Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask Review & Demo

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Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask Review & Demo

And I’m back with another sheet mask review for you guys! I was approached by Instytutum first on Instagram, then a couple of weeks later by email, and ignored both requests because I was about to go on a hiatus and didn’t want to accept any more products than I can realistically try. Well, after a while a package just showed up at my doorstep, because, I am guessing, the brand is represented by one of the PR companies I worked with before.

Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask ($69 for 5 pc) comes in a box with 5 individually wrapped sheets soaked in anti-aging solution. The mask promises to improve tone and elasticity, refine the look of enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, deeply hydrate the skin, and make it appear brighter and more lifted. This is a hydrogel-type mask made of hydrolyzed collagen which in itself is also a skincare product. Heated by your body temperature, it slowly melts on the skin, nourishing it topically with collagen that makes it feel bouncy and plump.

Whenever I am testing expensive sheet masks – or any pricey beauty product really,- I want to make sure that I note all of the details I can think of, because there’s nothing worse than buying something on a blogger’s recommendation and later discover some unpleasant surprises that weren’t mentioned in the review. The first thing that stood out to me was how hard it was to find the full list of ingredients online, I think the brand needs to fix that and make the list easily accessible from the product page.

Something else I immediately noticed is the absence of alcohol in the formula, which is a major thumbs up in my book. So often skincare companies add alcohol to sheet masks, especially to cheap ones, but that ingredient can be very drying and cause more problems than it’s worth.

As you can see below, the mask comes in 2 pieces, one for each half of the face. I always recommend applying the bottom half first so it doesn’t slide off as easily. I have an average size face, and the mask was a little bigger than I need, but still sat pretty comfortably on the skin. It was not completely drenched in serum, so unlike some other hydrogels, it didn’t slide off much. I think I adjusted it once during the 30-minute wear, and only because I needed to scratch my forehead.

I know some of you are sensitive to strong scents, so you’ll be happy to hear that Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask does not contain added fragrance. It does smell lightly like fruits though, probably thanks to all the botanical extracts in the formula.

Instytutum recommends wearing the mask for 20-30 minutes, which is precisely what I did. The mask adhered to my skin well, and made it look brighter and more hydrated after I took it off, with the effect persisting for the remainder of the day.

Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask fits pretty well, doesn’t it? And it can be adjusted for smaller and bigger faces.

After using Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask. I was having a migraine that day so my smile is totally forced. 

You will LOVE it if:

• You avoid alcohol in sheet masks, or in skincare in general.
• You avoid parabens in your beauty products.
• You are looking to hydrate and plump the skin before a special event, but hate the overly ‘slimey’ feel of most sheet masks.
• You prefer skincare with no added fragrance.

You will HATE it if:

• You are on a tight budget. For a single-use product these masks are pretty expensive.
• You are sensitive to any of the ingredients.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Isomalt, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Chamomilla Recutita, Mannan, Polysorbate 80, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Di-Potassium Glycyrrhizinate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Rhododendron Chrysanthum Leaf Extract, Xantham Gum, Lecithin.

BOTTOM LINE:

Instytutum Age Defying Perfecting Facial Sheet Mask turned out to be pretty impressive, both in terms of formula and the delivered results. I found it particularly effective at hydrating the skin and making it look brighter and smoother after one use, and the effects persisted for many hours afterward. I don’t have visible lines yet, so I can’t vouch for the mask’s ability to reduce their appearance. But please do not buy these if you are looking for a miracle, sheet masks are meant to give your skin a temporary boost and nothing more. They can make the skin look great for a special event or a night out, but you still need to invest in a good skincare routine to maintain that glow.

Have you heard of Instytutum brand before? When was the last time you used a sheet mask? Let me know in the comments below!