If you follow me on Instagram – follow me now @laura_peruchi – you probably have seen my challenge throughout the month of April: #lauraperuchimaskchallenge. Every day of the month of April, I posted a video on my feed applying a different face mask. I’m crazy about face masks and I used to share some of my skincare routine on Stories. Then, inspired by Caro Malis,, a Chilean friend in love with K-Beauty, and Katya Bychkova, a Russian blogger that is doing a 365 mask challenge, I decided to create my own challenge. It was a fun and intense journey – and many followers also participated, sending pictures of them applying their facial masks. A lot of people asked me to do a ranking of the best masks at the end of the challenge and today I decided to do this together with an overview of the challenge.
Making it clear:
- My idea with the #lauraperuchimaskchallenge was not to make everyone buy 30 masks. The intention was to show how skin care can be fun and enjoyable – and how the market has options for all tastes and budgets – and also show that it is better to take care of the skin than to applying makeup to hide things we do not like.
- I did not apply masks every day – I posted a video every day, but usually, I recorded two at a time and started recording in March.
- It’s okay to mask every day – Korean women have been doing this for a long time. The bid is that you need to balance the periodicity. For example, cleansing masks should not be used more than two or three times a week, depending on the type of skin.
- I just published the masks I tested and worked!
Below, you can check all the videos posted – and you don’t need to have an Instagram account to watch! Just click and press play. Remembering that you can check all the videos through the hashtag #lauraperuchimaskchallenge and all videos have a brief description of each mask.
Let’s go to the list of all the masks! To buy online, just click on the name. The description of each of them you can find on Instagram videos!
- Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask – Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Cherry Jelly Lips Patch, Etude House – Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, The Ordinary Retail store: Deciem
- Mighty Marshmallow Brightening Mask, Bliss Retail store: Target
- Aqua Purifying Clay Mask, eos
- Disco Kitten – Illuminating Diamond Peel-Off Mask Retail store: : Urban Outfitters
- Black Hydrogel Eye Patch, da Etude House Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Ginseng Royal Silk Gold Hydrogel Mask, Nature Republic. Retail store: Nature Republic
- Egg Mousse Pack, da Too Cool for School Retail store: Sephora
- Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask, Innisfree. Retail store: Innisfree
- Rose Gold Foil Peel Off Mask, Masque Bar. Retail store: CVS e Ricky’s
- Egg Pore Mask, Skinfood. Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Instant Results Nourishing Hydration Mask, No 7. Retail store: Duane Reade
- Kangsi Pack, Elizavecca. Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Refine Pore Modeling Mask, Goodal Retail store: Club Clio
- Multiberry Yogurt Repairing Mask, Laneige. Retail store: Sephora
- Exfoliating Lip Scrub e Deep Hydration Lip Mask, Aqua, eos.
- Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask, The Body Shop Retail store: Ulta e The Body Shop
- Instant Results Purify Heating Mask, No 7. Retail store: Duane Reade
- Sundae Best Chocolate Softening Mask, Farmhouse Fresh
- Dermaclear™ Trans-Foam Clay Trio, DR. JART+ Retail store: Sephora
- Insolution Wrinkle-tox Mask, Leaders Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Clarifying Mask, Tata Harper Retail store: Sephora
- Skin Rescue Purifying Mask With Red Clay, First Aid Beauty Retail store: Sephora
- Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Deep Pore Cleansing Retail store: Ricky’s
- Face Injection Mask – Nutrient, Oozoo Retail store: Besfren Beauty – oo35mm
- Soo Ae Purifying Black Charcoal Mask Retail store: Club Clio
- Gold Foil Peel Off Mask, My Masque Bar Retail store: CVS e Ricky’s
- Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm, Tony Moly. Retail store: Tony Moly
- e.l.f. Beauty Shield Recharging Magnetic Mask Kit Retail store: elf
All store locations are on NYC Beauty app!
Now, let’s go to the most important thing: the ranking of the masks. I took many things into account – but the main criterion was the cost-effectiveness of each! And I tried to make a democratic list that included masks with different functions. Let’s go to the list:
- AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, The Ordinary – this product is a peeling with 30% Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Glycolic/Lactic/Tartaric/Citric), 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid (Salicylic Acid). The combinated formulaoffers deeper exfoliation to help fight visible blemishes and for improved skin radiance. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines with continued use. You should use as a mask – apply some drops on your face, massage and leave it for no more than 10 minutes. As it is a strong product, after I wash my face I like to apply some Rosehip Oil drops – this one is from Trilogy, but The Ordinary also has a version of this oil. The peeling is $7,20.
- Instant Results Nourishing Hydration Mask, No 7 -this nourishing formula contains a blend of skin identical lipids that instantly get to work to intensively moisturise your skin. You apply and leave it for 3 minutes or 10, for a more intensive treat (what I did). I have to tell you: I got surprised with the results. My skin feels hydrated, very soft and with a bright appearance. Also, the reviews are super positive! Our skin often suffers from weather change, air conditioning, heating. You can find at Ulta or Duane Reade, $14 on average.
- Disco Kitten – Illuminating Diamond Peel-Off Mask – peel-off masks are these masks that dry on your face and you literally peel-off. I love the moment when I have to do this! Lol. This Disco Kitten mask is an illuminating mask. Pearl Powder gently exfoliates skin to brighten the complexion, while Diamond Powder boosts elasticity and removes impurities to illuminate lackluster skin. The mask replenishes the skin with rich vitamin content so skin is noticeably softer and tone is more even. I love the result of this mask, you can really see the difference. It is $23 and you can find it at Urban Outfitters stores. I LOVE the result that this mask gives on my face because the difference is really clear – and everyone had already noticed this when I showed it on my Stories, before the challenge. The face is illuminated, the skin is even. It costs $ 23. It’s not a very cheap mask – so as an alternative, I suggest any of theFoil Peel Off, da My Masque Bar masks that provide similar results.
- Egg Pore Mask, Skinfood – I have a special relationship with this mask. It was one of the first K-beauty products that I bought and the firs K-beauty mask that I tried. It also became one of my top favorite masks. It is amazing. First, because it has a lot of product. Second, because of the formula. Albumen, commonly known as egg white, is one of nature’s highest quality protein sources. It’s also packed with vitamins and other ingredentes, that regulate excessive sebum eliminate pore-clogging impurities, tighten pores and minimizes their appearance. You apply, leave it for 15 minutes and wash off. It is $10 on average.
- Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask – one of the most famous Korean masks on the internet and an Amazon best-seller. The fun part is about the bubbles. It cleanses, exfoliates, and unclogs pores. It bubbles as it sloughs off dead skin cells and lifts pore-clogging dirt and sebum. You leave it for 5 minutes and then massage it. You can apply on your dirty skin. And your face is gonna be very clean, bright and pores look smaller. $10 on average. An alternative to this too, as a cleansing mask, is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Deep Pore Cleansing – mostly because it comes with lots of mask – you can also share it with friends.
PLUS! Do you want more great recommendations? Check out these ones that I also loved!
- Ginseng Royal Silk Gold Hydrogel Mask, Nature Republic
- Insolution Wrinkle-tox Mask, Leaders.
- Mighty Marshmallow Brightening Mask, Bliss
- Sundae Best Chocolate Softening Mask, Farmhouse Fresh
- Refine Pore Modeling Mask, Goodal.
Did you like to follow the challenge? What did you think about my choice of masks? Has this challenge influenced you in any way to take more care of your skin? Tell me!
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.