Trying my first bubble mask and a host of other affordable masks in the Mamonde Flower Facial Mask range

Some of you may be aware, from my sharing over on Instagram, that I have been quite actively using masks. What I’ve learnt, is that regular masking is more beneficial for your skin, than that once-a-week treat that you give yourself. Masking, as I’ve told you once, is not just for the weekend. If you want better results, use them regularly.

Naturally therefore, cost is then a concern, for regular masking depletes your stock quickly. So, when I was invited to try the Mamonde Flower Facial Mask series, I was happy to. Mamonde (pronounced “ma-mond”) is an affordable brand from Korea, under the giant Amore-Pacific corporation. While I do personally find that their products are targeted towards younger skin, some of them have been decent for me, so I am always keen to explore a little more.

There are 4 masks in the Mamonde Flower Facial Mask series – 2 wash off masks and 2 leave on, or sleeping masks. They each target a different concern, and have flower extracts, which is a mainstay of the Mamonde skincare range.

Let me tell you about each of them, and which I think would suit each different skin type or concern. It may not necessarily gel with what the brand will tell you, which is why I’m doing this. I received a little flack because one of the products did not sit well with me, and I’m not sure I understood why. Isn’t it about how it worked for me, as opposed to how it was supposed to work? Honestly, I didn’t quite get it. But there you go. Expectation vs reality haha! 😀

Mamonde Petal Purifying Bubble Mask

Bubble masks are apparently, now a thing, especially in Korean beauty. These fun masks will bubble up on your skin, turning into something approximating foam, which you then wash off.

This was the first mask I tried, because I was intrigued. I’d never used a bubble mask before. The texture of the mask is like that of a mousse. You apply it onto your skin, and in a short while, you can feel a slight prickly feel on your skin as the mask begins to bubble up. The colour turns from a dark pink to a much lighter, pink foam. You then wash it off. Don’t leave it on too long.

Now, this is the one I had a bit of a run-in with. Mamonde says that this mask, infused with rose (and it does smell of roses) will revitalize and purify skin, bringing dull skin back to life. It also contains green tea and peppermint, and there are bits of rose petals in there, that offer a slight exfoliation as you wash it off. And here’s the rub – it is recommended for dry skin and dull and fatigued skin.

Hey, dry skin! That’s me! Unfortunately however, I feel like this was terrible for my dry skin. It washed off easily, but in the way that a foaming cleanser does. Yes, it purified my skin but it made it feel squeaky clean and tight. I no longer use foaming cleansers (while I used to before, I no longer recommend it either, even if you have oily skin. There are better options) so this felt like an assault to my skin and did not feel gentle at all, as I was led to believe. I hate to say this, but I did not like it one bit.

I personally believe that this would suit someone who has oily skin better, or someone who already uses foaming cleansers and are comfortable with how that feels on their skin. For me, this was a no-go. Do not pass go at all.

The other odd thing I found is that the foaming activity seems to have stopped after a while. I tried to show you how it looked, but it wouldn’t bubble up anymore. It’s so odd. But there you go. This one was a poor introduction to the range for me. But happily, it does get better! (whew! 😀 )

INGREDIENTS: Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Bentonite, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Propanediol, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Alcohol, Stearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosa Gallica Flower Powder, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lauric Acid, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Fragrance

I note the presence of kaolin and bentonite in there, high on the list, which is basically clay, and clay masks are usually fairly drying anyway. This is not one you’d use everyday. It will be too stripping. Reserve it for use once a week.

Mamonde Pore Clean Clay Mask

This one is a straight-forward clay mask. So that I could understand. It is supposed to be infused with the Eoseong cho flower, which is known as the Heartleaf Houttuynia, a plant native to Japan and used in herbal medicine as it has antibacterial properties.

This mint green clay mask is quite highly fragranced, but I did find that as far as clay masks go, it wasn’t too drying on my skin. This one is suggested for use by oily skin types, as the clay will absorb excess sebum. There is also walnut shells for an exfoliating effect, but I would rather they did not have that. There is a big debate out there about whether walnut shells will harm our skin as they can have sharp edges, and are very hard. Thankfully, there isn’t a lot of shells in there, like in a scrub. But still, as you rinse it off, you will feel it against your skin.

For this reason, this is not one to use daily either. Restrict use to once a week, or if necessary. It will be too drying and harsh on your skin otherwise. This is true of all clay masks, not just this one. It wasn’t drying on me, but it isn’t my favourite either.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Kaolin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Bentonite, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyvinyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288),Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

So those were the 2 wash-off masks, neither of which I really liked, mostly because I did not feel that it was suitable for my skin type. My preference does lie with wash-off cream masks, that deliver benefits to the skin, whether it be a gentle chemical exfoliation or hydration or a treatment. Bubble and clay are just not my type of masks. Maybe for younger skin types, which is what Mamonde targets.

The other two types are more familiar to us – sleeping masks, or leave on masks.

Mamonde Calming Hydro Sleeping Mask

I was told that this Mamonde Calming Hydro Sleeping Mask, which is infused with the Calendula flower, was a dupe for the Kiehl’s Calendula mask. Other than the fact they both contain calendula flower extract, the similarities end there.

This mask has a very thin, very light gel texture. It is light to the extent of being a little watery. Not a problem if you use the spatula to scoop out product, but a problem if you choose to use your fingers. The calendula flower is known to have calming properties, and I liked that they made this one a mask to both calm and hydrate.

You apply a layer on skin, and go to sleep. Easy peasy!

However, if you have dry skin like mine, don’t look at this one. You will wonder where all the product has gone after about 2 minutes. I swear, every single drop was gone! However, it was just not enough. My skin still felt in need of something. I ended up layering another heavier product over just before going to sleep. That said, it did offer hydration. A little boost. But not enough.

I would peg this one for use by someone with oilier skin, whose skin needs hydration, yet someone who may dislike how some sleeping masks feel heavy on the skin. This one is very lightweight, and the light gel absorbs quickly while infusing skin with hydration. Mamonde recommends this for dry skin, but I don’t. That is purely based on my experience, because hey, I have dry skin. I can vouch for how effective (or ineffective) it is 😛

INGREDIENTS: Purified Water, Ethanol, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-hexanediol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Calendula Officinalis Flower, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Citric Acid, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Chia Seed Extract,  Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuyina Cordata Extract, Disodium Edta, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Methyl gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, Cellulose Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Carbomer, Fragrance

I note the presence of Ethanol in this mask, which is known to be potentially be drying to skin with long term use. Just to note because some people can be sensitive to this.

Mamonde Enriched Nutri Sleeping Mask

Does it seem like I’ve been dissing these masks? Well I’m sorry if I am 😛

But here’s one that I like, out of the 4 featured here. The Enriched Nutri Sleeping Mask has a heavier texture which I felt calmed my skin better and helped it feel better overnight. This one is infused with evening primrose extract, which is well known to nourish the skin. It isn’t sticky, and my skin does feel nicer in the morning. Of the 4 featured, this is the one I’d pick for drier skin because I feel my dry skin benefited the most.

That said however, it still isn’t is a personal favourite that I’d repurchase, due primarily to the fragrance and the high silicone content. My skin isn’t sensitive to silicone, but I am not big on the slip. The fragrance however, is far too strong for me, especially for something you leave on through the night. However, these are personal quirks and preferences. In terms of how it performed, I think this one lived up to expectations best.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20,Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dextrin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicon Crosspolymer, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mannitol, Sucrose, Stearic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Xanthan Gum, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, PEG-100, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

IN A NUTSHELL

The Mamonde Flower Facial Mask series have 2 wash-off masks and 2 leave-on masks. For my dry skin, I personally found both the Petal Purifying Bubble Mask and the Pore Clean Clay Mask too drying for my skin. The Calming Hydro Sleeping Mask and the Enriched Nutri Sleeping Mask fared better, with the latter being my favourite of the four. Ultimately, I feel like these masks are better suited to younger skin. At my age, and with my more matured skin type, that needs a lot more by way of attention and hydration and oils, these are too light for me.

PROS: Affordable, Spatula included, Easy to use, Does what it says on the tub

CONS: May not be so suitable for anyone with more matured or drier skin types

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Someone who has younger skin, whether it be oily or dehydrated skin

PRICE: RM85 for 100ml each

WHERE TO BUY: Mamonde counters and various online sites that ship country and worldwide

Have you tried any of these Mamonde Flower Facial Masks? What’s your take on bubble masks?

I was curious about bubble masks before, as it seems to be a hot topic right now. But after trying this, I’m afraid that they will generally be drying. But I could be wrong! 😛

Paris B