Sheet Mask review - The Face Shop Kelp Real Nature Mask

Since going back to work I have been too tired to do sheet masks at night, which is sad.  I really should make more of an effort because I've hardly made a dent in my stash and my aim was to have a third of them gone by now.

But this morning - Saturday morning, french toast, coffee, I decided to do a sheet mask.  Dammit.  I usually prep my skin for a mask by cleanse, tone, eye cream, serum (Mizon Snail bae right now - we're back together), then mask.  After the mask has done its "thang" I follow up with however many moisturisers my skin wants (today it was two).

Rummaging through my box I decided to use the Face Shop Kelp Real Nature (TFSKRN) mask.  I've had this for a while when I did my massive sheet mask hauling way back last year.

Kelp - nori- sushi - I like sushi - I'll like this mask was essentially my initial thought process when buying these - not the best logic.  But I love the Aloe and Rice masks and there are some of my favourites.

Surprisingly the mask was not green. I fully expected a green tinted mask (a little bit sad it wasn't green I admit).  The mask was the usual heavy cotton fibre that my skin really likes because it does not irritate it.  This mask did not feel as heavily soaked as the Rice and Aloe ones usually are, but still quite generous, maybe 10ml still left in sachet that I will use a serum tonight, and soak some eye patches in it.

Ingredients - my skin likes the "base" forumla of the Face Shop Real Nature masks.

The kelp is Laminaria Japonica, there's also mung bean in there - this has vitamins and antioxidants that the skin is fond of for soothing and healing properties.  The Betula Playphylla Japonica is Asian White Birch which has even more anti-inflammatory properties to sooth red and sore skin.

Back to the Kelp - it has humectants and hydrocolloids which help to maintain moisture in the skin and reduce water evaoporating from the epidermis (proper term is transepidermal water loss - TEWL).  It traps water in the skin.  This is a great things for my poor parched skin.  Also as the kelp is third ingredient in the list this means there is quite a bit in there and it packs a punch.

I quite liked this mask, it soothed and plumped up my skin a bit.  My skin's a bit drier than it has been while on holidays because work has a more intense AC system and I have to bump up my skin routine (especially around my eyes).  I followed up with a medium routine and my skin feels nice and bouncy (this is about 1.5hrs after taking off the mask).  Also ZERO irritations, not tingly feeling or stinging when I first put it on.  I left this on for 30mins - I tend to find that this line of masks can be left on longer due to the generous amount of essence.  The mask was not drying out yet, but I was ready to move on. 

I will definitely use up the others I have of this mask and this may go on my "repurchase" list for my next RRS haul.

What Kelp masks have pleased you?  What to avoid!?

Changing my locks (of hair)

Hair Dye.
Scary stuff. (But pretty colours)
Even scarier when you have allergies.
(to be honest thought, lots of things are scary with allergies)

My natural colour is dark blonde - that nothing shade that sits between golden blonde and light brown. I didn't actually start playing around with my hair colour until university.
My first foray was using a gradual bleaching foam, I used it very sparingly and avoided getting in onto my hands (disposable gloves) and scalp.
I really did not enjoy being a blonde.  It lasted maybe a few months after I got to the colour I wanted.  Also high upkeep to maintain the roots.

So I allowed the blonde to grow out and went back to my normal colouring.

About 10 years ago, when I first started teaching I decided I wanted to go brown.  But I was terrified of using a chemical hair dye because of my allergies.  And I still am terrified of using a chemical hair dye.  Not going near that stuff!

So whats an allergy queen to do? Turn to henna.   But Rosie you say, henna makes your hair red!

I used Lush's CaCa bricks, which come in several tones from brown to black.
Initially I used 100% CaCa Brun, which uses a mix of indigo and henna to create a brown tone.
It was a lovely brown, but still I wanted more!

Now the thing with henna is it actually penetrates the hair follicles and so the natural highlights and tones of your hair is mimicked.  So it looks natural.  But the hairs get saturated and you cant just keep dying your hair, so it should be at minimum every 6 weeks or so.  I dye my hair every term holidays- every 3 months.  The regrowth only shows in the last fortnight or so because of how well it takes the hair tones on.

This shows the natural tones in my hair, it's not a flat colouration.

However because of this henna is a serious commitment.  You cant bleach your hair for at least 6 months after colouring your hair (preferably 12 months) because SCIENCE will happen and you may fry your hair off, or end up with lurid orange (as in, orange the fruit) coloured hair.  Damaged to hell hair.  So if you get sick of the henna color you have to let it grow out and cut off any ends that have henna so you are left with virgin hair.  You also have to be careful over-dyeing henna with artificial dyes - again, wait 3 to 6 months.  I have tried doing a reverse ombre with the Noir henna, but it never takes and I think this may be from the henna particles from previous layers filling the follicle.

You know how you have an image of yourself in your head that you really want to be?
I wanted to be a red-head.  Life goals.  Seriously.

I gradually mixed the CaCa Brun with CaCa Marron, then 100% CaCa Marron (chestnut red/brown), mixed CaCa Marron with CaCa Rouge and now for the past 6 years I have been using 100% CaCa Rogue.  In sunlight is it LURID!  Not so shocking in artificial lighting or cloudy days, when it looks more auburn.
I have application down to 10 minutes.  Also because my hair gets repeated layerings of the henna I only use 1 square of the 6 in a brick and essentially focus the colour on my roots.  When my hair gets longer it may require 1.5.  With the full colour changes I would use 2 full blocks to do my waist length hair - my hair is now 6 inches below my shoulders.  The Lush North America forum has a veritable mine of information on how to tweak the blocks for different hair types and colours. 

Even though my application is fast, it needs to sit on the fair for at least 2 hours (some people leave it overnight, I haven't needed to).  To wash it our, I soak it with conditioner to loosen it up, rinse with warm water, wash properly with shampoo, rinse and repeat until all of the grains are out, so that you don't stain your towels or pillows. 

When people first meet me, they think my red hair is natural.  And they keep believing it until someone opens their big mouth (not me!).

The only downside is that I think the rosemary in the henna irritates my scalp, so for 2 or so days afterwards my scalp's itchy.  But 3 days every 3 months I can cope with.  I've not had swollen eyelids or any other major allergic flareups.

Ingredients:Red Henna (Lawsonia inermis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Fresh Organic Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Powdered Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Clove Bud Oil (Eugenia caryopyllus), *Citral (*Citral), *Eugenol (*Eugenol), *Geraniol (*Geraniol), *Limonene (*Limonene), *Linalool (*Linalool), Perfume (Perfume)   (from the LushAus website).  

I am wondering about trying pure henna so I can eliminate all of the items that aren't really helpful for my allergies but at the moment I have a stash of Henna blocks to use up.

What have your experiences with dying hair using henna?