About 5 years ago I was pregnant with my daughter and decided to give myself a “beauty day” at home. It was before I knew anything about Korean skincare. I put on some kind of hair mask, slathered raw honey on my face (as honey has been long known for its moisturizing and healing properties) and started painting my nails. Once I got to the second hand (so my first hand had wet polish on), the honey started to slooooooowly but surely drip right onto my pregnant belly. And I couldn’t do anything about it! I tried licking it off (it was as funny as it sounds), wiping it off with a sleeve without ruining my nails, and to otherwise somehow lessen my suffering. Everything tickled as the gooey golden substance rolled off the skin and onto my stomach, legs, carpet… But my face did look good afterwards!
Fast forward to now. The Etude House Honey Cera Wrapping Mask promises to make dry, flaky skin soft and full of life and nourishment - all without sliding off like a wet sticky mess! The mask comes in a generously sized 100ml / 3.38 oz jar with honey-related designs and a sturdy lid. It’s available on* eBay, Amazon, Cosmetic Love and YesStyle
Active ingredients:
Honey Extract - honey is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants as it is meant to be the bee’s sole nutrition source during bad weather.
Ceramide 3 - ceramides are natural fats that make up over 50% of our skin. They form a protective barrier over the skin, hold in the moisture and prevent the negative effects of pollution and other environmental factors. Age and sun deplete the ceramide levels.
Royal Jelly - royal jelly is the food meant for the queen bee. It contains beneficial amino acids, sugars, lipids, vitamins and minerals and can help heal and regenerate the skin.
Hyaluronic Acid - sodium hyaluronate attracts and holds moisture better than any other natural or synthetic polymer. It’s not abrasive like exfoliant-type acids and is completely safe to use any time of the year. It doesn’t increase skin’s photo sensitivity (sensitivity to light). In basic terms, hyaluronic acid attracts environmental moisture to the skin.
How to use:
Apply the mask to a clean face in gentle massaging motions
Leave on for 10-15 minutes
Rinse off with warm water
I don’t feel the need to use anything else afterwards, but if you wish, you can use a cream.
My impressions:
I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry-to-normal cheeks. Well, right off the bat this Etude House mask is A LOT easier to use than raw honey, and it doesn’t drip :) Granted, I mostly use wash-off masks in the bathtub lately, so dripping wouldn’t be such an issue anyway. The product comes with a very nifty rubber spatula that makes removal from the jar easy and hygienic.
The mask is amber-colored and has a floral smell. I would have preferred a honey scent from a “honey” product, but that’s ok - a small enough issue to overlook. It’s fairly thick and applies easily. I use it not only on my face but also on the neck, chest and hands. Afterwards, my skin is soft and has a feeling of a protective barrier (probably from the ceramides in the ingredients), so I don’t use any products right after. It’s especially fantastic on the hands, and mine tend to be dry year round, not just in the cold seasons.
Final verdict - good mask. Nothing miraculous, but well worth the modest price. You can read about other wash off masks I’ve tried here.
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Etude House Honey Cera Wrapping Mask ingredients: Honey Extract, Glycerin, Water, Dimethicone, Methyl Gluceth-20, Propanediol, Trehalose, Polyglycerin-3, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Ceramide 3, Royal Jelly, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Polyacrylate-13, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyisobutene, Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dextrin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance