little white truths

I bought this mask back in June when I was making a Sephora order - June being my birthday month, and me wanting my birthday gift and double points ; )

I needed to put another $12 in my cart to get free shipping, and since this was half price at the time, it cost me $12 and I thought why not. I'd just finished off a couple of hydrating masks and, with dry skin, I could always use another one.

While I don't regret the purchase - I mean, it was only $12 - it also hasn't done much for me so it's not one I would personally recommend.

Having said this, it may well be the kind of mask that's best-suited to normal or even oily skin that's a bit dehydrated. Me? I need the heavy duty stuff.

Sephora claims/product details:

• An ultra-hydrating mask in a gel texture for renewed, supple skin
• Gel formula contains active ingredients like samphire extract and hyaluronic acid to provide even the driest skin with deep-down moisture
• Its creamy texture melts into skin on contact for a luxurious spa-level experience right at home, leaving behind a fresh scent and an even fresher feeling
• Works like an instant splash of water
• Skin is left quenched, refreshed and softer
• Formulated without parabens, sulfates or phthalates
• Clinically tested, non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive 
• In a satisfaction test on 100 woman, after 10 days of use: 95% said skin seemed comfortable and supple; 93% said skin felt quenched; and 76% said skin seemed smoother
• To use: apply evenly over face and neck once or twice a week; leave on for 5 to 10 minutes; remove excess product with a cotton ball; do not rinse
• RRP $24 AUD for 60ml

The packaging is a thick, sturdy plastic with some weight to it. I like it. It feels well-made and it looks good, plus I think it protects the contents well from light and air.

In texture, it's one of those gels that holds it's shape a bit, like beaten egg whites:

Verdict

I don't love this product but I don't think it's bad either: it's just not the right product for me.

Worth noting is that it's had great reviews on Sephora's website, so it obviously works well for many and you have to love that it's so reasonably priced.

It's a gel product that has a thicker, jelly-like texture and it's pale blue in colour. It has a marine fragrance and I quite like the scent: anything ocean-related I tend to find calming and refreshing.

When you apply it to the skin, it melts with the warmth of your face so don't over-apply this: it's better to work in small amounts until you work out how much you need. 

Having said this, this is one of the few masks I've tried where I've found it better to apply a bit more. Normally with masks I use only a thin layer because I don't think you need to pack them on - only the lower layer is touching your skin, so the upper chunk just seems wasteful to me. But with this one, I get more from it by applying twice the amount that I normally would (say the size of a large grape), so it's worth playing around until you find the amount that works best for you.

You can leave this on for five to ten minutes and I normally leave it on for ten. You then remove it with a cotton ball and although the directions say not to rinse it off, occasionally I do rinse it off when I use it in the evenings before my shower, and I honestly haven't noticed any difference between rinsing it or otherwise.

In terms of effect, this doesn't do that much for me. It feels soothing and cooling when applied so that's always good, but it doesn't feel hydrating so my skin doesn't feel that comfortable while I've got it on (I can feel my usual dryness underneath). In my case it would probably be a better product for summer, when my skin isn't as dry as it is now.

After use, I don't notice a huge difference. I think it has a slight brightening and plumping effect, but my skin definitely doesn't feel more nourished.

On the claims: I do think it makes my skin a little more supple; it does make my skin look a bit brighter and renewed after use; I definitely don't think it's intensely hydrating, nor does it provide my skin with deep-down moisture; and my skin does feel a bit fresher after using it, but it's not quenching.

Overall I don't think this is a bad product, it's just that it doesn't do as much for my dry skin as I hoped it would, given the product title and claims, and also given the positive reviews. But because it's so reasonably priced, it's not a bad one to try if you don't have dry skin and just need something that helps with dehydration.

Ok.