Hey guys! I'm back with another mask review! I've been obsessed with facial mask sheets for a while now and they're partially how I keep my skin healthy, moisturized and bright! I've been given the opportunity by Beauty and Cosmetic Shop to review one of their products from their import brand from Korea, BRTC.
First, a little bit on the brand, as it may not be familiar to most of you out there. BRTC specializes in Korean cosmetics which are developed via patented Blue Phyto Complex from the Blue Flowers of Lavender, Cornflower, Borage, Chamomile and other natural plant products.
As a scientist with a purely scientific standpoint, I can't say much for the efficacy of blue phytokine derived complexes from plants and most research on cosmetic advancement isn't really released in notable scientific journals, so I've found nothing that validates the efficacy of the product, so as a disclaimer I am testing and using these products, and will try to review them purely on results and not on the basis of the theory, and claims behind them.
In lay terms, I will try my best to test these purely on how they work on my skin, not on the scientific mumbo-jumbo it's supposedly based on (though it'll be hard not to point out a few little questions I have here and there haha).
One thing good that I appreciate about the products by BRTC however is that they are completely free from animal testing! And while I'm not totally against animal testing (omg, Ada, how can you be not totally against it? It's a long story. Message me privately if you're really that interested), I do think that a lot of testing, primarily for cosmetic products, is quite unnecessary on animals, given the current alternatives present. So I give a huge thumbs up!
The product I'm reviewing today though, is a bit of a stretch, even for me - BRTC's Rice Stem Cell Mask.
It's time's like these that I wish I could read Hangeul so at least I could understand what the mask says at the back. I'm truly curious, because my background in molecular biology has led me to question a lot of cosmetics based on stem cell repair. First and foremost, the concern is that stem cells in themselves, whatever organism they're from, plants, animals, humans, will not survive in cosmetic packaging and without a source of nutrients, so creams and serums based on whole stem cells are pretty much out the window. This mask, however, doesn't really seem to be based of stem cells themselves, but the growth factors derived from and associated to RICE. So while the mask may contain stem cells, these most likely won't do much, but the growth factors that come with them will - for stimulating cell repair and growth.
All that scientific mumbo jumbo aside, I said I would try to review this without taking the scientific validity into consideration, so here I am. Let's start with the mask itself. Most masks are cotton based. The mask sheet for this mask similarly cellulose derived by is based off lyocell which is basically reconstituted cellulose fiber that is strengthened and reinforced with other additives. The mask itself is also pretty thick compared to usual mask sheets and is saturated with serum so that when you have it on your hand, it's actually quite heavy.
I was actually quite worried about the amount of serum, because usually, when a mask has this much serum, not even half of it will be absorbed into the skin, and the rest is a huge waste. BUT, this mask wasn't like that at all! While I had it on, I could really feel the moisture enter my skin and after 20 minutes my skin felt plumper, and definitely more moisturized - signs that the serum really did seep into my skin quite well. And to show just how well the serum seeped into my skin, the mask after 20 minutes was practically dry!
Also, my skin was noticeably brighter and firm after I tried on this mask, and the effects lasted all the way until the next afternoon. My skin was dewier, and dry spots on my nose and around my lips (some of my biggest problem areas with dryness) were practically gone.
So for all the controversy, questions and doubts, Does the mask actually work? I can't say for sure. It's recommended that facial masks be used twice or thrice a week, and I've only really used this once, so the lasting effects aren't apparent, but for a one time thing, this mask really did make my skin feel more rejuvenated. Haha here's my rather unsightly no-makeup face. Try not to concentrate on how dark my undereye circles are or how odd I look without eyeliner or eyebrows, but rather my skin. If it looks this bright and smooth with one use, with repeated use, I'm sure it only gets better :P
If there's one qualm I have about this mask however, it's the fit on my face. I have a relatively small face and most masks don't fit me quite well, but this mask seems to be fit for a quite larger face shape, so I had a bit of trouble adjusting it. It also comes with eye and mouth flaps which are rather bothersome, but are there for if you want to use the mask as you take a nap, so both your eyes and lips can benefit from the serum as well.
I use masks while I work on my laptop, so those flaps aren't very useful in my case haha.
Other than that, this mask is pretty awesome! You can find it at BRTC's facebook page or on their Sulit.com page for only 170 PHP (4.13 USD)!
I have a whole lot of other products from BRTC to try out from the wonderful Beauty and Cosmetic Shop, including some of their rather intersting BB Creams! Stay tuned for more!
If you're interested in other products by BRTC sold her in the Philippines, check out Beauty and Cosmetic Shop's facebook page for more info!
In addition, Etude House Philippines has announced that the voting period for the Search for the Next Pink Artiste 2013 has BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL JUNE 30. The prizes have also been DOUBLED! So I really need all the support I can get from you guys :)
So if you can,, please support me in the running for Etude House's Pink Artiste 2013 by LIKING and SHARING my picture entry in the picture linked below and giving my video entry a thumbs up. 1 Like on facebook = 1 Vote for me so please support by telling your friends about it as well!
That's it for now! See you on Thursday for the announcement of winners!
Ada, signing out!
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6 comments:
That mask sounds great! Your skin looks amazing!
http://buttonsapart.blogspot.co.uk/
Awesome review! Learned a lot from your detailed explanation.
I have only tried My Beauty Diary sheet masks and I miss them a lot. I think sheet masks are a nice way to keep our skin healthy.
Yeah! They are! I always like giving my skin a little bit of pampering with mask sheets haha. I rarely change my face-care routine, but with facial masks, I love trying new ones every time! Haha It's the little adventurous things I do that make downtime worthwhile haha
This review is very interesting, it's different from the rest of review I've read because all the scientific facts you provided^^
Thanks! I really try not to bore my readers with the science-y stuff, but I can't help it because it's what I study in college x_x I'm glad that you at least found it useful hahaha.
Thanks! It really helped moisturize my skin :)
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