The Saem isn't one of the more popular brands like Skinfood, Missha, Etude House, or Innisfree, but I really fell in love with their EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask when I first went to Seoul a few years ago. So this time around I was all planning to haul like 60 pieces of that mask back when I realized that they've updated it to a new version! Into two new versions actually, they split the Snail and the Syn-Ake. They combined the snail with red ginseng as seen here, and the Syn-Ake with 24K Gold. Don't ask me where the EGF went lol. I asked the salesperson and they said, "This one for young people, that [Syn-Ake + 24K Gold mask] one for old people." Alright then. Since this mask was 5000won (5 USD!!!!) even in Seoul, I decided to just buy one and see how this new version compares.
Description (from koreadepart.com):
- Snail extract gives vitalit, gives elasticity and glow for brighter looking skin
- Ginseng extract soothes sensitive skin for long lasting moisturized skin
- Hydro gel mask melt and give rich nutrients
- No parabens, benzophenone, talc, mineral oil, sulfate, triethanolamine, GMO
- After washing face, use toner to wipe out, place upper mask on eye area, lower mask on mouth area, wait 20-40 minutes and tap gently for absorption
When I use a sheet mask I look for several things. First is, of course, effectiveness. Second is whether or not it can stick on my face and feel comfortable (or even better, I don't feel it being on my face after awhile). This is because I don't have the patience nor the time to sit there for 25-30 minutes. I need to be doing something while I put on this mask and if I need to fix it every minute because it's falling off my face then that's an instant fail. Third is whether or not it absorbs. If I don't feel a difference in the wetness of the sheet mask after 30 minutes.. then there is a problem with the compatibility of the mask with my face.
Effectiveness: I actually don't like this renewed version. It does a bit of everything, but not enough. I feel like it did not calm my skin as much as the old version, EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask, did. It didn't even out my skin tone as effectively, it didn't take away the redness as effectively, and it didn't brighten as effectively.
Adherence: They went from the thin clear mask of the EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask to the thicker, translucent texture of their other masks like The Saem Chaga Liposome Biocellulose Sheet and the whitening equivalent. I really like how the old mask texture was thin so I could move my face around and it would still stick really well. With the new mask, when I move my face around the mask would just stay there so some parts of my face wouldn't be in contact with the mask as a result of me moving. And so I'd have to check and fix it. So annoying
Absorption: I think my face absorbed the mask pretty well. After around 35 minutes, the mask over my nose was basically dry. But certain parts like the perimeter of the mask that touches my hair didn't get absorbed. So I'd say the mask was well absorbed for the parts that came into direct contact with my face.
This renewed mask takes away everything that I liked about the old mask. Maybe if I put on the Syn-Ake + 24K Gold mask as well I would get an effect similar to the old EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask but I mean I'm not paying $10 to put on two masks when I used to do it for the price of one! Goodbye The Saem EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask, you served me a good two years :(
Summary:
Brightens a bit, calms my skin tone a bit, took away the redness a bit..
Not as good as its old version The Saem EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask!!!
$5 per mask even in Seoul!
Quality: 3/5 because it did a bit of everything but definitely not to the extent of its old version, The Saem EGF + Snail + Syn-Ake mask
Value: 2/5 because it's $5 per mask!
Repurchase? No :(
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