Review and comparison of wash-off exfoliating masks: Su:m37, Sooryehan, Mamonde and

Today I'd like to talk about several wash-off exfoliating masks that I've tried lately: Su:m37 Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black, Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask, Mamonde Pore Clean Blackhead stick and BRTC Pore Magic Heating gel. I've been using BRTC gel for over a year, and it made it to my last year's favorite list (here); Su:m37 mask is an old purchase, I got it a couple years ago, and the rest are recent additions. All of them are meant to be used at the same stage in my skincare routine, so I think it's fair to compare them side by side. As always, this post is not sponsored in any way, shape or form; I purchased all products myself and all opinions are my own. I've oily, sensitive skin, and I'll be talking about my personal experiences, all opinions are my own; if you tried those (or similar) masks and got a different reaction, please remember that everyone has different skin sensitivities and YMMV.  

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black, immediately after application

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black is a wash-off charcoal-based exfoliating mask that's supposed to be used after cleansing for a little bit of extra purifying and pore care. My pores are always ready to get completely clogged, thanks to my oily skin, so this mask got my attention almost immediately. Supposedly it has 4 in 1 effect, according to company PR, and the bubbles help to clean sebum and waste products from the pores. I've noticed quite a few new charcoal-based masks lately, and activated charcoal seems to be a trend in skincare. While it's not surprising, considering the popularity of Glam Glow treatments, it's not immediately obvious how charcoal masks compare to more traditional clay-based masks. Activated charcoal is used as a treatment for various GI poisonings, such as toxin absorption or drug overdoses (PubMed sources here and here; both have many links to follow), but it's all about oral administration; there is no research on cutaneous application of activated charcoal. It seems unlikely that charcoal would cause skin irritation, and there are charcoal-based cleansers and toothpastes that are considered safe for sensitive skin.

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Duo pack

There are two versions of the bubble mask, the white and the black; initially i thought Su:m3 reformulated it and changed color, but then I saw them being sold as a 2-mask pack (picture above), so I guess they're separate products with different functions. Depending on the seller, the names might change slightly; the white mask is called Bright Award and White Award interchangeably. The difference between white and black masks is not obvious from their descriptions; I've read a few reviews and checked several online sellers, and it seemed that the white mask is a milder version of the black one; the black mask is supposed to clean the pores and deal with the sebum production thanks to the charcoal, while the white mask is more of a generally detoxifying and brightening skintertainment. Needless to say, I picked the black version, since sebum is always a problem for someone with oily skin, like me.

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black,ingredients list in Korean as a part of the picture, so I can't use Google Translate on it, unfortunately

While I wasn't able to find a full ingredient list in English for the black mask, Su:m37 has ingredients lists in Korean for both masks in PR pictures, and the black mask seems to have twice as many ingredients. The white mask seems to be more popular; iHerb has its ingredients on their website, and I added them to cosdna here.

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black,it's starting to bubble up

The first time I've tried this mask I must've used too much product, even though it wasn't more than my usual amount of wash-off exfoliating mask. I've been using Caolion Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble mask (official website here), which is also charcoal-based (cosdna here), a couple years ago before I decided to try Su:m37 Black mask, and I assumed that I'll need approximately the same amount of product; I was so wrong. Both Caolion and Su:m37 masks will bubble-up immediately after application, but Caolion will stop bubbling process 5-7 minutes after application; Su:m37 does not stop.
 

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black in about 30sec after the previous picture was taken

While I had no issues with Caolion bubbles, Su:m37 bubbles irritated my skin; after 15min I felt like scratching my face off. When I decided that I can't tolerate it any longer and tried to wash the mask off, I ended up with a layer to grease on my face, and the bubbling sensation persisted. I don't remember ever having issues washing off Caolion mask. Using foam cleanser helped somewhat, but I still had this weird feeling of bubbles popping up deep, and my skin felt oily to the touch. As a last resort measure I used microfiber towel, and it seemed to help; afterwards, my skin was bright red and sensitive to the touch. Worst of all, the mask didn't seem to have much effect on my pores. I was hoping that it'll help me to gently exfoliate sebaceous filaments (SF) on my T-zone, like Caolion did, but my skin looked like I didn't use anything but my regular cleanser. Redness persisted the whole day, and I had to use soothing sleeping mask for a couple days in a row.

Su:m37Bright Award Bubble-De Mask Black in 1 minute after application

Next time I tried using this mask I applied about 2/3 of product I've used before; I didn't notice much difference. There was still no cut-off to bubbling process, and the grease layer was just as noticeable and hard to wash off. This time the mask gave me breakouts to go along with redness and irritation. The online sellers recommended using 2mm layer; I'm fairly sure I used less than that, but I still had issues. I gave up after my third try. While all this bubbling action sounds like fun skintertainment, it's not something that I would recommend for sensitive skin prone to redness; I had to dedicate the rest of my morning and evening skincare routines to battling redness and irritation after using this mask in the morning. Also, I can't say that the promised exfoliation was that significant, rather the opposite; in my experience this mask was clogging my pores instead of unclogging them, despite my best efforts on cleansing it off my skin after the recommended time period.

In short, I would not recommend this mask to anyone, sensitive skin or not, as I didn't see any benefits after using it. While Su:m37 has some great products, this one is not one of them; Caolion mask gave me much better results for a fraction of the Su:m37 mask's price. I've finished my Caolion mask a long while ago, so I can't compare swatches in action, but I found a video on YouTube (above) that demonstrates it beautifully; if you're considering adding an activated charcoal-based bubbling mask to your skincare routine, you might want to give it a try instead of splurging on Su:m37. If you don't care for activated charcoal, but just want a bubbling mask, Cremorlab has a mineral water based O2 bubble mask that doubles as a cleanser; Elisavecca has clay-based bubble mask that is one of the brand's bestsellers on Amazon ($10 price with Prime shipping is hard to beat); I haven't tried either, but Elisavecca mask has a 4,2 stars rating on Amazon, and Cremorlab mask made it into highly curated Peach&Lily selection, so both might be worth checking out.

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask - brand PR info

Let's move on to Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask. I got it in travel size as a part of a gift set; after Su:m37 Black pack experience I was rather skeptical when offered a mask that will change texture when applied to my skin, but eventually I gave it a try. Functionally it's quite similar to the Su:m37 Black pack; it's supposed to be used 1-2 times a week for exfoliation purposes, just like Su:m37 mask, and their biggest difference is that Su:m37 is mostly a bubbling mask, while Sooryehan bubbles up only slightly, but heats up while being massaged into the skin.

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask ingredients list in Korean; if only I could use Google Translate on pictures...

While I can't find the full ingredients list in English online, the official website (here) mentions fermented black ginseng and Tremella fuciformis mushrooms as its main ingredients, along with gold and  Sooryehan's proprietary Baekhyodan herbal complex. 

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask - brand's PR

While the official swatch picture shows small particles of gold, I can't make them noticeable enough on my own swatch pictures, but I assume that the brand's PR has access to better cameras and equipment for macro shots.  The recommended massage sequence seems to be fairly similar to many scrubs', but there is less abrasive particles compared to even the mildest scrubs I've used, so I felt like this mask is safe to use several times per week, even on my sensitive skin. It does warm up during the massage, supposedly to help with circulation; this effect is mild, and I find it pleasant and non-irritating, even though most of the time I tend to avoid applying anything hot or even very warm to my skin. Keep in mind that my rosacea has been less pronounced lately, so if it's a bigger problem for you, you might want to skip any products that heat up on your skin. 

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask strait out of the tube

I had much better results with Sooryehan mask than with Su:m37 one; it does not cling to my skin when I'm washing it off, it does not overstimulate my skin either, and it cleanses my pores fairly well without stripping all the moisture out of my skin in the process. In spring and summer I've been using it at least once a week, and I didn't notice any breakouts or dryness next morning. 

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask spread on the skin

Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Black Ginseng Mask bubbling effect

I feel that its cleansing power is somewhere between a good peeling gel and a non-drying clay mask (like The History of Whoo clay mask), so I used it for maintenance between my weekly clay masks. This year I've been using AHA/BHA on regular basis, and this mask seems to have nice synergy with all of my acid-based toners. While many bloggers report having "grits" after using exfoliating products or oil pulling (it's a nice word for a sebum clog that's been dislodged from your pore, I suppose), I never experienced it myself; however, I've noticed that my pores seemed to be less clogged when I used this mask (pm) after using my acid toners (am) compared to just using the mask in the evening and skipping acid toners in the morning in favor of hydrating ones. 

BRTC Pore Magic Heating gel - PR info

BRTC Pore Magic Heating gel is another exfoliating mask that heats up on your skin. It's one of my favorite BRTC products. I reviewed it in detail in my best of 2017 post (here), so I'm going to just compare it briefly with the rest of the masks. Like Sooryehan mask, it's mostly plant-based, and BRTC holds two patents used in this product: Blue Phyto complex (alleviates skin stress, dryness, and itchiness) and Tannin Pore complex (natural bitter tannin extracts that help in tightening enlarged pores and firming the skin); also it uses volcanic ash from Jeju island to help with exfoliation.
 

BRTC Pore Magic Heating gel - PR info with full ingredients list

This mask is somewhat unique compared to the rest of the products mentioned in this video in regard to  its place in cleansing routine. While all other masks are meant to be used after the foam cleanser, this one can be used either before oil cleanser, or between oil and foam cleansers, or after foam cleanser - it works just fine. When I'm having problems with clogged pores in t-zone, I like to use it as 1.5 cleanser - right after the oil, followed by foam; I've noticed that it's the fastest way to get the best results. For the regular pore maintenance I'm using it after the foam cleanser, and it does its job. 

I feel that the heating effect of BRTC gel is less pronounced compared to Sooryehan mask; while both take a few minutes of continuous massage to work properly, Sooryehan involves full-face massage with both hands while BRTC can be used both on the whole face or as a spot treatment on t-zone, and it's meant to be massaged into your skin with the silicone pad attached to the bottle. In terms of cleansing power they seem to be evenly matched, however BRTC holds a slight edge over Sooryehan due to its silicon pad that is extremely useful when fighting severely clogged pores. I've been trying out a few waterproof and sebum-proof sunscreens this summer, and a couple of them tend to sit on my skin in an impermeable flexible layers, giving me the worst cases of clogged pores by the end of the day. I understand that there has to be a trade-off, and I can't have a sunscreen that can survive the day without sliding off my skin in hot NY summer weather AND avoid clogging my pores while holding on to my skin, so I just do extra pore care in my evening routine; BTRC gel and Sooryehan mask proved to be perfect for that purpose. 

Mamonde Pore Clean Blackhead stick side by side with Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing stick - note the difference in size

I discovered Mamonde Pore Clean Blackhead stick by accident when I was trying to find a replacement to my favorite Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing stick, which seems to be  discontinued quietly and without coming up with a replacement product. While Mamonde stick looks somewhat similar to Su:m37 in pictures, it's quite different in texture, end results, and even size. Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing stick is a traditional second cleanser, very emollient and not too foamy on the skin. Mamonde stick texture is quite different; it suggests some fine particles that provide mild physical exfoliation, and both short skin contact time and lack of acids in ingredients list deny the possibility of chemical exfoliation. It definitely can't be used as a second cleanser, and it's meant to be used after cleansing on wet skin.

Mamonde Pore Clean Blackhead stick side by side with Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing stick - texture differences

Mamonde Pore Clean Blackhead stick is easily available on Ulta, Amazon, and eBay. It has a fairly clean ingredients list (cosdna here) with glycerin on top of the list and quite a few plant extracts, including Houttuynia Cordata and Artemisia Vulgaris (mugwort). Both plants seem to be trending in K-beauty, being included in many cult favorites as well as new products. Mugwort is used in skincare for its soothing, anti-inflammatory properties; supposedly it can reduce redness and prevent skin damage due to rich antioxidant content. Quite a few popular mugwort-based skincare products come to mind, such as SOME BY MI AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam (cosdna here), I'm From Mugwort Essence (100% Artemisia Vulgaris extract), Vely Vely Artemisia Balance essence (100% Artemisia Vulgaris extract), and Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Essence (cosdna), but I'm sure I've missed many more. Houttuynia Cordata is often one of the first plants mentioned in context of pore care and acne prone skin treatments. Zymoden Houttuynia Cordata Ferment serum, for example, uses Houttuynia Cordata along with azelaic, salicylic, and lactic acids to minimize sebum production and pore size (codsna); Dr.Jart+ Cicapair (at Sephora, not an affiliate link) lists it as one of major plant-based actives. I'm not sure just how beneficial those extracts are when they're used in cleansers or other products that get just a few moments of skin contact before being washed off, but I have to admit that I never had any skin irritation or any other adverse reactions after using the Mamonde stick. It did not shrink my pores, but it was helpful in cleaning them, and it would be unreasonable to expect more from it. It does have fragrance fairly high on its ingredients list, but I didn't have any issues with it, probably due to short contact time; I have to admit I really like the scent of the stick. It has very mild exfoliating effect, somewhere between BRTC Heating gel and peeling gels, and I can use it on consecutive days without any dryness. While it's not going to be a replacement for Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing stick that seems to be discontinued, it deserves a place in my evening routine, and I'm going to repurchase it when I run out.


Last but not least, let's do a brief price comparison. Su:m37 is the most expensive product of all masks mentioned; it sells on eBay and Nature Collection (the official online shop of LG skincare brands) for $45-$50 for 100ml. BRTC gel made it to Amazon, where it sells for $17 with Prime shipping for 35g/1.23oz; while you can find it cheaper on eBay, you will be probably charged for shipping, making the total costs about equal. Sooryehan mask sells for $30 with free shipping both on Amazon and eBay, and for $40 on YesStyle for 100ml; you might be able to get a free travel size tube as a part of Sooryehan gift sets. Mamonde stick sells for around $10-$15 on eBay and Amazon with Prime shipping for 18g; while it seems to be the cheapest of the bunch, it also comes in the smallest package.

TL;DR

It's probably not necessary to have both BRTC gel and Sooryehan mask in my routine; however, they are so evenly matched and each holds a slight edge over another in different areas, that it's hard to pick just one. I think I will continue using (and repurchasing) both, unless they get discontinued. Su:m37 mask did not work out for me, sadly. I like Mamonde stick, and I'm planning to repurchase it when I run out.