Unboxing Beauty

I was introduced to the Taiwanese brand Naruko last fall by my mask subscription service, MaskGenie.  I then purchased a few things from Beautibi and started to look for more Naruko items, as the stock was limited at Beautibi, but they did carry my favorite of favs, the tea tree line.  I discovered that there was a USA Naruko online store, based in NYC and just started to buy things.  And more things.  I have purchased almost, but not quite, the majority of their mask selections that they offer ~ I didn’t get around to getting the truffle, eye or cheek patches ~ I will someday, however!  This is a roundup of all my Instagram mini-reviews over the last several months and a buying guide for those who are interested in purchasing Naruko masks.   If you want to read more about their online store and the brand, I did write an intro Naruko blog post here. 

The Tea Tree mask was the first one to get me on the Naruko bandwagon.

Naruko Tea Tree Shine Control & Blemish Clear Mask  I am totally in love with Naruko’s Tea Tree line ~ I have tried their mask and night jelly with more products to come!   I was introduced to the Naruko line by Beautibi when I made a purchase a few months back on their site and it is a great brand!  This is a ‘black’ mask, as it is made with carbon ~ many black masks are really great for oily skin, as it will help absorb a lot of oil. The mask is a bit smaller than I would like, but it fits okay ~ no weirdly placed mouth, nose or eyes. This is a very wet mask and there is a lot of essence in the bag, which I just placed on top of the mask. This mask smells REALLY nice ~ it has a spearmint-citrus scent to it. I left it on for 20 minutes and my face was very wet still ~ my skin hadn’t absorbed the essence very well when I was wearing the mask. At first, I didn’t like this mask, but as the essence was absorbed into my skin (it took about 10-15 minutes for my face to totally dry), I really liked how my face felt, which was smooth and oil-free. So, I went from a meh to a YEAH on this Naruko mask.

Ingredients: purified water, butylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, hamamelis virginiana extract, transexamic acid, xanthan gum, 2-phenoxyethanol, sodium citrate, chlorphenesin, salicylic acid, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, serenoa serrulate fruit extract, lens esculenta (lentil) seed extract, enantia chlorantha bark extract, sodium hyaluronate, piroctone olamine, kalanchoe spathulata extract*, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract*, scutellaria alpina flower/leaf/stem extract*, peucedanum ostruthium leaf extract*, ginkgo biloba leaf extract*, artemisia umbelliformis extract*, leontopodium alpinum extract*, epilobium fleischeri extract*, calendula officinalis flower extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, camellia sinensis leaf extract*, essential oils of tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia), orange (citrus nobilis), spearmint (menta viridis), lemon (citrus limonum), lime (citrus auantifolia), peppermint (metha pipertia), grapefruit (citrus paradise), niaouli (melaleuca viridiflora) *     cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NRK Bitter Melon Anti-Shine Purifying Mask Oh yeah ~ this is a great mask! This is the Bitter Melon (bitter gourd, balsam-pear) and the last mask I used that had this ingredient in it (Sewame), I adored!! There is something about this ingredient that really works well with oily skin ~ Bitter melon helps repair damaged tissue and speed up wound healing, relieves swelling and inflammation, reduces oil production and will help promote your skins water and oil balance, contains hydroxy acids, fruit acids, vitamin A, amino acids, vitamins B5. This mask is like the Edelweiss mask in terms of fit and texture, lots of ESSENCE in this one! The scent has a bitter scent to it, which is probably due to the salicylic acid in this product, which will help gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, helping to heal and prevent blemishes. I was able to leave this mask on for almost an hour, with just some drying around the edges. After I removed it, my skin felt cool and refreshed, brighter in skin tone and had a matte finish. My pores looked tighter and smaller and redness was reduced! Fantastic mask!

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, butylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, propylene glycol, glycosyl trehalose/hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, salicylic acid, chlorphenesin, triethanolamine, phenoxyethanol, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, allantoin, niacinamide, momordica charanitia (bitter melon), cocamidopropyl dimethylamine, isoporpyl methyl phenol, sorbic acid, aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) extract, cucumis sativus (cucumber) juice, fragrance, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, metnthyl lactate, polysorbate 80, butyrospernum parkii (shea butter) fruit, ascorbic acid, benzalkonium chloride, camellia sinensis leaf extract, isomerized safflower acid, palmitoyl tripeptide-5, anthemis nobilis flower extract, maltodextrin, cera alba, silica, palmitic acid, clay, zinc sulfate, fucus vesiculosus (seaweed) extract, ethylhexylglycerin  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NKR 🍍🍍 Pineapple Enzymatic Mineral Clay Mask This is a smooth white clay mask that has fermented pineapple extracts ~ pineapple contains an enzyme ~ bromelain ~ which is an AHA and gently exfoliates your skin to remove dead skin cells, cleanses, smooths and unclogs pores. It also contains Zinc PCA, which helps improve your skin by adjusting the oil secretion and seaweed extracts help balance the oil and water in your skin, as well as your pH level to help reduce excess oils and it also helps in preventing blemishes. This also has some moisturizing ingredients too: tremella (the queen of hydration), which contains mucopolysaccharides, helping to bring moisture into your skin, pansy extracts to help strengthen your moisture barrier, so that your skin will have elasticity and tone. This mask has a fermented pineapple scent-clay scent to it ~ it isn’t a joyous fruit explosion, but a bit strange.

The mask is very smooth and I can easily apply it. I left my mask on for 20 minutes and one of the lovely things about it is that when it dried down, it didn’t dry down to a flaky mess that makes your skin all tight. It still had some moisture in the mask, so it would not pull or tighten on my face, and it was very smooth without cracking or peeling off my face. I used my konjac sponge to remove and my face felt really nice and hydrated, no dry feeling ~ my skin is very smooth and a nice even skin tone. I am really excited about this mask and will use it several times a week. I don’t know I have tried a mask before with fermented pineapple extracts, have you? If you are interested in Naruko, I wrote a blog post about their NY shop with deals and my haul  ~ click here to read!

Ingredients: purifed water, kaolin, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, cylopentasiloxane, dimethicone, butylene glycol, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, synthetic beeswax, triethylhexanoin, enantia chlorantaha bark extract, oleanolic acid, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, chlorphenesin, fragrance, allantoin, bentonite, snow fungus (tremella fuciformis) extract, tocopheryl acetate, propylene glycol, ananas sativus (pineapple) fruit extract, lens esculenta (lentil) seed extract, hydrolyzed viola tricolor extract, hydrolyzed pea, zinc PCA, laminaria saccharina extract, propanediol, bioflavonoids, brassica oleracea italica (broccoli) extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, O-Cymen-5-OL, piroctone olamine  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NRK Alps Edelweiss Soothing & Calming Mask   This is made with edelweiss, and since I am part Swiss, I feel that I should try a mask made with Edelweiss! Edelwiess contains potent antioxidants, that protect your skin from aging, reduce inflammation and helps detox your skin. This also contains calendula, which is a soothing and antibacterial herb and it can prevent and heal blemishes. This also has niacinamide, which aids in helping brighten your skin tone. This mask is a thin one ~ I don’t know if it is silk or cotton, but it is thin enough that it has that pearl paper (the plastic protector) to help keep its shape and also aid in applying the mask to your face. This has a lot of essence ~ not as much as My Scheming (I don’t think any mask is!) but quite a bit of it and it is odorless (at least to my nose). I am able to keep the mask on for about 40 minutes, but the edges of the mask (around my forehead, my nose, around my mouth) have dried out, so next time, I will go for 30 to 35 minutes. The fit is fairly good ~ it is a little short around the nose and I would like more coverage around the sides of my nose, but considering I have a big face, this is a fairly decent fit. After I removed the mask, my face was very moist and hydrated and there was a bit of sticky residue that disappeared after 5 minutes or so. My face looked more even in its skin tone and brighter, my red spots had diminished in color. This mask delivered on its promise of soothing and moisturizing while it also brightened! Great mask!

Description: Soothes and protects skin from sensitivity while providing rich hydration.

Ingredients: water, glycerin, butylene glycol, calendula officinalis extract, sodium dehydroacetate, glycosyl trehalose, hydrogenated starch hydrolystate, PEG-16 macadamia glycerides, niacinamide, allantoin, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, triethanolamine, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, betaine, chamomilla recutita (mactricaria) flower extract, oryza saliva (rice) lees extract, leontopodium alpinum extract, phragmites kharka extract, poria cocos extract, frangrance  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NRK Q10 Age-Defying Brightening Mask  Look how pretty the packaging is with the bright birds. Are they parrots? They don’t look like parrots to me. Anyway, continuing on with my Naurko mask hauls, I use the Q10 mask this morning. This mask is pretty typical of Naruko masks ~ thin, almost transparent sheet mask, soaked in essence. The scent is a bit bitter, but it isn’t overpowering ~ it could be the ubiquinone that is causing that scent. This is full of brightening ingredients: niacinamide, tranexamic acid and ubiquinone and this has fermented black tea extracts, also known as kombacha, which will enhance your skin’s texture, skintone and radiance by increasing circulation and hydration in your skin. When I removed the mask after 40 minutes, I was pretty surprised at how even my skin tone looked, plus it was brighter and hydrated ~ without that dewy look. I love Naruko masks because they really give my face the hydration it needs but it leaves an almost matte finish to my very oily skin! Another side benefit to this mask ~ my pores and lines looked smaller in size! I have two boxes of these (due to the 1+1 sale at Naruko ~ check out my blog for details!) so it will be interesting to see if there are long term benefits to using this mask

Ingredients: purified water, propylene glycol, glycerin, xanthan gum, saccharomyces/xylinum/black tea ferment, phenoxyethanol, niacinamide, D-panthenol, disodium EDTA, tranexamic acid, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, ubiquinone, ethylhexylglycerin, arginine, fragrance, achillea millefolium extract, alchemilla vulgaris extract, malva sylvestris (mallow) extract, melissa officinalis leaf extract, mentha piperita leaf extract, primula veris extract,veronica officinalis flower/leaf/stem extract, methylisothiazolinone, tripleurospermum maritimum extract, hydroxyethylcellulose  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko Raw Job’s Tears 🌾🌾Supercritical CO2 Pore Minimizing & Brightening Mask This wins the “Longest Name for a Mask” award! This mask is like a mini skincare item in itself! I was just looking at the ingredients list and was blown away with all of the great antioxidant and beneficial items. I am catching up on posting my reviews on some facial sheet masks that I used over the weekend.

Job’s Tears is an anti-inflammatory, helps with skin problems, such as blemishes, moisturizes and renews your skin. Licorice, ellagic acid, 2 forms of vitamin C (ascorbyl glucoside & sodium ascorbyl phosphate) help to brighten your skin, Oleanolic acid (from olive leaves), is antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory and it will help to improve and support elasticity in your skin, as well as brightening your skin tone. Salicyloyl phytosphingosine is an antioxidant that will reduce wrinkles, refine and improve the texture of sundamaged skin.

The mask is silky smooth and thin, but it is made from wood-pulp, not silk! This mask has a lot of a thin, watery essence and the mask is soaked with it. The scent is light, but it smells like grain/yeast/bread (I am hungry now). The fit is pretty good ~ the nose piece could be a little longer, but other than that, it covers my big face (AND HIGH FOREHEAD – OMG, my forehead is so huge!!) really well. As the essence is absorbed into my skin, the mask turns white and more paper-like. After 40 minutes, I removed the mask and yes, this is winner! My face is brighter overall, my pores look miniscule ~ and my face felt very hydrated, but not sticky to the touch ~ there was moisture on my face, but it was like water ~ it absorbed into my skin quickly (or evaporated in the air). I love this mask! Naruko masks are really fantastic ~ if you haven’t tried one yet, you need to!

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, chlorphenesin, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, snow fungus (tremella fuciformis) extract, triethanolamine, coix lacryma-jobi (job’s tears) seed extract, xanthan gum, sodium PCA, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, kalanchoe spathulata extract*, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract*, alpine skullcap (scutellaria alpina) flower/leaf/stem extract*, masterwort (peucedanum ostruthium) leaf extract*,ginkgo biloba leaf extract*, alps wormwood (artemisia umbelliformis) extract*, leontopodium alpinum extract*, alpine willowherb (epilobium fleischeri) extract*, calendula officinalis flower extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract*, allantoin, fragrance (based on natural origins), sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, ethyl ascorbic acid, ellagic acid, salicyloyl phytosphingosine, butylene glycol, polygonum tincorium leaf/stem extract, tocoperyl acetate, avena sativa (oat) kernel extract, pisum sativum (pea) extract, proline, glycogen, alanine, larix europaea wood extract, algin, acacia senegal gum, serine, enantia chlorantha bark extract, oleanolic acid, yeast extract, thiamince HCI, pyridoxine HCI, ascorbyl glucoside, galactoarabinan, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, octyldodecyl myristate, coix lacryma-jobi seed extract *phytoferulin  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NRK Collagen Booster Firming Mask  The NRK line has some of the prettiest designs ~ I love this one, the HA and Snail mask designs.   This is a “firming” mask made with collagen, which will help maintain elasticity, provide hydrating and keeps your skin moist and smooth. It also has pentapeptide and hydrolyzed elastin, both ingredients will work with your collagen, to help moisturize, firm and tighten your skin. A trio of ocean ingredients ~ Hawaii red algae, bladder-wrack and pearl extracts help nourish, soften, provide hydration and gives your skin gloss and radiance.  The mask is drenched with essence (maybe this just needs to be taken for granted with Naruko masks!!) and there is about a teaspoon of essence in the pouch, which I put on my neck.  Oddly enough, this mask smells like honeyed apples to me.  Not sure why ~ there is neither apples or honey in this mask.  It is a great scent and I like it.   I am not that impressed by this mask, however.  It did leave my skin soft and smooth, very cool to the touch, but there was a “film” of the essence that just sat on the top of my skin that I didn’t like.  Perhaps it is supposed to be like that and overnight, it will work wonders, but it does feel like my skin is not clean.   Collagen masks + me = usually don’t agree for this very point.  This isn’t a knock on Naruko as most collagen masks I have used have been like this for me.   Update:  My skin did work wonders overnight ~ I had 5 little whiteheads come to town and party.  They were small and went away when I used an exfoliating scrub, but this was the only thing I had on my face last night ~ I was very lazy and didn’t use any other products.    For some people, collagen masks are a lifesaver, but for me, they just don’t work that well.  

Description: Instantly boosts skin firmness and elasticity to deliver tight, plump skin

Ingredients: purified water, propylene glycol, glycerin, xanthan gum, soluble collagen, phenoxyethanol, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, ascophyllum nodosum extract, disodium EDTA, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, butylene glycol, hydrolyzed elastin, chondrus crispus (carrageenan) extract, ethylhexylglycerin, sorbitol, sodium hyaluronate, fragrance, arginine, methylisothiazolinone, hydrolyzed pearl, sea salt, carbomer,  polysorbate 20, chlorphenesin, palmitoyl pentapeptide-4  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko NRK HA Hydro-Lock Moisturizing Mask This is a beautiful design ~ very soothing and relaxing! I love it. Naruko’s HA mask is meant to deeply hydrate your skin resulting in a healthy glow. The combination of erythritol (a sugar) and homarine HCl (a compound found in crustaceans) is “Aqualance” and that is supposed to enhance moisture. Thin sheet mask, soaked with essence, very wet, pretty much odorless. As I was wearing this, I could feel my face cooling ~ so this is a really refreshing mask. After 30 minutes, I removed it and my face still felt cool to the touch and the essence was not sticky or tacky. No residue on my face, as the essence had been absorbed into my skin ~ unlike the collagen mask I tried prior by Naruko, this did not leave a film on my face, which I was very happy about! This is just a great hydrating mask with cooling effects 🙂 Sometimes, that is all I want!

Ingredients: purified water, propylene glycol, glycerin, xanthan gum, dipotassium glycyrrhizate,  chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, erythritol, saccharide isomerate, disodium EDTA, sodium hyaluronate, D-pantenol, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, hydrolyzed caesalpinia spinosa gum, arginine, fragrance, caesalpinia spinosa gum, maritimum (sea fennel) extract, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate,  tripleeurospermum maritimum extract, homarine HCL, citric acid, sodium citrate  cosDNA.com analysis

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Naruko am+pm RX10 Peptide Firming Repairing Mask This is one of the 3 new masks that Naruko released the other week ~ the RX 10 means that there are 10 different anti-aging peptides in this mask. It is supposed to prevent aging (damn, give me a tub of this serum then!),  hydrates skin, locks in moisture and restores elasticity.  It is also supposed to brighten and smooth your skin.  Tall order!  First thing I noticed is that the sheet mask material is a bit different from my other Naruko masks ~ this is a bit more thicker ~ it is still thin, but I can tell it is not as thin as my other Naruko masks. It states  that it is made with a “Platinum silk” cloth, which is thin & fitted, but I do think it is a  thicker sheet mask material, but it fits except around the nose area, where there are huge gaps. There is a slight scent, but nothing weird.  It does stay moist for a long time ~ I left it on for 40 minutes.  My face felt smooth and moist, but I didn’t see a wow factor with this.   It could be my face is too far gone that any peptides will work (ahaha) or that this needs several treatments.  It isn’t a BAD mask, but right now, I just am not seeing anything with it.   I will be trying out the Mandelic Acid one tonight, so I’ll post that mini-review later on.

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, butryospermum parkii (shea butter), sodium acrylates copolymer,  isononyl isononanoate, niacinamide, meadowfoam seed oil, morus alba root extract, hydrolyzed soy fiber, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, lechithin, allantoin, polymethylsilsesquioxane, dimethicone, isohexadecane, xanthan gum, verbena officinalis extract, PEG-40 stearate, steareth-2, steareth-21, sodium hyaluronate, essential oisl of Lavender (lavandula angustifolia), eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus), marjoram (origanum marjorana), thyme (thymus vulgaris), clary sage (salvia sclarea), rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis), ho wood (cinnamomum camphora), cetearyl methicone, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, mannitol, hydrogenated lecithin, sodium oleate,  sodium citrate, magnesium chloride, dextran, carbomer, polysorbate 20, acetyl tetrapeptide-15, palmitoyl tripeptide-3, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, nonapeptide-1, palmitoyl tripeptide-1,  tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate (TAUT), tetrapeptide-30, acetyl octapeptide-3,  acetyl tetrapeptide-5, oligopeptide-68  cosDNA analysis

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Naruko am+pm Mandelic Acid Skin Renewal Brightening Mask I dooooo know Mandinka…. Channelling the late ’80’s here with Sinead O’Connor who really rocked that song. Whenever I see Mandelic, I think Mandinka. Free word association or something.

Anyway, this is the 2nd brand new mask that I purchased from Naruko Boutique. This is a brightening mask and it has some great ingredients to help lighten and even out my skin tone ~ tranexamic acid, mandelic acid, licorice, as well as some soothing & hydrating ingredients to help prevent redness bisabolol, Tasmanian pepper, aloe vera, calendula, sodium hyaluronate and a fermented black yeast (aureobasidium pullulans) which is probably fermented beta glucan. This mask is thinner than the Peptidte mask, which I prefer, and the essence is thin and watery, with a bitter herbaceous scent ~ which I now believe is coming from those essential oils. I do not mind the scent at all, it was just bothering me that I couldn’t quite place it. The fit is pretty good, it lacks some substance around my nose area. After 30 minutes I removed this mask ~ did it brighten? I think it did ~ my face seemed brighter and there was no irritation from the acids, my skin looked refreshed and glowing (but in a good way, not radioactive red way) I have 2 boxes of these as Naruko is having a 1 + 1 mask sale, so will be using these as a morning mask and see if they improve my skin tone.

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, butylene glycol, tranexamic acid, arginine, DL-mandelic acid, propandiol, salix alba bark extract, betaine, propylene glycol, chlorphenesin, allantoin, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, carbomer, disodium EDTA, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, aureobasidium pullulans ferment, sodium hyaluronate, essential oils of Lavender (lavandula angustifolia), eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus), marjoram (origanum marjorana), thyme (thymus vulgaris), clary sage (salvia sclarea), rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis), ho wood (cinnamomum camphora), bisabolol, calendula officinalis extract, alcohol denat, tasmannia lanceolata (Tasmanian Pepper) fruit extract cosDNA analysis

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Naruko NRK Arbutin Intense Brightening Mask   At first, I thought the mask design  on the package was cute.  Then, I looked at it more closely… And I hate it.  Why? Because Brown Bear put on a White Bunny Face.  With a sign “White Party”.  That is so…shaming and racist..  Sorry, Naruko.  This is a brightening mask, lets not say that white skin is “better” ~ brightening is about evening out your skin tone and reducing hyper-pigmentation, not turning people white. Sigh.  I am sure Naruko didn’t think about this ~ different culture and all, but here in the Western world, this is a big deal.  It is unfortunate, imho, that they did this package design. Yes, the bear turned into a rabbit, also going from stubby ears to long lean ears ~ am I reading too much into this?  The White Party sign really upsets me.  Anyway, enough with the crappy ass design on the package.  This mask is another winner from Naruko (except for the package design….it goes without saying).  With ingredients niacinamide, licorice, mulberry, arbutin and citric acid that will all aid in  brightening, lighten hyper-pigmentation spots and even out your skin tone. Sodium hyaluoronate and 3 types of ceramides will help moisturize and hydrate your skin.It is very wet with essence and it has a slight bitter scent that quickly disappears ~ the fit is very good as well ~ it covered my nose area really well.  I am wearing my Berrisom Placenta eye gels as well here, in case you were wondering what those gold items were under my eyes.   I left this mask on for 40 minutes and it was still damp ~ my face looked more even in skin tone, hyper-pigmentation was temporarily reduced and my face did look more brighter and clear. My blemishes that I have were reduced in redness (yeah!)   I love this mask, but I will write to Naruko about this design, and what it means to people here in the states.

Description: Intensely brightens, soothes and hydrates the skin to restore a healthy, translucent complexion.

Ingredients: purified water, butylene glycol, glycerin, methyl gluceth-20, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, xanthan gum, niacinamide, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, allantoin, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, bellis perennis (daisy) flower extract, phyllanthus emblica fruit extract, morus alba bark extract, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, sodium hyaluronate, fragrance, arbutin, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, sodium lauroyl lactylate, citric acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, ceramide NP, ceramide AP, ceramide EOP, cholesterol, phytosphingsosine cosDNA analysis

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Naruko Narcissus Repairing Mask  This mask is made for prematurely aging skin ~ well, I am not prematurely aging, I AM aging!! haha  This will hydrate, repair and soothe your skin, while restoring elasticity.   This mask is part of  what I call their classic series (I have no idea if they call it that or not) but all of those masks have a one color package (in this case, purple) and all contain a compound called phytoferulin, which has these ingredients:  kalanchoe spathulata, licorice root, alpine skullcap, masterwort, ginkgo biloba, alps wormwood, leontopodium alpinum, alpine willowherb, calendula, chamomilla recutita and green tea. In addition to these ingredients, this has several ferments ~ psaudoalteromonas, bifida, lactobacllus and it has some marine life ingredients ~ brine shrimp and red seaweed.  And of course, narcissus bulb, which is known to help repair damaged skin.

Like most Naruko masks, this is dripped wet with essence and has a very light bitter scent that goes away quickly.  The mask fit is good and I was able to keep it on for 50 minutes and it was still very wet around my cheeks and chin area ~ for some reason, my forehead, nose and upper lip area dry out  faster.  It had a cooling effect on my face, and it felt really fantastic ~ I had been feeling overheated and run down lately, due to the oppressive heat and my darn ear infection, so it felt good on my skin.  When I removed it,  I noticed how brighter my skin looked, soft and smooth.  Very hydrated with no sticky or tacky residue.  This is a really nice mask ~ I didn’t notice any other benefits, but I was fairly pleased with this one.

Ingredients: Purified water, butylene glycol, glycerin, sodium PCA, PEG-55, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, chlorphenesin, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium acetate, isopropyl alcohol, cellulose,  kalanchoe spathulata extract*, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract*, alpine skullcap (scutellaria alpina) flower/leaf/stem extract*, masterwort (peucedanum ostruthium) leaf extract*,ginkgo biloba leaf extract*, alps wormwood (artemisia umbelliformis) extract*, leontopodium alpinum extract*, alpine willowherb (epilobium fleischeri) extract*, calendula officinalis flower extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract*, lactobacillus/olea europaea (olive) leaf ferment extract, quaternium-16, tetrasodium EDTA, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane, polyquaternium-39, disodium EDTA, mentha piperita (peppermint) extract, eucheuma cottonii (red seaweed) extract, sodium hyaluronate, pseudoalteromonas ferment extract, bifida ferment lysate, lactobacillus ferment, snow fungus (tremella fuciformis) extract, artemia (brine shrimp) extract, narcissus tazetta  (narcissus) bulb extract, sorbitol, dihydroxy methylchromone, essential oils of mandarin, tangerine, sweet orange (citrus sinensis), ylang ylang (cananga odorata), potassium DNA    *phytoferulin  cosDNA analysis

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Naruko NRK Snail Essence Intense Hydra Repair Mask I am slowly finishing up my Naruko masks (different types, not all of them)  This mask’s essence is very different from other Naruko masks – the snail is strong with this one!  There is no other way to describe it ~  it is one slimy mask!  The essence is very sticky in that mucilage way and there is a lot of it  with this mask ~ it is one juicy, thick gelatinous mask!  With tons of essence left over.  The scent is light, nothing unpleasant ~ I cannot even remember what it smelled like! The sheet mask is very thin and translucent and once I put this mask on, I could feel it just sucking onto my face like an alien pod life form.

I left it on for about 45 minutes, and where it had dried out ~ around the upper lip and nose (of course!!) ~ it felt strange to pull it off my face, as I could feel  the sticky residue just fighting me as I was peeling off the mask.  My face was VERY DEWY AND MOIST. This is a calming and repairing mask, so I was pleased to see that my blemishes and any red spots were reduced in swelling and redness and initially I thought ~ cool beans, I love this mask, it soothes my skin and my pores look great.  It is sticky and all of that, but it will be a night time mask.  After one hour, my face had stopped being sticky so I looked in the mirror again. No!!!!  My pores were enlarged.  I guess they soaked up that snail slime and ate too much, because they were HUGE.  I think this mask is best suited for dry skin, skin with little or tiny pores.  I could still use it, but I don’t need craters in my life.  It is a fantastic mask, just not for my skin type.  Have you tried it? What was your experience?  BTW – The design on this mask package is so clever and cute!!  I love it.

Ingredients:  water, algin, snow fungus (tremella fuciformis) extract, hydroxyteylcellulose, butylene glycol, carbomer, glycerin,  cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, PEG-45M, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin,  sodium hyaluronate, snail secretion filtrate, allantoin, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice,  calendula officinalis flower extract, avena sativa (oat) kernel extract, triethanolamine, beta-glucan, sodium polyglutamate, fragrance, dipotassium glycyrrihizate  cosDNA analysis

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Naruko am + pm Super Triple HA Hydrating Mask This is called triple HA due to its ingredients of  hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate and sodium hyaluronate, which are all water moisture ingredients.  This also has a brightening ingredient or two with niacinamide and licorice, as well as an AHA with the papaya extract, BHA and salicylic acid with the salix alba bark extract, so this will also help gently unclog pores and exfoliate away your dead skin cells.  This mask does contain quite a lot of different ingredients from the NRK Hyaluronic Acid Hydro-Lock Moisturizing Mask (which I reviewed earlier), so you can own both!  This is just like most Naruko masks ~ very thin mask sheet, fit is good (except around the nose area), very wet mask, with a slight bitter scent that disappears quickly.  After 30 minutes, I removed this mask, and my face did feel very hydrated and plumped up with moisture.  This is a great mask for when the heat is really on (I am tired of this heat, I am wilting…)  and it gives your poor, dehydrated skin a boost of much needed hydration.   This is the 3rd new mask that Naruko came out with recently and it is also a really great hydrating mask, with some brightening properties.

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, butylene glycol, glycosyl trehalose/hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, propandiol, salix alba bark extract, niacinamide, chlorphenesin, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, allantoin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, alcohol, glycosphingolipids, hordeum vulgare extract, sodium hyaluronate, imperata cylindrica/PEG 8/carbomer, dipotassium glycrrhizinate, disodium EDTA, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, disodium adenosine triphosphate, carica papaya fruit extract,  phenoxyethanol, algin, sodium hydroxide, essential oils of lavender (lavandula angustifolia),  eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus), marjoram (origanum marjorana), thyme (thymus vulgaris), clary sage (salvia sclarea), rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis), ho wood (cinnamomum camphora), ascorbyl glucoside cosDNA analysis

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Naruko Magnolia EX Brightening and Firming Mask  I am down to my last two different mask types from Naruko!  This one is very different from the other Naruko masks ~ it has a creamy milky essence and it is a V-Line mask, which means it has a neck mask attached to the face mask.  There are 4 loops, 2 on the neck and 2 on the face, where you loop that around your ears and it tightens the mask across and up your face, lifting your skin while you wear this mask.  The essence smells wonderful, like magnolias and this Brightening & Firming mask is for “mature” skin (which is me!!), helping to brighten and tone your skin.  The mask sheet is thicker than most of the Naruko masks, as it has to tighten across your face, so it is a stretchy material ~ once I applied this to my face and hook the loops around my ears, I felt pretty tucked in there!  I tried to show the sides of my ears and the neck piece, which is why the photo looks so funny!  Not the most comfortable position to take a selfie ~ but this mask is very comfortable to wear ~ a lot of V-line masks are so tight I feel like they are about to slice thru my ears, but this one has the right amount of “lifting” and tightening without too much pressure.  Because of the V-line loops, I felt that the coverage around my chin and nose area was really lacking.  There isn’t a lot of essence left over in the package, but this mask has enough rich creamy essence that I was able to leave it on for 40 minutes.  I didn’t notice any tightening, but I did notice an immediate brightening of my skin complexion and my skin was very moist and hydrated.  I really enjoyed using this one and I plan to purchase a box or two from Naruko ~ I found it to be very soothing and relaxing to wear, with great results.

Ingredients:Purified Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-4 Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,3-Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Shea Butter, Phenoxyethanol,  Kalanchoe Spathulata Extract*,  Glycryrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract*, Alpine Skullcap Scutellaria Alpina Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract*, Masterwort Peucedanum Ostruthium Leaf Extract*, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract*, Alps Wormwood (Artemisia Umbelliformis) Extract*, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract*, Alpine Willowherb Epilobium Fleischeri Extract*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Chamomilla Recutila (Matricaria) Flower Extract*, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Snow Fungus (Tremella Fuciformis) Extract, Solidago Virgaurea (Goldenrod) Extract, Triethanolamine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lecithin, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Algin, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Allantoin, Argan Oil, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Magnolia Grandiflora (Michelia Alba) Leaf Oil, Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid, Taiwan Magnolia Grandiflora (Michelia Alba) Flower Water, Essential Oil of Lemon (Citrus Limonum)  cosDNA analysis    *Phytoferulin is an exclusively patented complex formuated with 11 different plant extracts.  All products are free from parabens, preservatives, artificial fragrance and coloring, no animal testing

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Naruko La Cream Supreme Rejuvenating Treatment Mask  This mask was sent to me by Naruko to try out as I had been purchasing so much from them! ahaha.  This is their top of the line mask from their Creme of Jing Cheng 京城之霜 series of skincare products.  This is V-line mask and it will brighten, purify, tighten, moisture and provide complete coverage of your face without any seams.  As you can see in the photo, it pretty much mummifies my face!  It contains 60 different botantical ingredients, to help with anti-aging concerns ~  one of them is rose, so I was a little hesitant to try this out (patch testing is a must!)  I didn’t have any adverse reactions so I put on this very expensive mask and waited to see the results.  There isn’t much a scent to this mask ~ a very light floral if anything, and there is not a lot of excess essence either.  The mask material is very plush and dense, but it is very stretchy as I do have to hook those loops over my ears.  It is made from a 3-D elastic fiber, so that it really conform to my face shape.  I did a close up of the mask after I removed it so you could see the plushness of it

I felt the fit was much better than the Magnolia mask, but I found it to be a bit more tighter as well.  As it wasn’t a “wet” mask, I left it on for only 25 minutes before removing ~ I did find that my face was moisturized and looked brighter overall.  I will say that I did prefer the Magnolia mask over this one, for a V-Line mask, in both performance and affordability, but the La Cream mask material is so plush and soft ~ it felt very nice to have on my face. 

Ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Geranium Robertianu, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan),  Jobs Tears (Coix Lacryma-Jobi) Water, Kiwi (Actinidia Chinensis) Extract,  Mallow (Malva Sylvestris) Extract, Mulberry (Morus Alba Root) Root Extract,  Narcissus Tazetta L. Var. Chinensis Roem, Peony (Paeonia Suffruiticosa) Root Extract,  Polygonum Cuspidaum Extract, Rose Damascena Flower Water, Sambucus Nigra Flowers, Saxifrage (Saxifraga Stolonifera) Extract, Snow Fungus (Tremella Fuciformis) Extract,  Triticum Vulgare Protein, Artemisia Umbelliformis Extract, Carica Papaya (Papain) Extract, Citrus Grandis Extract, Dioscorea Opposita (Wild Yam) Root, Epilobum Fleischeri Extract, Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Root, Great Burdock (Artium Lappa) Extract,  Hammamelis Virginiana Extract, Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense) Extract,  Melissa Officinalis Extract, Narcissus Tazetta L Var.Chinensis Roem, Oryzanol, Pineapple (Ananas Sativus) Extract,  Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Sakura (Prunus Yedoensis) Leaf Extract, Arnica (Arnia Montana) Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Common Speedwell (Veronica Officinalis) Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Horsechestnut (Aesculus Hippocastanum) Extract, Horsetail (Equisetum Hiemale) Extract, Ledebouriella Divaricata Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract,  Peppermint (Mentha Piperita ) Leaf Extract, Plantago Major Seed Extract, Rosemary Extract, Saix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Thyme (Thymus Serpillum) Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Algae (Corallina Officinalis) Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract,  Kalanchoe Spathulata Leaf Extract, Linden (Tilia Cordata) Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Peucedanum Ostruthium Leaf Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Red Sage) Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Alpina Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters,  PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharide Isomerate,  Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethanolamine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate,  Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil,  Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citric Acid, Fragrance (Based on Natural Origins),  Sodium Citrate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Alana Esculenta Extract, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7  cosDNA analysis

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Update: Added New Masks (not included in Final Thoughts..)

Naruko NRK 7 Days Skin Perfecting Truffle Mask  I really love this mask! These masks are different from other masks, as it comes in a bag ~ 7 masks that you are supposed to use 7 days in a row.  This is why I haven’t been doing many mask reviews as I have been using these masks!  Unlike some masks-in-a-bag, these masks are neatly folded and protected by “pearl paper”, that plastic white protector that helps keep the masks shape and easy to apply.  There isn’t much a scent to these and they are very wet masks.  The fit is great except the gaps around my nose area.  This mask contains the following key ingredients:  white truffle ~ full of amino acids and minerals to help keep your skin hydrated, bright and is anti-aging,  fermented yerba santa extracts, which are full of polysaccharides and glycoproteins that help moisture skin as well as tannins ~ an astringent as well as a repairing ingredient.  Licorice also helps with brightening and Synake peptide (dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), which mimics snake venom and is a treatment for fine lines & wrinkles.  I can leave these masks on for 40 minutes and after I remove it, my face does look brighter, more refreshed and my fine lines & wrinkles are plumped up.  My face isn’t dewy either ~ it almost has a matte feeling as the essence really has soaked into my skin ~ no tacky residue or filmy texture on my face.  I really love these masks-in-a-bag from Naruko. 

Ingredients: purified water, propylene glycol, glycerin, gentiana lutea root extract, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, lactobacillus/eriodictyon californicum ferment extract, xanthan gum, chlorphenesin,disodium EDTA, sodium hyaluronate, D-panthenol,  PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, phenoxyethanol, arginine, fragrance, peucedanum ostruthim leaf extract, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, tuber aestivum extract, dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate, EDTA  cosDNA analysis

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Final Thoughts

I hope this round up of Naruko masks helps you decide which masks you might like to try!  I really enjoy the Naruko brand and I hope you will have an opportunity to give them a try.   For my skin type and needs, my favorites are and in no particular order:   Tea Tree Shine Control & Blemish Clear Mask , NRK Bitter Melon Anti-Shine Purifying Mask, NRK Q10 Age-Defying Brightening Mask, Raw Job’s Tears Supercritical CO2 Pore Minimizing & Brightening Mask, NRK HA Hydro-Lock Moisturizing Mask, am+pm Mandelic Acid Skin Renewal Brightening Mask , NRK Arbutin Intense Brightening Mask, am + pm Super Triple HA Hydrating Mask and Magnolia EX Brightening and Firming Mask.  You can purchase all of these and much more Naruko products at Naruko Boutique.

Have you tried any of the Naruko masks? Which ones do you really like or want to try?  Let me know in the comment below!

 

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