I don’t know if you heard, but there is a skincare trend that is super popular in Korea right now called 1 Day 1 Mask. It is exactly what you think: men and women are using sheet masks daily and documenting their experience on social media with the hashtag #1일1팩 or #1day1mask. The trend began after some of the biggest Asian celebrities confessed to using masks daily to make sure their skin stays beautiful. Girl, I don’t know about you, but if Fan Bing Bing says that “1 day 1 mask” is essential for her beauty routine, I kinda want to try the same thing, you know? I decided to join in and see for myself if the benefits of daily sheet masking are really that great, of if it’s all just hype. Most bloggers that wrote about this trend used sheet masks for a week, but I couldn’t pick just seven masks from my stash, and decided to go with ten instead.
For the sake of the experiment I selected a wide variety of masks from cotton and silk to hydrogel to play with. I mean, if I only used hydrogel masks I’m sure my skin would look amazing by the end of day 10, but that would be too costly. The majority of masks in this post are actually from the more affordable brands, and that is what most people use in Korea where the trend originated.
ABOUT MY SKIN:
A little bit about my skin profile and why I’m doing this costly experiment in the first place… For the longest time I thought I had your typical combination skin, but in the past couple of years I realized that it is also dehydrated. Yes, it is very possible to have skin that is both oily and dehydrated at the same time. If your biggest organ lacks moisture, the pores start producing thicker sebum, and more of it, to keep the water in, which results in enlarged pores, breakouts, and overall splotchy sheen.
When I identified my main issue, I started to remedy the situation by making sure I drink enough water every day: half my body weight in ounces to be exact. Additionally, I put away all mattifying lotions and harsh alcohol-based products in lieu of lightweight hydrating toners, serums, and emulsions that dominate my beauty vanity nowadays. I’ve also incorporated sheet masks into my routine, but instead of using them daily, I tried to wear one at least 2-3 times a week for that soothing boost of hydration. I feel like my skin is in much better shape now, but I still wonder if it could improve even more if I used sheet masks daily. I guess we’re about to find out!
THE MASKS:
Like I said earlier, for this challenge I chose a variety of products, so there are different mask types in the mix. Some are cotton, some are biofiber, and there is also a couple of hydrogel ones that will be used as a special treat on day 5 and day 10. Here is the full list of masks I will be using during my 1 Day 1 Mask experiment:
- Mediheal Dress Code Mask Violet Tone-Up Care
- LJH LeeJiham TeaTree Facial Mask Sheet
- Prelab Skin Energy Mask White Energy
- Banobagi Vita Genic Lifting Jelly Mask
- Skinfood Deep Sea Water Brightening Gel Mask
- TonyMoly I’m Real Red Wine Mask Sheet Pore Care
- Illi Green Tea Brightening Sheet Mask
- Lovemore Black Pearls True White Mask
- Botanic Farm Natural Energy Mask Sheet Rice Mask
- Aprilskin Mermaid Hydrogel Mask
DOS AND DONTS:
Sheet masking pros can go ahead and skip this part, these are tips for kbeauty beginners on the basics of sheet masking. To make sure you get the most benefits from your mask, keep in mind these DOs and DONTs of sheet masking. In the long run this advice will save you money because you won’t be wasting great products!
DONT:
- Leave the mask on longer than the time listed on the packaging. You should take off the sheet while it’s still moist. Once the essence dries out, the sheet will start drawing moisture from your skin, and we definitely don’t want that.
- Wash off the mask essence from your skin! It is a skincare product that should be sealed with a moisturizer on top.
- Let the remaining essence go to waste. Before you throw away the plastic bag from your mask, soak a cotton pad in the remaining liquid and leave it in the fridge. Next morning use it to wipe the skin instead of your usual toner. Nifty!
DO:
- Apply your serums, ampoules, and essences before the sheet mask. It will push the ingredients further into the skin, making your products more effective.
- Keep your sheet masks in the fridge. They will stay fresh longer and also provide cooling and depuffing effect.
DAY 1:
For my first day of the challenge I chose Mediheal Dress Code Mask Violet Tone-Up Care. This is a fairly cheap novelty-type mask that looks like it was created just for Snapchat selfies. The formula boasts Hyaluronic Acid for hydration and over a dozen plant extracts, including Pomegranate Extract as antioxidants. To my pleasant surprise, the essence did not contain drying Alcohol, which is often present in cheap masks. Another thing worth mentioning is the fragrance: it’s there, but it’s very mild, so you don’t even notice its presence.
Related: Why adding Pomegranate Extract to your beauty routine is a must.
The sheet was thoroughly soaked in liquid and felt super hydrating on the skin. The serum was very gentle and didn’t irritate the sensitive areas on my chin and around the eyes, which is always a great thing. I took the mask off after 25 minutes and immediately noticed that my face looked more radiant, more hydrated, and felt a lot cooler to touch. Overall, I think this one is a winner, and I’m quite honestly shocked how good this dollar mask turned out to be!
You can buy Mediheal Dress Code Mask Violet Tone-Up Care masks from Amazon and Beauteque.
DAY 2:
After the first day’s success I was really looking forward to day 2 of the challenge, so I picked a mask from one of my favorite brands. LJH LeeJiham TeaTree Facial Mask Sheet is soaked in runny essence that smells like tea tree oil. The popularity of these masks is actually what inspired the brand to create their famous 90 Tea Tree Essence, so this has to be good stuff, right? And good it is!
Related: LJH 90 Tea Tree Essence Review.
There is a lot of liquid in the package, so I shook it a little bit to make sure the mask is thoroughly saturated before breaking the seal. The sheet itself is made of some super cheap material, or at least it feels that way. Very thick paper maybe? It’s not very bendy and sure feels like paper on the skin, so it doesn’t adhere as well as a cotton mask would [and if this one is cotton, then it’s not the kind of cotton I like]. That’s about the only con I could think of, because otherwise it’s pretty darn amazing. I wore it for about 15 minutes, and it just made my face look so radiant afterward! I have this annoying dry patch on the chin that flares up from time to time, and it looked better than it has in months. Also I noticed that my pores appeared smaller and tighter, which is obviously not permanent, but still a pretty nice bonus.
You can get LJH LeeJiham TeaTree Facial Mask Sheet in new packaging from Glow Recipe [use this link to get 15% off your first order], and in old packaging from Amazon.
DAY 3:
So far my 1 day 1 mask challenge is doing well, and today I have another one to try. I received Prelab Skin Energy Mask White Energy ages ago in one of my Memeboxes, and it was just sitting in the drawer all this time. I figured it was time to give it a shot! First of all, it doesn’t come in a standard square or rectangular packet like most sheet masks. Instead, it’s tightly folded and placed inside a plastic container filled with white-ish serum that smells like flowers. I thought that was a neat idea! There are four different types of masks in this series, and the ingredient list for this one in particular boasts Niacinamide and deep sea water to soften the skin and brighten the complexion.
The sheet is made with botanical fiber material, which makes it hold more moisture than a standard cotton mask, so it was practically drenched in product. The material is very soft and flexible enough to hug every corner of my weirdly shaped face with ease. I let it rest on the skin for 20 minutes, but could’ve probably waited even longer, because the mask was still pretty moist when I took it off. My face felt totally quenched and soothed afterward, although I didn’t notice an immediate increase in brightness.
You can buy Prelab Skin Energy Mask White Energy on Amazon and from RoseRoseShop.
DAY 4:
I decided to make these mini-reviews shorter, otherwise this post will be 10 miles long. So, for day 4 I used Banobagi Vita Genic Lifting Jelly Mask, which I bought during one of my previous Memebox hauls. The sheet was soft to touch, and it hugged my face pretty well. Also, it was thoroughly drenched in essence, but the material of the mask prevented it from dripping. The formula features Vitamin A and Prickly Pear Extract from Jeju Island, to soften skin and promote collagen production. Overall, this was one of my favorites during the experiment.
You can buy Banobagi Vita Genic Lifting Jelly Mask on Amazon.
DAY 5:
I am starting to see the difference. My skin is finally feeling hydrated to the point where I wake up with a glow, rather than get one post-masking. For day 5 I chose a special treat – Skinfood Deep Sea Water Brightening Gel Mask. I left this deeply hydrating hydrogel mask on my face for a good hour, and it made my skin so incredibly soft! I think this was due to the material of the mask than the formula of the essence, but regardless, it was a real pleasure. Even so, I won’t buy it again, but we’ll get to that later.
I believe, Skinfood Deep Sea Water Brightening Gel Mask has been discontinued.
DAY 6:
When I first got into Korean beauty, TonyMoly was among my gateway drugs with their cutesy packaging and formulas that were more effective than what I’ve been using at the time. Nowadays, I find these masks “meh” at best, including TonyMoly I’m Real Red Wine Mask Sheet Pore Care. The essence was too watery, and not hydrating enough. I didn’t feel the promised tightening of the pores. Plus, the fragrance managed to irritate my eyes, so I removed the mask around 10 minute mark. I won’t be buying any more of these.
You can buy TonyMoly I’m Real Red Wine Mask Sheet Pore Care at Ulta and on Amazon.
DAY 7:
Illi is one of my favorite hanbang-inspired Korean beauty brands among the ones I tried so far. I’m sure there are better ones out there, but Illi Green Tea Brightening Sheet Mask felt heavenly on my skin. Two separate sheets of ultra soft cotton hugged every inch of my face, and they were thoroughly soaked in milky essence. The formula felt very soothing, hydrating, and even provided a slight lifting effect, thanks to Niacinamide, Glycerin, Green tea extract, and Hyaluronic Acid. I will definitely be on the lookout for a good deal on these!
You can buy Illi Green Tea Brightening Sheet Mask at TesterKorea.
DAY 8:
I discovered Lovemore thanks to AB on Reddit, and I’m obsessed with them! These sheet masks are unique because they are made of silk, so they are very thin and lightweight, yet they don’t dry out for a very long time, lasting almost as long as a hydrogel. I am seriously obsessed with these! I bought every variety they had, and for this experiment I pulled out Lovemore Black Pearls True White Mask. The essence contains an array of brightening ingredients, including liquefied black pearl, honeysuckle, and exotic mushroom extracts. This was one of the most hydrating masks I used during the experiment, and you bet I will be buying more of these.
You can get Lovemore Black Pearls True White Mask at Crystal Cove Beauty and on Amazon.
DAY 9:
On day 9 I developed a pretty bad migraine and even considered ending the experiment early, but I managed to power through it like a champ. I used Botanic Farm Natural Energy Mask Sheet Rice Mask, which is a fairly basic and inexpensive option for daily masking. Unfortunately, it stung my skin so bad that I had to remove it after 5 minutes, plus, the fragrance was making my migraine worse. It did hydrate my skin well during the little time I gave the mask to work its magic, I just wish it didn’t contain so much fragrance. I generally like Botanic Farm products, and their SynAke hydrogels are among my favorites. This one, however, was a disappointment, or maybe I was just extra sensitive that day. I have more of these masks in my stash and I’ll give them another try again soon.
You can buy Botanic Farm Natural Energy Mask Sheet Rice Mask at Botanic Farm.
DAY 10:
On the final day of the experiment I once again decided to treat myself to a fancy hydrogel mask, and it was my favorite of the bunch. Aprilskin Mermaid Hydrogel Mask looked a little sketchy [I am totally not into that packaging, but that’s just me], and the only reason I bought it is because I was a few bucks short of free shipping. Now I regret I didn’t buy more, because my skin is feeling amazing after this one. The formula contains Niacinamide and lots of plant extracts and fancy ingredients inspired by Oriental medicine. It was super hydrating and soothing, calmed down a couple active irritations I had going on from the day before [namely on my chin and around the nose], made the skin look plump, quenched, and dewy. I really felt pampered!
You can buy Aprilskin Mermaid Hydrogel Mask on Amazon.
CONCLUSION:
This won’t come as a huge surprise, but I think that masking every day was a great pampering experience. However, there’s only so much water you can pump into your skin until it can take no more, and even with my dehydrated face I hit that mark on day 5. Realistically speaking, I subconsciously had the optimal routine nailed down by regularly using sheet masks every 2-3 days, which is what I will stick to from now on. It would take a very specific skin type living in a very specific climate to make this kind of routine worth it, in my opinion. Using masks every day can get pricey, too, especially if you’re keen on using the nicer ones, like hydrogel or silk ones.
And now, the favorites.
*Drumroll, please*
From the cheapies, Mediheal Dress Code Mask Violet Tone-Up Care was by far the best of the bunch, and from the more expensive ones I loved Aprilskin Mermaid Hydrogel Mask the most. Let me know if you have any questions about any of these masks! I tried to be brief so the post is not too long, but I will happily elaborate on anything you want in the comments.
How often do you use sheet masks? Would you try 1 day 1 mask challenge? What was the best sheet mask you have used so far? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features PR samples and products purchased by Glamorable, and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
I subscribed to a sheet mask subscription box which inspired me to use sheet masks more often. I definitely notice a difference with more consistent frequent use; I think my oily skin would find it overkill to do one a day but once every 2-3 days has been working super well!
I need to do that, too, because I am totally not on top of restocking my masks lately. And I agree, with oily or combination skin, daily masking can be a total overkill.
I’ve been on hydrogels since a year ago, when my friend in Singapore brought me a bunch of Faith in Face masks (love them). I’d have a hard time doing them so often. Typically, I am on sheet masks once a week, sometimes 2 if the weather is bitter cold. Kudos to your experiment and will be noting the new K beauty names 😉
Ahh, I’m so jelly!! I always try to find a good deal on hydrogels, but cheap ones that also have good ingredients are so hard to come by. I don’t even do them weekly, and reserve them for special occasions or when my skin is just dull and lifeless.
I’m so impressed with what you did. I don’t think I could keep it up for 10 days in a row. I love masks but only 2 to 3 times a week. I love the sound of so many of these.
It was pretty hard to stick with daily masking, so I had to always have them on display to make sure I don’t forget. Like I said in the post, I was ready to quit after that one mask gave me a migraine, but that’s just the nature of these things – there will always be products that work and those that don’t. In the end, 2-3 times a week is the optimal schedule for me too, even though my skin is dehydrated.
Okay. I’m going to try this. And, I didn’t know about applying essence or concentrate and serums pre masque but it makes sense. I really enjoyed this post.
Thank you Erika! I’m glad that my tip was helpful 🙂
Fabulous post! To tell the truth I’m kind of glad every day was too much, I don’t know how long I could keep it up!
It’s hard for me to believe that there are millions of women out there who do this daily, it would be such a chore for me, too 🙂 So I’m kind of glad that in the end my skin didn’t benefit much from daily masking, 2-3 times a week was just enough.
Well done! Very informative post about this subject. I don’t think I have the discipline to do this everyday, but I should try it more often. I don’t prefer sheet masks so I use them every couple of weeks but I’ll try to do it more often. I like the very affordable Masqueology Gold hydrogel mask, and it specifically says to leave the remaining essence on. Once it’s dried, I apply moisturizer over it. I will check out the Aprilskin and the Banogi that you tried on Day 2 or 3, I think it was.
Sheet masks are wonderful for those days when your skin needs an extra boost, but I totally agree with you, doing them daily can turn into a boring chore pretty quickly. For me, masking is a pampering ritual rather than another daily chore, and I wouldn’t want to ruin that by turning it into a routine 🙂 Also, I believe you said you have dry skin, right? Aprilskin mask is super hydrating and soothing, I think you would like it!
is every sheet mask supposed to be applied over the essences and stuff? I’ve been doing it all wrong!!!! I’ve been applying the sheet mask, rubbing in the goo, and then everything else on top. No wonder I’ve had trouble with absorbtion.
Hey Shelley! You didn’t do it wrong, just differently 🙂 You could certainly apply your serums on top of the mask essence, but wearing them underneath the mask actually improves their absorbance, which makes them more effective in the long run. The mask acts as a compress that pushes the actives into your skin.
Wow, I couldn’t have made the commitment, kudos for trying this or and providing such a thorough post!
Glad I could share! I kept reading other blogs about this trend, but those experiments were shorter than mine. Now that I’m done with it, I can’t believe Korean women can commit to daily masking! It was hard enough to remember to do it daily, and there was the issue with over-hydration.
This was a cool experiment! I love Korean masks but once a week will do for me!
I hear you! For me daily masking was too much, too, so I’ll stick with my 2-3 a week routine for now. After all, your skin knows what it needs 😉
What a funny trend- I had no clue. Love the photos with all the masks. Cute!
Korea sure has their share of unique skincare trends, don’t they? I suppose, I can see where they’re coming from, considering that most Asian women have dry skin, but still it’s such a commitment!
I’ve honestly never used a sheet mask before! With my dry skin, that has to change!
Sheet masks were created with dry skin in mind, you should try it at least once 🙂
Oh my goodness, so many fantastic masks in one post! I’m going to have to try some of these out! Also, with the extra essence, I like to massage it onto the backs of my hands since they can use a little extra tlc too!
What a wonderful idea to massage the essence into your hands!
I’ve been obsessed with masks for years. I am thinking of putting one on now 😀
Haha, yass! Masks are the best, aren’t they? 🙂
That’s a cool experiment! I’d do it if I was patient enough lol. I tend to rush through my routine 3-4 times a week and only manage to get through the whole enchilada 2-3 times. Meanwhile, I just subbed to a new beauty box; this one’s from Japan, called “No Makeup, No Life.” Full-sized stuff; ships ww free. Reminds me of Memebox before they Meme-paused. I CAN’T WAIT!
I almost lost it halfway through, to be honest, but it was fun to try 🙂 At least now I know for sure that the daily masking trend is not going to work for my skin type. Thanks for letting me know about No Makeup No Life box, I took a look at the products but so far the spoilers for April don’t look like something I’d use. Maybe another month! On that note, you should take a look at Althea, they basically copied Memebox and they’ve got some really cool products/boxes. I haven’t tried them yet, but thinking about.
Oooh you know I’m a beauty box addict, so thank you! But where are you seeing the beauty boxes on Althea? All I can see are individual products for sale, like in RRS or W2Beauty.
This sounds like such a fun project!
It was a fun experiment for sure 🙂
Sounds like a fun challenge!!!! I’m a mask junkie so already well stocked up!!!
It was really fun to try the challenge! How often do you use sheet masks?
What a cool challenge! I have a handful of sheet masks – I don’t use them nearly as much as I should.
My mom is that way, she saves all the best products for when she goes on vacation, and I keep telling her that they are for everyday use 🙂
cool idea! that design on one is so fun too!
Usually masks with fun designs compensate for a sub-par formula, but this one was a pleasant surprise.
Love this idea. I find my skin couldn’t take 1 a day though and generally prefer to stick to 2-3 days apart.
That’s kind of where I’m at right now. One mask a day was a bit too much, but it was fun to try the challenge.
What a fun post! You look great in sheet masks – I tend to look like a fool! hahaha…
See, I totally disagree! I think we all think we look awful in them, but in reality it’s not so bad 🙂
Dress Code Violet is the most awesome mask I’ve ever seen. I’d try it just to take a picture in it!
I know!!! It’s so cool!!
And it actually has very nice ingredients in it, too. What a nice surprise!
I didn’t know to leave masks in the fridge! I have that tony moly red wine one. I hope I like it!
It’s my personal preference rather than a rule, but I personally find them to be more effective that way 🙂
I’m seriously obsessed with facial masks! I’m putting a few of the ones you tried above to my wish list,
Sheet masks are the best for a quick boost of hydration! I don’t know how I survived my teen years without these haha 🙂
I would do sheet masks more often if I could afford it. Part of me wants to get them off SokoGlam or Peach and Lily so I get free samples. But Amazon prices makes that difficult! lol