A different kind of “Sheet”-Day

Eid in Dubai.

For those who celebrate, this weekend is a very huge deal and I wish nothing but a wonderful and blessed time for my Muslim friends around the world.

For the rest of us, Eid equals a number of days off. Five days to be exact and I’m planning to do as little as possible. I’m melting away. With about 99% humidity and very hot temperature here in the desert, it is quite difficult to live right now. At least if you’re Scandinavian and used to cool climates!

So I’m cheating. I stay inside and devote my time into reading and pampering myself with skincare. I have so many products on rotation and I try my best to create some kind of method to the madness. Lighting my large, luxurious and hand-made candle by Natural Light Candle Co. and make sure to have a morning all to myself. Treat and repeat. For five consecutive days.

Cheating, right! Or, more to be true: playing with Serum infused Sheet masks. I love masking, I often multi-mask just for the sake of it, and for assisting my rather schizophrenic skin who insist on changing from chin to forehead and cheek to nose.

I can’t say that sheet masks in particular is my thing, I love all kinds of masks equally as long as they perform and meet their claims, but for those of you who are not so familiar with sheet masks, I thought I would give you a low down on them and a brief review of this darling:

Skin Republic Platinum LIFT Face mask. 

First of all: what is a sheet mask? Very simply put it is a mask made of cotton- or fibre sheets that has been saturated in a good amount of serum. The active ingredients of that specific serum itself determinants the result. I would say that the mask itself is simply just an application method. 

Why would I use this method them? As you apply the mask all over your face, it will lock in all the moisture and make sure that the liquid gets time to penetrate the skin properly. The sheet provides a bit of pressure to the skin, makes it tight but will still allow the skin to breath properly. This is important for all stages of applications. Secondly, and what I might find most valuable with my acne prone and sensitive skin, is the fact that my hands and fingers are never touching the face. No bacterias or oils from my fingers gets the chance to interfere with the application process. Of course, I never start a skincare routine without washing my hands and nails properly, but still I find that sheet masks feels even more sanitary than a regular hands on application.

It is highly effective in locking in liquid due to the close dermal contact but it is worth mentioning that people who suffers from claustrophobia may feel discomfort while using sheet masks and should opt for another application method.

Skin Republic is an Australian company but the products are manufactured in and fashioned by Korea and Korean skincare knowledge. The company should not be mixed up with the Korean brand Nature Republic!

During the last couple of years we’ve seen Korean or Asian skincare methods and ingredients making it world wide and Skin Republic makes amazing products by connecting the far east with western medical research.

In the 1980’s, Pharmaceutical companies in the United States developed what’s known as a Transdermal Delivery System. With applying patches on their bodies, patients were able to receive a correct amount of medication, a specific dose via the dermis. It was a break trough back then and today, Skin Republic are using TDS to let their serums penetrate in an equal fashion.

Laying around in my stash I had the Platinum LIFT mask and thought it would be interesting to try it out today. I still have very firm skin so I never really know how visible the lifting effect of certain products will be but what interests me with this mask is the high-tech ingredients baked into a mid-prize product!

The claims; said to “stimulate the skin with Antioxidants […] that assists in lifting and firming the skin. Enhancing elasticity and texture for visibly firmer, lifted younger looking skin”. That sounds like a handful.

The sheet mask holds Collodial Platinum which is one of the highest rated antioxidants in today’s skincare. We have seen gemstones and gold work it’s magic and platinum, being and amino Polypeptide, has the ability to chemically attach to an anti-ageing ingredient and assist with deeper penetration. It is also making sure that the balance in the skin between negative and positive charged electrons remains intact so that pollution and other free radicals can’t have as much “play room” to affect our skin.

The renowned skincare brands La Prairie and  111Skin uses platinum nanoparticles in their range and my very “own” love, Natura Bissé takes it all one step further and have a whole range built up around the use of Diamond nanoparticles. As you can see, this is nothing but a very sophisticated ingredient.

Collodial Platinum penetrates the Dermis and assist in the production of new collagen and elastin. As collagen is our skin’s architect and elastin makes the skin flexible and bouncy one must assume that an antioxidant like this will help in the fight against wrinkles, fine lines and spots.

The serum also holds Trehalose which is a natural sugar art well known for it’s magnificent water retention capabilities. Used both in food and cosmetics, it forms a gel like texture to hold up the cell when it starts to get dehydrated. It brings UVA and UVB-induced damage control an as such is a great fighter against anti-ageing and hyperpigmentation. Together with Pomegranate it enhances elasticity and makes the skin looks plump and smooth.

I guess this is what the company refers to as the lifting effect. I have used this particular mask for three times now and although I can’t say that I’ve discovered any lifting effect, I will say that it makes a remarkable change in how my skin look and feels. It feels well hydrated, not only at the surface but deep down. The plumping effect stays through out the day and my skin appears brighter and soft.

The sheet mask is a bit large for my face, so I have some difficulties to make it fit perfectly, but when its on, I can walk around my home doing chores while I let the serum penetrate. The fabric of the mask makes it cling tight to the skin without me touching it for 15-20 minutes.

What really impress me though, is the vast amount of serum that comes in the package! The mask is SOAKED and I used a clean small jar by MUJI to decant all the excess amount of serum. Nothing goes to waste here and the amount in the jar will easily be enough for 3-4 applications of serum in the morning! That’s a pretty great deal for this modest price point.

After removing the mask, you are not supposed to wash of any excess serum, just let the skin soak it up. I like that it is so very low maintenance. A small amount of Witch Hazel also assists with my un-balanced skin.

Bottom line then: would I recommend it?

I got my first mask provided to me by Skin Republic and as I was happy with the look and feel to my skin and the quality of the mask and serum itself, I went out and purchased a couple of extra just to get a clearer view of it’s effects. There are 12 different masks in in the range for face, hands, feet, neck and the delicate under eye area. Out of these 12 I would absolutely recommend you to try this mask (even though I would name it something other than LIFT haha) and I also have my eyes set on the Collagen Infusion Mask and the COQ10 + Caviar Mask. 

I usually only use sheet masks by SK-II and they are very expensive. These masks by Skin Republic is much more cost effective and I will always have a couple in my stash for a quick pampering session.

Visit Instagram @skinrepublicau for more information and inspiration. I have the luxury of having these masks stored in my local Waitrose supermarket, very convenient when I go grocery shopping. For information on how to purchase these masks where you live, I’ll refer you to their website. ♥

 

Product provided for review consideration. Private purchase were made. 
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