It’s safe to say that sheet masks are now a beauty norm both backstage, for celebs and in normal women’s bathrooms around the world. Like many, I started my foray into sheet masks by ogling those super-expensive SK-II clad model and celeb faces as they got ready. Cate Blanchett’s gorgeous eyes smized me over from her ads to the SK-II counter for my very own pack of ridiculously expensive cotton soaked in serum promising to fix all my problems.
And while I enjoyed the luxurious experience while it lasted, it wasn’t realistic for me to bust my beauty budget. Fast forward to now, and we have a plethora of masks on the market, with better formulas coming out every day. Enter Petite Amie, a Taiwan-based indie brand crushing it abroad and making its debut stateside. They made waves at the Indie Beauty Expo NY in 2017 with their emoji face masks. Petite Amie has since expanded to include gorgeously printed arrays of galaxy and marble alongside the emoji foray.
While I love a social media-worthy mask as much as the next girl, my primary motive here is to find out how well the masks perform. So, I put a few of the star players from the brand to the test.
Note: Petite Amie produces all masks in small batches. All masks are cruelty-free and are formulated without alcohols, colorants, mineral oils, parabens, perfumes, phthalates, silicones, and sulfates. Yay! 🙌
Petite Amie Skincare Masks
Love Masque
First up, the Love Masque!
True to its name, this is a heart-eyes emoji printed mask that smells like roses when you pull it out. Not going to lie, I’m sold already because I adore rose-scented anything. The cotton quality is smooth, and the serum is a thin consistency, so it drips a bit. I rub it all over my arms like a proper beauty aficionado.
I want to love how cute I look, but the truth is, I look a bit like a deranged serial killer reminiscent of The Joker. I can see myself hiding behind the couch and scaring my husband when he gets home with this mask on. But, look, that’s not the emoji’s fault. Batman ruined the wide smile for all of us.
As for the serum itself, the mask feels super hydrating the entire 15 minutes I leave it on my face. Its active ingredients Hexapeptide-11, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Trehalose, and Algae reduce signs of aging, stimulate collagen production, retain moisture and reactivate natural protective skin mechanisms respectively.
Pro tips for sheet-mask newbies: to avoid the cold experience, place your sheet mask in a pot of some warm water to warm it up a bit. Another pro-tip, some sheet masks have a LOT of serum in the package. You can get compressed sheet masks on Amazon that you can then drop into the serum to get more use out of your expensive packs.
My skin was glowing after taking the Love Masque off. Don’t believe me? Check the picture. So far, so good.
Hybrid-cellulose Masque
Next, I decided to try the Hybrid-cellulose mask, which promises a radiance boost through its antioxidant-rich formula. With one of its active ingredients is Dragon’s Blood, I can’t help but feel a bit of a Khaleesi vibe. If you’re not sure what bio-cellulose is, the fiber of the mask is produced in a lab via an organic process rather than mass-manufactured. The material, created by a specific strain of bacteria, can retain up to 100 times its weight in water. That means the mask material is smooth, better able to adhere to the skin, forming an occlusive barrier, and deliver an instant dose of its refreshing formula.
Unlike regular masks, I don’t heat this one in a warm cup of water. Although it’s very refreshing, the serum drips down my neck. The pretty pastel gradient print is a lot more pleasant than the scary emoji face. After 15 minutes, I’m surprised to find that the serum is almost completely absorbed into my skin. Unlike other masks, this doesn’t leave me with an excess I have to rub in and wait to dry. I follow up with moisturizer and eye cream.
Although I don’t notice any immediate results, the next morning, and throughout the day, my skin feels very supple and smooth. The verdict? It’s a lot more luxurious than SK-II, and I like how my skin feels afterward.
Area-specific masks
These were my favorites simply because they were so fun to use! We’re so used to full sheet masks, but there’s a whole slew of skin patches out there that deserve some TLC. I went for the Audrey eye mask before heading out to dinner, and unlike full sheet masks, they absorbed much quicker. It was also very easy to forget I had an eye mask on as I typed away on my laptop. The serum smelled like roses, once again, and left my eye area radiant. So much so, that I skipped putting on makeup and just dabbed on some lipstick before heading out the door. Plus, they look fabulous on! This is a true Insta-worthy mask.
Looking to do some silent meditation? Try the Repairing Lip Mask in fun Hey! mouth pattern. The comically oversized mask fits the lip area perfectly and, once again, smells faintly of roses. Yay! My lips always feel parched, so this was a perfect compliment to my typical skincare routine. I can see myself packing several of these on ski trips in the wintertime when the dry air and harsh conditions tend to wreck sensitive lips.
Grab Your Own
Next year will see a lot more area-specific sheet masks, so try the new trend out yourself before all your favorite Instagram influencers show their masks off!
