This Korean Collagen Mask Is My Mid-Flight Essential
You’ve likely heard of the “salmon sperm” facial by now, thanks to celebrity fans like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston. The South Korea-born treatment isn’t as startling as it sounds; it involves injecting Rejuran, fragments of DNA sourced from salmon sperm, into the face, which plumps and revitalizes the skin by stimulating collagen production. I haven’t experienced the facial (yet), but I have tested and loved Medicube’s PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask.
The formula of the hydrogel mask features those salmon sperm-derived DNA fragments, as well as low-molecular collagen, and promises to plump and hydrate the skin in the short term while boosting collagen in the long term. “The mask is a standout for its regenerative properties,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in New York City. It’s also one of those sheet masks that you can wear anywhere from one to three hours, and you’ll know that your face has fully absorbed the ingredients once the gel transforms from a solid pale pink to completely transparent.
“If trusting the process was a mask, it would certainly be this one,” says Alexis Bennett Parker, ELLE.com’s commerce content lead. “And let me tell you, it is totally worth the wait. Once it turned clear, I carefully peeled it off and saw that my skin looked noticeably juicy and plump. Some of my fine lines even vanished, thanks to the deep hydration from the formula.”
Carol Lee mid-flight after using the Medicube’s PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask.
Parker and I share a similar experience. Recently, I brought it along with me on a flight from New York City to Miami, and the mask saved me. My skin is excessively dry and feels unbearably tight on airplanes, so I applied the gel sheet to my face as soon as we took off. An hour-and-a-half later, I was left with a post-facial radiance and skin that felt hydrated and comfortable for the rest of the flight. I didn’t even need to apply moisturizer afterward, which I sometimes have to do after less hydrating sheet masks. If you deal with fine lines, wrinkles, or dullness—or travel often—I recommend keeping a few of these in your skin care stash.