Sephora Collection Face Masks

Disclaimer:  I purchased these.

I know that facial sheet masks are quite common in Asian skincare lines, but coming across them in Western brands is few and far between.  So, when I saw that Sephora has a collection I decided to try them out.  As a point of reference, my skin is oily, congested, and prone to breakouts.  I have relatively few wrinkles for my age, but I do have sun damage and hyperpigmentation.  Sephora has a code (MASKLOVE) where you can get 5 masks for the price of 4, and I chose:

• Lotus:  Refreshes tired skin and reduces signs of strain and fatigue. 
• Ginseng:  Tones and energizes while providing a tightening effect for a plumped and supple complexion. 
• Pearl:  Perfects and brightens with natural-origin pearl to create high luminosity. 
• Pomegranate:  Awakens, energizes, and protects the skin with antioxidant-rich natural pomegranate extract. 
• Honey:  Nourishes and balances to soothe and refresh dry or sensitive skin. 

I won't list the ingredients for each mask, but they do have core ingredients plus extras based on what the focus of the mask is:

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Piroctone Olamine, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Maltodextrin, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate.

 The additional ingredients for the Lotus mask are:

• Lotus Flower Extract, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, and Rice Extract: Refresh and provide natural moisture. 
• Corn Starch Extract: De-stresses and relaxes skin, leaving it rested. 

The masks are heavily saturated with essence and fit well on my face.  I like to use them at night while watching TV, and leave them on for as long as 30 minutes although 15 is the recommended time.  There is enough essence still left in the mask even after 30 minutes that I wipe it on my neck, chest, hands, etc.  The essence does absorb into the skin nicely and did not feel overly tacky, although I wouldn't be able to do this in the morning and then apply makeup without feeling I had too much on my skin.

After using the masks, my skin does feel refreshed, soft, and plump.  I find masks to be more of a pampering experience as opposed to something that produces long term effects, but to be fair I use them infrequently at best.  My favorite versions of the four I tried were the Ginseng and Honey, and I particularly enjoyed using one while relaxing in my hotel room after flying all day (air travel and security checkpoints that included a full body pat down in the 'private' booth, ugh).

My final thoughts are that these are expensive ($6) and I think they would be better priced at about $4.  I'm glad that Asian skincare products are becoming more accessible to Western consumers who know where to look, but mass market options are still few and far between and Western comparable products are always more expensive, it seems like:-(