They’re the fasttrack facials that can be tailored to your skin’s wants and needs. Here’s how to find the sheet mask for you…
Whether your skin is dehydrated, blemish prone, dull or lacklustre the experts at 111SKIN have used their skin healing knowledge and designed a sheet mask for everyone and every skin concern. The perfect slot-in skincare accessory, use them as a quick fix or top-up when you need a speedy injection of active ingredients that will glean instant results.
A forever go-to complexion booster in South Korea, it was 111SKIN founder Dr Yannis Alexandrides’ wife that discovered their benefits on a trip there. Deciding to utilise the technology and their popularity he then began to create a wardrobe of sheet masks for his own brand.
Explore our sheet masks!
“It was my wife Eva’s idea to create our masks. We did a lot of research into the technology but when we came back to London buyers weren’t interested and said it was just a trend that wasn’t going to stick around,”
explains Dr Yannis.
“However, we firmly believed in them and I started using the masks on my patient’s post-laser peel and facials when we saw how much they helped heal the skin.”
WHAT IS A SHEET MASK?
Quite simply, a sheet mask is a paper thin mask with eye and lip holes that you place onto your face. Covering your skin like a ‘sheet’ because they’re drenched in ingredients they naturally stay in place and won’t slip off, making them convenient to apply whether you’re in bed, sitting on your sofa or even at your desk (just watch the drips). Often made of cotton, cellulose, fibre or coconut pulp, 111SKIN chose a Bio-Cellulose material after seeing the benefits it had in wound healing.
“We have revolutionised sheet masks through the superior materials used to deliver our innovative formulas such as Bio-Cellulose which is used to treat burn victims. I’ve used Bio-Cellulose in wound repair throughout my medical career due to its ability to adhere to the dermis like a second skin,” explains Dr Yannis.
WHY ARE SHEET MASKS SO GOOD?
Offering a unique delivery system, sheet masks can hold a higher concentration of active ingredients which is why the results are sometimes likened to in-salon facials. Leaving the masks on for 20 minutes also means they work as an ‘occlusive’ by physically locking the actives into the skin so they don’t evaporate into thin air. The ingredient absorption is also boosted as the formula can be topically applied for a longer period of time.
The real beauty of a sheet mask is that no-one is excluded from the complexion-enhancing experience, and regardless of whether you have a particular bug bear with your skin or not, they’re an excellent way to inject moisture back into your skin. This in turn naturally strengthens the skin barrier leaving it healthier and less prone to inflammation and ageing aggressors.
“Our masks have been formulated to have both an instant and long term effect on the skin so should be thought of as an intensive treatment,” says Chloe Batimelli, head of product development.
WHEN SHOULD YOU USE A SHEET MASK?
There are no rules when it comes to smoothing on a sheet mask, the only thing you need to ensure is that it’s on freshly cleansed skin – this will allow the ingredients to penetrate and it won’t smush or smudge any make-up you have on.
Apart from that, you can use them in the morning before you apply your normal skincare products and make-up or in the evening before your pm products, although in all honesty, you probably won’t need to add anything else as your skin will be in such good nick. Of course, you could attempt sleeping with them on, but it could make your pillow a bit soggy and so it’s best to hold out for the 20 minute application time.
You could even level up your application and mimic what the experts do in the 111SKIN treatments and use Cryo Globes or a facial roller over the mask. This will not only up those relaxation vibes but help push the ingredients into the skin and get your circulation flowing removing any stagnant toxins that could cause congestion or puffiness.
Ideal post-treatment, be it aesthetics or otherwise, after exercise, or even in the morning to give tired skin a shot of hydration and radiance, it’s a good idea to let the ingredients dictate when you should apply it. As for how often:
“We suggest using a sheet mask three times a week and they can be used at any time of day,” continues Chloe.
HOW TO CHOOSE A SHEET MASK
Think of the end result you want to achieve and go from there.
For brightening:
If you have a night out on the cards but your skin is looking ashy and lack lustre, the Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask and Illuminating Eye Mask should be your first port of call. Designed with Rose Damask to soothe inflammation and medical grade Collodial Gold to create a glow, celebrity make-up artists always have them to hand before sending their clients down the red carpet.
For hydrating and revitalising:
If you’ve had a treatment, been working out at the gym or are feeling the aftermath of a night out (read puffiness, dehydration and dullness), the Cryo De-Puffing Facial Mask and Eye Masks are a life saver. Cooling on the skin, especially if you do as the experts’ advise and keep them in the fridge, it’s the equivalent of having a cryotherapy treatment and will tighten, smooth and hydrate even the most depleted complexions.
“It’s perfect as a morning pick me up as it’s been designed to replicate the skin benefits of CRYO and will leave your skin refreshed and de-puffed for the rest of the day,” says Chloe.
For targeting ageing:
The Celestial Black Diamond Lifting and Firming Mask works miracles and has reached cult status for a reason – it really is a 20 minute facelift. Made from hydrogel and dripping in potent actives, diamond particles deliver the powerful peptides deep into the skin allowing them to instantly tighten and smooth out fine lines, as well as lifting and sculpting. Also containing Centella Asiatica – a favourite of Dr Yannis because it’s a highly regarded skin healer, it’s this that helps to wipe out any expression lines that might be causing you concern.
For de-stressing:
Even sensitive skin types can benefit from the boost a sheet mask provides and the Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Facial Mask is ideal for dry and sensitive skin that’s prone to irritation and redness. It’s also a fantastic starting point if you’re new to sheet masks and is a must if you’re on holiday and are looking for something to calm your skin post sun exposure. Containing Sea Anemone that calms, Ectoin to shield skin from environmental damage (UV rays we’re looking at you) and the NAC Y²™️ complex, your skin will look and feel calmer from the moment you peel off your mask.
