Under The Sheets with ASI’s Dermal Face Lift Mask

There’s been much hype about ‘sheet masks’ over the last few years.  Those slightly demonic looking but insta worthy skin treatments you can do at home as a quick, salon-powered beauty fix, before that swanky party or night on the town.  Celebrity beauties the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Chrissy Teigen, Kate Hudson and the usual assortment of Kardashians are all fans and, it seems, these cool & goopy skin miracles are not just for the chicks… Neil Patrick-Harris, John Stamos and even Jimmy Fallon amongst male A-listers happy to flaunt their creepy beauty snaps.

So, what exactly is a sheet mask and what makes it different to those plain old, paint-by-numbers masks?  I take a closer look at the ASI Dermal Face Lift Mask and ask Chelsea Wonka - Product Research & Developer at the Australian Skin Institute, to lift the sheet on what makes this beauty hack a must have for every skin.

What is it?  As the name suggests, it’s basically a mask in a sheet form.  Usually made from cotton or cellulose cloth or gel; the sheet is drenched in a concentrated cocktail of active ingredients, and packed sous-vide style into a single use pouch.  

… and why is this a ‘thing’ now?  Well… apart from the fact that it’s way more hygienic than redipping your mask brush or sticking fingers into a crusty jar of pink clay; these faced-shaped sheets have pre-cut holes for your eyes, nose and mouth, so you can quickly and easily drape the mask onto the face and continue… vacuuming…. or cooking… or playing Xbox (shrug). Chelsea also adds:  “This is a great solution for men who find it difficult to apply and remove traditional style skin masks over facial stubble or sensitive skins that do not tolerate masks that need to be shammied off the skin.”  Removing the ASI Dermal Face Lift Mask is as simple as lifting the sheet off your skin and because the serum will have completely absorbed… there is no product residue to rinse!

So, what’s in it? The ASI Dermal Face Lift Mask contains 5 revolutionary peptides and growth factors that aim to dramatically reduce the signs of aging while delivering a hit of lasting hydration.  It gives an instant wrinkle filling, rejuvenating and plumping effect and literally delivers an instant ‘red carpet’ glow.  Chelsea points out that the epidermal growth factor contained in this mask is a powerful protein that strengthens the skin by increasing the rate of skin renewal and slowing skin degradation… meaning that it’s also the perfect healing mask for anyone suffering from skin issues such as Acne, Eczema or Psoriasis.

Also, packed full of thirst quenching Hyaluronic Acid, the sheet style application means that the serum can sit on your skin without evaporating or drying out for a much longer time than if you just simply apply directly to your skin.  This means the skin has time to drink up as much as it needs.  But listen up!… Chelsea says “If your Dermal Facelift Mask dries up within the first 10 minute then this means your skin is super dehydrated.  In this case I would recommend at least 1 mask per week for 4 or 5 weeks to reset the skin’s correct hydration levels.” she explains.

How do you use it?  Simply tear or cut open the top of the Dermal Face Lift Mask pouch being careful not to accidentally cut into the mask itself.  The pouch will have quite a bit of serum inside so careful not to spill it everywhere.  Remove the mask and unfold it (it might drip a little… don’t worry there is plenty of serum).  Find the eyes, nose and mouth cut outs and drape accordingly over your skin.  Smooth down the sheet and adjust its position so it covers your face completely. 

Pro-tip from Chelsea… “Once you have your mask on; grab the pouch and pour out any leftover serum into your hands and pat that over the sheet mask… you want to get every last drop of goodness!”  Leave it on until it’s fully dry… this could take up to 30min or more depending on how thirsty your skin is.  When it's dry, simply lift it off and throw it out.