May 2, 2014

DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask Review

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

DHC Alpha Arbutin White Mask

I’m a massive DHC skincare fan and I also happen to be quite a fan of facial sheet masks. Recently the DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask ($4.50) launched and I was quite excited to give it a whirl. This is a newly formulated mask as DHC has offered an Arbutin sheet mask in the past.

It’s formulated with a great concentration of alpha-arbutin which is a stable brightening ingredient that treats dark spots and uneven skin tone. The thing is, I’ve found, you need a lot of patience with arbutin. It works to brighten but it’s something you have to diligently use in your daily skincare diet to see results.

My main issue with the DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask is the $4.50 per mask price. As I mentioned above I really don’t think arbutin provides instant results, not in my experience anyway, so you’d have to indulge in a few masks and use them over time to see the best possible results. And in at $4.50 things could get expensive very, very quickly.

One of my favorite brands of Taiwanese Facial Masks is from My Beauty Diary and luck have it the range is now sold at Walmart.com. They have a variety of boxes available including whitening formulations for as little as $11 for 10 to 12 masks per a box. As you can see that’s considerably cheaper than the single purchase of a DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask.

I wish DHC would consider boxing their sheet masks at a more affordable price!

Price aside there were also a few other issues I had with the DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask. This is a thicker fibered cotton mask kinda like the older My Beauty Diary masks from the past. It’s not saturated terribly with product and it has a rather poor fit on my face. The mask is just too thick to let any of the essence to absorb into my face during the wear. And as I said it was a bit dry…! I like a “wetter” mask with a thinner fiber that won’t tear during the wear this was very thick with very little essence. I had to keep adjusting it as well since it didn’t quite fit my face correctly. It also had side panels towards the upper portion of the mask. I suppose this was so the mask would fit at your temples but it just ended up getting caught in my hair which annoyed me.

Results were unfortunately not instant. Depending on the sheet mask you use results vary but in many cases are clearing visible after a single use. Unfortunately, I read reviews stating brighter skin was visible right after use but I didn’t see anything brighter about my skin. As I said above, arbutin happens to an ingredient you need to be diligent with so I really didn’t expect it to whiten with a single treatment!

If you’ve never used an Asian facial sheet masks, like the one you see below, it’s simply a mask with cut outs for your eyes, mouth, and nose that’s heavily saturated with an essence. There are a variety formulas to choose from including whitening ones, brightening ones, anti-aging ones, etc…etc….etc….you place the mask on your face, wait for 15-30 minutes, remove, and press the palms of your hands gently into your face to allow the essence to absorb. That’s it! No rinsing after! Follow up with your other skincare. I used to use sheet masks like every single week night but now I use them 3-4 times a week.

My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaron Sheet Mask 006

As much as I’d love to recommend DHC Alpha-Arbutin White Mask this one disappointed me. In a sea of inexpensive facial sheet masks this formula proved expensive and didn’t produce the results I wanted in a single treatment! Too bad because I really love DHC products.

Tried it?

Do share your thoughts if you have!

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • bebe

    I agree. 4.50 per mask is a bit steep, especially if you don’t see results right away. My Beauty Diary’s Arbutin mask is very, very good. Even better is My Scheming’s Tranexamic & White Truffle mask. It gives me visable results after one use, PLUS it is a neck-inclusive mask, so you get double beauty benefits. I tend to prefer My Scheming over My Beauty Diary as a whole..I find they just seem to “agree” with my skin better, although I am a super-fan of MBD’s Bulgarian White Rose and Provence Lavender. Muse, here is a little trick I use somtimes with the more expensive masks: I’ll buy one or two and instead of using as a mask, I’ll squeeze all the essence into a small sterilized bottle with a dropper and use it as a serum. This is what I’ve done with Oracle Labocare’s Dolly Mask. It’s a fantastic mask and comes in five formulas, but they are 5 dollars a pop..ouch! However, Sasa has just recently begun selling them for a few dollars less, but if you don’t want to wait two weeks, Everyday Beauty in Flushing’s New World Mall sells them. You can also get them at the EB branch In Chinatown. The store is on Elizabeth St. If you haven’t tried Dolly Mask, you’re in for a treat. I think you’ll enjoy them. And you MUST try Mask House’s “Celebrity” line..and their Diamond V slimming mask too. Okay, Let me stop now, because I could go on all day. I am a sheet mask crackhead, no lie. I took inventory just last week, and if I used a sheet mask everyday starting today, I wouldn’t run out until September 2015. Yes it is a sickness, but my skin loves it. Anyway, you have a great weekend and if you decide to try the Dolly Mask, please post your thoughts. 🙂

  • IY

    I love My Beauty Diary mask too! One thing I really like about it is that there is so much serum in each sachet enough to apply my entire neck and upper chest.