Hi there!  Sharing some skin care today.  A few months or so ago, I happened upon Beauteque; kind of a one stop Asian Beauty destination.  While they do subscription plans for masks and other Kbeauty/Asian Beauty products; (I do not subscribe, personally) they are also a large online retailer, and carry a huge variety of products, including several specially curated mask sets.  While many of the Kbeauty subs I subscribe to also sell individual products, their selection is quite small in comparison to what you can find here.  Beauteque also has a nice point system, which racks up with each dollar you spend ($1.00 = 1 point, 100 points = $10.00) There are many other ways to earn points when you first create an account as well and I’ve found they also offer a lot of discounts following a purchase in exchange for a facebook share, for instance, and have many great sales.  When I purchased this set I was in the midst of a total skin freakout so I simply typed in ‘acne’ via Beauteque’s search section, and was immediately tantalized with pages of products matching my needs.  One of the first things I saw and purchased was this mask set.  12 different masks for $19.99.  I felt this was a good value and I liked having a set full of products that I would know how to use and knew exactly what they were designed for.  No guesswork or research needed.  (There is a mask set for just about every basic skin concern as well as some themed sets.  I believe there are 14 different versions.)  Ok; enough about Beauteque, I’ll get to the products I received!

Acne Mask Set (Beauteque):

I seriously love all of the Mask Happiness in this photo

(My 12th mask, the ‘My Beauty Diary’ Witch Hazel Oil-Control Mask is missing from this photo..and my life altogether.  I’m not certain how this happened.)

The Mask List and Info Card:

Individual masks:

Hanaka Black Rose Acne fighting Mask: $2.32

This is a peel off mask and it is no joke.  The product is a thick, ultra sticky, really messy black goo.  It’s practically tar, really.   I slapped this stuff all over my entire face; in my defense, it said to do just that.   I even continued it under my chin and jaw, because this is the area I struggle most with my hormonal breakouts.  [I seriously wish I could have gone back and not done this]  After I got an even layer of this mask covering my face, I cleaned up the crazy mess I had made on my vanity and placed the sticky packaging in the trash.  (You could definitely get a second use from this packet, but my fingers were stuck to it and it was covered in black goo, so I opted out.)  I let this madness dry for 30 minutes and went to remove it from my face.  The mask was doing an excellent job of remaining adhered to my skin so I opted for some facial exercises, you know, to loosen it up some.  I finally got a hold of a bottom edge, wrapped under my chin, and began to pull/lift upward.  I’m not certain anything could have prepared me for HOW BAD IT HURT! OMG!  If any of you have seen the youtube video that’s been circulating facebook, featuring a young girl, attempting to remove a black peel off mask, while screaming and cursing; well, I’d be willing to bet, she’s using this mask. (and not nearly as dramatic as one would assume)  It was like getting waxed by someone that pulled it off as slowly as possible.  I didn’t scream or anything that dramatic, but I was shocked by the intensity for sure.  Maybe my face is too hairy? 😉 Idk, but, ouch.  When I finally got this thing off, my face was as red as a beet…but my pores felt super clean and my face felt shiny smooth.  Too bad I looked a fright.  Honestly I think this mask is just better suited for certain areas. ie:  placing on large pore areas only or using as you would a nose pore strip…(it’s more powerful than those) but I do not recommend it for the entire face and definitely do not wrap it under your face, like I did!  At the end of the day I think it actually irritated my skin and pores more and exacerbated my breakout.  But; had it improved my skin,  you bet I’d have went through it all over again.  Use at your own risk; but I do not recommend this one. -Don’t worry the reviews get better. 😉

Hanaka Macaron Facial Mask(s) Green Tea & Volcanic Ash: $20.00 for a set of 10, 5 types

These little Macaron wash off masks totally redeemed Hanaka for me.  They are so cute and while I forgot to get a photo with an alternate view; flipped over, the containers look like little plastic macarons.  They’re adorable and come in several different versions, I believe, available in sets of 10 for about 20 bucks.  Each macaron should allow for 2 uses.  I’ve yet to try the green tea version but I love the volcanic ash (purple)  The mask itself is as smooth as butter and feels so nice going on.  It does not get really hard or tight while or when dry and was not drying for my skin at all.  My face felt soft and moisturized after rinsing.  So many traditional acne control products dry out the skin, often causing more damage and more breakouts, especially in those of us who do not necessarily have oily skin to begin with, and whom have breakouts due to a hormonal imbalance, sudden onset adult acne.  The next morning my skin looked at least 50% better than it did prior.  It helped with my initial breakout and helped soothe and undo the damage from the prior evening’s tar mask mishap.  Definitely a set I want to purchase.

Above is a look at the volcanic ash mask

PureDerm Strawberry Yogurt Mask Pack: ?

This is also a wash off type mask and another that I really love.  When dispensed, it looks and feels identical to strawberry yogurt, so I was shocked to find it did not smell of strawberries.  It has no detectable scent at all.  I applied this all over my face one morning after my face was mostly under control, left it on for about 15 minutes and then popped in the shower.  I let the shower head do the rinsing and once I was finished this mask seemed to really calm my skin and banish any of the leftover redness that remained.  It gave me a good dose of moisture too, making it work well for a morning, soothing, pre-makeup treatment. I was able to get two uses from this packet and would definitely like to re-purchase this product as well.

(just like yogurt)

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch: (I bought mine on Amazon for $5.00)

This is a product I have been interested in trying for some time but just now have gotten my hands on.  These dots; are tiny miracles.  And as you can see from the photo above; I’ve nearly used them all.  Lucky me.  No worries, I have more on the way. 😉  These are tiny little (hydrocolloid, I believe) patches, in multiple sizes, that cover and treat pimples overnight.  These patches absorb pus and oil from the pimple or in the case of cystic acne, draw it to the surface much more quickly, in order to do the same.  If you get the weird, deep under the surface acne (not cystic) that just forms a small bump with lots of redness, and never does anything else, including go away; these really help with those.  They also really help with the painful cystic types that never want to go away any time quickly either.  For me, they work worlds better than any spot treatment, much more quickly and without parching your skin and making it peel off, looking even worse.  They are kind of a transparent light beige and do not show up all that much when they are on.  Either way, they look and work better than globbing on your standard ‘spot treatment’ and I love them for that.

Baviphat Juicy Green tea Mask: (You can get a set of 10 different varieties shipped, for about $30.00 on Amazon)

I’ve been interested in this brand and have some products on order at the moment.  I’m more excited to receive them now b/c I thought this mask was amazing.  The packaging is so cute I had a hard time using it.  I must confess; I’m absurd like that.  This mask is a  thicker, soft, cotton type, soaked in serum.  The first thing I noticed past the mask material itself is that the serum wasn’t your standard water light or ultra thin, clear serum; but instead, a slightly thicker, milky type.  There was plenty left over in the small package.  I applied the mask and pat the milky substance all over my jaw line where the mask ends, and on my throat, neck and chest, kicked back in the tub with my kindle for 30 and removed.  I could not believe how much better my face looked already.  The last of my pink spots faded, skin so soft…It was really calming, clearing and moisturizing too.  I pat the remaining essence in to my skin and went on my merry way.  I definitely recommend trying this one and I must have more.

Botanic Farm Natural Energy Sheet Mask: $2.20

This was your pretty basic sheet mask, thin, adheres snuggly to skin, almost transparent. Mask is folded several times inside packet and does not have any film to remove.  It’s main purpose is to lessen inflammation.  When I removed this mask from my face the mask itself was relatively dry but a ton of the serum was still sitting on my skin, unabsorbed.  I pat it in well and let it fully absorb before moving on to my remaining evening routine.  It did seem a bit calming right away and added some moisture.  Because of the absorption time and the stickiness of the serum left behind; it’s best suited for evening use.  I thought my skin looked better come morning

Tsaio Tea Tree Purifying Mask: $1.99

This brand was totally new to me.  This little mask came folded all up in this smaller packaging but was full of essence/serum.  It had film to remove and smelled strongly of tea tree.  Tea tree is commonly used for acne control, especially in natural beauty products as it works and is not as drying as traditional acne treatments.  Several of the masks in this set were tea tree ‘themed’ but this one was the strongest.  I liked the scent of this mask b/c it has a nostalgic smell to me.  Tea tree has always reminded me of my mom refurbishing antique furniture.  For whatever reason the scent of tea tree has always reminded me of that and this one had the scent more strongly than the other masks; kind of a musty, cedar like..antique shop smell..strange, maybe; but I like it. It worked well for an inexpensive night time mask, calming my skin. Come morning my skin was much more clear, less red yet still soft and moisturized.  Loved it.

Ladykin Green Harmony Pear Wash Off Mask Pack: $2.32

This was another wash-off style mask I liked and used as a morning treatment.  It’s a light fresh white cream and it smells really fresh -just like a fresh pear, but not strongly.  It smelled really great.  As it remained on my skin for a while it kind of separated some, drying in some areas.  I rubbed it around my face some before rinsing and it felt and looked a bit greasy, which made me nervous, but it was fine once I washed it off.  The mask was soothing, calming and added a moisture boost.  I do not think it worked quite as good as the strawberry yogurt, at calming my skin, but it was still a nice mask.  This allowed for two uses.

My Beauty Diary Strawberry Yogurt Mask: $1.99 each or 10 for $14.60

This strawberry yogurt mask did actually smell of strawberry yogurt.  It isn’t strong though and I no longer noticed the scent after applying it to my face.  I tried this in the morning, b/c the wash off strawberry yogurt mask version that I received, seemed to really calm and improve my skin.   This version calmed it some, but not as much instantly as the other.  It did not leave behind an overly sticky layer, but I still think sheet masks are best suited for evening use.  Because I used it in the morning and put on makeup 30 minutes later, I missed out on seeing what my bare skin looked like hours after using.  These masks are really inexpensive though and seem to work pretty well for moisture and calming; toning down redness.  They would be worth trying again.

Innisfree Tea Tree Hydro-Gel Mask Sheet: $5.00

This is a hydro-gel mask, that comes in two parts.  You apply the top portion of the mask and then the bottom; you know so you get two chances to screw it up. (maybe this is just me) 😉 It’s a bit more thick and less pliable than other hydro-gel masks I have used and I’m sure this is why it is made as a two piece mask.  It took me a bit to get it all adjusted and it takes a while to completely adhere…the chin area of the bottom portion never really would stay too well so I had to continuously press it back down.  Once I removed it my skin seemed a bit more calmed, redness slightly reduced and skin moisturized, but no major instant results.  When morning came I thought my face looked a bit greasy/oily..but still less red.  I expected a little bit more from this one; it helped some but not more than the less expensive masks in this set and it was kind of a pain.  Not bad but not one I plan to re-purchase.

…and my ‘MIA’ mask

My Beauty Diary Witch Hazel Oil-Control Essence Sheet Mask:

Because I’ve no idea where this mask has gone, I did not have the pleasure of trying it.  It’s a shame too as this one was unique to the bunch and I would have liked to.  I may have to purchase it myself to end this whole ‘not knowing’.

Ok..so; this review/blog process definitely took some time, but, if you have problem skin, this post went over a whole list of masking products you might want to try, er, steer clear of. 😉  A lot of these were really great and I am really glad I purchased this set!  I will definitely purchase more of the curated sets from Beauteque in the future AND I have so many more great product reviews coming in the skin care and Asian Beauty/KBeauty category; so, if you love it like I do or are simply interested in trying some new things, stay tuned! [plenty more to come]

Thoughts?

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-Kelli xoxo