In 2015, Korean beauty and skincare brands hit the mainstream in North America. K-beauty, as it's called, is known for complicated skincare routines that rely on innovative products.

Sheet masks are one of the easiest ways to try K-beauty. Sheet masks are face-shaped pieces of papery gauze that come pre-soaked in hydrating liquid. They look more than a little creepy, but they’re very effective.

As much as I love sheet masks, the waste created by each individually-wrapped mask ruins the fun. So I created a template for a fabric sheet mask that you can use over and over. This recipe produces an all-purpose hydrating and healing mask that benefits oily and dry skin alike, but you can easily customize it to your own specific skin concerns.

You Will Need:

• A 12” x 10” piece of cotton muslin or gauze, pre-washed


• Matching thread


• Our sheet mask template
  


• 1 tbsp. glycerin


• 1 tbsp. rose water or cooled green tea


• 1/4 tsp. rose hip oil or argan oil


• 1/2 tsp. honey


• A pinch of vitamin C powder (optional)


• A small glass bowl


• A clean wooden chopstick

How to:

1. Print and cut out the mask template. You can find a link at the bottom of this page if you are signed into your Seamwork account. If you don't have a Seamwork account yet, you can sign up for free to access the download.




2. Trace the mask template onto your muslin.




3. Cut out the perimeter of the mask. Don’t cut out the eyes, mouth, or nose until you’re ready to finish those edges. This makes the mask easier to handle and prevents stretching along raw edges.




4. Using a narrow zigzag stitch or your serger, finish the outside edge of the mask. I found it easiest to finish the outside edges of the mask first, then finish the slits afterwards.




5. Cut out and finish the edges of the eyes, nose, and mouth. Clip all loose threads.




6. Mix the glycerin, rose water, oil, honey, and vitamin C powder together in the small bowl, stirring with a clean chopstick until the vitamin C is totally dissolved.




7. Soak the mask in the liquid until completely absorbed.




8. Carefully place the mask on your freshly-cleansed face and wipe away any drips. Relax and let the hydrating mixture absorb for 20 minutes. Gently wipe excess liquid off face.




9. Rinse the mask clean, using a little hand soap, and hang to dry.

About the Author

Kat Siddle is a former librarian who now works in the apparel industry in Vancouver, BC. She blogs about beauty at xovain.com and helps run Our Social Fabric, a textile re-use initiative.