I just realized that it has been awhile since I last reviewed a sheet mask so let’s remedy that right now, shall we? Today I have not ONE but TWO sheet mask reviews, and they’re pretty great sheet masks at that!
Let’s take a closer look at these masks!
Product Name
April Skin Mummy Mud Mask
The Claim
This innovative combination of a clay mask in a sheetmask is revolutionary. Made with original mud powder from Korea, as part of the ingredient, this sheetmask’s absorption capabilities will remove any excess sebum while leaving your skin soft. Your skin will instantly appear smooth while it will tightens your pore. You will feel your face tighten as the clay dries on your face and removes any dead skin cells.
Where does it fit in your routine?
Per the instructions, it says to use this mask after cleansing and toning.
Size and Price
1 mask runs $5 (+ free shipping), or you can get 5 masks for $22, on Petaluma & Co, who kindly sent me this mask for review. They are also available on Memebox for $5 each and Koreadepart for $3.75.
You can use this link to get 20% off your first Memebox order. You can get an additional 8% cash back on all Memebox purchases through Topcashback.
Packaging
April Skin did a really good job packaging this mask to minimize mess. The mask comes in two pieces, one for the top half of your face and one for the bottom. Each piece comes with a front backing and back backing. To apply, I removed the back backing of the mask, used the front backing to push the mask on to my face without getting my hands muddy, and then peeled away the front backing.
Fragrance
Faint, mud smell. Nothing too dramatic or earthy.
Color and texture
The mask material is white, but the mud is a light gray color.
Sheet Mask Fit
This sheet mask seems to have been designed for someone with a longer but narrower face. I had to scrunch the top piece of the mask a bit to prevent the mud from getting into my hair. I have a pretty round face, so I imagine this sheet mask would fit most people’s faces better than it fits mine.
What’s in it?
KAOLIN & BENTONITE
The novelty of this product is mostly in the delivery system (sheet mask form), as ingredients-wise, this is actually a pretty standard clay mask. The main ingredients are kaolin and bentonite, which are naturally occuring clays that are effective in absorbing both oil and water. There is the addition of Volcanic Ash along with some botanical extracts from tea, calenula, and witch hazel.
Acne Triggers & Irritants
Cosdna identifies butylene glycol (1) and glyceryl stearate SE (3) as potential acne triggers and glyceryl stearate SE (3) as a potential irritant.
Full Ingredients
Water, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Polysorbate 20 Polyglycerly-3 Methylglucose Disterarate, Sea Silt, Betaine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Volcanic Ash, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Methyl Glucose SEsquistearatem, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polyvinly Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Oleate, Phenoxyethanol
Performance
As mentioned earlier, what is special about these mask are not the mask ingredients, but rather the delivery system. This sheet mask mud mask is SO MUCH cleaner than a traditional clay mask! Think of all the steps that it eliminates:
There is no sticking your hand in muddy glop and spreading it across your skin. As someone who is slightly OCD, I also love the thin and even distribution of mud that the sheet mask sets on your face. With traditional mud masks, I can never seem to get the mud to sit on my face symmetrically enough to my liking. Also, what I love most about this mask is the clean up. I wore this mask for just over 45 minutes, which allowed the mask to fully dry, and simply peeled the mask off. This removed around 90% of the clay and the amount that was left over I simply rinsed off with water. The whole clean up process probably took around 10 seconds! As someone who does not use a lot of wash off masks precisely because I dislike the wash-off step, I really appreciate the convenience of this mud mask sheet mask!
As someone with dry skin, I found this mask to be appropriately mild for my skin. There was a little bit of the tightening I’ve come to expect from clay masks, but it was much more gentle than I was expecting. After I removed the mask, my skin did not look irritated or feel dried out, but my pores felt cleaner and looked smaller, although that effect was (sadly) temporary (as it always is with my pores, unfortunately). I also noticed that the day after I wore this, the two breakouts I was getting on my chin looked flattened out. At this point, I don’t know if this is a fluke or if this mask is helping with the healing time for my acne. Further testing is required (I already purchased 5 more of these) but I will update this once I confirm either way!
Also, this is what the mask looked like after it was removed. It does look mummified!
The Takeaway
I think the idea of putting a mud mask on a sheet mask is ingenious! It’s so convenient, fun, and NOT messy! As someone with dry skin, I also like how mild this mask is, but if you have an oilier skin type and/or like a more intensive mud masking experience, you might find this mask to be too gentle.
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
Product Name
AprilSkin Mermaid Hydrogel Mask
The Claim
This hydrogel mask combines four different kinds of benefits for your skin. The multi-benefits of the mask will leave your skin hydrated during any changing seasons. The soft texture of the mask itself will adhere easily and mold to the shape of your face.
- Cooling: It cools down your skin with it’s cooling ingredient. Perfect for the summer!
- Soothing: It’s full of Aloe Vera and Centella extract which are key to soothing irritated or red skin
- Moisture: Contains AMF ingredient which allows up to 120 hrs of moisture for your dry skin!
- Pigmentation: Contains Niacinamide which helps even out pigment
Where does it fit in your routine?
Per the instructions, it says to use this mask after cleansing and toning.
Size and Price
1 mask runs $5 (+ free shipping), or you can get 5 masks for $22, on Petaluma & Co, who kindly sent me this mask for review along with the mud mask. They are also available on Koreadepart for $3.83.
You can use this link to get 20% off your first Memebox order. You can get an additional 8% cash back on all Memebox purchases through Topcashback.
Packaging
Like the mud mask, this hydrogel comes in two pieces, one for the top half of your face and one for the bottom. Each piece comes with a front backing and back backing.
Fragrance
So I screwed up here. I wore this while baking bread, so honestly all I could smell the whole time was bread. That means the scent, if any, must have been faint, right?
Color and texture
The hydrogel material is translucent and slimey.
Sheet Mask Fit
Like the mud mask, this sheet mask was a little too long and a little too narrow for my (super round) face. That said, it wore very comfortably, adhered well to my skin, and did not slip all over the place as some sheet masks (ahem, LJH hydrogels) like to do.
What’s in it?
- GLYCERIN
I’m pretty sure that 90% of sheet masks have water, butylene glycol, and glycerin in the first three ingredients, but for good reason. Glycerin is a sugar alcohol that is frequently used in skincare because it is a very effective humectant, which means it can hold on to many times its weight in water. This is how sheet masks are able to seemingly pump water into your skin so effectively. - NIACINAMIDE
If you aren’t familiar with niacinamide, just know that it’s a super awesome ingredient to have around. It increases the antioxidant capacity of skin, increases the production of lipids and ceramides in your skin (thereby strengthening your skin barrier), increases collagen production, and can reduce hyperpigmentation. It’s pretty much a do-it-all wonder!
Interestingly, despite being mentioned in the product description, I don’t actually see aloe or centella in the ingredients list.
Acne Triggers & Irritants
Cosdna identifies butylene glycol (1) and olive oil (2) as potential acne triggers.
Full Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Ceratoia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hydrogenate Polydecene, Polysorbate 20, Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Sodium Oleate, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Sodium Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Phenoxyethanol
Performance
Damn. I really like this mask.
I try really hard not to fall in love with masks that are this expensive because there are so many really good cheap ones, ya know? But this easily joins the ranks of L’herboflore masks and May Coop Raw Sheet as one of my favorites.
First, let’s talk mask deal breakers, because I have a lot of them. I do not like masks with strong fragrances or a lot of alcohol. Any skin irritation is obviously a no-go and masks that don’t fit comfortably just aren’t worth wasting time on, but my #1 pet peeve with sheet masks is probably left over sticky residue.
Most masks leave some sort of residue, ranging from A LOT (Ciracle Snail Hydrogel) to the very, very few masks (May Coop Raw Sheet and LJH Tea Tree Masks) that miraculously leave none at all. For masks in the <$2 range, I’m willing to deal with a little bit of residue (i.e. Evercos Herbal Clinic Masks), but for fancier, treat-yoself type masks, my level of tolerance is pretty low.
This mask passes. I left it on for an hour and it is in the same ballpark as the Ciracle Jeju Island Mayu Masks (which I also adore), which is to say when I remove the mask, it does leave behind a bit of residue, but there is no stickiness on my face and the residue evaporates and/or sinks in before it can annoy me. Also, I’m well aware this review might be making me sound like a crazy person, but I really hate it when my face is sticky!
In addition, the effects of this mask are also pretty great! In addition to better hydrated, my skin feels bouncier and looks brighter. This is definitely the kind of mask I would stock up on to use before events when I want my skin looking its best.
The Takeaway
To be completely honest, my expectations for this mask were not high. Part of this is because AprilSkin is a super trendy brand right now and I tend to be suspicious of any brand with a lot of hype, but also because the last mermaid-themed skincare product I tried was a terrible disappointment. This mask far exceeded my expectations! It wears very comfortably and delivers hydration and brightness.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Disclaimer: These products were sent to me, free of charge, for review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Vanity Rex 
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