FAN MAIL FRIDAYS: Sheet Mask or Wash- Off Mask? Which is better?

Looks like somebody just got home from a night out! Haha! But I sure won't end the week without our weekly fan mail fridays. The question came from Dianara:

Hi Ms. Martha, 

Which is more effective or much better? Sheet masks or Wash- off masks? 

Dianara

Hi Dianara!

Personally, I prefer wash- off masks, especially the clay- based ones as I've witnessed how helpful they are to the skin. I've never been a fan of Sheet masks as I haven't seen or felt their effects, really. But for what they are worth, there must be some good in them as a lot of women love using them, plus it's very popular nowadays.

First, here's a summary of what Sheet and Wash- Off masks should do for your skin:

SHEET MASKS

- They're cut- out cotton masks soaked with the skin caring solution, and are available in the following forms: Traditional Cotton Mask, Hydrogel, and Bio Cellulose. They're meant to infuse skin with lots of moisture while helping close pores and cool down the skin. The liquid in sheet mask packs are actually regular skin care products (emulsion to be exact), but the beauty of having the mask right on top of your skin is it prevents a good amount of liquid from evaporating before it gets absorbed right into the skin, thus no significant amount gets wasted.

WASH- OFF MASKS

- Before, there was only clay mask which is derived from the most nutritious compound on earth, Clay.  Nowadays, we have the peel- off mask (which is great for reducing blackheads and whiteheads) and the wash- off packs or sleeping packs. (which are meant to soothe, soften, and hydrate skin) As for Clay, it has negatively- charged ions that react to the positively- charged ions in whiteheads and blackheads, thereby causing a vacuum effect that helps unclog pores and prevents pimples. (That's science for you!)

So which is better for you? Wash- Off masks or Sheet masks? Click READ MORE and find out!

The best mask for you is the one that caters to your skin type. If you have dry skin and your concerns are whitening, hydration, and softening, a sheet mask would do you fine or if you want to use the wash- off ones, you may go for the wash- off and sleeping packs. Clay wash- off mask is best for those with oily and acne- prone skin as Clay has awesome antibacterial and deep pore cleansing abilities. For dry skin that's prone to acne, Clay might be too harsh as it mattifies and removes moisture from the epidermal surface after rinsing so you might want to follow it up with a sheet mask to prevent your skin from feeling taut, dry, and itchy.

When it comes to convenience, Sheet masks trumps Wash- Off masks any day. The former comes in foil packs and you can slip them in the tiniest of pockets, while the latter comes in space- consuming tubes and takes some effort if you want to transfer them into a small jar.

When it comes to efficacy, I feel that wash- off masks are better because they seem more concentrated, ergo nutritious and beneficial to the skin while Sheet Masks, like what I've said, are just masks soaked in regular skin care products and they only excel in the hydration department (at least to me), and that's something that my well- loved moisturizer is also good at.

So there you go! Hope you found this comparison post informative. Have a frikkin' awesome weekend! :)

**Got a burning question about makeups, skin care products, beauty, dieting, and health tips, relationships, and whatever? Just send them to martha.stabarbara@yahoo.com or shoot 'em up at The Beauty Junkee's FB Fan Page via the MESSAGE button and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. (Please, do not send me Math- related queries. :D)