10 Best Korean Masks in the Philippines 2024 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Dermatologist

Korean masks designed for dry skin contain hydrating ingredients. Examples of these are ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, shea butter, and allantoin. Antioxidants are also important to soften dry skin. They can also help replenish lost nutrients so that you can get back the natural glow and radiance that you want. Vitamins C and E contain such nutrients to rejuvenate tired and dull skin.

Collagen loss is another factor that contributes to dry and dull skin, especially since we lose collagen as we age. Thus, some Korean masks use collagen in their formulations to firm up, strengthen, and energize stressed or aging skin.  

If you have oily skin, chances are that you tend to struggle with pimples or acne, as well as that pesky shine that appears on your skin as the day goes on. To help address these, you need to invest in masks that have oil control properties.

Check for ingredients like kaolin clay, niacinamide, tea tree, charcoal, and witch hazel, all of which help regulate oil production. Thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, your skin can be rid of impurities, excess oil, and skin debris.

And don’t forget that oily skin also needs its dose of moisture. You’ll do better with lightweight ingredients that won’t clog your pores and trigger another bout of acne. You can reap the great hydrating benefits of ingredients like snail mucin and bamboo water, and still enjoy a shine-free day.

People with sensitive skin tend to react quickly to chemicals and allergy triggers in products. They may develop redness, rashes, or a stinging and burning feeling. If you are one of them, you need to steer clear of products that contain parabens, sulfates, and fragrances.

Calming ingredients like aloe vera, honey, and oatmeal show up a lot in Korean masks designed for sensitive skin. Natural extracts like chamomile and calendula also go a long way in soothing redness and inflammation.

A sheet mask is literally a mask that you put on your face, complete with holes for your eyes and nose. It may come in different materials like fiber, cotton, and more, all of which we will discuss later. Sheet masks work as an occlusive. They soak your skin with a mixture of nourishing ingredients, and at the same time prevent moisture from evaporating. 

You can do this routine daily if you have the time, and it takes only about 10 to 20 minutes. It is not recommended to leave a sheet mask on for longer than that because once the mask dries up, it can actually start to absorb moisture out of your skin, defeating the purpose for which it was used.  

If you’re a busy person and prefer doing your mini-facial overnight while you sleep, then a sleeping mask is your best bet. Sleeping masks are creams that come in a jar or a tube, and you slather it on your face before going to bed.

This is not to be confused with night creams, though. Masks are not meant to replace your regular moisturizer. Instead, they are designed to be used as adjuncts or extras. Sleeping masks are packed with ingredients to address specific skin concerns, so you need to know the formulation of a mask before purchasing it.

Wash-off masks, as the name indicates, are applied on the face and left on for a specific time. After your skin has soaked up all the goodness in the mask, you can then wash it off with just water. Most products don’t need a cleanser to wash it off, unless specified by the manufacturer.

This type is great for exfoliating skin to get it soft and glowing again. There are also formulations for different skin types, so make sure you look for ingredients that match your skin type or concerns.

This type is a wonderful choice for removing dirt, impurities, and blackheads. You simply spread it all over your face or just apply a dollop on a targeted area, then let it dry for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the product specification. Once it has dried down, you can gently peel off the mask – an oddly satisfying experience.

This is ideal for people with combination skin because they can just apply the product to the problem areas of their face, which is typically the T-zone. They can even customize their masks this way, applying a formulation for oily skin on the T-zone, and a dry or normal skin formulation on the rest of their face.

This is the most commonly-used type of material in Korean sheet masks, perhaps because the raw materials are very affordable, and manufacturers can sell them at a lower cost for the consumer. Cotton and microfiber sheets can hold a lot of the formulation in it and they are thicker, so they won’t easily rip as you put them on.

Hydrogel masks are very unique in their feel. Because it is made of jelly, a hydrogel mask contains only the essence of the product, which means that it is 100% water-soluble. Thus, once you put it on, it will absorb the warmth of your skin and start to melt slightly. It feels really cool and refreshing on the skin, so it’s great to use on especially hot days when your skin is craving a drink.

However, they are a bit difficult to apply because of their gel-like consistency. They tend to be slippery, so it could drip a bit if you move around while you have it on.

If you like the feel of cotton but are worried about its impact on the environment, you’ll like this material. It is derived from cotton, so what you’ll get is a mask made from short fibers of a raw cartoon. 

However, it is softer and thinner, and would have a shorter biodegrading time than regular cotton. In terms of moisture retention and absorption, it has almost the same quality as a microfiber sheet mask. 

Tencel masks are made of fiber that is naturally-derived from trees. Thus, it is highly biodegradable and eco-friendly. The color is a white or light cream color that is almost transparent. Because of its sheerness, it feels like silk on your skin. Despite its lightweight structure though, it can hold a tremendous amount of serum or essence. 

Biocellulose material is made out of something totally unexpected - fibers from good bacteria. But don’t worry, it’s not as icky as it sounds! It actually feels like a second skin because it’s a very thin layer of jelly.

Because of its excellent adhesion to the skin, you don’t have to worry about it falling off when you move. In fact, you can even do other tasks around the house while keeping it on. This one is great for multi-taskers. It’s also a very eco-friendly option since it takes only a short time to biodegrade. No worries about adding on to more waste!