Sheet Masking 101

Back before I was really blogging (unless you count when I had LiveJournal, in which case I’ve been blogging for…17 years), I used to follow a couple Asian beauty bloggers mainly for skin care hacks.

I joined in on a reddit meetup earlier this year for food + sheet mask/sample swaps! :P

Self-care is important and can be achieved in any number of ways–I have a billion things I like to do on the offchance that I ever have any downtime (e.g. music, cooking, blogging, hanging out with my cat, hiking/exploring somewhere) but when I’m being a total homebody (which definitely happened more often than not over the winter), it’s all about that extra pampering with skin care (and Netflix marathons).

My friend found these in Taiwan for me! :]!

I’ve been using sheet masks on/off for about the last decade and have amassed quite a collection because my mom and my friends often grab a couple for me whenever they go back to Asia. <3

Sheet Masking 101

What the hecks are sheet masks anyway?

They’re face-shaped sheets soaked in concentrated serums that are packed with ingredients that are good for the skin (e.g. hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, aloe, etc.). They’ve been super popular in Asia for ages but have been gaining popularity in the U.S. over the last several years.

Why use them?

• Individually packed + super convenient for travel
• Provides an extra boost for your skin
• Inexpensive at-home spa treatment

How To Use

Apply it to a clean face and leave it on for 20-30 minutes. Do NOT fall asleep with it on or you will wake up with desert-like skin and it’ll probably have cemented itself to your face (…not that I’m speaking from experience or anything).

No need to wash it off after you’re done since your face is already clean (you’d be washing off all the awesome serum and defeating the purpose of the sheet mask!). They tend to come in a one-size-fits-all type of deal, so I usually just line up the holes for my eyes/nose/mouth as best as I can.

How Often?

You can probably get away with using the hydrating/moisturizing ones every day, but for ones where they’re exfoliating/”detoxifying” and the like, stick to no more than 2-3x/week. It’s different for everyone, so pay attention to how your skin feels and go from there! I’m not that crazy rich, so I just stick to 1-2x/week if I can find the time.

Tips

• Too cold? Pop the unopened mask in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and you’ll be good to go!
• Too hot? Stick your sheet mask in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before putting it on!
• These are great to use when you’re sitting around at home watching TV or chillin’ on the computer, but if you have errands to run and still want to put one on (because yay for multitasking), look for a Daiso (it’s like an Asian $1.50 store) near you and grab a silicone mask! You can put it on over your sheet mask and it’ll hold it in place for you so you can continue with your day!

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here’s a handy chart for what ingredients to look for based on your skin concern(s)!

If you’re interested in learning how to change up your skin care routine to target your skin concerns, check out this post! :]

• Have you ever tried sheet masking?
• What’s something that you like to do for self-care?