Saturday 9 January 2016

Review : Leaders Mediu Amino Clearing Mask

This is the first brand of 'anti-acne' masks I used in my 25 Sheet Masks Challenge: Leaders MEDIU AMINO Clearing Masks (아미노클리어링마스크). They're formulated with an amino acid complex, cysteine, lotus extract and Vitamin C to help clear the skin and are suitable for all skin types.



Ingredients:
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylaline, Cysteine, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Artemisa Absinthium Extract, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acrylodimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ledum Palustre Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Artemisa Capillaris Flower Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance.

Fit:
The fit is almost perfect, with only a bit of overlap into my hair and under my chin. (Compared to most masks which have enough excess for a scarf and headband). The eye cutouts follow the curve of my eyes like it was tailor made. The mask doesn't fit so well on my nose bridge but thats nothing that a pair of scissors doesn't fix.

The masks are 25ml and very saturated (like MBD). I feel sad wasting leftover essence so I use it to saturate a couple of Muji pads and do a 10-15 minute mask the next day.

Smell:
The smell is slightly floral and quite strong on opening but dissipates quickly.

Material:
The mask feels like a translucent mesh. It feels like silk but it's probably cotton.

Initial Thoughts:
The instructions say to leave it on for 15-20 minutes. I used it for around 45 and could have left it for longer but I wanted to sleep
My skin looked brighter and the areas where I had spots appeared less red. The mask left a sticky residue (even after patting it in) so this isn't one to use in the morning before heading out! The next morning, my skin looked clearer and less red and felt so soft and smooth even after washing my face. My whole face felt 'flat' - no spots brewing, none of those annoying bumps that I don't have a name for - just smooth skin.

Overall Impression:
I jotted down my thoughts after every use, and my thoughts were the same every time. Skin looks fresh, radiant and noticeably less inflamed and red. And I wouldn't even say I have redness, it just looks so much clearer! They even reduced a bunch of angry pus-y spots to almost flat red bumps. Magick.

The verdict: amazing. These masks defy logic with a rating of 11/10

Where to Buy:
Rose Rose Shop: $6.79 for a box of 10
Testerkorea: KRW12,000 (~$10) for a box of 10
Lotte: These are currently sold at KRW20,000 (~$17) for 10 but frequently pop up in Lotte's Free EMS shipping events for $20 for 20 masks. I'm keeping my eye out for the next offer!