Pamper Sunday Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrogel Recovery Mask Review

Hi Divas

I'm back with another face mask review and I love doing these as I am a sheet mask fanatic. As you may know it is really cold in Cape Town lately because we are in the heart of Winter at the moment. I therefore need all the hydration I can get on my skin. Neutrogena has added these hydrogel sheet masks into their Hydro Boost family. I love using the Hydro Boost range as they are effective in moisturising my skin and they are easy on my wallet too. I was excited to see that they expanded their line by adding face masks. The fact that they decided on creating hydrogel masks is particularly awesome because they are considered to be the premium varieties in the skin care world. For those of you that don't know, hydrogel is made up of special molecules that can hold up to 10x more moisture than regular fabric material. They are often used in the medical and scientific field because of their effectiveness. When it comes to sheet masks, hydrogel masks hold a lot of moisture and therefore soak up more nutrients than a cotton fibre mask. When you place these on your skin, it absorbs the maximum amount of product making it an excellent and fast treatment for skin concerns such as dryness and sensitivity. There are three masks within the Neutrogena line and I decided to test out and purchase the Hydrogel Recovery Mask with Hyaluronic Acid.


The mask is described as a hydrating sheet mask which holds up to more than 50% of essence compared to a normal mask. It has a supply of one months' worth of serum in a single mask application. It contains hyaluronic acid found in the rest of the Hydro Boost line. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in our skin and it attracts moisture from the outside environment and holds it in our skin thus keeping us moisturised and looking youthful and radiant. By adding extra hyaluronic acid into our skin, we are aiding it in retaining the ultimate moisture. The mask has a cooling technology as well, which helps to calm irritated or sensitive skin. The packaging of these masks is aesthetically pleasing as they have the same bright blue colours and the actual packet is travel friendly and shields the mask. Inside, the face mask is covered in protective sheets to keep the essence in and to prevent it from breaking. These masks are made in Korea and says it comes with 30 ml of essence.


The mask comes in two parts and you should be very careful when applying it. It has a gel texture and can be torn if you are too rough when removing it from the packaging. The gel material is soft and can easily be manipulated to fit your face well. On me, it does tend to gape at my chin and cover my nose which makes breathing difficult at first, but it is nothing I can't fix. The mask tends to slide down the face if you are doing activities or brisk movements. It would be best to sit and relax when wearing the sheet mask. As I mentioned, it has a jelly like gel texture and fits comfortably on the face. It feels really soft and cooling. This is great to use after a long day as the texture feels very relaxing and soothing. The mask comes with eye and lip flaps as well, but I prefer to not use them because I don't want product entering my eyes and mouth. The essence has a similar scent to the rest of the products within the Hydro Boost line. I personally like the scent as it smells clean and fresh to me. If you are someone that is sensitive to fragrance, do keep this in mind.


 When you take out the mask, unfortunately most of the product slides off into the packet and you are therefore left with little essence on the mask and more in the sleeve. It therefore does not feel as moisturising as I hoped it would. Since the mask is made up mainly of hyaluronic acid, it would be beneficial to lightly wet the face first before applying it. As the hyaluronic acid attracts and keeps moisture, using this after a hot shower would aid your skin the most. I usually wear masks for 30 minutes and whatever is left in the sleeve, I love to gently pat it onto my skin. To be honest after using this sheet mask my face did not feel extra moisturised or hydrated. In fact, I couldn't wait to apply my face cream because my skin was feeling quite tacky. The dry areas did disappear but I didn't get that soft and supple feeling that my other sheet masks give me. Even the next morning my skin didn't feel or look any different from when I first applied it. I think this mask is not as potent as it is marketed to be. This is a very basic sheet mask and is good to use for a boost or pick me up in that very moment. I would use it as an extra step if I was going out somewhere. For long term effects, this mask will not do the trick. There are many wonderful variants out there that are packed with moisture and beneficial ingredients which will relieve skin problems over time. I would probably not purchase this one again.


Have you tried these masks? What are your thoughts? Let me know below! 
Thank you so much for reading.
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx