Deal Alert: Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Mask Sheet 26 Combo Packs + Sheet Mask Tips for Beginners

| Mermaid Magic

My favorite budget sheet mask series, Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Mask Sheet*, has hit an all-time record low on Amazon at $0.50 per mask for the 26 Red and Green Combo pack (totaling $12.95 USD). Amazon has different combo pack sizes, but I’ve found that the 26-pack is the most economical.

I’m currently working a 12 day mask review series of another budget line, Etude House 0.2mm Therapy Air. To be honest, even though Etude House has a higher MSRP it’s pretty close to call. Purchasing from Amazon is also much more convenient considering you don’t need to wait for a 60% off flash sale, wait 2+ weeks for shipping, and then meet a $60 USD minimum to get free shipping.

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Quick Review:

Reputable, mid-quality budget sheet mask, suitable for daily use. Each mask has 0.2% hydrolyzed collagen and a certain percentage of the featured ingredient. I highly recommend this set for people new to sheet masking, see review for the different “flavors” / combo packs below. Cautions: Negative reviews from others complain that the sheet mask is less saturated / wet than other brands, and I also agree that they tend to fit short on the forehead.

Testimonial: These were the first sheet masks I used when I started my skincare journey. Within 2 weeks of daily use I was able to eliminate my crows feet at 30 years old, with emphasis on daily use. The masks honestly aren’t particularly special it was the practice of using them daily that made the difference, but they’re affordable and hydrating. One common complaint from people who don’t use sheet masks often is that the effects are temporary, but from my experiences once your results are obtained you can keep them for at least up to a week or two.

How To Use (for sheet mask beginners): On a clean face after toner apply the sheet mask and leave on for 20-30 mins. To apply the sheet mask, lay flat and tap the bag to make sure that all the sheet mask has absorbed all the essence. Squeeze out any extra essence from the bag and apply to the body (I recommend the neck and chest). After the 20-30 mins are up squeeze out excess serum from the mask and use on the body (I do arms and legs this time). It is not recommended to leave the mask on longer than 30 mins because the cotton begins to absorb moisture from your skin. Some skincare enthusiasts like to save the essence but I strongly do not recommend. Sheet mask essence is not formulated to last after it’s open. If you absolutely insist on this method store the extra essence in the fridge and use within 24 hours.

Ingredients Overview:

water, glycerin, butylene glycol, hydrolized collagen, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, portulaca oleracea extract, beta-glucan, panthenol, tocopherylacetate, polysorbate 80, disodium edta, xanthan gum, perfume, methylparaben. .23 G / sheet contain more essence. Hydrolyzed collagen 0.2 %.

Check each package for its exact ingredient list, but this is a good overview of the ingredients. The mask contains several humectants: glycerin, butylene glycol, hydrolized collagen, and aloe juice. Humectants work by pulling water from the air into your skin.

DermalKoreaRedAndGreen

Red & Green Combo Pack – Skin Elasticity, Soothing*
This is my favorite combo pack of the three, because I think this pack has the best featured ingredient lineup. Most of the featured ingredients are antioxidant and plant based, with the exception of Q10, Collagen, and sodium hyaluronate (alleged to be anti-aging) and red sea cucumber and bird’s nest (exotic Asian medicinal ingredients).

DermalKoreaGreenandYellow
Green & Yellow Combo Pack – Skin Soothing, Nourishing*
This combo pack is fun but some people really have a problem with the horse oil sheet mask (yes, it is what you think unfortunately). Otherwise Platinum and Gold really aren’t proven to have any benefits to the skin.

DermalKoreaYellowAndRed

Yellow & Red Combo Pack – Skin Nourishing, Elasticity*
Same as the Green and Yellow combo pack, I’m just not a fan of the gold and platinum sheet masks. This pack also contains the horse oil sheet mask that people are adverse to.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links denoted by *.

Review: Etude House 0.2mm Air Therapy Camellia Lifting & Skin Radiance

| Mermaid Magic

Day 2 of the 15 part series covering the 0.2mm Air Therapy line.

Best for: Aging skin

Across most of the line alcohol is going to be high on the ingredients list and the mask fit is going to be the same. I tend to have a longer forehead for most masks but this one fits me well, the eye holes are a little closer together than most masks.

First Impressions:

0.2Camellia

The mask has a good amount of thick, gel serum similar to the kind found in hydrogel masks. The fragrance is very faint, slightly floral but with a stronger ginger / eucalyptus scent. The mask starts off moist and then the cooling sensation sets in (probably from the eucalyptus). And finally, if you leave it on too long you’ll know. I didn’t time myself today and I started getting that “moisture is being sucked away from my skin” feeling. Most other sheet masks you can tell they’re getting “not as moist” but this is my first experience with a mask that has felt drying when left on for less 45 mins. (I assume I left it on around 30, I don’t time myself strictly but I almost always do 20-30 mins)

Ingredients:
Water, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Xylitol, Alcohol, 1,2-hexanediol, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sucrose Palmitate, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Edta, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil (100ppm), Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Pinus Palustris Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavander) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

While tracking down the cosdna link for this mask I came across another review (it’s always nice to have a second opinion, right?). Unlike that reviewer I felt the serum absorbs well and wasn’t particularly tacky when dry.

Lifting and Radiance

Camellia Japonica (Tsubaki) Oil has been shown to prevent Trans-epidermal Water Loss and to promote collagen production. Compared to the previously reviewed Argan mask, this mask also contains Adenosine, an anti-aging ingredient.

Licorice Root Extract has been shown to have a brightening effect on the skin, but it appears to be a common ingredient across this mask series. I didn’t see anything that stood out in regards to radiance in this mask flavor.

Jung, E., Lee, J., Baek, J., Jung, K., Lee, J., Huh, S., Kim, S., Koh, J., Park, D., 2007. Effect of
Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier
function. J. Ethnopharmacol. 112, 127–131.

Peri’s Ink Velvet #4 Wow Pink

Aside | | Mermaid Magic

Before I began my 10 days of Peri’s Airy Ink series, I wanted to put in a review / swatch for Peri’s Ink Velvet #4 Wow Pink that I got in a flash sale. You can get it for $5.14 USD at cosmetic-love.com* while they’re running their 40% off promotion.

Freshly Applied
Tint only
Does real life match the ad?

The color is pretty dramatic in person and doesn’t quite come cross well in the photo. The fresh tint was a very bright pink but it mellowed out into a darker shade as the product transferred away and my natural lip color became more visible.

I tried to hold out and not reapply for the entire day to show how well the tint lasts and… that photo is really heinous I’m just going to keep it to myself before I end up anonymously shamed on makeup boards.

Things I learned from today

  • Start applying from the middle of your lip. You can see how I kind of splotched the cupids bow, I started trying to apply like I do other liquid lip colors and too much product in an area that requires precision is bad times.
  • The product slowly transfers off throughout the day. After the first hour or so I was checking to see how much product was on my lip vs how much of it was tint, and it seemed like it was all tint but throughout the day I was still transferring color little by little.
  • How long the color lasts seems to vary, I was reading other reviews and some were saying that they have to reapply after every meal. This wasn’t the case for me, my color stayed vibrant for most of the day (at least 6 hours) then started to fall away in patches. I’m guessing the tint lasts longer for people with drying skin / lips, but that’s just speculation on my part.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links denoted by *.

Review: Etude House 0.2mm Therapy Air Mask Argan Nourishing & Moisturizing

| Mermaid Magic

I was inspired to do this review due to Etude House’s 40% Off Mask Pack Event (ends 4/5/18). I got mine during a 60% off sales event (usually a one day only flash sale) which they do I would say once a month but they really went crazy with it in March.  They have free shipping on orders over $60 USD which makes these one of THE most cost effective masks I’ve found ever.

EtudeHouse60off

First Impressions:

The mask has a lot of serum, and it’s the first mask I’ve used with a lotion-like serum (creamy, milky texture). The mask fits well (many masks are short on the forehead for me) but the eye holes are a little too close together. It faintly smells like alcohol but is not heavily fragranced. I would not recommend for sensitive skin. There is a faint chill / burning sensation and I can’t tell if it’s the alcohol content, the ginger, or the eucalyptus (why?)

Ingredients:

http://www.cosdna.com/eng/cosmetic_9944353275.html

The whole 0.2mm Air Therapy series has alcohol high on the ingredient list. I decided to give them a chance anyway since I impulse-purchased. Recently I read that alcohol in skincare doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is drying, but I’ll follow up with how my face looks / feels tomorrow (or maybe not I’m a little too short on sleep to give an accurate gauge).

After the serum is completely patted in the skin does feel soft to the touch (like after just applying lotion). I personally did not have trouble with a long serum absorption time.