What’s in Your Sheet Mask?

By Kathleen Hou@kathou

““The physical mask prevents the evaporation of beneficial ingredients,” Dyer says.

In recent years, it’s been permissible or a demonstrable source of Instagram pride to moisturize and look really creepy doing it. Sheet masks are everywhere — Gigi Hadid is doing them and telling Into the Gloss she looks like a “cute” murderer, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing wears them while signing autographs, and they’ve even made an appearance in our Sex Diaries as a getting-ready ritual. There is even a stand-alone store in NYC devoted to selling just sheet masks, called The Mask Bar.

Compared to face masks, which have supposedly been around since Cleopatra’s day, sheet masks are a relative newcomer to the skin-care industry. But how do these mysterious, moisturizing, burglar-looking masks actually work, and are they better for your skin than just regular face masks or moisturizers? To answer the most commonly heard questions about sheet masks ranging from what’s actually in them to how often you should do them, Cut talked to several K-beauty experts and dermatologists to find out.

What’s a sheet mask?
Simply put, it’s a mask in a “sheet” form — made of fiber, cotton, cellulose, or coconut pulp, with holes, like a soft version of a Sleep No More mask. It’s wet, cool, and usually dripping straight out of the package, because it’s infused with a liquid cocktail of hydrating ingredients. You place it on your face by lining up the holes over your eyes and mouth.

But why?
It’s relaxing (if you don’t have claustrophobia). Sheet masks work as an occlusive — a physical barrier that seals your skin with a mixture of good-for-you ingredients. Physician’s assistant Laura Dyer at Dr. Amy Wechsler Dermatology says, “The physical mask prevents the evaporation of beneficial ingredients.” Victoria Beckham’s dermatologist Harold Lancer explains that the mask “maximizes the treatment.” Think of a sheet mask as saturating your skin in a temporary but effective moisturizing sleeping bag of skin care, where good stuff gets in but nothing gets out.

What is in this thing?
Much like the human body, the primary ingredient in sheet masks is water. It’s the first ingredient listed on a $17 SK-II sheet mask or a $1 Innisfree sheet mask. Alicia Yoon, CEO of Peach & Lily explains that water is in your skin care because it’s a carrier and complementary ingredient. “Many sheet masks use botanical extracts and other ingredients that are hydrophilic, and pair best with water. Moreover, having water in the formula can help with delivery to the skin.” Water can make stronger ingredients more palatable to the skin, she adds.

After water, you may see a bunch of ingredients ending in -ol: butylene glycol and dipropylene glycol. You may be wondering — does that mean your sheet masks contain alcohol, a known dehydrator of skin? What is that doing in there, and does it make sheet masks a lie?

No, not all alcohols have the same characteristics. For example, butylene glycol is an organic alcohol that’s often used for conditioning, and is a humectant. Yoon confirms that it helps bind moisture to the skin and is one of the gentlest glycols. It also has a few other benefits. “It can help cut the viscosity in sheet-mask formulas to make the texture less sticky and heavy, it can be a solvent in the formula, and it can help prevent the formula from drying out.” In addition to the other ingredients, Dr. Lancer explains that a mask is typically infused with other ingredients like stem cells, hyaluronic acid, or peptides.

How do sheet masks get made? Can these things really be made off an assembly line?
Yes. Sarah Lee, Co-founder of Glow Recipe explains that she’s even seen workers hand-fold sheet masks with tools on a completely sterile assembly line (after going through a decontamination shower), of course. Yoon says that she’s seen sheet masks folded into a pouch, and then filled with essence, and heat-sealed. “Sometimes there is also a machine that lightly rolls over the sealed masks to spread the essence around inside of the pouch, too.”

What does a sheet mask actually do? Are there scientific studies?
Does having your skin look radiant, plumper, more bouncy, brightened, luminous, more hydrated in 10 to 12 minutes sound good to you? Then sheet masks are for you. Simply put, Dr. Lancer calls sheet masks an effective form of beauty sleep. “Sheet masks are great because it allows the skin to ‘rest’ while it is saturated in hydrating, brightening, or anti-aging ingredients and giving an extra boost to your current skin routine when you need it the most.”

Unfortunately, there are no independent scientific studies that test the benefits of sheet masks, but every expert we interviewed agree they’re a great addition to a skincare routine and add incremental benefits. Yoon adds that sheet masks have a simple, effective, moisturizing-added benefit. “Dehydrated skin means a more vulnerable skin barrier and less than ideal skin environment, which generally leads to more inflammation, faster collagen breakdown, more breakouts, and more hyperpigmentation. Sheet masks effectively gets moisture back into skin.”

How do I know which one to pick?
Don’t get too weighed down by decision fatigue. The good thing about sheet masks is that they are great for a variety of skin types and come in a lot of price points, ranging from luxury to “why is this so cheap?” prices. Dr. Lancer says, “By design, the majority of sheet masks are intended to be hydrating or soothing so there is very low risk for any adverse outcomes.” If you’re looking for hydration, hyaluronic acid, a scientifically proven ingredient that draws water to the skin is often included. For brightening, you’ll often see Vitamin C and kojic acid.

Reddit skin-care obsessives look at sheet mask ingredients, but the sheet mask material itself makes a difference. Yoon concurs that it’s not conjecture, and can contribute to the sensorial experience. “Some materials are not as good at holding some types of essences. For example, if the essence has a thicker, creamier texture, then a thin cotton mask might fall apart under the weight of that essence (imagine a thin tissue disintegrating under water).”

I personally prefer ones made of gel or plant pulp, because I feel like they cling better to my face and result in less drippage. Lee tells me that she’s seen Korean masks made of unique materials like cupro fibers (sometimes called “cotton wool,” derived from the fibers that encase cotton seeds), which hold more serum than regular cotton masks.

How often should I do it?
Michelle Yeoh sheet masks every single day, rain or shine, hungover or not, which explains a lot. Lee does up to six sheet masks in one flight alone, and even does them in traffic. One of Yoon’s friends, who is Korea’s first Playboy model, has done one every day for seven years. Most experts agree that doing them even a few times a week offers a benefit. Dr. Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research or the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, agrees that once a week is a good baseline. Dr. Lancer, one of Hollywood’s busiest dermatologists for awards season often sees celebrities doing then every single day two weeks prior to an event.

How long should you leave them on for? Is there such a thing as too long?
Most sheet masks have directions for how long to leave a mask on, ranging from somewhere between 10–20 minutes. SK-II suggests 10–15 minutes on its packaging. Some people believe that the longer you leave on a sheet mask the better, but Christine Chang, co-founder of Glow Recipe believes it can actually have a reverse osmosis effect. “You should take your sheet mask off before the mask starts to feel dry. We don’t recommend leaving it on for more than 20 minutes and we never recommend sleeping in sheet masks as once the mask is dry, they can actually absorb moisture back out of your skin.”

How Models Get Ready for NYFW With Lasers, Facials and Injections

By Sara Spruch-Feiner • 02/07/18 9:15am

Ah, New York Fashion Week. It’s the perfect time for a model sighting, especially since they descend upon on the streets of New York in droves, clad in Alexander Wang leather jackets, quilted Chanel handbags and perfectly distressed vintage jeans. Sure, it’s easy to look at these preternaturally tall, lithe ladies and think, “Why can’t I wake up like that?” But here’s a secret: neither did they!

Dyer describes the sensation as a “gentle prickly and warming sensation.”

Clear & Brilliant

What it is is: Clear & Brilliant is a low-level laser treatment that models and stars return to time and time again when they need to look great, fast. “This treatment improves the overall look and quality of the skin, leaving it super glowy, dewy and illuminated. The heat from the laser helps improve fine lines, smooths skin texture, shrinks pores and stimulates collagen,” says Laura Dyer, MSHS, PA-C.

“The heat from the laser…

helps improve fine lines, smooths skin texture, shrinks pores and stimulates collagen,” says Laura Dyer, MSHS, PA-C.

Dyer confirmed that this is the best treatment for those looking to immediately brighten and smooth the skin’s appearance. “This laser helps skin to appear naturally photoshopped and perfect. Makeup goes on super smooth, photos look flawless, pores are minimized and skin appears to be glowing and fresh.” Sign us up. Treatments start at $500.

What to expect: Prior to your appointment, you don’t have to change a thing. Once you arrive at your dermatology office, your face will be slathered in numbing cream for about 15 minutes. The actual treatment is a mere seven minutes long, Dyer describes the sensation as a “gentle prickly and warming sensation.” Expect to be pink for four to six hours—it shouldn’t last for more than 24 hours. But if you simply must be somewhere, that’s fine too, you can put on makeup right after. You’ll notice improvement for about two to three months afterward.

Aquagold

“Aquagold allows us to microdose combinations…

What it is: Microneedling, as you might already know, is controversial in the beauty world. However, Aquagold is a painless alternative that infuses customized skin cocktails through just 20 microscopic needles made of 24K gold. Each of the hollow needles is smaller in diameter than a piece of hair, allowing the cocktail to penetrate the skin’s surface. What’s in these custom cocktails? A mix of hyaluronic acid, Botox, vitamin complexes and PRP.

“Aquagold allows us to microdose combinations of these results-driven products directly into the skin,” Dyer explains, “which helps to reduce pore size, even out skin tone, minimize fine lines, and improve acne scarring.” Its myriad of benefits includes helping the under eye area, pores on the nose, and horizontal neck lines. “Those with dry skin really like the increase in hydration to their skin as well,” Dyer says. Depending on your custom cocktail, treatments start at $750.

What to expect: This quick and simple treatment starts with a numbing cream applied to the entire face. Once the face is numb, the procedure doesn’t hurt—Dyer describes the feeling as more “annoying” than anything else—a mild, prickly sensation. The result? Glowy, plumped and vibrant skin for two to three months afterward.

“Your fat cells crystallize, freeze and die during the treatment,” Dyer explains.

What it is: The first (and only) FDA cleared, non-surgical fat reduction treatment. Coolsculpting uses patented cooling (well, freezing!) technology to permanently reduce those areas of fat that don’t budge, even with diet and exercise. And guess what? Supermodels have them too. There’s no surgery, no needles and, amazingly, no downtime. During Coolsculpting, “fat cells are exposed to precision cooling for a specific amount of time (35 minutes) causing 20 to 25 percent of your fat cells to crystallize, freeze and die during the treatment,” Dyer explains. The cost of procedure starts at $750 per cycle and up, depending on the size of the area treated.

What to expect: Coolsculpting doesn’t hurt—per se—but it does feel weird. The first three to five minutes feel like your skin is freezing (almost like cryo), but after that, it gets so cold you just go numb and can even have your laptop and answer emails or watch tv, while you wait for your 35 minutes to end. After the treatment you can expect to have a bit of redness for a few hours, some mild numbness for several days, some very mild tenderness and occasionally very mild swelling. After the treatment, there are zero restrictions so a patient can return immediately to all normal activities. “They can go back to work, back to the gym or anything else they would normally do,” Dyer explains. Some changes can be seen as soon as three to four weeks but give it three to four months to realize your final results.

Laura Dyer, MSHS, PA-C on the Latest Treatments in Anti-Aging and More

Trusted dermatologists and plastic surgeons based in New York, Los Angeles, and London weigh in on the latest beliefs and the most effective advanced-technology procedures and injectables.

By Sunhee Grinnell

Vanity Fair: CoolSculpting—what are the true pros and cons?

Laura Dyer: CoolSculpting is the first and only F.D.A.-cleared device for the non-surgical, permanent reduction of fat. It uses a patented cooling technology called Cryolipolysis, which causes fat cells to solidify, freeze, and die during the procedure. It safely and consistently removes 20 to 25 percent of a patient’s diet-and-exercise-resistant fat after each treatment, with no needles, no surgery, and no downtime. The true pros are that it works, it’s safe, and it’s consistently effective. There is no downtime. Plus, since the new generation of applicators last year, the treatment time is now only 35 minutes instead of the full 60 minutes. With the newer, gentler-shaped applicator, one can expect much less bruising, swelling, or tenderness after the procedure. Cons, if any, would be that some patients may need more than just one treatment.

V.F.: Any other fat-reducing procedures that you can recommend?

Laura Dyer: There are a number of treatments out there, such as SculpSure, that have recently come out. However, no treatment has been as safe, well-tolerated, and consistently effective as CoolSculpting. With over four million CoolSculpting treatments done globally over the past eight years, there is lots of data and science to back this up. The same is not true for any of the other technologies, and only time and data will tell if they are, in fact, as safe and effective and CoolSculpting.

V.F.: Tell us what’s different between traditional CoolSculpting and CoolPetit Advantage?

Laura Dyer: The CoolPetit Advantage applicator is a new-generation applicator that allows for a shorter treatment time and less side effects, but compared to the CoolAdvantage applicators, the CoolPetit is a bit smaller, allowing us to treat smaller diet-and-exercise-resistant bulges, and it is F.D.A.-cleared to treat arms.

V.F.: Instead of Botox and fillers, what about one’s own fat injections? Too many risks, because, unlike the typical injections, it’s not reversible?

Laura Dyer: There are several disadvantages with fat injections. First of all, when injecting fat, a provider has to overfill to about 100 percent of the desired correction. This is because 50 percent of what is injected will not take and will die. Which 50 percent will die is not always an exact science. It is hard to finesse and treat delicate areas and create good symmetry with fat, knowing you have to overfill and knowing that fat globules are much larger and less precise than a smooth hyaluronic-acid product. Fat injections can be great to create a new body, shape such a Brazilian butt lift, however, aren't always a great option for filling a patient’s face. Unlike Botox and the H.A.-based fillers that have F.D.A. clearance and that we are currently using now, that can last from one to two years depending on the filler. And because these fillers are fully reversible with an antidote called Vitrase, as a provider we have very good control over what we are injecting, and we know what to expect in regards to results, precision, and longevity of the product. With the new fillers on the market, such as Voluma, Vollure, and Volbella, that last up to two years, 18 months, and 12 months, respectively, there is really no need to undergo the risks, recovery, uncertainty, and downsides of fat injections for treating delicate areas of the face.

Dyer is the Physician Assistant at Dr. Amy Wechsler Dermatology

45 East 85th Street, New York, NY 10028

(212) 396-2500

The 411 on the "Coolaser" Skin Treatment Celebs Swear By

January 17, 2018 by Catherine Conelly

Jenna Dewan Tatum came out singing the praises of Coolaser, and naturally, everyone wants to know what it is, what it does, and how to get it. Much love to JDT (her skin is a force to be reckoned with), but this laser treatment was also popular long before Tatum got on board. In fact, it basically has its own Instagram account, and celebrities have been crediting their flawless skin to it for quite some time.

I reached out to Laura Dyer, who's renowned for her work in clinical and aesthetic skin care, to go deeper.

So what is it? In short, it's a skin-resurfacing treatment that uses a fractional laser. I reached out to Laura Dyer, a physician's assistant and clinician who's renowned for her work in clinical and aesthetic skin care, to go deeper. It just so happens that's exactly what a fractional laser does.

Unlike nonlaser treatments such as a chemical peel or microdermabrasion, a fractional laser targets the deeper layers your skin, essentially encouraging it to create new skin. "It's actually poking tons of tiny little microscopic holes into the tissues, which allows for a much faster healing time [than traditional laser treatments]," says Dyer. It can treat everything from acne scars, stretch marks, and birth marks to brown spots and wrinkles.

However, start Googling derms near you who offer Coolaser and you'll be bummed to discover that it's only available at one office in the country. It's safe to say that its exclusivity probably lends to its popularity. Luckily, Dyer let me in on a little secret. Coolaser isn't the only fractional laser treatment out there. "Every single dermatologist and most plastic surgeons have one in their office," she says. When you pay for Coolaser specifically, you're paying for the name. It's all branding.

Just ask your dermatologist about Fraxel or mention a fractional CO2 laser treatment, and they'll be able to hook you up — though "hooking you up" is probably the wrong term, considering it will still run you between $1,000 and $1,500 per treatment. Still interested? Here's how the treatment typically works.

Numbing cream is the first step. "The laser itself, whether it's Fraxel or Coolaser, they all hurt," says Dyer. Remember, they go pretty deep. Once the laser starts to work its magic, numbing cream in full effect, you're looking at about an hour-long treatment process. "It feels warm. It can feel prickly — like a pretty major sunburn during the treatment — and then you may feel like you have a minor sunburn for one to two hours after the treatment."

It can work wonders for heavy scarring, wrinkles, and pigmentation issues like brown spots. However, you will be rocking a pink face for a couple days and it can take anywhere between two to five days of social downtime before you're back to normal. There's redness. There's peeling. And it's best to avoid makeup. You'll want at least five days off work — sometimes more, sometimes less — depending on the level of treatment. So put your feet up, queue up your latest Netflix favorite, and get ready to binge.

Avoiding sun exposure is a must. In fact, Dyer says to continue avoiding the sun for four weeks after the initial five days of recovery. For that reason, wintertime is generally the best time to schedule your visit. You may see some residual pinkness in the weeks following the treatment, but for the most part, "totally worth it" will probably be at the top of your vocab list.

How Your Pillow Affects Your Beauty Game: Celebrity Skincare Specialist Drops Knowledge →

by Caitlin Collins February 01, 2017

If you follow Mario Dedivanovic on social media, you’ve seen his A+ selfie game…which often features him resting on a certain black silk pillow. You guessed it—that’s the NIGHT Pillow. He’s a huge fan and obviously we are huge fans of him. And since we know that legit AF people roll with fellow legit AF people, we had to reach out when Mario featured his go-to for all things skincare, Laura Dyer. Laura is the Physician Assistant with Dr. Amy Wechsler and a celebrity skincare specialist. She put the NIGHT Pillow to the test and (spoiler alert) she loves it!

We asked Laura for her expert advice on a few questions we are asked on the reg so she could shed light on how your pillow affects your beauty game…big time.

Can your pillow really affect your skin and hair? 

Laura: Absolutely. You spend 8 hours a night on your pillow. That is 1/3 of your day or 1/3 of your life. Cotton pillows pull moisture out of your hair and skin leaving you looking dry and dull. The moisture pulled into the pillow can also draw in allergens and bacteria causing damage and reactions to your hair and skin.  The moisture in the cotton fibers cause significant friction of the hair and skin leading to unwanted hair breakage, hair loss, split ends, facial wrinkles, acne, and dull skin. 

Can your pillow affect the efficacy of face cream you apply at night? 

Laura: Because cotton draws in moisture, it will do the same with your face creams.  Therefore, anything you're putting on your face at night, you're putting onto your cotton pillow.  Sleeping on a silk surface allows the moisture to stay on your face and allows the creams to penetrate your skin and work instead of penetrating the pillow.

Can you tell us why deep sleep in general is crucial to upping your beauty game? 

Laura: Deep sleep is important for a number of reasons.  When you are sleeping, that is when your body resets hydration levels and when growth hormones repair cells to restore beauty.   A deep sleep allows hydration levels to properly rebalance giving your skin moisture, making wrinkles less apparent and giving skin a nice glow.  Increased moisture to hair follicles can lead to healthier hair.  Not enough deep sleep causes the stress hormone cortisol to be released. Increased cortisol increases inflammation which can worsen skin conditions such as acne or eczema, and can also prematurely breakdown collagen and hyaluronic acid causing skin to lose laxity and become dull. If hydration levels do not rebalance, this can lead to puffy eyes and the dry skin which can make wrinkles more visible.

How often should you wash your pillowcase?

Laura: Cotton pillowcases need to be washed every 2-3 days because they pull so much moisture, bacteria and allergens. The Night pillowcase can be washed every 1-2 weeks because it does not collect bacteria and allergens. 

What is your best anti-aging night time advice? 

Laura: Stay hydrated. Use a reparative night cream and eye cream. Sleep on your back when possible. Always sleep on a silk pillowcase and use the NIGHT Pillow. You spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, you should take advantage of this time and get a better night’s sleep, better skin and better hair.