I Tried The 7-Day Sheet Mask Challenge And Was Not Totally Impressed

I just wanted flawless skin (without all the work).

I’m Grace, and I *really* wish I had flawless skin. But like most people, I’m not as kind to my skin as I should be: I eat junk food, rarely sleep eight hours, and am lucky if I end up drinking four cups of water per day.

Grace Lee

With Korean skincare products becoming more and more accessible in the US, I too have been swept up in the craze and am trying to be more mindful of taking better care of my skin. Thus began my quest to discover if a 7-day sheet mask challenge could solve my skin troubles.

For some background, I’m Korean but lacking in the youthful/dewy/radiant skin department that most South Koreans are known for. I have acne-prone, combination skin with an oily T-zone and dry cheeks.

In an attempt to achieve that coveted K-style glow without committing to the rather daunting 10-step Korean skincare routine, I decided to try the 7-day sheet mask challenge.

Via instagram.com

I wanted some consistency, so I decided on seven of TonyMoly's I'm Real sheet masks. You can purchase them at Urban Outfitters, which is where I picked up mine on sale (4/$10). Of course, there are cheaper alternatives, like buying them in bulk on Amazon (11/$10), but I'm impatient and all about that immediate gratification.

I did a bit of research and found out that it's not entirely uncommon to use one sheet mask per day. But for those of us who struggle to wash off one's makeup at the end of the day, it pretty much counts as a challenge. So, for those lazy ladies and gents, I dedicate my journey to you.

Grace Lee

IDK how, but I managed to lick a corner of this thing while putting it on, and it tasted like it smelled: just like alcohol. Also it's worth noting that the mask is very delicate, and in your excitement to try it, you might end up ripping it, just like I did. So be careful! Aside from that, the other thing I noticed after a few minutes of having it on was that it was really warm. It started off cool in the packet, but once on my face, it began to feel warm and noticeably tingly.

After about 30 minutes, I removed the mask and patted down my face to help it absorb the leftover serum. Even after patting it into my skin, there was definitely some stickiness that didn't go away. However, I did notice that my pores were visibly smaller, and my face felt a little tighter. I had high expectations after being told by the cashier that this was his favorite, and I wasn't let down. I would give it a 5/5 for overall effectiveness, but I'm deducting one point because the warm and tingly feeling threw me off.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Grace Lee

Not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed that it didn't smell like freshly squeezed lemons or lemonade. It smelled more like a lemon-scented Lysol wipe. I also imagined that the brightening mask would be just as effective as the pore one — like I'd emerge as a shining beacon of light. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, and I ended up looking instead like a more moisturized version of myself. There was slight tingling, and with the rather unimpressive results, I don't think I'd purchase this mask again.

Overall Rating: 2/5

Grace Lee

I woke up this particular morning with a small pimple on my nose. I wasn't sure if it was from introducing a new step in my skincare routine or from eating In-N-Out two days in a row.

Immediately after opening the packet, a large amount of serum came pouring out, which wasn't at all pleasant. But aside from its runniness, this mask was cool, soothing, and deeply hydrating without the weird tingly feeling I felt from the previous masks. In addition, there was none of that quintessential tea tree oil smell, which can be quite overbearing. After taking it off, I patted down my face, neck, and chest with the remaining essence, and it dried without any stickiness. I thought I looked less red and more dewy, and in truth I felt like a whole new person. The radiant glow I achieved definitely earned this one a 5/5.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Grace Lee

Like the tea tree mask sheet, this one was also very soothing and stayed cool the whole time I was wearing it. But I wouldn’t say I felt like there was a noticeable difference after taking it off. If I had to choose between this one and the tea tree mask, I’d pick the latter.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Grace Lee

Waking up with a pimple on my chin, I was beginning to think I was overwhelming my skin with so many masks. After putting it on, my face felt cool but extra tingly — and eventually it started to itch. Luckily, I didn’t break out in hives or anything, but my skin didn't find this mask particularly agreeable.

*Full disclosure: I was planning on giving it a 3/5, but I woke up the next day with the pimple on my chin noticeably less red.*

Overall Rating: 4/5

Grace Lee

WOW. This mask smelled so strong that I didn’t want to wear it any longer than necessary. Whereas I wore all the previous masks for 30 minutes, I took this one off after about 20. And when I removed it, I didn’t notice any crazy improvements to my skin's elasticity. Maybe it's a long-term kind of thing. Either way, I didn't feel like the results justified its overwhelming smell.

Overall Rating: 1/5

Grace Lee

To sum it up in three words: So. Much. Serum. As soon as I pulled it out of the packet, I had to squeeze it a little so I wouldn’t drown in it. But rest assured, all that goopy goodness was used on my neck and hands. It was super soothing on the skin, and when I removed it 30 minutes later, my skin was less red and thoroughly moisturized.

The next morning was when I realized how much of a game-changer that mask was. I woke up with noticeably brighter and almost radiant skin, with the pimple on my chin visibly smaller in size. And no, it wasn’t just because I gave it time. Usually my breakouts last up to an entire week before shrinking down, but this pimple went away unusually fast.

Overall Rating: 5/5

In conclusion:

The skin soothing tea tree mask sheet and the moisturizing aloe mask sheet tied for first place. These two were the most soothing and hydrating for my skin (and also the runniest.)

I think the overall ineffectiveness primarily stems from the fact that they're suitable for "all skin types" — they're not tailored to one particular kind of skin. I also felt that their primary goal was to hydrate and not irritate, so in that way they seemed to fall short on purposes other than moisturizing.

Despite some disappointing results, I'm still hopeful that one day I'll achieve radiant, glowing, flawless skin. But I think I'll have to first admit that it takes a lot more than just sheet masks. Lesson learned: Cutting corners doesn't cut it when it comes to Korean skincare.

Grace Lee

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