I’m such a slow-poke when it comes to featuring new things. It’s reached that stage where something has to be quite amazing (or horrible) for me to dedicate a whole post to it. Not being snobby, just being practical with my time and limited resources. If I could churn out a post everyday, I would!
Recently, I had the chance to meet with and speak to Sarah Cowan, Managing Director of New Zealand natural skincare brand, The Herb Farm. She mentioned that one of her favourite products was The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask, that kept her skin plumped and hydrated on her long flight from New Zealand. That is a full 11-13 hours flight, if anyone’s counting.
Something triggered my memory – I’d been generously sent a tub of this very product a while ago, but hadn’t yet tried it. And opportunely, I had a flight coming up, so I had the perfect opportunity to try it!
The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask – What is it?
As the name implies, this is a mask that you apply and leave on overnight. Masks like these are also popularly referred to in Korean Skincare parlance as “Sleeping Masks”.
Ah, now it all makes sense, right? 😀
The Herb Farm is a natural skincare brand that formulates and manufactures their products at their farm in New Zealand. Yes, that’s why it’s call The Herb Farm – because that’s what it is! I hope to be able to visit one day – it looks so beautiful!
It follows therefore, that the Hydrating Overnight Face Mask is formulated using natural ingredients, and is targeted at nourishing and hydrating the skin. Everything I look for in skincare products these days.
Their key ingredients are the Borealine® Expert formulated to minimize lines and wrinkles, and Peony Extract, a powerful antioxidant, to repair and rejuvenate skin. It is also formulated to boost collagen support, which as we aware, decreases with age.
Why use an overnight mask instead of a wash off mask?
Well, no real reason except convenience of course!
With a wash off cream mask, you will apply it, wait for a few minutes and then wash it off before proceeding with the rest of your skincare. It is this step that many people bemoan, and cite for the reason they prefer a sheet mask (but I consider sheet masks fast food for skin so… snack accordingly LOL! 😛 )
READ THIS: Why I think sheet masks are like fast food, and why we should not be using them too often – CLICK HERE TO READ
An overnight mask makes things easier, in that you apply it on in place of moisturiser (or even just on its own after cleansing) and leave it on till the next morning. The next morning, you rinse it off when you wash your face.
I personally enjoy using overnight masks a lot especially for my “lazy night routines”. Lazy night routines usually consist of either a wipe of Alpha H Liquid Gold, an oil mask, or an overnight mask. It’s easy, quick, and yet nourishes and does good things for my skin so I don’t feel so bad about not doing a full skincare routine 😛
I also find that a good overnight mask usually helps nourish skin and boost hydration and moisture better than a short wash-off mask.
Does The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask work?
Oh yes it does!
The texture is a little thick, as you can see in the picture above. It reminds me of thick, creamy, greek yogurt 😀 It feels very creamy, which I love.
However, I will have to point out that the Hydrating Overnight Face Mask might work better for those with drier skin types. If you have oily or combination skin, you might find it too heavy and rich for you. You may therefore find something with a more gel-like or water base more comfortable.
But if you have normal skin or skin tending to dry, you will absolutely LOVE this!
I like slathering a generous layer on my skin after cleansing, like a thick layer of moisturiser. Then, I massage it in and spread it around a little, then leave it till the next morning. What you wake up to is lovely, lush, plumped and moisturised skin. It does feel pretty amazing.
I will note however, that the smell isn’t terribly pleasant to me. Because they are all natural, they do not use artificial fragrance, so what I’m getting, I think, is a blend of the various oils used in the product.
Also, because it is a natural product, made without parabens, shelf-life once opened, is a little short. I’d recommend using it up within the recommended 6 month period once opened. In our heat, I’d say even shorter because there is every chance the oils might turn. But use your judgment accordingly.
Perfect for keeping skin hydrated in airplanes
I also took a leaf out of Sarah Cowan’s book, and took this with me in a flight about a week ago. We all know airplane air is both very dry and horrible for our skin. I swear the lights in the airline toilets only make us look worse than we already feel (especially in cattle class!)
What I did, before boarding was head to the toilet, wash my face, and then apply a layer of The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Mask all over my face, massaging it in. Once massaged in, you won’t see any white cream on your face, but it will look a little glossy.
I might have looked a sight, but my skin felt so comfortable in flight! It was a night flight, and so perfect for me to just crawl off to sleep.
Before landing, I used some wet cotton pads to wipe my face, rinsed it, and then applied my usual skincare. In the 6 hours that I was shut in the dry air of the airplane, my skin did not suffer one bit!
I felt like I’d been knocked over by a bus when I landed at 6am, but hey, my skin looked, and felt amazing. Plumped, hydrated and so nourished. I loved how it felt, which was great, considering I was walking straight into the polluted air of Beijing at that point 😛
I also used it once as an overnight mask when I was there, which was great because humidity was very low, and the air felt very dry. My whole body reacted to the dry air, low humidity and pollution, but thanks to my faithful ministrations, my face was perfectly fine – no flakiness, no dryness, only lovely, hydrated glow LOL! 😀
I’d say that if you are in the market for an overnight face mask, but are not so keen to use certain brands, because they’re too light (e.g. Laneige Sleeping Mask is too light for me now) or because you feel that you’d prefer something made with more natural ingredients, then I’d say The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Mask is a good option to look into.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask is a cream mask that you apply on skin in place of moisturiser, and leave on overnight. Rinse off the next morning when you wash your face. While I find the scent a little nose-wrinkling (not bad, just a little ‘oily’) it does an amazing job at making skin look and feel amazing the next morning! Skin is plumped, hydrated, soft and moisturised. It makes you want to use it everyday, but don’t. It could be too much. Best for those with drier skin types due to the richer texture.
PROS:
Lush creamy texture
Comfortable and non-sticky or greasy on skin
Absorbs into skin without marking pillowcases
Leaves skin feeling plumped, hydrated, soft and glowy the next morning
Perfect for treating skin in-flightCONS:
A little pricey
May go bad more quicklyWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone with normal to dry skin who wants an intensive hydration treatment with natural ingredients
PRICE: RM138 |NZ$32.90 | S$42 for 50ml
WHERE TO BUY: TNS Skinlab stores and online, The Herb Farm online, Health 2000 pharmacies in New Zealand, Isetan stores in Singapore
Here is the ingredient list for The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask.
Ingredients: Aqua (Purified Water), Certified Organic Linum Usitatissimum (Waihi Bush Organic Farm Linseed/Flaxseed) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin (Vegetable Glycerin), Butyrospermum Parkii (Organic Shea Butter), Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Oil, Certified Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis (Flower) in Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Flower), Echinacea Purpurea (Flower) and Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extracts, Xanthan Gum, Acer Rubrum Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) and Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oils, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Absolute Oil and Citric Acid.
Have you tried this The Herb Farm Hydrating Overnight Face Mask? Anything else from The Herb Farm that you like?
I have to say that I wasn’t too sold on the brand when I initially tried some of their products in a trial kit. But the cleansers are good, and so is this mask. So as always, there are gems to be found if we look hard enough! 😉
Paris B
I’ve aLways wanted to ask how peopLe use overnight masks in the pLane 😀
One more question though: after rinsing the mask, did you do your usuaL routine in your seat or in the Lavatory?
Ooohhh, I have my own routine for this since I fly long hours pretty often. I will just carry a pack of cleansing wipes (micellar ones), a facial spray (water-based ones such as Bio-Essence or Avene), clean cotton pads, a pack of anti-bacterial hand wipes (Dettol Sensitive) and the sleeping pack (Laneige sleeping mask sachets or capsule ones from Innisfree). As soon as I sit in the plane, I will use the cleansing wipes to remove my makeup, generously spray my face and then wipe off the excess water with cotton pads. Then I clean my hands with the hand wipes before putting on the sleeping mask. Upon landing and when everyone else is distracted trying to rush out the plane, I will use the cleansing wipes to remove the mask residue, spray like mad and blot off excess water with cotton pads, clean my hands and put on a temporary face which is normally sunscreen, tinted moisturizer, cream blusher and tinted lip balm. I tend to be the last person getting off the plane every time I do this. I aim to look decent enough to survive the journey to the hotel. When I’ve checked into my hotel, I will immediately shower and do a proper skincare routine all over again. I do everything in my plane seat without a mirror even. I get funny looks once in a while but I couldn’t care less. I wouldn’t use the plane lavatory because they tend to be smelly/disgusting unless you planned your lavatory trip during boarding time or just after the flight attendants cleaned it or if you are flying business class or fancy planes like JAL and ANA.
Thanks for sharing your in-flight routine Liz!
How I use in flight (I’ll be sharing a proper post soon!) is just to first, cleanse my skin then apply it on, and just before we land, clean it off. I have tried doing my routine both in seat and in the lavatory. But I think I prefer doing it in seat, because towards the end of the flight, the lavs can be a bit grimy 😛