Never a brand to rest on their laurels, the Minenssey team are constantly analysing the market and considering their product offering. They asked me to trial their Nutritious Skin Treatment Mask alongside two iconic sheet masks: the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask and Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Mask.  Here are my thoughts.  

 

The SK-II Facial Treatment Mask was one of the first sheet masks to really make the category famous. When I was working at Vogue, I remember every makeup artist I interviewed backstage at fashion shows would have this mask in their kit. 

 

The SK-II mask contains a highly concentrated dose of the brand’s flagship ingredient Pitera, which is extracted from the yeast fermenting process. It’s rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that work together to enhance skin cell renewal.

 

Once you apply the mask, there’s a bit of extra essence in the bottom. The sheet mask fabric is quite thick. It does start to dry out and stiffen after ten minutes. It also doesn’t any residue on the skin. Once I take it off I find I have to put moisturiser on pretty quickly.

 

With repeated use, I think it makes a difference with the clarity of my skin, which is probably why it’s such a cult product. It’s recommended for a variety of ages and skin types – normal, oily, combination, dry and sensitive. They are priced at around $25 per mask.

 

On the next evening, I trialled Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Powerfoil Mask. It contains the brands famous ANR complex and a double dose of hyaluronic acid.

 

It has two layers – a tissue layer and a foil layer on top, which means that your own body heat heats it up as you use it. This is to help the ingredients infuse, and it is very moisturising. In fact, it leaves a sticky residue on the skin for hours afterwards, which means you feel hydrated, but some people might find that quite heavy on their skin. No need to use a moisturiser on top.

 

It comes in two parts and there are a couple of layers, making it a bit fiddly to apply. In some parts it overlaps on your face and I find I need to lie down to keep it in place.

 

At around $30 a mask, it’s a bit on the pricier side, but there is excess serum in the packet after application (some people put it in a sterilized bottle and using it!) It’s good for really dry skins, all ages from twenties and beyond, but it has quite a strong, fruity fragrance so if you’re not into that or your skin is super sensitive it may not suit. 

 

Finally I used the Minenssey Nutritious Skin Treatment Mask again. This is one I’m very familiar with, using it regularly before events to give myself an added shot of hydration and glow. I find my makeup sits beautifully after I use it.

 

It contains Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide as well as probiotics and prebiotics to maintain a healthy skin barrier.  Added to that are Australian botanical ingredients such as Kangaroo Paw, Lemon & Aniseed Myrtle and Finger Lime to nourish, tighten and reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.

 

It has a more milky consistency, which I really like because it feels creamy and super hydrating on the skin. It also has a really generous amount of the serum inside the packet – I use the excess on my neck and the backs of my hands.

 

The sheet is not too thick or thin and it’s soft. I also really like the natural botanical aroma. It doesn’t smell too fake or sweet. I love that the sheet fits the shape of my face really well. It also doesn’t dry out too quickly. You can leave it on your face for 15- 20 mins and it will still be moist.

 

Another great benefit is that it’s much more affordable compared to the other sheet masks at $10 a mask.

 

The overall experience is surprisingly satisfying and I can see the difference even just after using it once a week. I love that it’s great value yet is still jampacked with all the best ingredients. It was a great exercise to see a really strong value proposition in a competitive market.