A sheet mask goes on a clean face after toner, stays on for 15-20 minutes, comes off without rinsing, and is followed by your cream. Three of those four things are the ones people get wrong.
The four rules
1. It goes after toner, not at the end
A sheet mask is an essence on a fabric carrier: its place is after toner and before serum and cream. Using it as the final step, over your cream, makes no sense — the cream you already applied blocks it from working.
2. Fifteen minutes, not thirty
The time on the packet is usually 15-20 minutes. Leaving it longer does nothing, and past a point it works against you: once the fabric starts drying out, evaporation can take moisture away instead of leaving it behind.
The practical rule: take the mask off while it is still damp.
3. Don't rinse
The liquid left on your face is the product. Pat it in with your fingertips until it absorbs. If there is some left in the sachet, use it on your neck and hands.
4. Then apply your cream
The mask hydrates, the cream holds it in. Skipping the next step means letting most of what you just applied evaporate.
How often
Once or twice a week is the usual frequency. Plain hydrating masks can be used more often; those with acids, vitamin C or other concentrated actives should stick to the frequency on the packet.
No mask replaces a daily routine: it is an extra step, not a shortcut.
Which ones are in stock
Masks are the widest category in the catalogue and start at €1. The Esfolio Pure Skin masks cost €1.00 and come in nine variants — collagen, green tea, honey, vitamin C, pearl, rose, milk, herb, hyaluronic and peach. The LookAtMe ones are €1.90 and there are five, including aloe vera and tea tree and cucumber.
To try several without choosing, the pack of 10 Variety Collection costs €9.00. The whole category is in masks.
One last thing about the fabric
If the mask is too big — which happens often, since they are cut to average Korean proportions — fold the excess onto your neck and under your jaw rather than leaving it lifted: where the fabric doesn't touch, it doesn't work.