I don’t want to unnerve you, but as I sit here writing this, every inch of my skin from my temples to my clavicle is covered in gooey white cotton, making me look like an extra from Eyes Wide Shut. There is a sheet on my face and another on my lips. I’ve even put one on my neck because while I don’t feel bad about it yet, I know the ravages of time and the horrible words of Nora Ephron (“our faces are lies and our necks are the truth”) will haunt me soon enough.
To be clear, I’m talking about sheet masks, which are cloth masks saturated with a variety of serums that claim to boost natural radiance, refine pores, hydrate skin and quell breakouts after a single treatment.
The latest beauty craze to land on North American faces by way of Korea (which also brought us the alphabetized skincare regimen of BB, CC and DD creams), is said to deliver a hydration boost via hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and collagen, along with a host of antioxidizing plant and fruit extracts.
“Compared to a clay or cream mask, or going for a facial, a sheet mask is an inexpensive way to get results” thanks to the occlusion of the cloth, says Kate Gouron, brand communications manager for TheFaceShop, Korea’s premier beauty brand, which launched in Canada in 2014. “The masks are soaked in serums that are absorbed into the skin within 15 to 20 minutes, and they create a dewy, luminous complexion.”
You have only to scroll through the Instagram accounts of January Jones, Diane Kruger and Georgia May Jagger, all of whom have snapped themselves in hilarious-looking sheet masks, to see how widely popular they are among celebrities (though it’s doubtful those luminous complexions can be solely attributed to serum-soaked fabric).
The masks range in price from $1 to $10 per sheet and come in a variety of types that address skin issues from dryness to acne and redness.
The pimple-busting claims made by some sheet-mask brands, however, raise eyebrows among medical professionals.
Dr. Mark Lupin, director of the Cosmedica Laser Centre in Victoria and a clinical instructor in dermatology at the University of British Columbia, for one, doesn’t put much faith in the fabric.
“Sheet masks are trendy and convenient, but scientific evidence is lacking to support them as being equal to or better than traditional clay or cream masks,” he says.
In particular, he cautions against using a sheet mask to treat acne or sensitive skin since covering your entire face in a mask can cause acne flare-ups and the serums could be irritating. When Dr. Lupin does recommend a sheet mask to patients, it’s with the express purpose of helping them boost hydration or soothe skin after a laser treatment.
Since my major skincare concerns are fine lines and radiance, I use a sheet mask once a week, and may do so more frequently during the brutal winter months. But the lightning speed with which beauty trends in Korea shift makes me worry that sheet masks will soon be obsolete, leaving me and my face out to dry.
Gouron speaks to my fears. “The traditional sheet mask might fade from favour,” she admits. “Now the big thing in Korea is a sheet mask for cellulite. Every few months, there’s a new iteration.” This can only mean one thing: Full-body sheet masks can’t be far off. I’ll be waiting, Korea.
