Weekly review: Sheet Mask Snippet -- My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Mask

Greetings, fellow summer weather sufferers!  This week's review is of a handy summertime-friendly sheet mask, the My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Mask.


My last sheet mask review was the My Beauty Diary Japanese Cherry Blossom sheet mask, and I wasn't happy with it (link) but the Hyaluronic Acid mask is quite decent by sheet mask standards.

Read on for the full details!



Details:

Full product name: My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Mask
Purpose: According to the MBD official site, this mask is for "Intensive moisture seal, hydration and moisturization" but it's a sheet mask, so my expectations were low.
Scent:  Not bad.  That generic "fresh" scent that a lot of Korean products have, so definitely fragranced but not floral or fruity.  It fades pretty quickly.
Quantity: As per usual with MBD, you can get them in single masks or in boxes of 10, also the HA mask is fairly popular so it sometimes shows up in "Assorted" boxes.
Availability: All over the place online.  I got mine from prettyandcute.com (link) but MBD is so popular even walmart carries it, to my chagrin.
Price: Single mask $2, box of 10 is $14-ish.
Rating: I consider sheet masks a 3/5 at best, so this mask gets a 3/3 on that scale.
Repurchase: Sure.  I didn't feel the grace of beauty angels bestowing themselves on me after use, but it's nicely hydrating and didn't irritate my skin.

Full review:

In case you aren't aware, sheet masks are a cotton or paper mask that is soaked in a serum or solution and does not need to be washed off after use.  They are usually one-time use, come sealed in a little packet which contains a single mask ready to be pulled out and used.

Plastic backing after mask has been unfolded then peeled off
MBD masks, in my experience, have always come with a plastic backing (shown at left) that you peel off after you unfold it all the way. (You'll only make the mistake of trying to peel off the mask pre-unfolding once, and after you've ruined your first mask by doing so, you'll never forget again.)

According to the MBD website product page (link) the directions for use are:
Use a clip or even bobby pins to hold the sachet closed
after using the mask, and keep it in the fridge until needed
After cleansing, unfold the mask and place it over your face for 20-30 minutes. If there is remaining serum on your face, gently massage this into your skin with your finger tips. Do Not wash off mask serum, just proceed with normal daily skin care routine and you may apply your moisturizer over the skin. For best results, we recommend two to three applications per week

In my experience, the trickiest part is getting it fitted and comfortable on your face.  The eye holes are always too small and too close-set for me, and I always have to tear around the nose area to get it to fit even though my nose isn't very large or aquiline. (It's actually small and button-y but it still won't fit, argh.)

Sachet has enough left for a second application directly
 to the face, or to infuse the under eye patches I mentioned.
Once you place it to your satisfaction and get it settled on your face, though, you're free to wander around as long as you don't get too vigorous in your activities (OK for reading, watching TV, blogging, flying on a plane, etc).  After the majority of the product has been leached out of the mask by your face, you peel the mask off, pat your face to encourage any lingering product to absorb, and toss the mask.

The convenience makes them ideal for travel as they can be packed easily without risk of jars or tubs leaking, and they're thin packets that take up little space.  They are also handy for use on the plane if you are in for a long flight.

They usually have enough serum left over for a second use, but I do not recommend reusing the same mask as it will be dirty from the air and have absorbed oils and impurities from your skin.  I have little under eye patches that I will tuck into the packet to soak up the leftovers, or just save it until that night/the next day as a regular skincare serum step.  Also helpful for minimizing products needed while travelling!

I actually had this sachet floating around in my fridge for about a week in preparation for this review, so I don't plan on actually using it as I have no idea how stable it is once it's been exposed to air.  I usually use my leftovers the next night or morning so I've always used it within 24 hours.  It was difficult to get a good shot of how much is left as it's completely clear and the inside of the sachet is reflective.  I find trying to get the excess patted onto my face immediately after using the mask is a waste as my skin has already absorbed as much as it's going to by that point.

But onward to the specifics of the Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Mask in particular.  As I mentioned before, it's not an HG product for me but I would happily buy it again, because by sheet mask standards (take that as you will) it's nicely hydrating without being at all rich or creamy, so it tends to give me a nice hydrating boost without tipping my skin over into greasy territory.  With the weather being as hot as it is (high 90's is a 'cool' day) it's nice to have something that feels closer to water than moisturizer.  In fact, sometimes I wear this to bed as a sleeping pack if my face feels like it's going to move into oil production overload because I've stripped too much moisture by trying to clean off all the goo.

Considering that we have dust storms and thunderstorms at the same time over here, there's a lot of goo to be cleaned off, but it's too hot to load up much product onto my face if I've had to get scrubbin'.  Because this mask is so watery and refreshing, it's an ideal option for the hot summer months.  I've used it in the winter and wasn't blown away, but I think that's because I need pretty intense moisturization in the dry cold months and this just isn't designed for that.

Well, according to the to the official product page (link), it is supposed to be designed for that:
Intensive Moisture  
Classic and popular moisturizing ingredient, hyaluronic acid, is treated to a hi-tech hydrolysis process to further reduce the size of their elements. The elements of hyaluronic acid are tiny after undergoing hi-tech hydrolysis process and these treated Hyaluronic acid elements offer excellent moisturization to skin. This substance is able to quickly enhance skin by facilitating microcirculation, purification and moisturization of dry skin. Thus, the moisture content of the skin is maximized, forming a protective transparent water molecule screen, securing moisture in the skin.

Intensive Moist Seal 
Precious deep sea coralline (which is also known as Swallow Nest of the Sea”) a premium algae extract and oat extract , which is rich in glucan combine to provide nourishment to brighten skin for a healthy glow with a soft velvety touch. Moisture is sealed within your skin to provide a tender protective screen that is hydrated 24/7. 
Snort. In my experience although it is nicely hydrating, it's not "intensive moisture" and if you have very dry skin I don't think you're going to see a lasting effect.  However, if you tend to react really badly to moisturizers that use oils or have a rich consistency, Hyaluronic acid products may really work for you.  I have several products that contain it (it pops up in a lot of Mizon products for example) and it consistently provides a nice hydrating effect in my experience, but I am no expert.

Hyaluronic acid (wiki link) is a common buzzword you'll see all over, with beauty gurus swearing by it.  Like many cosmetic ingredients, it has a solid basis in medical benefits but the effectiveness of its use in cosmetics is unproven.  It's essentially a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture, and may also have wound healing and anti-aging properties.

Final thoughts:

For a sheet mask, it's not bad.  It's not something I am going to rush out and buy, but I would definitely buy it again if I'm looking to top up an order by a few dollars to hit free shipping, or if there is a sale.  Unlike the Japanese Cherry Blossom mask, which left my skin sticky and eventually irritated it, the Hyaluronic acid mask didn't leave any ill effects.  If you are looking for light pick-me-up, give this a try, but don't expect "intensive moisture" or you'll be disappointed.

Leave me a comment below with your favourite sheet mask, or your experiences with Hyaluronic acid products.

All the best,
-Cat


*Disclaimer: All products I review are 100% purchased with my own money and my opinions are entirely my own.

3 comments

  1. Okay I need to test one of these out now that you found a good one! I think the lighter moisture will be good for me for summer.

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  2. Your blog is very cute!! Very good review by the way!!! Maybe I'll try this mask next time! Would you like to follow each other on bloglovin' and gfc? Btw just a question do you think this mask would be good for sensitive skin? I have a problem when masks will sometimes irritate my skin.

    My Blog

    - Kat

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    Replies
    1. Your blog is also very cute! I am so jealous that you have a Tonymoly in Hawaii.

      Although I am not a professional and can't comment on the safety of anything for sensitive skin, I personally have sensitive skin and this mask does not irritate it. In fact, my skin usually looks calmer in the morning if I wear this mask to bed. :)

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