Asia tends to be ahead of the market on skincare. That’s where BB creams got their start, and it’s also where we get tissue masks from. Garnier has recently brought tissue masks over to North America in the form of the Skin Renew Dark Spot Treatment Mask. I had to try this thing out, and I’m told that they’re just flying off the shelves. I only got the one, but they come in packs of 6 for about $20 CAD or $17 US.

Each mask comes in its own package, and contains 15mL of serum (half a bottle!). I’m pretty sure that these masks are the same “skin lightening” masks sold in Asia that are used to make darker skin lighter, because that is what is considered the fashion (whole other story on why that is wrong). I don’t really need lightening in my face regions. I’m pretty pale. Ghostly pale. And I don’t think my freckles need to be lightened either or it will look weird. Oh well. On with the show.

I wasn’t super impressed to be honest. Mine came knotted up in its package and was hard to untangle without damaging. It is sopping wet with all that serum so it was even harder to peel apart. It is the consistency of a paper towel, so it wouldn’t be difficult to tear.

First you wash and dry your face, and then put it on. The photos on the package make it look easy to put on. It isn’t easy to put on your face but it isn’t not easy. It’s easiest if you line up the eye holes first, and then press it up around the hair line. I still had a hard time getting it to sit well without air bubbles, despite “stretch-to-fit technology”. The mouth hole was also weirdly triangular, and didn't ever fit right.

It also kind of burned. That icy-hot burn that skin products sometimes have. I think that might have been the lightening effect. I didn't like it at all. It felt like something was wrong.

So how did it feel after? My skin is already really dry, so I thought that this would be awesome, but at the end of the ten minutes, I peeled it off and was underwhelmed. I rubbed the extra serum into my skin and didn’t wash my face after. I still didn’t feel the magic. My skin feels the same, and I haven’t noticed any changes at all, including in my already paperwhite colour. It says to use 2-3 times per week as needed, but I think I’ll pass.

Have you tried a tissue mask? What did you think? What’s the next big skincare thing?