For the uninitiated, Shray Skincare is a Taiwanese skincare company based in New York. Their philosophy is "Confidence comes from within and starts with loving your own skin. SHRAY masks empower women to face life's challenges in the most beautiful ways". Something about Shray Skincare grabbed me and pulled me in right off the bat - I love the timelessly elegant design of their packaging, and the ingredients and approach to skincare that they use make me want to know all about this small, NY-based company.
As far as I know, Shray Skincare has three products out right now, all of which are sheet masks that target different skin concerns - the Ms. Amazing Mask, which provides ample hydration to dry skin, the Go-Getter Goddess Mask, which is for anti-aging, and the Queen Bee Mask, which is for acne-prone skin. Shray Skincare graciously gave me the option of deciding which mask I'd like to try, and I decided to go with something a little different; normally, I'd be immediately drawn to the anti-aging or hydrating mask, but my skin has been a bit angry with me lately (mostly for not being consistent with my skincare), so I decided to try out the Queen Bee mask for acne and redness relief.
The packaging is absolutely adorable, and very unique! It opens up much like a letter, and there are illustrations of Cleopatra covering the inside. Cleopatra was definitely the queen bee of her time, and had great skin (she bathed in milk and honey, after all) so it only makes sense to have her as #skingoals. Sorry Bey, the real queen bee has always been Cleopatra in my book.
Queen Bee is used for acne-prone skin. Honey extract, a natural antibacterial, is abundant in vitamins and amino acids to calm inflammation and reduce redness. Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract is a pore tightener and helps control sebum production. Centella Asiatica Extract nourishes skin and quickens the healing process by increasing blood circulation and boosting cellular metabolism. This mask also contains a favorite ingredient of mine, which is pomegranate extract. Pomegranate Extract is an incredible anti-oxidant and is often used in skincare for its astringent properties.
Ingredients:
Honey Extract, Rice Extract (Oryza Sativa), Centella Asiatica Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pure Water, 1,3 Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, DMDM Hydantoin (Preservative, <0.25%), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Perfume.CosDNA Analysis:
| Ingredient | Function | Acne | Irritant | Safety  |
| Honey Extract | ‧Moisturizer |
1
| ||
| Rice Extract |
2
| |||
| Centella Asiatica Extract | ‧Anti-inflammatory |
1
| ||
| Pomegranate Extract | ‧Astringent ‧Plant extract |
1
| ||
| Sodium Hyaluronate | ‧Moisturizer | 0 | 0 |
1
|
| Pure Water | ||||
| 1,3 Butylene Glycol | ‧Solvent ‧Moisturizer | 1 | 0 |
1
|
| Hydroxyethyl Urea | ‧Moisturizer |
1
| ||
| DMDM Hydantoin | ‧Preservative |
7
| ||
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | ‧Surfactant ‧Emulsifier |
3
| ||
| Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate | ‧Preservative |
4
~
6
| ||
| Perfume | ‧Fragrance |
1
~
4
|
This mask contains a pretty ample amount of thin, watery, sweet smelling essence, with about 1/2 a teaspoon left over in the packet. I love masks that come with extra essence, since I like to extend my routine down to my neck, and use any leftover essence on my chest/décolletage.
The mask comes with a pearl backing to help with adherence, and the mask itself is an incredibly thin, stretchy wood pulp material for better deliverance of that sweet, sweet hydration from the mask to the pores on your face. I never use the pearl backing and instead just rip it away like the heathen that I am, but I know a ton of people find them useful. The fit is pretty much perfect, since the mask is split in two vertically from the upper lip to the chin, so I was able to contour the mask to every curve of my face, which is pretty impressive. This mask suggests leaving it on for a period of 15 minutes, but of course I left it on upwards of thirty minutes, because my skin is thirsty and I like to think my face reaps more benefits that way. The mask had a very light, pleasant honey scent, and was much less potent than say, the Papa Recipe Honey Bombee masks, so I don't think this would bother even the most sensitive of noses.
To use:
- Cleanse your face, remove your makeup, and pat skin dry. Remove mask from package.
- Unfold mask and place on face with with plastic cover face up.
- Remove plastic cover leaving sheet mask on your face.
- Sit on your throne for 10-15 minutes. Remove mask and continue running your empire.
Results: I kept this on for about 40 minutes or so, and when I took it off, my skin felt incredibly hydrated, plump, and soft. It definitely helped with the redness that often plagues my cheeks as well, and the few blemishes that had cropped up along my jawline a few days before were greatly reduced in appearance. I loved the glowy radiance this mask provided, and my skin was redness/irritation-free for an entire 48 hours after use. This mask definitely exceeded my expectations, this is a 9 out of 10 for me!
As a self-described serial sheet masker (if I don't mask once a day, I feel a bit off), there aren't a ton of sheet masks that I would run out and repurchase. There are thousands of sheet masks out on the market (probably more, but I'm not good at guessing), and only a very few stand out enough for me to put them on my repurchase list. This one is one of the very few that I would totally purchase again and again! Despite it's hefty price tag ($10 per mask), this mask was incredibly effective at reducing redness in my redness-prone skin, reducing the size of existing blemishes, and overall made me feel like I was having an authentic spa/facial experience right in my own apartment. It does state on the Shray website that these masks can be purchased as a pack of 5 masks for $30, which brings the price point down to only $6 a mask, which I think is much more affordable. I think these would make great gifts as well for the beauty addict in your life; I know I'd love to see one in my stocking on Christmas morning.
I would definitely recommend these for my oily-skinned friends out there, or those who suffer from redness/mild rosacea or acne. It seems like these are only available directly through Shray Skincare for now - I'd love to see them at my local Ulta or Sephora soon! You can shop the rest of the Shray Skincare mask line here.
Have you tried any masks from Shray Skincare? What did you think?
Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions on this blog are strictly my own. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review, although this blog does accept goods and/or services for the purposes of an honest review. Posts may contain affiliate or referral links.
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