I know I know, I’ve been reviewing a LOT of masks lately but there are just SO many masks to review and so little time! Today, instead of a sheet mask I’ve got the O.G. Taiwanese Jelly mask – Annie’s Way Arbutin and Hyaluronic Acid Jelly mask.
These jelly masks are not sleeping packs or masks that eventually absorb into the skin – they’re super thick, hydrating masks that you’re meant to scrape and rinse off after a period of time. It’ll even stick to your hand/spatula if you turn it upside down! Jelly masks are ideal for hydration and delivering fantastic ingredients to the skin, such as arbutin, calendula, and honey to name a few. A good way to think about where these should go in your routine is in the same place as a clay mask – to clean, dry skin, then afterwards you can move on to other steps in your skincare routine. This was a new concept to me as I’m pretty used to masks that go on quite a bit later in your routine, such as sheet masks and sleeping packs.
What I like about these jelly masks is the packaging – let’s be honest, sheet mask packaging is extremely wasteful and I do want to eventually move away from using them. Annie’s Way masks provide a way to still improve the appearance of your skin, without adding more plastic waste into the world. Despite jar packaging generally being my least favourite type of packaging, it suits this product well – it’s far too thick for a squeeze tube, and the inclusion of a spatula that you can sanitize as you prefer is just perfect.
The first thing I noticed about the gel was how wonderfully cooling it was! It definitely wasn’t a menthol cooling sensation, it was literally just the temperature of the gel. I loved it! It was really thick, but easy to manipulate with the spatula. The trick to getting the most out of these gelly masks is to use a really thick layer – a thin layer will dry and become very uncomfortable on your skin, very quickly (I found this out when I applied the layer too thin on my neck and above my cupids bow). The sample packet I used had 40ml of gel in it, and I used the whole lot. There was no scent to this product at all, which I thought was great – I know scented products aren’t for everyone!
Once on your skin, the gel really stays put – it doesn’t drip or move around at all. After the 20 minutes was up, I began to gently scrape the mask off using the straight end of the spatula. ‘Scrape’ is almost too harsh of a word, but it’s the best way to describe it. You’re not scratching up your skin or anything, and it takes off the mask and probably dead skin cells too. It’s best to go over each spot a few times IMO, as the mask really sticks to and hydrates your skin. Afterwards, my skin was beautifully hydrated and bright. It also loosened a few blackheads that I was able to extract.
The ingredients list is satisfyingly short:
Water, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha Arbutin, Ascorbic Acid, Tocotrienols, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Pentasodium Pentetate, Phytic Acid, Silver Oxide, Flavor
The four key ingredients in brightening and hydrating skin in this mask are Sodium Hyaluronate (aka hyaluronic acid), Alpha Arbutin, Ascorbic Acid, and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, so it’s great to see them all clustered at the top of the list!
When I went to visit the Annie’s Way office, Sara (my contact at Annie’s Way) showed me some Korean brands that were trying to (unsuccessfully) imitate the jelly mask idea. She explained to me that Annie’s Way would always trump any other imitators as they have the most superior formulation – the other masks just dissolve away into the skin, and aren’t true jellies that deliver targeted ingredients to the skin.
It’s possible to purchase the individual use sachets for TWD89-104 on the Annie’s Way website, or a full-size 250ml jar for TWD525-825.
I really, really enjoyed using this mask and will definitely have to make some room in my suitcase for the full-sized jar! 5/5 from me!
A xx
rating scale
1 – Terrible: Negative effects on skin.
2 – Mediocre: No change in skin/claims not met.
3 – Average: Performs as expected.
4 – Good: Would repurchase unless I try something better.
5 – Amazing: Meets trifecta of perfect packaging, formula, & cost.
