If you’ve ever shopped at a Korean cosmetic store, or down the streets in Myeongdong, you have inevitably been handed a Korean paper face mask. They are everywhere.
I’ve gotten so many I actually had to buy a basket to keep them all in. I don’t know if that’s awesome or really sad. I’ll admit, the idea of putting a weird paper mask covered in a lotion type substance sort of freaked me out. Will this thing really fit over my eyes? Why is the mouth hole so little? Do they actually work?
So what do Korean paper face masks actually do? Some claim to moisturize, some claim to shrink pores, get rid of problem skin, help fight wrinkles, brighten and tighten. Do they actually work? Well..sort of.
According to my co–teachers, you are supposed to use a paper mask between 5 to 7 days a week. I usually use them 1 to 2 times a week. They all claim that the masks are miracle workers and it keeps their skin looking fresh (and they all have great skin). So maybe I’m just not using them enough to see results. But they do feel really nice! And after a long day, I put on a mask and I feel really relaxed. That has to count for something right?
According to this article, Korean paper face masks are now being sold at Sephora in America. They’re being marketed as an on to go facial treatment for busy, working women who don’t have time or money to get a facial. Apparently Korean face masks are the equivalent to a facial! Who knew?!
So, for those of you that may not be familiar, I decided to show you exactly what a paper mask looks like. Warning: you are about to see the most flattering, amazing, breathtaking pictures of me that have ever been taken. You’ve been warned.
Fresh out of the shower. I’m going to use one of my favorites, the SkinFood Peach Sake Pore Mask. I have no idea if it shrinks my pores, but I like the way my skin fees afterwards, and it smells really nice.
What a paper mask looks like. Creepy as shit, I know. It’s normally made of cotton, or some sort of cotton blend, and completely saturated in face glowing goodness. And don’t be afraid if the eye holes and the lip hole looks a little too small. A gentle tear will open up the holes. Stretch the mask taut and smooth over your face. And yes, once you put one on, you will be transformed into a goddess from another world.
See! GORGEOUS! I don’t look like a crazy serial killer AT ALL. After you put the mask on, if you have friends or a significant other, don’t let them see you. They may fall off of your bed from laughing at you. Not that this happened to me or anything *cough cough*
Leave the mask on for about 15 to 20 minutes. I normally wash my dishes, paint my nails, or just watch an episode of Golden Girls in the meantime. After you take off the mask, your face will have all of the liquid from the mask still on it, so rub it in and let it glow! It’s best to do a mask after a shower, when your face has been cleaned and after your toner.
People in Korea, have you used a paper face mask? For those living outside of Korea, would you ever use one? I think my next challenge is to use them 5 days a week and see if I have any results. I have SO many of them, it can’t hurt right?
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When I was a facial product junkie, I used to live by the SK II masks. My bestie sent me a link to order them and I refused because they looked so darn freaky. And then I gave it try… Jealous they are just handing the out all willy-nilly in the streets in Korea; I want some!!!
Girl they hand them out EVERYWHERE. I have at least 30 of them. Sigh!
I have a whole bunch sitting in my cabinet, LOL.
I tried one a few weeks back and it was so weird having it on. The burn victim look creeps me out, but my skin did feel a lot smoother afterwards.
I find that if I don’t look at myself in the mirror, then I can tolerate it…LOL!
Hey now, it’s not just ladies! I love face masks but haven’t used on in a while – and you’re right, they DO look sexy on. Plus they leave my skin feeling faaaabulous afterwards. My favourites are actually face masks from Lush, but they’re a mixture that you slap on your face and aren’t in mask form. Korean cosmetics are wonderful!
Yikes! Thanks for pointing that wording out to me…I’m normally more careful about that. I looooooooove the face masks from Lush, but they’re so pricey here! Maybe I’ll splurge when I get paid.
Walgreens (at least in CA) has sold
Face Shop paper face masks for a long time now. I wish we had more brand selection.
I got a couple of these free from the cosmetics lady at the market, and the first time I pulled it out of the packet I was in disbelief. “What the hell is this” are the exact words I used. But it was free, so I used it – and I don’t know if I got a sketchy one, but it took FOREVER to dry. Eventually I gave up (after 40 minutes) and peeled it off. My skin smelled nice, like pomegranates, but was weirdly sticky for the rest of the night. I did enjoy the serial killer aspect of wearing it, though – it’s fun to freak out your significant other!
I’m not 100% sure, but I don’t think you’re supposed to let them dry. I think they’re just supposed to saturate your face, and then you rub the excess liquid into your face after 15 to 20 minutes. Either way, I think our partners got a got laugh lol!
Ha ha.. this is a great post, and I agree with Lauren above – it is a bit ‘serial killer-ish’! Thanks for sharing all the funny details of living in Korea
Thanks!
Ha ha, nothing wrong with a bit of pampering
I’ve used similar masks before and my boyfriend would always laugh at me. The green gunk ones are equally as flattering!
LOL! I use a jeju volcanic pore mask that’s like a weird murky brown color. Definitely very flattering
Loved your posts on Korean cosmetics! I’m totally buying several of the stuff you recommended. How would you compare the price points of Skinfood, Etude House, Innisfree and The Face Shop? Skinfood seems to be your fave!
So out of the 4 you mentioned, Innisfree is the most expensive. I don’t really shop at The Face Shop, and for no particular reason, I just haven’t been drawn to them. Etude House is probably the least inexpensive…? And Skinfood is somewhere in the middle. But the price points between the three are all very close. Innisfree is just a little more expensive because it’s an all natural brand, and all of there stuff is like 90% or more natural. I think Skinfood is my favorite because it *is* slightly cheaper, but I like Innisfree products more.
Thank you! I love that you really reply to each and every one of your comments
Great blog!
Thanks so much! It really means a lot to me
Follow up question just for fun HAHA. If you had 500USD to spend on one just one Korean cosmetics brand what store would be your top 3?
AHHH! This would be the best shopping spree ever. My top three would be Innisfree, Skinfood, and one I haven’t mentioned before but I LOOOVE, and that’s Too Cool for School. Too Cool for School is the most expensive out of the three (and by a fairly large margin), but the quality of their products is TOP NOTCH. Their pencil eyeliner doesn’t smudge at all, and they have really great lipstick colors that last fairly long. Plus the packaging is super adorable!
I checked it out just because of the adorable packaging part and OMG I love it! How cute is the lunch box foundation?! And the crayon lip gloss and the paint tube blush! Gosh it’s like heaven for an art/design student like me who loves makeup! Unfortunately I don’t live in Korea.
Will have to scour Facebook/ebay resellers for this. Thanks for this discovery!!!
Hi! I just arrived in Korea about 3 weeks ago ( teaching English in Daegu, wha-wha!) and the first thing I bought at the E-mart in Jeonju was a pack of face masks! They were 1,000won each (what the f that is awesome!!) and me and my girlfriends all bought a different pack. By far mine was the best, though this was unexpected. I bought TheFaceShop real nature pumpkin mask. SO GOOD! Honestly I expected it to break me out a bit like the cheap ones I bought in New Zealand, but it just made my skin lovely and plump and poreless and OMG is that a difficult task, haha. So let us know how your experiment of 5 days a week goes, and thank you for the awesome blog!
Much love,
Jasetyn Hatcher
ooooooooh nature pumpkin! I might have to try that! Thanks for the recommendation!
Oh my gosh, WTF? Haha. In all seriousness, that photo of you holding it up looked so friggin’ weird. It really does look like something out of Halloween. I guess I just found my costume!
LMAOOO! Perfect Halloween costume!
Ha ha ha! The last pic is GORGEOUS!!
with V-sign you look Asian, Sheryll 
Btw, what’s up with the “V-piece sign” Asians show to camera?? On every pic they are doing it!
SNORT! I can totally see Johnny wanting to jump you after seeing you in that mask. NOT. And an idea: you need to wear this on Halloween dress up like a panda with the mask on and do the Gangam style dance in the streets of Korea. Then see what happens. HA HA HA. PS I like that you watch the Golden Girls. That show rocks. Ayngelina and I were watching it a few weeks ago.
LOL!!! Oh man. That would be HILARIOUS. I’d have to be 405834095 times drunk to do it though.
And Golden Girls is my favorite show! I watch it almost every night before I go to bed.
I work at Sephora and we only carry… I believe two (?) facial masks right now. Sadly, they start out at 24 USD and go up to 120 USD. They’re not a very popular item as most people that shop at my location like to see hydration results like, five days ago. I’ve used all of them at one point or another, but I’ve found going down to my local Hmart and buying a pack for a dollar work just as well as the insanelyexpensivesellingyourfirstborn ones. Next time you go outside and its deathly hot or just uncomfortable, try throwing a mask in the fridge for 30 minutes before putting it on. Feels amazing and refreshes the skin.
How did your challenge go?
omg! That is SO expensive! I know SK-II has an insanely expensive one..it’s like $75 for ONE sheet. the model Iman swears by them and she’s super gorgeous so they must be doing something right!
And the challenge is still going strong! I use the masks about 2 to 3 times a week. I’ve been using a lot of brightening ones because my skin has been looking SUPER dull lately (thanks winter….), and I’ve noticed that after I use them my skin does look more perky and alert.
what?! 5 days a week?! -__- I think that’s too money wasting since mask sheet is not that cheap >.<
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