Stories From a Curator is a column by Charlotte Cho, the curator and cofounder of Soko Glam. As a licensed esthetician and the author of The Little Book of Skin Care, Cho gives a glimpse into her discovery process and what brands and products make the cut for the curated site.
Sheet masks are not a dime a dozen. With the oversaturated (pun intended) sheet mask market, you can bet there are plenty that don’t get it right. And there is nothing more disappointing than slapping on a sheet mask and realizing that it offers no skin benefitting ingredients. The mask just sits on top of your skin, begging to be washed off. The worst is when it’s an ill-fitted sheet mask that slides down your face, which is not my idea of a relaxing sheet mask session.
From testing hundreds (if not thousands) of sheet masks in a year, I definitely have some preferences when it comes to sheet masks. For me, it really comes down to the material they are made with. The most common and the most effective in my opinion are microfiber, hydrogel, and biocellulose.
You probably haven’t heard me speak too much about biocellulose masks, and that’s because there are not that many on the market yet. It’s actually an incredibly complex mask to make. It’s also super beneficial for the skin and the environment, which makes it a little more expensive than your standard cotton-based sheet mask.
In order for you to completely understand how amazing biocellulose sheet masks are, you really have to get into the nitty-gritty details of how they are made, and what they are made out of.
What is Biocellulose:
Biocellulose is a super fine natural fiber that has been bioengineered and woven together using cellulose from plant material such as coconut husks. This process is extremely long because it takes several days to be cultured, and not many factories have this capability or access to such expensive raw materials.
The Skin Care Benefits:
So why go above and beyond for biocellulose? Well, let me count the reasons…
- Biocellulose can actually hold more liquids (100 times their dry weight!) than microfiber and has the unique ability to transfer that moisture to what it comes in contact with, like your skin. This means that it will quickly lose stickiness and moisture, all within the 20 minutes of you sheet masking. A lot of people mistakenly think that the mask is faulty because it doesn’t stay as wet as other sheet masks, but that’s not the case.
- This material has helped oily skin types get the right amount of oil and balance skin’s moisture level. For super dry skin types, biocellulose provides a great dose of moisture.
- Biocellulose is more natural than the typical sheet masks out there. It doesn’t go through chemical treatments and is not heavily processed. The best part is, the ones made right are also biodegradable!
- Since the fibers are tightly woven together, the masks themselves are sturdy and feel great on the skin.
Leaders Recovery Line:
Now that you know what makes me excited about biocellulose sheet masks, you’ll understand why I’m obsessed with Leaders and why I had to bring Leaders Recovery Sheet Masks to Soko Glam.
Leaders are leading the biocellulose game, as a large portion of their sheet mask offerings are made with this material. They are experts in this space!
The Recovery Line (which is my absolute favorite) is made out of fermented biocellulose coconut gel, which naturally contains Vitamins B and C. This line also offers various sheet masks suited for specific skin concerns. Let me break it down for you:
Lifting Recovery Mask
If you’re looking for an anti-aging mask and dealing with loss of elasticity or fine lines…
Peptides penetrate deep into the skin to give it a boost of hydration, which plumps up fine lines and brings elasticity back to skin.
Balancing Recovery Mask
If you’re typically oily and deal with breakouts or irritated skin…
AC-fensine and witch hazel balance skin by controlling oil production. Calendula extract helps calm and soothe irritated skin.
Brightening Recovery Mask
If you’re dealing with uneven skin tone and want an overall brighter complexion…
Niacinamide is a hero ingredient for brightening skin tone and telangyn is a pretty effective ingredient that helps control redness.
Moisturizing Recovery Mask
If you’re dry, and your main concerns are fine lines and fragile, thin skin…
An abundance of amino acids and peptides help reinforce the natural skin barrier to seal in more moisture. Adenosine is a yeast-derived ingredient that restores skin and energizes it so that it looks smoother and younger!
And the best part is, each mask adheres perfectly to your skin! If you’re looking to expand your sheet mask collection, the Leaders Recovery line is the next one to try.