Review: New Soo Ae Masks!

Introduction to Soo Ae & Its Philosophy

Before I get into the meat of this post, I think a little introduction is in order for those unfamiliar with Soo Ae, and no, I'm not talking about the South Korean Actress.

Soo Ae is a Korean beauty brand developed by DK Cosmetics, a Korean beauty research, development, and marketing firm originally founded in 1995. US operations were launched in 2008, and the US-based K-beauty brand Soo Ae was born. Today, DK Cosmetics is responsible for the distribution of many other well-known Korean beauty and cosmetic brands, including Clio, Peripera, Goodal, and My Skin Mentor, Dr.G., all to which it holds exclusive North American rights. Not a bad resume!

In Hangul, Soo Ae is written as 수애, a phonetic spelling of the Chinese characters 秀愛 (xiù ài), a verb meaning "to show love"; according to the brand's website, the idea behind Soo Ae is a love story. It "means giving your skin great love with the only best. Loving yourself is the greatest love story of all." The brand, which is focused on nature and ingredients found therein, states its skincare is "[f]ormulated to cater to all skin types, it provides instant moisture to skin, diminishes dryness and improves overall texture for a healthy glowing skin."

Currently only available in the US market (though plans are in the works to spread the "love" in Asia), Soo Ae just recently launched a new set of masks and packs aimed at accomplishing those very goals: clarifying, brightening, nourishing, moisturizing, and refreshing the skin. Wanting to test the waters, as it were, the PR department of Soo Ae and DK Cosmetics initiated a search in early May for influencers to review their new products and spread the word to a wider audience. Intrigued, I applied to slather my face in Korean goodness, and it just so happens I was lucky enough to be chosen :D

Soo Ae Influencer Package

The PR package sent out included 5 different products: 2 sleeping masks/packs, one sheet mask, a gommage peeling gel, and a clay bubble mask.

In the rest of this post, I am going to review each product, provide my detailed opinions, include photos, and list all ingredients so that anyone reading this may make an informed decision about whether to try any of these products. To that end, I will also note that I have dehydrated skin with hyper-pigmentation (PIE) and sun spots from my dumb teenage years when I figured sunscreen was really only needed during prolonged sun exposure. Yeah.

Anyway, onto the reviews!

Açaí Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask

As someone with dehydrated skin, I'm a huge fan of sleeping packs, and use one religiously every night. Now, during the winter this is totally fine, but even my skin can only tolerate so much applied moisture when it's 80 degrees at night and so humid the fish are floating in the air. That's where the Soo Ae Açaí Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask enters the scene! Not even gonna lie - the pink packaging and the mention of berries totally sucked me in. Unfortunately, for me anyway, the package clearly states that the mask is free of artificial fragrance, so any possible scent is going to be extremely subtle.

Siiiigh. Yeah, I'm one of the weird ones who loves delicious scents, and no, old lady perfume doesn't count, unless, I mean...Hey, whatever floats your boat. In my opinion, why shouldn't skincare be aromatherapeutic, too? It's all good, though, cause like Soo Ae says, the brand is catered for ALL skin types, so if fragrances irritate you, you're safe here.

According to the package, this product is an "antioxidant-rich sleeping mask to rejuvenate and refuel skin energy to restore skin clarity and health." It also claims to brighten and renew. Sounded pretty sweet, so tear open the package I did. What oozed out was a cool, odorless, slightly pink gel with a slippery texture. Because of its spreadability, a little bit of product went a long way, which actually brings me to mention one immediate gripe I do have with the Soo Ae packaging: they're not resealable. One packet contains 10g, or 0.35oz of gel; unless you plan on coating your entire body, it seems a bit of an oversight not to include some method of sealing the pack back up.

Anyway, to my delighted surprise, the gel absorbed into my skin quickly and without leaving any tacky residue, which is something I loathe in skincare products unless I'm layering something over it...which, I don't with sleeping packs. As soon as the gel had fully sunken into my skin, which was a matter of a couple minutes and some light patting, my skin felt like satin! I couldn't stop caressing my face, so it's probably for the best that I do my skincare routines in the privacy of my own bedroom. To clarify, when I say satin, I'm describing the smoothness of my skin; as I already mentioned, the sleeping pack completely absorbed into my skin and left no film or coating behind. It wasn't the gel that felt like satin, it was me.

The next morning I immediately reached up to touch my face. Rejoice! My skin had retained the moisture-induced silkiness from the night before. Looking in the mirror, I also noticed my face wasn't as flushed as usual (darn you, thin Celtic skin!), but I will not claim to have noticed any significant brightening effects. I was also slightly less than impressed with how hydrated my skin felt; I prefer to wake up with plump, bouncy mochi-mochi skin (choc-choc for you Korean speakers), but unfortunately my expectations in that department were not met. To be fair, it probably doesn't help that I shove my face in my pillow all night instead of sleeping on my back like all dainty beauties should. Pfffft.

However! All that being said, I think this gel sleeping pack is a great choice for warm weather or for those of us with oilier skin, since the formulation allowed for breathability overnight.

The full ingredients list is provided below. You'll notice niacinamide, açaí and blueberry extracts, and many other nature-derived ingredients that help condition, moisturize, and repair your skin while you sleep. While none of the ingredients raised any "Danger!" warnings on CosDNA, be judicial and avoid this product if anything contained within is going to irritate you. Cause that just makes sense.

Açaí Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask Full Ingredients List

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isopentyldiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Triethanol amine, Carbomer, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Bergamot Fruit Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Cranberry Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/soybean Ferment Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract.

Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask

Now, I'll just come out and say it: the Donkey Milk Sleeping Pack is way further up my alley. Right out of the pack, the white, lotion-like cream with it's slight floral fragrance soothed my parched soul - uh, I mean skin. Unlike the Açaí Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask, which seemed to disappear into my cells after a few minutes, the Donkey Milk mask makes its presence known, and I prostrated myself before it with all the reverence worthy of a king. I don't know, maybe I was just super dehydrated that day. Don't judge.

Texture-wise, the mask is not so much thick as it is rich, though very easily spreadable. Once applied to my face, my skin immediately felt soft and plump, like delicious mochi. (Can you tell I like mochi? Cause I really like mochi.) For those who do not enjoy the feeling of having a layer of something on top of the skin, I would recommend you avoid this sleeping mask, as it definitely left what I would describe as a smooth, occlusive, and yet matte film on my face. A protective cover, if you will. Personally, assuming it's not 1000°F in my room (which would present far worse problems than sweaty skin, anyway), I quite like this sensation in a sleeping mask. It gives me a sense of comfort - no matter how my pillow tries to suffocate me, or how hard my cat tries to lick off my epidermis, I know my face will survive the night.

And true to expectation, the next morning it did. And it was bouncy, and hydrated, and soft, and all was right with the world.

I like to think of the Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask as the winter sibling to the Açaí Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask; if you're in the market for some deeper overnight moisturization, you might consider getting a donkey.

Again, the full ingredients list is below. If you're allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients, don't put this mask on your skin. Just don't. Go to a petting zoo instead.

Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask Full Ingredients List

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopentyldiol, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tromethamine, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Niacinamide, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Allantoin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Corn starch, Fragrance (Parfum), Xanthan Gum, Trideceth-6, Hexyldecanol, Sucrose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Donkey Milk, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract.

Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask

I know what you're thinking. A Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask sounds familiar, doesn't it? "Where have I seen them before?" you're wondering.

I'll give you a minute.

Got it? Yup! That's right! The popular Soo Ae Freeset Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask series!

"So, wait...?"

I know, I know. It's confusing, but let me explain. First, the Freeset masks are not disappearing, so calm your nerves. They're still available worldwide with the same formulations.

The new Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask shown above, which is only available in the US, is a slight adjustment on the Freeset version: It's Paraben-Free! 😃 So for anyone who dislikes parabens in their skincare products, but either loved or avoided the Freeset Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask series, it's time to celebrate! You, too, can now partake in the "innovative 'Skin Gel' mask technology...that fuses traditional fabric sheet masks with hydrogel technology to improve delivery of nutrient-rich Donkey Milk and other effective ingredients for glowing, healthy and moisture plumped skin," as described on the mask package.

For the sake of honesty, I want to make it clear I have never tried a Freeset Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask, so if you're looking for a detailed comparison between the two versions, I'm afraid I can't help you. I will, however, tell you what I think of the new US-only version (which, as mentioned above, for all intents and purposes is the same mask just with parabens removed).

Fragrance is one of the ingredients listed on the back of the sheet mask package, but I found the essence to be virtually odorless save for the moment I initially opened the mask and caught a slight milky scent; it actually reminded me of the A'PIEU White Milk One Pack Mask. This quickly dissipated, though, so anyone who hates strong fragrances should be ok with this mask.

Having never used a Freeset mask, the "Skin Gel" material was completely foreign to me, and I found the texture to be a bit strange. It was a bit coarser than either a traditional hydrogel or cotton mask, and it had unusual ribbing (think wrinkled potato chips) throughout that I personally found a little rough on my skin. That aside, the fit of the sheet mask itself was decent, but the clear, slippery essence combined with the mask's material meant repeated adjustments were necessary over the course of my 20 minute masking session. The essence itself was soothing on the skin, but there wasn't nearly as much of it as I expected or would have liked; most sheet masks I find are drenched, but perhaps because of the fusion material of this mask soaking it in essence was unnecessary.

After the 20 minute alarm rang on my phone, I looked in the mirror and noticed the mask was almost completely dry. No extra-long masking sessions with this one. I patted any remaining essence into my skin, waited a few minutes for it to absorb, and then rechecked the mirror.

You know that promise of "glowing, healthy and moisture plumped skin?" Well, the Soo Ae Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask delivered. Despite my hang-up on the lack of essence, my skin was soft, my complexion had a sheer glow...dare I say it was radiant? Obviously, I was very pleased.

There is a downside, though. I didn't find this mask nearly moisturizing enough for my liking. Remember, dry skin over here. I'm thinking, maybe it's because donkey milk is listed so far down on the ingredients list? Regardless, I was certainly satisfied with my complexion after using this mask, and considering how much I also liked the Donkey Milk Sleeping Pack, I'm thinking I might have a new favorite ingredient.

Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask Full Ingredients List

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Arginine, Carbomer, Betaine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hexyldecanol, Butylene Glycol, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Donkey Milk, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Salmon Egg Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCl, Silica.

Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel

The next product in the lineup was the Soo Ae Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel. For various reasons, some Celtic heritage only being one, I actually have quite thin skin. It's not sensitive, necessarily, but just thin - there just isn't a lot of it. Maybe I'm missing some layers? 🤔 Anyway, this is probably why it's so dry, and why I love lots of hydrating layers. Occasionally, though, like everyone else, my skin just gets congested, and when a simple cleansing won't suffice, it's time to exfoliate! Now, as many of you are aware, there is chemical exfoliation and then there's physical exfoliation. I won't bother going into the details of when, why, or how you should perform either type (that's for another post...maybe), but I will say that harsh or over-exfoliation is something I'm wary of, which is why when I first discovered peeling gels right after college (Ah, Cure Natural Aqua Gel 💕🇯🇵) I was super excited.

If you don't know what a peeling gel, or gommage ("scrub" in French) is, let me provide a brief explanation. As the name suggests, it's a gel product that gently exfoliates your skin when you manually scrub it around. Now, people who haven't seen a peeling gel work before are always shocked; if you look at the pictures above, you'll see that the creamy gel, once massaged into the skin, produces gross looking little clumps. Many people mistakenly believe that these clumps are an accumulation of dead skin cells, and that's partially true, but trust me, if you were scrubbing off that much skin you'd be so raw Gordon Ramsey would throw you across the room. What's really going on is a reaction between the polymers and the oils in your skin that causes the gel to clump up. These clumps, then, act as soft scrubbing chunks that gently buff away dead skin and grime as you massage. In other words, the clumps are a mix of oil, polymers, and dead skin cells, not just skin. When you rinse with water afterwards, your skin is left smooth and clean. As long as you don't aim to scratch your face off by using too much force, peeling gels are considered a mild, gentle, and effective form of physical exfoliation.

When I saw that Soo Ae had provided me with a peeling gel, I was eager to give it a whirl. I opened the package and squeezed a dime-sized amount (I was eye-balling) of the gel into my hands. (I should note I didn't notice any scent, but fragrance is listed in the ingredients.) At first it was creamy, but once I applied the gel to my moistened face as per the instructions on the packet and started to massage, almost instantly those little clumps started forming. I found this interesting, because depending on which peel you're using, it may take a few minutes of gentle massaging before any grime really gathers.

Now, as I just explained, you don't want to use too much force when scrubbing with peeling gels; each one has a different level of abrasiveness, so gentleness is key. I mention this because, compared to other peeling gels I've used in the past, I found the clumps formed by the Soo Ae Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel to be rather scratchy, so I adjusted the pressure with which I massaged accordingly.

After a few minutes (the generally accepted rule of thumb for self-conducted facial massage is no longer than 5 minutes lest you risk breaking capillaries), I rinsed my face thoroughly with lukewarm water and patted it dry with a towel. No residue or film was left behind on my skin.

Afterwards, my skin was extremely smooth, my pores were minimized, and my complexion was bright. I did notice a bit of tightness indicative of dryness, but that's not uncommon with peeling gels, and you're supposed to follow up with the remainder of your skincare routine, including moisturizer, anyway. I did not experience any irritation.

Overall I was pleased with the Soo Ae Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel. After all, what's better than clean, smooth skin? 😃

Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel Full Ingredients List

Water, Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, EthylHexylglycerin, Panthenol, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum), Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Retinyl Palmitate, Biotin, Thiamine HCl, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin, Polyglyceryl-10 stearate, Folic Acid.

Charcoal Clay Bubble Mask

Last, but not least, we have the Soo Ae Charcoal Clay Bubble Mask. Aimed at cleaning out your pores, this cleansing mask is an "invigorating clay mask infused with the powerful purifying benefits of active binchotan charcoal and oxygen to refine and refresh pores."

Fun fact! A long time ago (6 years?) when I was an engineering undergraduate student, I actually worked in a research lab where I worked with activated carbon! 🤓

Cool story, right?

Let's be honest, Soo Ae isn't the first skincare brand to employ activated carbon/charcoal in its products, but why is it so popular? What is it? Why is it used in skincare?

Well, if I weren't so tired, I'd pull out my old chemical engineering books and detail the whole process in my own words, but I am tired, so I'm going to leave you with a sourced explanation: "Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon that has been processed to create millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms, resulting in a dramatically increased surface area. The surface area of activated carbon makes the material suitable for adsorption, a process by which impurities are removed from fluids, vapors or gas."

What this basically means is activated carbon is used in industry, including skincare technology, because it's super porous. Lots and lots of holes means lots of surface area to adsorb (attach) to; theoretically dirt and grime from inside your pores attaches to the activated carbon, gets pulled away and flushed down the drain. Though activated carbon is proven to work as a filtrate in many industries, I'm not sure that it's really that effective in skincare for reasons I'm not officially qualified to provide. But hey, maybe there just need to be more studies on the subject from impartial scientific entities. Like I said, I would pull out my old textbooks to confirm, but it's almost nap time.

As for the positive effects of oxygen on skin health, my research has turned up pretty much nothing. In my honest opinion, which is just the opinion of someone on the internet, bubble masks are a cool gimmick. Don't get me wrong, though: I'm all for skintertainment!

So back to the actual product!

The fragrance-free clay mask comes out of the package like any other gray cream, but upon application to the skin it immediately starts to bubble, forming a fine white foam. Unlike other bubbling masks I've used, I sensed no tingling or tickling at all, perhaps because the foam is so fine. It also doesn't "rise" as much as other bubble masks that out you in danger of suffocation. This is neither a pro nor a con, but just an observation.

When the bubbles started to form, as per the packet instructions, I wet my hands and gently massaged my face. What happened next was kind of cool. Instead of turning thick and muddy like I expected, the consistency of the mask became similar to that of a creamy cleanser, thankfully, making it quite easy to rinse off with warm water - no unnecessary added irritation! The cleansing experience was actually rather luxurious.

Afterwards, as usually occurs with any clay masks, my skin felt a bit tight, but it was definitely bright, smooth, and polished - I could hardly see my pores 👌🏻.

Considering how messy most bubbling clay masks are, I'm really quite pleased with Soo Ae's version.

Charcoal Clay Bubble Mask Full Ingredients List

Water, Kaolin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, TEA-Cocoyl glutamate, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bentonite, Lauramide DEA, Charcoal Powder, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract.

So Where Can I Get Them?

Walmart! All of the new US market Soo Ae masks mentioned here, as well as their My Collagen Hydrogel Lip Patch and the very popular Purifying Black Charcoal Mask, are carried exclusively by Walmart, and each mask is priced at $2.50; considering you can get multiple uses out of many of the products described above, I'd say that's a fair price.

If you're interested in these masks and want to try your luck, head over to my Instagram (@snuggle_bunnies) and enter the Soo Ae Mask Giveaway!

Snuggles out! 🤘🏻