Can Medicube’s Overnight Collagen Mask Really Firm My Skin? I Put it to the Test
With the topic of collagen making huge waves in the beauty industry, it’s no wonder I was keen to try the Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask (£26 from Boots UK /$20.90 from Ulta US), an overnight peel-off mask that promises to boost elasticity, hydration and overall glow.
Last year, this product was *everywhere,* not only because of the continued K beauty trend, but also off the back of continued interest in the brand after Hailey Bieber recommended their Age R Booster-H skincare device in a skin prep video. Cue: Massive soar in sales and consumers hunting for absolutely anything else by the brand they could get their hands on.
But whilst we know that the collagen found naturally in our skin is what keeps it firm, can a topical mask act as a sufficient substitute as our own collagen depletes?
Image – Courtesy of writer
When it comes to hydrating, plumping products, my oily skin sometimes flies off the handle as the ingredients can often be too heavy. However, I am a huge K beauty fan and am intrigued to see whether this peel-off mask will give me balanced hydration, natural glow and, above all, better elasticity.
The product details
Part of Medicube’s ‘Glass Glow’ line, this mask, along with serums, moisturisers and toners aims to boost skin elasticity. It contains ingredients like collagen extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin E and glycerin, basically all the things needed for added moisture, soothed skin and, hopefully, a plump fix.
To be used as the last step in your evening skincare regime, this product promises to ‘protect’ the skin’s elasticity which presumably means slow down sagging although it’s not overly clear. It also aims to provide ‘firmer, smoothing and more radiant looking skin.’ The brand claims to have study results which show 31.4% firmer skin after two weeks of use, however that this study only includes self-assessment scores from the participants so take that as you will.
How I tested Medicube’s Collagen Night Wrapping Mask
I tried this mask as the last step in my skincare regime, over the course of one week on alternate nights.
First impressions
The packaging looks a bit more like a glowy fake tan or bronzing cream than a mask and the smell is non-existant on your fingers but once applied it’s more prominent and in my opinion, not pleasant at all. The only way I can describe the smell is ‘salty’.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The formula is clear and it feels smooth and silky on the skin. However, when applying, I noticed it dried quickly so I needed to make haste! I could feel it clinging to my skin pretty soon after applying – maybe 3-4 minutes – and my skin instantly looked juicier than five minutes before.
I went to bed straight after applying, even though the instructions tell you to wait fifteen minutes, presumably so that you don’t get any of the mask on your pillow. I didn’t need to wait that long though – this stuff was firmly on my skin and there was nothing wet about it. In fact, my face felt rather uncomfortably tight as I went to bed.
My results
You can’t see the mask on your face with the naked eye in the morning – it’s not like you wake up and your face looks like it’s got cling film over it. But I can definitely feel it with my fingers because it feels slightly sticky and a little bit rough, plus my face feels quite tight.
Philippa before applying. Image – Courtesy of writer
The first time I went to peel it off, I started at my jaw line, and it was quite tricky to grab. Eventually some did peel off but it wasn’t easy to get large chunks of the mask off in one go. The website says it peels off in one sheet – this is definitely not my experience! Even on my second application a few days later it was tricky, although I had learnt that the thicker the layer you apply, the easier it is to peel off the next morning.
Philippa with the mask on. Image – Courtesy of writer
I didn’t see any immediate results. My skin felt soft, I guess. But it wasn’t that feeling you get after having a facial where you’re all glowy and plumped. My skin does feel nicely hydrated though the day after using it and you can see from my ‘after’ picture that it’s quite glowy. Yes I am wearing makeup, but it’s worth noting that I haven’t applied any ‘finishing’ makeup products.
Philippa’s skin the next day. Image – Courtesy of writer
I’d usually wear a liquid highlighter and my favourite Jones Road Miracle Balm to add a gleam to my cheeks, but these weren’t required the week I tried the mask. To be honest, for someone with oily skin this isn’t necessarily a good thing but let’s be fair – it had absolutely followed through on its hydrated and glowy claims.
Unfortunately though, this is as far as my results go. I didn’t notice any extra elasticity over the course of the week and I knew I’d need to carry on relying on things like my retinol serum than this collagen mask.
Overall, it’s a decent mask that’s a bit different to use and provides good glow and moisturisation. Anything beyond that though? I’m not convinced.
What other users are saying
Users seem to generally like this product, although there are a few mixed reviews. Ok-Construction9842 writes, “it works but mostly because it covers your face during the night, so it protects your skin from touching your pillow and sheets,” while ajshah1 says, “I bought it and applied. But when I peeled off I saw no change. No glow at all.”
And here is another mixed review, from Odd-Opening-3158, this time mentioning potential environment impacts. “I don’t mind it. I bought it as I figured maybe it was better (environmentally) than sheet masks with constant/excessive waste. I think it’s good if you apply serums and moisturiser to lock in the hydration but by itself, it’s not really going to add collagen to your skin. It has received good reviews and my skin is ok with it.”
However, Individual-Garlic684 raves about it. “I absolutely LOVE IT, I’ve been using it for almost two weeks, I wear it overnight, it takes glass skin to another level and I wake up with bouncy, hydrated skin & I can already see my forehead wrinkles are far less pronounced in less than two weeks!”
Overall value for money
This a pretty reasonable price for a hydrating mask but if I could recommend one that doesn’t require peeling or washing off the next morning instead, and for a similar price is Caudalie’s VinoHydra Moisturising Mask (£24/$26). Much easier to use, and it smells better too.
The takeaway
This mask is a decent buy if you’re looking for overnight hydration and a bit of a peel-off gimmick. I’m not sure the peel-off element is really needed considering there are plenty of other hydrating masks out there that absorb normally and don’t require your face to feel so tight as you go to bed.
Unfortunately I didn’t experience anything other than a mask that gives you your moisturising fix as well as good glow when you’re wearing makeup the next day. It’s definitely saved me on highlighter, but I think I’ll rely more on other anti-ageing skincare products to achieve longer-term results.
Get Glowing!