One of the key differences between a truly effective sheet mask and any other mask is the material that it is made with. There are currently four popular kinds of sheet masks available, they are made with fabric/pulp, hydrogel, Biocellulose and tissue. In this article we will discuss the pro’s and con’s of each material and why Biocellulose is the superior delivery system.

First things first, let’s discuss the actual purpose of a sheet mask.

A sheet mask is made up of two components, a highly concentrated serum and a sheet of material that sits on top of the skin and works to effectively deliver the active ingredients into it.

The first component, Serum, is generally clear, gel-based or liquid, and tends to be less thick than a clay. A serum is able to hydrate more effectively than a heavy clay. The molecules are able to truly penetrate the skin and hydrate on the deepest level, while the heavier clays sit on those top layers. The second component, the sheet material is designed to absorb the serum and penetrate it into the skin.

So, how can a skin care product that is designed to hydrate your skin also help to either detox, brighten, firm and repair it?

The answer is simple, the function of each mask lies within the ingredients used in each formula. For example, if you are looking to help calm or lessen acne, you should use a mask with citric/lactic acid and coffee to help turn over dead skin cells and breakup sebum. Or if you are wanting a mask to lessen wrinkles and firm your skin, you should look for a mask with peptides, soy and ginseng. The Skin Nutrient™ Botanic Masks contain a variety of different ingredients to resolve any skin concern you might have. From acne to wrinkles, the botanic mask range does the lot.

Imagine the skin is built like a brick and mortar wall. The two ways an active ingredient can penetrate the skin is directly through the bricks (transcellular (b)) or through the mortar (intercellular (c) ).

Skin Nutrient serums or, liquid crystal emulsions, will take the intercellular path. Using a liquid crystal formula to deliver actives to the skin via the intercellular matrix causes less disruption to your outer layer of skin, decreasing irritation and reinforcing its barrier function. This is because our serums, mimic the lipid bilayers in our stratum corneum, which means more actives or lipids from our face mask serums can penetrate into your skin.

Okay, so the formulation of the serum is super important. Let’s discuss why you need a special sheet material to make the product work…

There is a small window of time in which the active ingredients have an opportunity to leave the formulation and penetrate the upper layers of the skin. After that, the active is likely to have crystallised or has been left sitting on top of the skin.

A sheet mask essentially works like an wound dressing, that adheres to the skin, preventing evaporation and trans-epidermal water loss and extending the timeframe in which the active ingredients have to permeate the skin. This process can successfully release several types of active compounds into the skin and perform many beneficial effects. Without a sheet of special material to deliver the serum, it is likely that the active ingredients would just sit on top of your skin, take longer to absorb, evaporate, or even pull more hydration from your skin, therefore not have a fully impactful result.

The four most popular types of sheet masks.

There are a lot of sheet masks on the market that are made from fabric and/or pulp or tissue. While masks made from these materials are often more budget-friendly, they do have their drawbacks:

• They don’t fit as well as some other types of materials. The fit tends to be uneven, and leaves gaps – meaning your skin is not exposed to the entire mask at all times. Because of this, the mask is more likely to fall off – meaning you need to lie down to keep it on.

• Fabric/pulp masks are more prone to lose the benefits of the liquid formula due to evaporation.

• Fabric/pulp sheet masks are usually among the least effective of the facial sheet masks.

• Fabric/pulp masks are more likely to cause irritation.

Hydrogel Masks are a step up from the fabric/pulp masks, but there are still some downsides:

• Hydrogel masks are fragile, and tear easily

• Hydrogel facial sheet masks are two pieces instead of one. And that leads to gaps between the two halves, as well as a tendency for the pieces to slide out of place.

• In a hydrogel mask, the skin care formula is actually mixed in with the gel itself, which can make the skin care preparation less effective. This can also lead to increased irritation from the mask.

Bio cellulose masks are an eco-friendly option that are produced in a highly-controlled laboratory environment, with a industrious strain of bacterial called Acetobacter Xylinum. When fed sugar this amazing biome is able to weave ribbons of pure bio cellulose.

• Bio cellulose fibers are four times stronger than plant-based cellulose and are able to attract and retain fluid in great capacity.

• The fibre itself is 1000x thinner than human hair!

• One of the most beneficial properties of bio cellulose is its hydrophilicity — the affinity to attract water (each fiber can retain up to 100 times its dry weight in water).

• Making the mask fabrics pliable and able to adhere to your skin very tightly, like an occlusive dressing.

• Bio Cellulose masks provide a perfect fit to the contour of your face, keeping the precious skin care ingredients in contact with the skin at all times.

• Bio Cellulose sheet masks are the most effective, due to the structure of the material, and the fact that they remain in contact with the skin.

• Because Bio Cellulose facial sheet masks fit so well, they can be worn while standing up, and even while being active.

• Bio Cellulose masks are all-natural and eco-friendly.