Review: Mary & May Wash Off Packs

By StellaAugust 16, 2022November 2, 20220 Comments10min read66 views

This product was sent to me for review purposes. Please note that affiliate links are used.

I wasn’t always a fan of wash off masks because I was lazy to clean my face afterwards. However, I like to think that I’ve seen the light, and maybe just gained a little more appreciation for the minutes I get to spend alone in the bathroom, because I’m now obsessed. I generally use gel or clay formulas, but I’ve been testing out these Mary & May Wash Off Packs recently.

A clean k-beauty brand, Mary & May uses high quality, EWG Green ingredients in all of their products. They believe that “different solutions are needed for different skin types and conditions,” and so their products all target a variety of skin concerns (in fact, they also boast a range of eight serums). Most of these products can also be mixed and matched according to your skin condition.

The brand carries three different wash off packs, each suited for different skin concerns. All of these are currently available at StyleKorean for USD$17 (on sale from USD$29), or even in a duo set with a matching serum. The variants include:

I’ve tried a lot of different masks in the past and (I have to admit), sometimes I can’t tell the difference between variants! Especially in immediate results. However, these Wash Off Packs really caught me by surprise – they have a similar texture, but the results are vastly different. You can tell that Mary & May formulated these with different skin types in mind and at least one of these has become a fast favourite.

Curious to find out which one? Read on!

Product Description

The Mary & May Wash Off Packs are technically clay masks, but have a unique formula where natural raw ingredients are blended into mineral-rich clay (kaolin and bentonite); this allows the formula to have the cleansing function of natural clay whilst also being non-drying and soothing on skin. The creamy texture is easy to apply and effectively delivers moisture and nutrition. In fact, they claim to give spa-like results from the comfort (and affordability) of your own home!

Rose Hyaluronic Hydra Wash Off Pack

Promising ‘Long-lasting moisture,’ this mask contains French Rose Petals as well as Damask Rose Water. The mild ingredients work to treat skin, with key functions and ingredients such as:

Skin Soothing: French Rose Petals
Anti-Aging: Fig Extract
Moisture Supply: Hyaluronic Acid
Skin Protection: Panthenol
Skin Barrier Treatment: Ceramide NP

Lemon Niacinamide Glow Wash Off Pack

Perfect for people who want to tone up and brighten skin, this mask contains grounded Fresh Lemon Peel, Peach Extract, Vitamin C and Niacinamide. It claims to remove dead skin cells, whilst also brightening and smoothing the skin surprise through fruit extracts and active ingredients. Key functions and ingredients include:

Keratin Care: Lemon Peel Powder and Gluconolactone
Brightening: Peach Extract and Vitamin C
Skin Tone Up and Oil Management: Niacinamide

Cica Tea Tree Soothing Wash Off Pack

This mask works to soothe irritated skin, focusing on the star ingredient – Centella Asiatica (namely the grounded stems and leaves) – with the addition of other natural ingredients that further enhance these benefits. A list of functions and ingredients include:

Skin Soothing: Centella Asiatica Extract
Pore Care: Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Trouble Relief: Tea Tree Extract
Skin Protection: Calamine
Skin Moisturising: Ectoin

Packaging

Starting off with the unit carton (which I showed earlier on): this one is quite simple, which I think works for the ‘natural’ vibes of Mary & May. All of the masks come in a simple brown cardboard box, with an illustrated pattern and colour code to match the variant. The typography is simple and I like that they also list the function in the front – this makes it especially easy for people who may not immediately know what these ingredients do. There is also a small spatula included in the box; I don’t mind using this to apply the mask but I actually prefer using brushes.

Opening it up, the product is stored in a good quality, frosted glass tub. I like the simple design – the typography is easy to read and the see through material means you can see how much product is left. The tub also has a very pretty aluminium lid that is also colour coded to match the mask variant. I love the embossed logo and graphic. The twist closure also seems pretty secure; I’ve had these for a while and the product hasn’t dried up at all, though I think this is also due to the inner lid (not pictured).

Overall, the packaging has a very elegant, minimalist aesthetic. It matches the brand well! The only downside to this packaging would be the weight – though it isn’t too difficult to decant if you are going travelling.

Rose Hyaluronic Hydra Wash Off Pack

This was the first that I tried out of the three and, seriously, I fell in love with this formula right away! With no hesitation at all, I can say that this was my favourite variant – I haven’t been able to stop recommending it since. The Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Wash Off Pack contains rose particles and has a subtle rose scent – I’m not the biggest fan of this one but it’s barely noticeable on application. It has a thick, creamy texture that is very easy to apply (this is applicable for all three of the variations).

Trying this out, I applied it fairly thickly and kept the mask on for approximately 20 minutes. It was really interesting as, although the mask started to harden as it dried, it doesn’t actually fully dry like a clay mask. Instead, there’s a film-like layer that forms over the surface, which I think may assist in extending the treatment time of the mask.

That said, this is really difficult to remove! I used a microfibre towel soaked in very hot water and had to hold it over the mask to slowly remove one section at a time. It took a while, which is definitely a downside to this product. However, the results were worth it!

My skin felt super soft, hydrated and bouncy, with no greasiness or tackiness over the skin. In fact, my complexion looked almost like it had been polished, with results that lasted for the next couple of days. I can easily say that this is one of the best wash off masks that I’ve used recently.

SO WHAT IS IT?

A hydrating wash off mask with rose water and hyaluronic acid

THE GOOD

Pretty and good quality packaging
Decent price point
Subtle scent (barely noticeable)
Easy to apply
Incredible results: hydrated, soft, bouncy and polished but without any greasiness

THE BAD

Difficult to remove

RATINGS

PRICE POINT | 3/5
PACKAGING | 4/5
APPLICATION | 5/5
SCENT | 4/5
RESULTS | 5/5
LONGEVITY OF RESULTS | 5/5

OVERALL RATING? 8.7/10

THOUGHTS? I am honestly obsessed with this mask and it’s one that I will be highly recommending to people (and also something I would definitely re-purchase myself). This would be great for people who are concerned about uneven skin tone and dehydration. I really wish that I could put this up as one of my top products (because the results deserve that ranking), but it lost a point when it came to the scent.

YouTube Review

UPDATE: I just posted a YouTube review on the Rose Hyaluronic Hydra Wash Off Pack – check out the below so see this in action.

Lemon Niacinamide Glow Wash Off Pack

The second mask that I tried was the Lemon Niacinamide Glow Wash Off Pack and, to be honest, I thought that I would like this most – I’ve used a lot of brightening formulas in the past and they’ve usually worked well for my skin. However, whether it is due to my skin changing or just this formulation itself, this was my least favourite of the three.

The mask has a subtle lemon peel scent and contained small bits of lemon peel too. The application was a little bit more difficult than the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra simply due to the particles, but was still fairly easy. The main difference is that this one dried a lot quicker – within 10 minutes from my experience. Strangely enough, the mask seemed to also be absorbing into my skin – I could see that areas where I’d applied a bit thinner had sunk in. The dried mask still had some flexibility but it was more clay-like.

The removal process was the same as the previous mask (difficult), but unfortunately the results didn’t impress me. My complexion had definitely brightened, but it felt dry and there wasn’t any visible glow like the Rose. I had to make sure to follow up with more moisturising products afterwards (a good toner and night cream). Additionally, I don’t think the brightening benefits lasted as long as the hydration from the Lemon Niacinamide Glow – it was mostly gone by the next morning.

SO WHAT IS IT?

A brightening wash off mask with lemon peel and niacinamide

THE GOOD

Pretty and good quality packaging
Decent price point
Subtle scent (barely noticeable)
Easy to apply
Immediate brightening effect

THE BAD

Difficult to remove
Benefits are not long lasting
Drying on skin – must be followed up with a solid moisturising routine

RATINGS

PRICE POINT | 3/5
PACKAGING | 4/5
APPLICATION | 4/5
SCENT | 4/5
RESULTS | 2/5
LONGEVITY OF RESULTS | 1/5

OVERALL RATING? 6/10

THOUGHTS? It’s not a terrible mask but, honestly, my expectations were high after using the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra variant. My main advice for this one is to make sure that you follow up with a good toner and moisturiser afterwards. That said, I don’t think that the results lasted long either – the brightening effect had mostly worn off overnight – so I would mainly consider this as a ‘pre-event’ mask. That all said, I think this particular variant was too drying for my skin type so I wouldn’t be repurchasing.

Cica Tea Tree Soothing Wash Off Pack

And finally, I tried the Cica Tea Tree Soothing Mask! On my rankings of these three masks, this one sits comfortably in the middle. The results weren’t as amazing like the Rose mask, but it still gave very good results.

The mask has a fresh, cica scent – very calming and definitely my favourite of the bunch – as well as containing small, Centella Asiatica leaf particles. This mask was similar to the Lemon Niacinamide Glow where it dried very quickly. Within ten minutes, it had become dry and tight like a clay mask. It didn’t absorb like the Lemon though and the results were very different too!

First off, this mask was actually easier to remove than the others – I still used a hot towel to remove sections at a time, but it was much faster and with less effort required. However, the Centella Asiatica leaves can be messy so that took more time to fully rinse off. I would recommend applying this before a shower for very easy removal.

As for the results: the moment that I had removed this mask, I could see that the redness was gone from my face and my pores looked visibly reduced. I expected this to be drying because of how similar it is to a clay mask but my skin felt really soft and smooth afterwards – though not as glowy as with the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra. I didn’t really need to follow up with any hydrating skincare, but I did as part of my evening routine.

SO WHAT IS IT?

A soothing wash off mask with centella asiatica and tea tree

THE GOOD

Pretty and good quality packaging
Decent price point
Very soothing, subtle scent (definitely my favourite of the three)
Easy to apply
Relatively easier to remove (compared to the other two masks, though it’s still not the easiest)
Soothes redness and refined pores immediately, with results lasting well overnight
Skin felt soft and smooth afterwards with no dryness

THE BAD

Not as glowy or ‘polished’ like the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra

RATINGS

PRICE POINT | 3/5
PACKAGING | 4/5
APPLICATION | 5/5
SCENT | 5/5
RESULTS | 4/5
LONGEVITY OF RESULTS | 3/5

OVERALL RATING? 8/10

THOUGHTS? This would be my second favourite out of this range. The scent and removal process of the Cica Tea Tree Soothing definitely trumps the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra but I wish that it would give the same ‘polished smoothness’ results. Aside from that though, it still gave good skincare benefits. Since this formula really dried down like a clay mask, I had thought it would be more dying but I was surprised with how nice my skin felt afterwards. This is another one of the masks that I would recommend, but my tip would be to use this pre-shower so that you can wash away the mask easier.

Final Verdict

Even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of that rose scent, the Rose Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Mask is an easy winner for me! I really wish that I could have given it 9/10 but I have to be fair when it comes to the ranking criteria. The results were simply amazing and, regardless of what small ‘flaws’ I could find in the formulation, it felt like it was worth it.

The Cica Tea Tree Soothing Mask was a good in-between where it filled in all of the small flaws (very nice scent and comparatively easier to remove), but the results were moreso just ‘very good’ instead of ‘big-gasp-incredible’. I still really enjoyed this one though so I’ll keep using it!

It’s a shame that the Lemon Niacinamide Glow Wash Off Pack didn’t work for me, but Mary & May have formulated these masks for different skin types and skin concerns – it’s impossible for all of them to suit me. I wouldn’t completely write this mask off, as I think it may suit people with a more oily skin type, but wouldn’t personally go back to it.

Have you tried anything from Mary & May yet? Their products are now available at StyleKorean so head on over to check it out.

With love,