What liquid is your face mask bathing in? Everyone acknowledges that it’s a serum, but what is a serum? What makes something a serum and why is it good for you? Zagline is here to answer all the unanswered and potentially unasked questions about the goo inside all your sheet masks.
Investigating What Makes Up A Serum
The back of most of these packets contains unknown ingredients that no one who isn’t a chemist can understand. Serums in themselves contain a high concentrate of nutrients making it more effective than regular moisturizers. However, these benefits don’t without a catch, serums are extremely unstable and have a short lifespan. One of the most popular ingredients in serums is an ascorbic acid which contains a large amount of vitamin C. When exposed to air this acid begins to oxidize causing it to lose its nutrients and skin benefits.
How Masks Are Able To Combat This Issue But With A Price
However, when you store ascorbic acid in a soluble(water) solution it retains its nutrients longer making it ideal for cosmetic use. So, when masks are being packaged, the serum is dissolved and placed in a water state allowing the serum to be easily soaked up by the mask. The mask is then able to keep it in pinnacle shape for when you finally get around to using the sheet.
Common additions to this ingredient list are aloe vera, bamboo extract, fruit extract while more complex face serums range from including pearl, dairy, snail extracts. While the more complex ingredients include parabens and phenoxyethanol to preserve and prevent mold. Although not all face masks contain these ingredients, many of them do and can result in harmful skin damage depending on your skin sensitivity.
When Is It Harmful To Use Sheet Masks On Your Skin?
The lifespan of a mask is correlated to the lifespan of a serum. Most sheet masks have a lifespan of 12-18 months. Some say placing a mask in the freezer extends its lifeline, however a common rule of thumb is if the production date is two years old don’t bother opening it as it might be harmful to your skin.
What may be even more suspicious is how companies are able to produce so many variations of serums. After all, face masks come in a variety of flavors from seaweed, milk, and even potato. From the recent study conduct by NPD Group in the USA, the sale of masks increased about 60%, overwhelming other categories in the skincare business.1 This might not be so surprising as individuals are able to use up to 365 sheet masks per year.
There’s More Love Than Hate About These Packaged Masks
So, why are they so popular? They come in a variety of prices making them attainable for just about anyone. They adhere to your face making it easy to stay mobile, you don’t need to wipe off your face after usage making it time effective, and lastly, they’re disposable. What’s even better is they come in a variety of materials from paper, gel, to fiber. This way you’ll be able to find a mask that satisfies your needs. With each different material comes different benefits. Some materials can absorb more moisture, other adhere better to the skin.
What do you think about face masks? Are you going periodically check the production dates of products now? Let us know!
1. https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/2016/category-and-generational-shifts-are-altering-the-prestige-beauty-landscape-npd-reports/
