I had recently reviewed the Dr. Jart+ pore minimalist mask reaching a disappointed conclusion. Imagine my nerves/excitement/dread when the When Travelmate Sheet Mask showed up in my January Birchbox. I had to try it the first night.

from birchbox.com

This mask was MUCH messier to open and apply than the last mask. It also had the funny flip open nose. Unlike the open and go Dr. Jart+ mask this one had two sheets to take off. Next time I plan on using my bathroom counter rather than my initial mistake of opening the thing standing in the middle of my bedroom. I maybe shouldn’t have picked such a bitter cold night to do the mask, because at first the serum was FREEZING! And it was thick. Once I warmed up it felt nice. It didn’t tingle, but it felt really clean, like my favorite Nars night cream (the recently discontinued aqua gel hydrator). If I looked like I had on a wooden mask with the Dr. Jart+ one, this was even more disconcerting.

my alien looking face definitely startled me!

Voldemort

ODO

Hatchettfish

I could see my face but it was covered in goo. All my features were distorted and I looked like an alien. At one point I passed myself in the mirror and jumped. OOPS! This mask stayed on for thirty minutes, and honestly I could have kept it on longer quite comfortably. It didn’t irritate my eyes and it clung to my face almost perfectly (still a few tricky spots along my jaw line, maybe I’m oddly shaped). My only real complaint is that it didn’t get the sides of my nose, a big problem area for me. Another plus is that the sheet mask does not need to be washed off when finished. My face felt incredibly fresh once I took the mask off. It reminded me of that post-facial glow.

I loved this mask so much that (the next day!) I already logged onto Birchbox and bought an entire box of these masks. At $28 for four masks the price is a little steep. I won’t lie, I used some Birchbox points to bring the price down. Regardless, I think the masks are fantastic and will make a nice weekly treat for myself. I may even buy the sampler pack down the road to try out some of When’s other products.