I enjoyed the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask but convenience always comes at a price!

While the Korean wave in skincare does not seem to be abating any time soon, there are only a few brands, among the hundreds out there, that capture my imagination. One of them is Sulwhasoo. I am a die-hard fan of their Overnight Revitalizing Mask, and I’m one of the few people out there who truly enjoys using their Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream. This is primarily because I don’t mind the scent of Asian herbal roots and ginseng. I find it soothing.

Last year, I was introduced to a (then) new sheet mask in their range – the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask. While I do not use sheet masks as often as I do wash-off cream masks, I am not above using them purely for convenience. And the idea of all that lovely Sulwhasoo ginseng goodness in a luxurious sheet mask caught my imagination.

Let me first say that this one’s definitely catered for those with more matured skin – skin that needs moisture, firming and radiance. For younger skins, you won’t see the benefits, and really, it won’t be worth spending your money till you’re older. Being in the target age-group for this range, I was naturally intrigued! But when I tried it, there was something else that impressed me – the fit!

By now, using a sheet mask isn’t as novel as it used to be, say 5 years ago. Back then, wearing a sheet mask had people convulsing into giggles and making faces like that of an axe-murderer. Today, if you see someone with a sheet mask on, you think “They’re caring for their skin – way to go!” and give them the thumbs-up.

But there are things about sheet masks I don’t like (aside from the fact that I consider them like fast food) and that is the drippy mess, the slipping and sliding on the skin and often, the slimy feeling. Sulwhasoo has removed all of that in one go!

The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask comes in a large pack, of 2 parts. Inside the foil pack, is a hard plastic clam-shell case, that holds each part of the mask. When you pop open the plastic case, the pieces of mask pop out, feeling quite dry.

One side looks a little shiny, and is embossed with the Sulwhasoo logo pattern. On the other side, is a plastic sheet film. Remove the plastic film, and you will notice that there is a rather thick, gooey, creamy film. Apply that side to your skin. Start with the bottom half, and then the top half.

My face is rather large, so often, sheet masks do not fit well. This one does. The mask wraps around nicely to the sides of the face, and the cut-outs for the eyes, nose and mouth align. This is also partly due to the fact that this is a 2-part mask, which makes it easier to align the holes for the eyes and mouth.

What impressed me greatly, was how close-fitting it was to my skin! You can see from the picture that it looks almost as if I’ve pasted it on my skin, and there are no flappy bits along the sides. It does sit very nicely, and does not slide at all. This is because it does not have a gel texture, nor is it slippery on both sides. All the goodness is concentrated on only one side – the side plastered on your face.

I left it on for longer than the recommended 20 minutes – more like 40 minutes. The mask is highly saturated, and the satiny foil-like surface prevents the product from evaporating quickly, so it did not dry out during that time. When I removed it, there was still a good layer of product on my skin. Enough to massage in.

I will have to tell you that as the name implies, this mask does smell quite strongly of ginseng. If you are averse to strong herbal smells like that, you will not like it. It smells like a Chinese herbal tonic soup. I don’t mind it, but it is quite strong.

The immediate result that I can say, is the brightening and moisturising of my skin. However, do note that most sheet masks will give you that immediate effect anyway. This one however, does feel more creamy and more nourishing. It did seem to last me a few days, but like all sheet masks, is more of an immediate pick-me-up, rather than a long-term solution.

Therefore, I felt that the results were not commensurate with the price. A pack of 5 masks retail at RM450 | US$120. That puts each mask at an eye-watering RM90 | US$24 PER PIECE. Ouch!

To be honest, for the price, I’d much rather buy 2 tubes of the Sulwhasoo Overnight Revitalizing Mask. It will last you longer, and for me, delivers better results. Convenience always comes at a price, and in this instance, I feel it is too high a price to pay.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask is a sheet mask from the concentrated ginseng range, targeted at more matured skin. The mask is very well designed, to fit very closely on the skin without slipping and sliding. It isn’t uncomfortable nor is it gooey and drippy. It does however smell strongly of ginseng so do note that if you are sensitive to scents like that. I do notice an almost instant boost of moisture and radiance to the skin. Skin feels cool and comfortable, and nourished from all the essence. However, I do feel I achieve a better result with the Overnight Revitalizing Mask, which is more affordable and lasts me longer in the long run.

PROS: Convenient, Rich serum nourishes dry skin and infuses it with moisture, Skin is noticeably instantly more radiant, more moisturised and more nourished

CONS: Pricey, Effects are not very long lasting

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone with very dry skin or more matured skin who wants an effective convenient sheet mask

PRICE: RM450 | US$120 for a pack of 5 masks

WHERE TO BUY: Sulwhasoo counters, Online (US), Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus

Here is the ingredient list for the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Creamy Mask that I picked up off the website:

Water / Aqua / Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Triethylhexanoin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polyacrylate-13, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Lauryl Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyisobutene, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Methoxy Peg-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Fragrance / Parfum, Disodium Edta, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Honey / Mel / Miel, Polysorbate 60, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins (Enzyme-Treated Red Ginseng Saponins), Polysorbate 20, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Glucose, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Linalool, Panax Ginseng Flower Extract, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Hexyl Cinnamal, Sodium Polyaspartate, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Does this Sulwhasoo ginseng sheet mask pique your interest?

I was only gifted with 2, so I’m hoarding the other for a little while more. It is far too luxurious to blow through at one go! I might save it for a plane trip – all that creamy goodness will be nice in the dry plane air 🙂

Paris B