The Body Shop has a range of products called Drops of Youth, which tackles the first signs of aging and has a name that sounds promisingly like the Fountain of Youth. Now, who wouldn’t like that eh? 😀
I haven’t tried the other products in the range, but I was offered to try the newest addition – the Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask and I had to say yes. I mean, just look at the name. Bouncy Sleeping Mask. Boing! I wanted to see if it was indeed bouncy and if that bounce would translate on my skin. Boing! 😀
The product comes in a box, in a heavy, flat glass jar which rather surprised me when I first received it. It’s a large, flat jar. So large, it barely fits into the palm of my hand and unfortunately, what this means is that it isn’t a travel friendly product packaging. TBS might want to reconsider their packaging for this because sleeping masks make very good travel partners!
But you know, it wasn’t the packaging that got me. It was the texture of the mask. It’s …. unique! 😀
The first thing I noticed was the texture of this sleeping mask. They call it a bouncy sleeping mask, but when you open the cover, you get a very very smooth surface of an opaque white paste.
But if you shift the tub from side to side, the paste will move so it isn’t solid. It reminds me a lot of tofu or tau foo fah, or pudding. It has that solid, firm, yet bouncy texture that is very interesting.
But the other interesting this is that you will always, ALWAYS get this smooth surface every time you open the cover. The product settles itself every time, so it always looks brand new and pristine and inviting you to dig in with your spatula!
No, not to eat, but to slather it on your face 😀
See how it stretches? The spatula is included, by the way. I often lose spatulas like this, so I sometimes just dig right in with my fingers. But if you use your fingers, it is quite hard to pick up the product for some reason.
It’s like a pudding in that sense. It’s easy to eat a pudding with a spoon, but it isn’t as easy to with your fingers. Sort of the same principle applies (No, I’m not hungry despite the food references LOL!)
You may notice from this swatch (which looks interestingly like a bird or camel, as you will) that it isn’t solid, but a little runny. This makes it easy to spread on your skin.
By now, I think most of us are familiar with the concept of sleeping masks right? Most people in Asia or who use Asian skincare would be. But this concept seems to be catching on well with the Western skincare brands. What a Sleeping Mask is, is a product that you apply to your skin like a cream mask, and then go to sleep in it without washing it off. You do wash it off the next morning when you wash your face (you do wash your face in the mornings right?!). What sleeping masks do, primarily, is offer hydration.
I found that this TBS DOY Bouncy Sleeping Mask took some getting used to for me. The first was the texture. When I use sleeping masks, I tend to be generous with it. But I found I felt uncomfortable if I applied the product too thickly.
The texture of this mask, to me, has a slippery, almost oily feeling and it feels heavy on my skin if I over do it. It also then takes a long time to dry and may mark your pillow case if you aren’t careful. When I wake up, I get an oily feeling on my skin. I wasn’t crazy about that. The trick therefore, is to use a light layer of product and apply it a little while before bed so it has time to sink in.
It is quite hydrating, that much I’d give you. So you don’t need a lot of product, but there is also that underlying oily feel that remains on my skin the next morning. I wonder if that’s the ‘glow’ people are talking about? The other thing about this white goo is that it kind of ‘melts’ on contact with your skin, so you do have to work quite quickly to spread it out before it slips out of your fingers.
The second thing I had to get used to is the scent. It has a rather strong sweet scent which I seem to identify has hints of jasmine (?) so I’m not a fan of the scent. It does linger and for this reason, I don’t use this mask as often as I should.
I do read of many glowing reports of use, where many many people claim that they wake up the next morning with a glow to their bouncy, moisturised skin. I however, cannot attest to that. I do not get an exceptional glow nor bounciness to my skin. It does not go toing toing! Or even boing boing!
But it does feel more hydrated as happens when I use sleeping masks, and my skin feels more comfortable. If you have dry or dehyrated skin that you aren’t already treating the way I treat mine, then you may notice this preternatural glow and bounce to the skin. But if you are already operating on a hydrating and anti-aging regimen, then this is a maintenance product, not a miracle. Manage your expectations accordingly 🙂
IN A NUTSHELL
The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask is a product you use either on its own in your evening routine after cleansing and toner and then leave it on overnight, or you can apply it over a serum and leave it on like a night cream. It is formulated with Edelweiss stem cells (which makes me want to break out into song) and has a unique texture with a memory foam formula so you are faced with a pristine surface of product every time you open the jar. Use the spatula included – it’s the best way to pick up the product, and don’t be too generous with the product as I find it feels a bit oily on my skin. I do attest to better hydrated skin in the morning, but I don’t experience the glow and bounce to the skin that many people are claiming. Perhaps my skin is already doing its best. It’s not young anymore.
PROS: Don’t have to use too much product, Skin feels and looks hydrated the next morning, Nice for lazy evening routines or when you just want to apply something quickly and get to bed
CONS: Strong sweet floral scent, Heavy glass jar makes it non-portable, Has a slight oily feel to it
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes using sleeping masks, Anyone who has dry or dehydrated skin or who wants some extra hydration
Here is the ingredient list for the Bouncy Sleeping Mask:
While I’d use this since I have it, it isn’t my favourite sleeping mask. I personally prefer the Laneige Sleeping Pack for hydration (it doesn’t leave an oily feeling on my skin when I wake up and has no scent) and if I want something to give me a glow the next morning, I reach automatically for the Sulwhasoo Overnight Mask. But I do realise both of these brands aren’t easy to find outside of Asia so I can understand why this TBS Bouncy Mask will be popular elsewhere, especially in the UK, where I see many bloggers raving about it 🙂 Apologies for not. Raving I mean 😛
Have you tried this sleeping mask with it’s interesting texture? Do you use a sleeping mask often?
I use it on days when I’m lazy or too tired to do my whole evening routine. It’s much easier and quicker, to slap on a sleeping mask and fall straight into bed, rather than mess about with lotions and potions! 😀
Paris B
The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask Price: RM150 | £22 | US$30 for 90ml Availability: The Body Shop stores or online (MY) online (UK)
I love sleeping masks and use them quite a bit! Even Avon has one now, and it’s quite good. I have this one to test out, so good thing I read this before using it lol! Not crazy that it’s fragranced either. My favourite one is by Amore Pacific-I love that one. And it’s in a tube, so I can take it with me when I travel.
It looks like sleeping masks are the next new thing LOL! Everyone’s making a variation of one! I read your review on the Amore Pacific one and it has me very very curious! We don’t get the brand here but hey, I can always shop online 😉
Ooo sounds interesting! With the somewhat high sunflower oil content, it might be quite good for my dry skin. (But to be honest, the cool looking texture is probably 70-80% of my interest lol!) I like the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, which I think fits in your definition of a sleeping mask – not too heavy and no spatula needed since it’s in a tube 😀
Haha the texture is quite something, Angela! 😀 I tried the Clinique one but for some reason didn’t like it 🙁 I may have a sample of the Origins one somewhere so I might want to try that, because I’ve read a lot of good things about that one! Oh and it comes in a tube too! 😀
Oh I didn’t realise The Body Shop was doing sleeping masks now. For me, nothing beats Laneige at the moment!
Yep, and based on what everyone is saying, so are many brands! It looks like sleeping masks are the next big thing in skincare 😀 Laneige is very good I agree. Does what it says and my skin always feels lovely (and not oily) thereafter!
I did read glowing reviews on this, but thanks for balancing things up 🙂
I quite like sleeping masks and am using one by Clinique at the moment. I’ll have to give the Sulwhasoo one a try. I like glow! Oh, and jasmine scent? This mask and I won’t get along very well, unfortunately.
I was quite keen, due to the glowing reviews, but yeah, nothing beats a personal experience with it 🙂 I think you’ll like the Sulwhasoo one. I use it fairly often and it’s always comfortable, plus being in a tube is a major plus point!
I’m still finishing up the one I bought from Laneige. But I’m loving my Origins drink it up hydration mask right now. They say to just use it twice a week but… I’m using it every night. Hydration to the max!!
Anyway, I didn’t know about this until I stopped by your blog! I’m always up for trying new sleeping masks. I definitely want to try this. I’m lazy too so it’s basically calling to me haha.
I think it’s out worldwide now, so you can check this out at your local TBS store 😀 But I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about the Origins mask so I want to try that now. Tsk! The power of suggestion eh? 😉
Oh, I purchased this mask a couple days after I read about it on your blog. I checked online right after and saw that it was available.
I haven’t tried it yet, but you’re right! The consistency is so strange! It reminds me of… when you mixed water and cornstarch together.
Yes, you should definitely try the Origins mask!
Ok I’m going to look for that darned Origins mask! And you’re right about the cornstarch and water mix – when I was a kid, my grandma used to make me that as a form of homemade glue. Probably so I didn’t kill myself eating the commercial stuff LOL!
Toing toing or boing boing noises, I could do with some of that.
I’m starting out with sleeping masks of the Asian kind, I used to sleep in hydrating masks to begin with but these textures are so much lighter and just better suited to not stick to the pillow.
Got me that water bank mask from Laneige, hopefully that’ll start the boing boing sensation.
Ooh I’d love to hear what you think of the Laneige sleeping mask. I enjoyed using it (not the first time, but the second time I tried it, I liked it) I think the Koreans really hit the nail on the head for this one.
Paris, just read this, found the swatch bird/camel pattern hilarious. I think it’s more of a camel haha
Hahaha I thought it was more of a camel too 😀 (It was totally unintentional but so amusing I had to share!)
Bird or camel – you got me in stitches for that 🙂 I say camel…I love it that they include a spatula! I often wonder if a spatula adds to the product manufacturing cost significantly because some products just won’t/don’t include a spatula even though the most logical way of application would be to scoop using a spatula. So yeah, I am a spatula fan, product aside 🙂 I have given up on using sleeping mask after trying the Naruko one. There’s one that I will use as sleeping mask though I may be using it wrongly – One Essential Ultra-Detox Treatment-Mask.
Hahaha I thought it was a camel too! 😀 Such a random thought but I was so amused at how the swatch turned out I decided to keep it in 😀 To be honest, I’m one of those who thinks that spatulas are superfluous 😛 Oops! Not very popular I’m sure, because of degradation of product and all, but to be honest how many of us really clean our spatula after every use? Not just wiping with a tissue but disinfecting it? Few of us I’m sure so I figure my clean fingers will do just as good a job LOL! But again, that’s me. Oh when I was using the Dior mask I didn’t dare leave it on overnight LOL! But hey, if it works for you it works! 😀
I bought this after reading bouncy! I find it’s best about 30 mins before bed and fairly lightly applied. I didn’t find the smell too strong. I think I’d use this on holiday when I’m in air conditioning all the time – skin feels softer, but no noticeable difference yet (although it did only launch last week here)!
I’m going to check out the Laneige and Clinique ones now!
I agree, it must be fairly lightly applied or it just feels far too heavy and sticky. For me, it seems to be fine. But doesn’t seem to make a drastic difference to my skin 🙁
Body Shop. Sigh. I want to like their products more, but sometimes, the scent or the texture just weirds me out an I can’t get past it. I really wanted to like their cleansing balm, but it felt too oily and I couldn’t get onboard with it. I gave it to my flatmate, she loves it. I do like their pomegranate softening cream cleanser. Non foaming and my skin feels clean and nourished. The scent is a bit strong tho. But for the price and how much product yoi get, it’s pretty good value.
Ooh you know what, you are quite right about Body Shop! I do find their textures a little weird. The cleansing balm as you mentioned was just a wee bit off for me and that sleeping mask, although very interesting, just had a weird scent that I wasn’t too crazy about. I used to use a lot of products from there back in the day but now, barely step into the store anymore. I guess we just get pickier the more we try! 🙂
I only use body shop products, so was given a sample by the body shop assistant of the drops of youth,you bouncy sleeping mask, I was assured it was free from ingredients which cause a reaction on very sensitive skin. I applied it at 9.30pm with the plan to let in dry prior to sleeping, but by 12am my face was developing lots of spots in the t zone and it was itchy. The usual reaction to products that seem too rich