It looks like honey, it smells like a Korean herb shop, and when you peel it off it makes you feel like a freshly molted snake with shiny new skin. That might not sound appealing to you (however, it is a-peeling har har har) but this is one serious mask that deserves you consideration.
The Sulwhasoo Skin Clarifying Mask is somewhat of a cult favourite in the Korean skincare world. It’s a thick syrupy product that dries solid onto your skin. It sucks up impurities and excess oil, and takes them along with it once it’s peeled off. From their website’s product description
“This unique honey-textured treatment is formulated with small solomonseal powder to absorb impurities and Japanese honeysuckle to hydrate, smooth, and brighten. The powerful blend of Korean medicinal herbs exfoliates and purifies for a smoother, brighter, clearer complexion.”
As you can see here it really is a goopy honey like texture. It then dries into a solid, pliable, almost rubbery covering that is peeled off in one fluid motion.
The thing I love about this mask is you can actually feel it working as it dries. Not only that, it somehow does the impossible task of being effective and yet not drying out your skin. That’s no small task. It’s a miracle for a drier skin like mine that still wants to do a clarifying treatment. And yet it’s also wonderful for oily skin as well since it does purify and absorb excess sebum. I really love how Korean products manage to be so effective and yet work for so many different skin types. This mask, like other peeling masks will aid in removing dead skin, and when applied thick enough it has been known to remove blackheads along with the rest of the gunk. It’s not quite as effective as a pore strip, but it can certainly help with them. There’s something oddly cathartic about peeling off this mask and starting the day with the debris of yesterday removed. When you reveal the fresher skin underneath it’s like you’re a new person ready for what’s to come. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but it’s almost poetic, I love it.
Some people might be concerned with the smell of this mask. Personally I love it. It’s like a stronger Aveda smell. I can only describe the smell as intense and herbal with a hint of floral. Even if you don’t care for the scent, for the results it gives it’s worth putting up with for the 20-30 minutes it suggests you let it sit on your face.
