NEO I VIEW
Pink Cactus Liftmax Knit Mask Review by Elaine

Pink Cactus Liftmax Knit Mask Review by Elaine 

by Elaine ( Maskepedia )

Neogen’s innovative thick, plush knit material masks have been the talk of the Kbeauty community since its launch in March 2017. The unique sweater-like, knitted-cotton material has passed the clinical human skin irritation test and proven to be non-irritating even on sensitive skin types.

I’ve received quite a few requests to test out this mask and a poll on my Instagram account showed that the majority of my readers are more curious about this pink cactus variant. I will be testing out the white truffle variant in a separate post.

Neogen Pink Cactus Liftmax Knit Mask claims to deliver tightening, firming, elasticity-boosting pink cactus ingredient formula. This mask saturated in rich energy lifting vitality essence perfectly adheres and wraps skin to deliver long-lasting moisture, vitality and energy deep into the skin for a tighter and firmer skin!

With a powerhouse blend of prickly pear cactus and pink algae, it works to deliver antioxidants and fortify skin. Prickly pear cactus is a rare ingredient and it takes a million seeds to get 1 liter of oil. This mask also contains jania rubens algae, one of the rarest cactus oils that contains an abundance of vitamin C and beta-carotene to calm and hydrate skin. Along with camelia and snow lotus flower, this mask is perfect for lifting and lessening the appearance of wrinkles.

Key ingredients:

• Pink Cactus Seed Oil
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Jania Rubens Algae
• Avocado Oil
• Rose Flower Oil

This is also my first time seeing glycerin as the first ingredient on the list. It is usually water or some sort of botanical water. So off the bat, I’m expecting this to be a very hydrating and humectant-like mask. It’s also nice to see niacinamide (6th) listed so high up on the list, it is a great ingredient for brightening and evening out skin tone.

$9.95 on Amazon.
$6 at Soko Glam. | Receive 20% off your first order of $25+ with my referral link.

Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Diglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Opuntia Coccinellifera, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Butylene Glycol, Rose Flower Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Isoleucine, Betaine, Adenosine, Cyanocobalamin, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Disodium EDTA

This is one of those masks that come with double packaging, where a regular sheet mask foil packet sits in a box. I hope it’s not just me who finds this wasteful and unnecessary.

The packaging design is cute though. I love the incorporation of knitting needles in the mask artwork to draw attention to the unique material, and also the use of a bright pink base color, it really appeals to the millennial in me.

The outer box also features a circular window showing the knitted material of the mask. Again, this is drawing focus on the unique material and justifying the value proposition of this mask amongst millions of others in a high-saturated industry.

(Before masking)

My skin is feeling very dry and slightly irritated today. I’m also sporting a couple of white heads on my chin and cheeks. I’ve cleansed, toned, and exfoliated my skin. Find out how I normally prep my skin for masking.

(Material)

Out of the packet, I drew out a thick wad of heavy fabric. It was completely coated AND soaked in essence. The material felt very soft, smooth, and plush. Despite being a humongous piece and also having a neck piece, it was generally easy to unfold even without the inclusion of a backing. This reminded me of 23 Years Old Cocoon Willow Silky Mask, except this fabric was so much thicker.

(“The remaining essence can be released here and applied to the neck.”)

Containing a whopping 60 ml of essence, this is 2 times more than the amount in a regular sheet mask. I really appreciate the inclusion of a reminder to drain the remaining essence through the bottom corner. Instead of trying to scoop the remaining essence out from the top of the packet or squeezing it out, why not just let gravity to do all the work. However, the amount of essence I managed to get out was anti-climatic.

(Milky essence)

This was all that was left. I’m not sure to rejoice or mourn. On one hand this meant that 99% of the essence is in the sheet mask. On the other hand, the rest of my body is not getting any love today.

The essence had a milky consistency and gave off a subtle floral fragrance. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that it had a pink tinge which was also translated to the sheet mask.

(During masking)

Despite holding 60ml of essence, the mask was not drippy at all.

Told ya it was a humongous piece. As if it was huge enough already, the sheet also came with pull tabs on the side of the forehead and cheek to allow users to stretch out the mask. However, in doing so, essence oozed out of tabs that I was gripping on which made a little mess. On the plus side, this means that it will fit almost all face shapes and sizes! So needless to say, the fit was amazing for me!

Normally, a sheet mask that extends down to the neck covers till the area where the voice box is. The amount of neck area that this mask covered extends just above my collar bone! This had to be the longest mask I’ve ever tried. I love it when sheet masks take care of the neck area since I tend to neglect it.

Adherence was amazing as well. My face felt like it was hugged by a well-endowed and welcoming grandma. Warm and soft.

I know the recommended wait time is 20 mins, but I wanted to see how long I could wear this mask before it started drying out. I did not get an answer but I know for sure that it stayed damp throughout an entire hour of masking. The video below showed the reason why.

Are your jaws dropping yet? Yup, that’s an entire palm full of essence. Actually more because it was dripping all over the place. I guess my body is getting some love after all.

(After masking: Hour 1)

There was so much essence left on my skin despite continuous massaging and patting for close to 15 mins. Finish was dewy and tacky. Again, curiosity strikes so I decided to document how long it will take for it to dry down completely.

(After masking: Hour 1/2/3)

The answer is again, unknown. These pictures were each taken an hour apart. I’ve been observing for 3 hours and the only difference was the change in the feel of the finish. Tackiness had been replaced with greasiness. It still looked very dewy. Finally, I could bear the grease (and hair sticking to my face) no longer and wiped away the excess with a toner-soaked cotton pad. Rinsing off is also a viable solution.

Below is a side by side comparison of the before and after pictures.

(Before masking / After masking: Hour 3)

Aside from the stifling finish, the results were nothing short of amazing. This checked off all the things I look for in a sheet mask.

✓Extreme hydration ✓Redness reduction ✓Plumping ✓Softening ✓Pore-blurring ✓Radiance ✓Brightening ✓Even-toned skin ✓Fine lines reduction

I also noticed a huge reduction in the fine, and not so fine lines, on my neck. This goes to show how neglected that area is. Oddly, I did not notice any lifting or tightening effects. My laugh lines and the positioning of my cheek apple still looked the same. Perhaps this effect will surface will more frequent use of this exact mask.

However, there exists masks that do not require this much resources (packaging, essence, material), time, and effort to achieve the same effects. I’m glad I tried this mask for the novelty-factor. Check out more Neogen reviews here.

$9.95 on Amazon.
$6 at Soko Glam. | Receive 20% off your first order of $25+ with my referral link.

Go be beautiful!

Love,
Elaine