by Mary Lou |
Last Updated: July 21, 2019 When you buy something using the links on our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more.
It’s pampering time again, ladies! This time, I’m writing about Mediheal’s Aquaring mask. I’ve been using this variant on and off for quite a while now but never got around to blogging about it. Today’s the day so give my Mediheal NMF Aquaring Ampoule Mask review some love.
All About Mediheal’s Aquaring Ampoule Mask
I always thought that when ampoules were mentioned in the context of beauty products that they would be capsules containing some serum or essence. So imagine my confusion when I bought this packet and read the product name.
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After some delving into Google, it turns out that I was half right. A beauty ampoule won’t come in a capsule, but it IS a highly-concentrated version of a serum. A serum, similar to essence, is a highly nourishing skincare product that addresses skin problems like dark spots, dry skin, ageing skin, and so on.
Here’s a rather oversimplified explanation of what serum and essence is. Think of your moisturizer and supercharge that up. What you’ll get is essence and serum. The difference between the two from what I’ve noticed is that essence tend to be fluid and water-based while serums tend to be gooey and oilier.
Now, take your serum and supercharge that up again. What you get is an ampoule. It’s got higher concentrations of active ingredients, and because it’s very strong, you can only use it for a limited time each time unlike my essence and serum which I use nightly as per my Korean ten-step facial regimen.
While ampoules usually come in glass bottles with glass droppers, Mediheal’s is an ampoule mask. Interesting, huh?
Now let’s see what yummy goodness goes in an Aquaring ampoule mask.
- Polyglutamic acid (or PGA) – A super moisturizer and hydrating ingredient that holds up to 4x more moisture than hyaluronic acid. It is also said to help with wound-healing.
- Aloe vera and boswellia serrata extracts – Helps reduce inflammation.
- Hydrolized collagen – Reduces flaking and restores suppleness of skin.
- Adenosine and hyaluronic acid – Helps reduce wrinkles.
- Allantoin – A moisturizer that treats dry, rough, scaly, and itchy skin.
The ingredients list is really long but the above are the highlights for me.
Now if you’re not new to skin care, you know how these products promise you amazing beauty results that if we were to believe them for a minute, you’d think we’d turn into a Sisley or an Estée Lauder model overnight. We know that’s not the case but still, one hopes that they WILL work in at least some small measure.
Pros
It’s REALLY moisturizing
I had excess liquid dripping on my bedspread
Mediheal wasn’t joking around when they labeled the Aquaring Ampoule mask their moisturizing variant. Heck, it is REALLY chockfull of moisturizing agents.
The first time I opened a packet, the liquid just squirted out and landed on my leg. I felt immediately aggrieved about the loss but I needn’t have worried. There was a LOT of it so that even when I had the mask in place, I had a lot of ampoule liquid left over for my neck, elbows, and knees.
There was definitely more nourishing liquid inside this Mediheal packet compared to the black Morita face mask.
Once the twenty minutes are up, I always regret taking off the mask because it’s still moist and I’m a cheapskate. My face was starting to feel hot and tingly though so that was a big sign for me to chuck the used mask, but not before I had swiped it on my rather dry legs. (Can’t waste the good stuff!)
Feeling my face, it felt very moisturized after as promised, and well into the next day.
It is brightening
While I fully expected to get my face moisturized, I wasn’t really expecting to have better complexion after. I did though and the skin on my face looked like a better version of itself.
I’ll digress a bit but I’ll share how when I go out, I cheat a bit by putting on some foundation and opaque sunscreen. It’s only a thin base but it helps to hide my small blemishes and imperfections. It makes my skin look clear and almost-flawless. Thanks to my rosacea, it has the side effect of giving me a rather pinkish blush on my cheeks. I’ve gotten lots of compliments this way and it makes me feel good every time.
I recounted this because that’s how I looked after my Aquaring face mask session. It looked like I was wearing my makeup and I really looked good. My face looked bright and clear even though I had on a naked face.
Repeated use reduced skin redness
I tried to photograph a less scary face but it turned out this way.
I noticed it the first time I used it but it was more prominent after several uses – these face masks calm down the redness of my face. I have rosacea so I always have some inflammation on my face going on, particularly around the sides of my nose and near my eyebrows. After two to three spaced days of using the NMF Aquaring Ampoule mask, the swelling and redness lessened.
I’m not an expert but I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s the HA, the PGA, and the boswellia serrata and mushroom extracts that helped.
The scent is subtle and pleasing
I am very sensitive to perfume because of my allergies but I never have to worry when it comes to most Korean face masks, especially Mediheal. Their face masks come in subtle scents and they almost don’t register on your brain.
This Aquaring ampoule, in particular, doesn’t smell like any fruit or vegetable I can identify. If anybody knows the scent, please tell me. It smells good though and it hasn’t set off my allergies.
The mask fits my face well
It’s not a perfect fit but it’s just the right size. Some masks are too big and the edges end up in my hair.
If you have difficulty applying the mask, the trick is not to panic. Okay, I panicked a bit when the liquid wouldn’t stop dripping off my fingers but try to remain calm. Unfold the mask all the say and then stick on the mask on your forehead first. Adjust the holes for the eyes, nose, and then the mouth. Once you’ve got it centered, pat on the rest of the mask and smooth the edges.
That’s it!
Don’t worry about how you look. We all look like something out of a horror movie in face masks. 😉
Cons
It’s more expensive than other face mask brands
When I first started out with my Korean skin care obsession, I always thought that Mediheal products were out of my price range. I used to buy other brands and then just take one or two to treat myself.
Later, I noticed that the cheaper brands weren’t really doing anything for me so I decided to go for quality over quantity. It helped that I discovered the ahjumma in the Korean grocery near us selling Mediheal face masks in her store. Somehow, they’re much cheaper than in the big city shops. Maybe because she is getting them direct from Korea?
Correct Usage
If you are new to Korean face masks and plan to buy some, make sure to read our guide on how to apply a Korean face mask properly. Some of these packets don’t have English labels so it’s easy to get confused.
Also, there are some tips and tricks you might like to know. Like, if you keep them longer than the prescribed time, your skin will end up drier than when you started.
Last Words
Before I end my review, I’d like to address the anti-aging claim of these skin products. The diminishing of wrinkles and the restoration of the suppleness of one’s skin is not something that can be observed after just a few rounds of doing mask sheet facials. I just don’t think it’s possible to observe that after just a few uses.
However, I HAVE been applying the Korean 10-step facial care, gua sha, and face masks for more than 2 years now and I can say with confidence that I look younger than the women in my age group. This is a common feedback I get from both strangers and friends. Also recently, I joined a Twitter challenge where 40-somethings posted photos of themselves. I really looked significantly younger than most of the participants in this age range.
So, I highly recommend rounding out your skin care with these. I promise that coupled with a healthy lifestyle, your skin will look great while you are young and will age gracefully in the succeeding years.
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Author: Mary Lou
In the Before Times, Maru spent vacations traveling and making stops at showrooms to test the latest massage chair models. Nowadays, she’s hunkered down in her small sunlit home dotted with her ever-growing collection of fiddle fig trees, indoor plants, and Himalayan salt lamps. Find her at LinkedIn.