We handed out Korean face masks to the w&h team, and they've 'never experienced anything like it'

Boasting a lineup of innovative formulas that work to reveal a glass skin glow, K-beauty has undoubtedly been the talk of the skincare town lately, much of which was driven by the trending sheet masks.

You might associate one of the best face masks with a pamper evening spent lying on the sofa, sipping on a cup of tea, accompanied by your go-to comfort film. However, the narrative is being flipped when it comes to Korean face masks. Thanks to their comfortable gel design that is intended to be left on the skin for hours, you can now find people wearing these masks during long-haul flights, as they're typing away at their laptops on work-from-home days or even as they're sleeping.

Packed full of powerful active ingredients, Korean face masks are now unsurprisingly gaining popularity in the UK and beyond – even being used as skincare prep by celebrity makeup artists. So, we decided to hand them out to the woman&home team to get their honest thoughts on the K-beauty phenomenon to see whether they're really worth all the talk...

Why is everyone talking about Korean face masks?

Korean face masks, as we know them now, initially debuted on the K-beauty scene back in the 90's, before facing a significant rise in popularity in Korea in the 2000s. However, it's only in the last few years that they've been globally gaining traction.

Setting them apart from other face masks on the market, these masks are typically made from hydro-gel materials that aid comfortable wear, deep absorption and intense hydration, making them especially great for combatting dryness, textural changes and any loss of elasticity in menopausal skin.

After being treated to a haul of Korean face masks one morning in the office, and having raved about them myself, it was only natural that I handed them out to the rest of the woman&home team to get their thoughts on the face masks too. Just one week later, I walked into the office and all talk turned to the masks

Impressed by their comfort, these face masks have left quite the positive impression on Lifestyle Editor, Tamara Kelly, who said: "I've never experienced anything like it from a home treatment. My skin felt and looked like glass the next morning and for a few days after. My skin was clearly very dehydrated, so this mask replenished moisture to plump the skin and leave it glowing – I had so many compliments that week on how good my skin looked. I'm definitely buying more to keep up the good work."

Aside from the glow and hydration of these masks, another win highlighted by Tamara was ease: "They are well-proportioned, with the eye holes and mouth gap perfectly positioned, so it feels comfortable to wear, which is what made it so easy to sleep in. They are also thicker and pliable than other masks (they feel like a gel), so they stayed in place much better, even while moving around the house before bed."

It doesn't stop there, our Celebrity Writer, Ariana Longson has also been incorporating Korean face masks into her weekly skincare routine: "Korean face masks are my absolute go-to's at the moment, specifically when I want an extra glow before a big event or night out. My current favourite is the Anua Rice 70 Glow Collagen Mask, I put it on the night before and leave it on until it's translucent."

The results speak for themselves, Ariana says: "It leaves me waking up with plump, glowy and hydrated glass skin that looks good without make-up but is also great prep and a base for when I'm doing a full face."

After initially assuming I was late to the Korean face mask trend, I have gone on to trial a fair few on the market. From the iconic Biodance and Medicube offerings to Anua and Sungboon Editor options, I'd say I'm now well-versed in the K-beauty face mask world. I've always been an avid face mask user, but I've never been left overly impressed with the results. So, I was expecting much of the same from Korean face masks, but boy was I wrong."

While you have to leave them on for a few hours to completely dry down and work their magic, the results are more than worth it. Not only do they leave my skin feeling deeply hydrated, plumper and radiant, but I also noticed they helped keep my complexion clear and smooth. They're especially great if you've got an event coming up in the diary, or your skin is simply in need of a pick-me-up.

Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson has been relying on the bestselling Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask for her pre-wedding skin prep. She says, "Korean masks are literally like a glass of water for your skin. I love how instantly cooling they feel and how you can sleep with them on (or wear them for at least four hours, depending on your preference), as my one gripe with other sheet masks is how quickly they dry out."

Speaking of which, Naomi opts to wear them overnight to achieve maximum results: "Personally, I prefer to sleep in them, as I find them very soothing and love waking up in the morning, peeling the mask back and revealing my now-radiant skin. They do such an incredible job at hydrating and adding a glassy gleam to your complexion. I have quite dry skin, but have found that these dewy results last all day."