Love it: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask

Lately on here I’ve been having a bit of a rave about the Glow Recipe brand, with good reason. Founded by two former L'Oréal execs in 2014, Glow Recipe set out to make K-beauty more accessible to consumers and in a case of right time, right place, they seriously went global. Glow Recipe's mission, Lee has said, is "to break down what K-beauty [is] all about, educate consumers on the unique trends coming out of Korea, bring them best-in-class skincare offerings, and make them accessible to consumers through repositioning and education." The fact that their products are also insanely cute and well priced helps hugely, and thankfully, their products are exclusively available here at MECCA and via meccabeauty.co.nz.

The latest I’ve been lucky enough to try is the Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask, which is an indulgent, creamy yet breathable sleeping mask that nourishes and softens dry, tired skin overnight. Also a quick fix when it comes to eliminating flaking and dull skin, it feels as good on the face as eating a ripe avo does to your insides. This is for a number of reasons, many of which can be found in the ingredient deck:

Avocado: 74 per cent of the super yum, creamy formula is made from four forms of avocado: avocado fruit, avocado extract, avocado oil, and avocado butter. Rich in oleic and linoleic acid, avocado is deeply nourishing and your skin will love you for it.

Manuka Honey: this baby contains the enzyme Methylglyoxal (MGO), which has higher levels of antibacterial properties than other types of honey. MGO helps defend your skin against environmental stressors that can cause premature ageing and visibly firms and moisturise skin. 

PHA: sometimes referred to as the ‘gentle giant’ of chemical exfoliators, PHA – also known as polyhydroxy - helps buff away dead skin cells to reveal your natural born glow. Because of its large molecular structure, it’s safe for even the most sensitive of skin types too. PHA is a popular K-beauty ingredient that's popping up in more and more moisturisers and masks in Seoul, and

Unlike the better-known AHA, PHA is a humectant. This is an ingredient that pulls in hydration to the outer skin, so it binds to water and helps hydrate. It also stimulates collagen.

Like all Glow Recipe, it is free of parabens, Mineral Oil, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, alcohol, synthetic dyes and synthetic fragrance, and is Cruelty-free. Why big name beauty brand can’t create without those ingredients I don’t know, as this is proof that effectiveness needn’t come with nasties!

You can also use Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask in one of two ways. For a rejuvenating sleeping mask, use the spatula to scoop a dollar coin-sized amount onto skin as the final step of the evening routine. Gently pat into the skin for optimal absorption. Wash thoroughly in the morning. Or, to use as a wash off mask, use the spatula to scoop the mask and gently spread a thick layer across a cleansed face from forehead to chin (avoiding direct contact with eye and lip areas). Rinse with lukewarm water after 10 minutes. Use two to three times a week. For sensitive skin types start by using 2-3 times a week and use more frequently if your skin loves the formula.

Lastly, how does it compare to the brand’s famous Watermelon Sleeping Mask? Well I think the oil-free Watermelon option is great for when days are more humid, and your skin might have an oiler feel.  The Avocado Sleeping Mask - is good for all skin types, but a real hero for  dry skin. The creamy texture is perfect for trans seasonal times like now, and in the depths of winter.

I’ve heard that Glow Recipe’s newest avocado mask - infused with retinol – also promises to be a winner for those less sensitive types, so definitely worth checking out as well.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask is available right now at Mecca stores and online here, with an RRP of $77.