I’ve been wanting to jump on the sheet mask bandwagon for a while. I don’t buy into a load of lotions and potions but I do like the feeling of a salon facial, the massage, the creams, the treatment itself and the after glow you get as a result.

You would have been living in a vacuum if you hadn’t been exposed to the rise of South Korean skincare, promoted by the milky white perfect skin on brand advertising, the crescent shaped gel pads worn as a fashion accessory almost by the beautiful people, both men and women to allegedly remove eye bags and puffiness around the eye.

I’ve never tried them but I have been sucked into the beauty vortex that is the gel sheet mask. An individual serving in a sealed pouch, a bit like a tea bag, you remove, unfold and lay onto your face for 10-15 minutes whilst you relax and wait for the magic to happen.

I cannot vouch for their ethical, sustainable or cruelty free credentials as they were selected with all the precision and thought given to a lucky dip. A visit to a beauty supply store in a foreign land (Druni) another snoop, presented me with a cornucopia of brightly coloured individually wrapped gel masks with fruity ingredients and attesting to possessing mood enhancing properties. My investigation into their credentials extends as far as reading the back of the packets.

All were made in China, a country of origin that doesn’t give when it comes to ethical production or cruelty free accreditation.

Not to be a downer but I don’t use face wipes because of the one use and dispose impact on the environment and the face mask does pose the same dilemma when it comes to disposal. Although these treatments are only recommended for use once a week which did ease my conscience somewhat.

For beauty hacks on a budget these clever and easy gel face masks could be the answer, a much cheaper alternative to a salon treatment. The cost difference is significant. My face masks were €1 euro each, I pushed the boat out on the yellow one, my beauty week at €1.50.

I have only tried one so far, the IDC Institute, Aloe Vera and Peptide which is recommended as a Saturday night once a week treat, I did mine on Sunday night, I don’t think the day of application will make a big difference in the end result.

It felt absolutely lovely, a friend had poo pooed the idea as very messy but this one wasn’t. It was cooling, smelled divine, easily applied and didn’t drip at all. In fact after 15-20 minutes all the gel had absorbed into my skin and when I checked in the mirror my face did look plumped out in a good way. I massaged the remaining serum inside the packet on my face and décolleté to finish.

I’d definitely buy this one again, IDC Institute although after some research online the price varies from the €1 euro I paid up to £6.00 per application, so definitely shop around.

Am I hooked, I liked the experience for sure. It will be interesting to see if using the others is as pleasant and if I notice any longer term improvements in my skin over time.

I will also probably investigate further the impact on the environment of these super fashionable consumer beauty products.

Over time there would for sure be a lot more waste than slapping a product in a container on your face, lying back and relaxing.

The consistency and cooling properties of this mask reminded me of Chantecaille Essense Vitel, which I love except this all natural alternative costs around £114.00 for 50ml, quite a significant in price which for many would be out of the beauty ballpark.

I am going now to see if I can find a Chantecaille essence vital on a secondhand market place.