The Battle of the Watermelon Face Masks
I am not a skincare guru or an expert in any sense of the word, but I am obsessed with one skincare product in particular. The Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask has been my skin savior for the past year, and it's the only product I would recommend to everyone I know. At $45 a jar, it is definitely an investment and the most expensive thing in my bathroom by far. When I found out my favorite store was coming out with their version of this mask for only $6.99 a jar, I couldn't be more excited. I took a week off using either product and gave each mask a week of trial and comparison to see if Trader Joe's version really compares. Now for the battle between product loyalty or brand loyalty, that would make my bank account happy.
Let's start with some overall similarities. I started by going through the two product ingredient lists to see what overlapped and what was different. Right away, I noticed that the Trader Joe's formula has a much longer ingredient list, but there were about eight ingredients that overlapped in both products. I'm not going to bore you with the list of confusing names, so I went ahead and did the tedious task of finding out exactly what each ingredient does.
The overlap ingredients boast of doing things such as hydrate and moisturize, heal and replenish skin cells, stimulate collagen, improve skin barrier, exfoliate and control oil, plump and smooth, reduce hyperpigmentation, and brighten. Both products are also full of high antioxidants from natural fruit.
First up is Glow Recipe. I remember waking up the morning after I first tried this mask, and I was genuinely surprised at how well it worked for me. After one use, I felt noticeably smoother, and I fell in love.
Ingredient Breakdown
There are fifteen ingredients that are specific to Glow Recipe's formula, half of which are more natural extracts. In addition to what both products ingredients boast of doing, Glow Recipe's formula helps with conditioning, softening, soothing, nourishing, and firming. Their formula also works to improve acne and has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging features. Glow Recipe also uses AHA's to refine pores, gently exfoliate, and clarify skin. Something that stood out to me was that they only use four ingredients for emulsifying and thickening, which will seem like nothing when we start talking about Trader Joes.
Performance
Glow Recipe's Sleeping Mask has a jelly, water-based consistency to it that gives it this bouncy texture. I apply about a quarter-sized amount of the product to my face and neck at the end of my nightly skincare routine. What I really like about this product is its light and sweet scent. It's not overwhelming, and as it soaks into the skin, it fades, so it's not a bother all night. The product does a fantastic job of really penetrating deep into the skin without leaving any sticky residue, so much so that I like to rub the remainder of the product in my hands. I think many people expect a thick cream when talking about sleeping masks, but this absorbs so well, and I don't have to worry about it all rubbing off in bed.
In the morning, I feel moisturized, and the texture of my skin is visibly smoother. Glow Recipe has the advantage because I've used it much longer, but my skin has been the happiest ever since I started using it. I struggle with both dry skin and bad acne, so finding a moisturize that worked for me was a struggle. This product has left my skin hydrated and not oily at all.
Rating
I've loved this product for too long and have yet to see any negatives. 5/5 all the way.
Now to test the new Trader Joe's Overnight Mask.
Ingredient Breakdown
There are thirty-three ingredients that are specific to Trader Joe's formula. About half of those ingredients are thickeners, preservatives, stabilizers, solvents, and emulsifiers to help boost the shelf life and the texture of the product. With the other ingredients, Trader Joe's formula helps with conditioning, soothing, nourishing, and softening as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-aging features. There are also a few ingredients added for their fragrances. It doesn't sound like a lot more, but it made me a bit skeptical that fifteen of the ingredients were there primarily to keep the product fresh and feel smooth on the skin rather than to do something for my skin. But on the other hand, as I said, I don't really know what I'm talking about, and that could be the norm. This is my first time really analyzing what I'm putting on my face and what it is doing.
Performance
First of all, Trader Joe's version of this watermelon overnight mask has a completely different texture from Glow Recipe's product. It has a creamer base that feels more like a lotion and a sweet fruity smell. The mask is so much thicker and does not absorb nearly as well. It takes a longer amount of time for the product to soak in, but even after that, I still can feel a film on my face as if it's just drying rather than getting deep into the skin. Trader Joe's product also leaves a sticky finish, so I have to wash all the product off my hands rather than rub it in.
In the morning, my skin feels moisturized, but I don't see the same texture enhancing effects. It is entirely possible that this product needs more consistent use to see a difference, and I have only used it a few times now.
Rating
Overall, it's a good product for its price point. If you don't want to break out $45 for skincare, this is a decent option. That said, it's not as good of a product as the Glow Recipe Mask, so I'm giving it a 3/5.
So I will probably keep shelling out $45 every few months for a sleeping mask. I had a lot of hope for Trader Joe's, their skincare usually is up to par if not better than the luxury brands, but unfortunately this time they didn't hit the mark.
Did any of y'all give the Trader Joe's mask a chance? Anyone have an amazing experience with it?
Love,
Julia Carrington
