. I've tried Naruko's Snail mask and disliked it, so I assumed I won't like this one either, since Naruko is allegedly the creme de la creme, however, it turned out to be so lovely, I'd buy more if I could.

Fit & sheet: this has another standard sheet, similar to My Beauty Diary, so not that ultra-thin one, but still much thinner than Balea's. Fit was classic - again too big on the lower part of my face.

Essence: Naruko's was extra slimy and slippery, so I was surprised to see this one is clear lotion-like and very pleasant. It doesn't sink in all and in the morning there is this filter left on the skin, but nothing annoying. 

Scent: this has quite a strong scent, just like Naruko and like a typical anti-age skin care, so that perfumery soapy scent.

Effect: I really liked this one. It's simply very moisturising and plumping, so it helped temporarily diminish those two smile lines by my mouth, but it wasn't miraculous. My skin felt and looked really nice in the morning.

Worth it? Yes, it's very lovely and much nicer than Naruko's, but I can't find it anywhere, so instead I'm giving snails another chance by trying masks from other brands.

SECRET KEY Pink Racoony Hydro Gel Eye & Cheek Patch

I like the Gold Racoony hydro gel mask from Secret Key and they also have patches for under the eyes + spots in the Gold Racoony version, but I just had to get the newest Pink Racoony version because they are too adorable to resist. You get 60 patches which are meant as eye and cheek patches, so to depuff the under eye area (they are pleasantly cooling) and to help tone down the redness in the cheeks, but I use them around the mouth to lessen the look of my nasolabial lines. You get a mini plate and spatula to get them out of the pot, but they are so slippery, I find it easier to get them with (well washed) hands. 

Fit & sheet: They are shaped like hearts, which are perforated in the middle, so you can easily tear them into two parts. Though they are slippery, they stick on my skin well, especially once they warm up and you can do whatever with them, even smile wide.

Essence: these are hydro gels meaning the essence is a part of the patch as well. There is pink liquid in the packaging which is light and absorbs fast into the skin.

Scent: These are very heavily scented with a rose scent and even I, who has a hardy skin, feel a slight tingle of that overly fragranced product, so I don't think these are ok for sensitive skin at all (they don't claim to be anyway).

Effect: I've been using them for a few months now, actually less and less to be honest. They work to a degree by hydrating the area and temporarily plumping it up, however, there isn't that much of an effect from these, so they are they are more of a gimmick with a very temporary result. I've used them under my eyes and saw no difference in the look of the skin, but they are wonderful when your eyes are tired since these have a cooling effect. I haven't used them on the cheeks because my skin is never red, regardless, if you plan these to use to tone down irritation, I'd advise against it due to strong fragrance. 

Ingredients: here

Worth it? They're cute and you get a lot of them, but otherwise than relaxing tired eyes, these aren't that special. They might make an adorable gift to those who work a lot behind the screens or strain their eyes. I'll probably buy Berrisom next because I hear they are better.

11$ on eBay.

MEDIHEAL LINE FRIENDS Ampoule Mask Sheet Pack

Mediheal are some of the most often recommended masks, especially their Aquaring formula. Like My Scheming they come in many version of sheets or hydrogels, but I got the limited edition version with Line Friends. Their regular packaging has a more serious look in case you're one of those who dislikes cartoon stuff.  For best results Mediheal recommends the use 2-3 times a week for 4 weeks, since skin has a 4 week turnover term  Four formulas exists in this limited edition, all are permanent in other lines. All have the same type of sheet that's pretty standard in terms of how thick it is, but they are larger than most I tried, so they covered a part of my hair too. By the way all of these have hyaluronic acid high on the list.
All four together were $8.20 on eBay (seller: rinishop)

*E.G.T TimeTox Ampoule

Anti-age. Contains fancy sounding ingredients like rh-Oligopeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Astaxanthin, so peptides that recover elasticity and firm the skin. It has a cute bear picture on one side of the mask.

Essence: light lotion that sinks in completely. Overall the essence feels ok.

Scent: The scent is definitely one I've smelled before at another mask and I'm 99% sure it was TFS Snow White. It's a sweet chemical scent.

Effect: As praised as these are, this is the first mask I didn't like the results of. While it moisturised and nourished my skin well, it just made my skin look worse in terms of how refined the texture is. By that I mean that my pores looked like they did before I started K-Beauty, so large and more gaping, even foundation didn't look nice the next day and it's a foundation that normally looks ok. This is an anti-ageing mask, but I can't say I noticed a dramatic change in elasticity of the skin, but it did plump the skin enough to hide the lines to a degree.

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? I won't be buying this one anymore, my pores are sacred.

*P.D.F A.C Dressing Ampoule

For oily skin. Contains Centella Asiatica (madecassoside), Portulaca Oleracea Extract and Salicylic acid. It has picture of a duck.

Essence: the same as a Timetox, light lotion that sinks in fast.

Scent: nothing special, a cosmetic medicinal scent.

Effect: I used this when my skin wasn't clear and some spots started forming. This turned those spots into whiteheads, so it helped them ripe. It's more effective than My Scheming masks for oily skin, though I those are still much better for keeping the skin oil free and matte. This was was nicely hydrating too, but desperately needs to have something following in the skin care routine that adds elasticity because my lines looked deep and it left creases on my skin, so no plumping effect whatsoever. 

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? Only as very occasional treatment when my skin suffers from breakouts, but I don't like how creased my skin looked after use.

N.M.F Aquaring Ampoule 

For dry and dehydrates skin. Most notably contains hyaluronic acid, ceramide, but also witch hazel and mushroom extract (Fomes Officinalis). This one has a bunny and a bear hugging a duck. 

Essence: it's like a thick toner/light serum and there is lots of it.

Scent: is fresh, close to cucumber smelling products and overall very pleasant.

Effect: this promises hydration and that's what you get. It's the hype of essence that when it dries it leaves a layer on the skin, so when I was applying skin care later it peeled off and formed rolls in some places. Despite a good boost of hydration, just like at Timetox my lines looked deeper and it left a crease, but that layer did leave a glossy shine on the skin.

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? I don't know, I don't really like it as much as everyone else and I really don't get the hype. I most likely won't repurchase.

I.P.I Lightmax Ampoule 

Brightening. Contains Ascorbyl Glucosife (Stable vitamin C-AA2G) that overcame the limitations of

vitamin C, arbutin and Morus Alba Bark Extract. It has a picture of a bunny.

Essence: is like a thick serum and it leaves a light sticky layer.

Scent: is medicinal and slightly sour.

Effect: this was a classic brightening mask. It evened out the skin tone, made the pores less visible and also the lines didn't look as intense. It's the best out of four from Mediheal I tried, but I've usedd better brightening masks (like Papa Recipe Bombee Whitening).

Ingredients: here.

Worth it? It's best from Mediheal, but I probably won't repurchase.

Have a great day.