Balea

Balea Hydrogel Lippenmaske mit Hyaluron und Mandelöl Review

By Maychiri's Thoughts - October 05, 2024

Ah, one lip mask! This is the Balea Hydrogel Lippenmaske mit Hyaluron und Mandelöl (in English, Hydrogel Lip Mask with Hyaluronic Acid and Almond Oil)!
 
 
I don’t use lip masks, at least, lip masks that come in hydrogel sheets, often. I prefer to use lip oils and rich lip balms, but it’s good to try out something new every once in a while! This mask was new to Croatian DM when I first bought it, so I, naturally, had to try it. Balea's eye patches aren’t too shabby, so I figured that their lip mask would be nice as well. It certainly sounds promising with the hyaluronic acid and almond oil! Although I am not too sure on that thick hydrogel sheet... still, let’s try it out! 
 
 
 
 
Packaging: pretty standard sachet, and the same kind most other Balea lip masks use. It is clear, so you can see the lip mask inside; the back is vibrant magenta, which I like. The text is white, so it’s easy to read, and there are helpful pictograms that depict how to use the mask. One detail that I really like on all these lip masks and eye patches is that the front is decorated with illustrations of the ingredients inside. Look, this sachet has almonds and almond blossoms, it is very pretty, isn’t it? 
 
 
 
 
 
Ingredients: glycerine, almond (Prunus amygdalus dulcis) oil, hyaluronic acid, proline, glucomannan for nourishment. No parabens. Also, Irish moss algae powder, which is a source of carrageenan. The scent is not pleasant at all; it is very intense which would be fine if it didn’t smell like oils! Literally, it stinks like fats and oils, probably like raw almond oil. I hate it. Although, in another batch, the scent was more floral, like pollen, so I guess it depends on the batch? The hydrogel mask should be left on for 15-20 minutes. I would complain about this being too long, which it is, but just look at the hydrogel patch, it is extremely thick. So I understand why it needs more time, even if I dislike that.
 
 
The lip mask itself is a very thick piece of hydrogel. It is peach coloured, which I guess fits with the colour of almond blossoms. But, the hydrogel mask is really more trouble than it’s worth. First, it is huge; it covers literally the entire lower half of my face instead of just the lips! Yes, yes, I have a smaller face so most things are going to be oversized, but still. I would rather keep this serum on my lips, and not have it go all over my face. Secondly, it is so gummy that it becomes floppy and difficult to actually keep on the lips.
 
 
It doesn’t slide around like many other hydrogel patches, but it does not adhere properly. It just keeps coming off no matter how much I try to keep it in place. However, the plus side is that the hydrogel is stretchy and soft and easy to fit where you want it. Still, what use is it if it cannot stay on the lips, therefore, the lips cannot absorb the serum properly? And it didn’t have a lot of serum inside it, it just felt kinda dry. Dry and rubbery, yay. I really don’t like this hydrogel, it is too cumbersome to use; perhaps it would be easier to use if it wasn’t so goddamn thick!
 
 
 
 
 
The serum is thick and greasy and oily. It is definitely occlusive, which is precisely why I don’t want it on the skin around the lips. It is much too greasy for my already acne-prone skin. I just hope it doesn’t cause breakouts... anyways, it also feels too greasy on my lips. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Okay, this doesn’t feel too nice while it is absorbing. It feels mostly oily and greasy, not something that I appreciate. It might feel slightly nourishing, but honestly, it is difficult to tell with all that oiliness. It doesn’t really feel like it is doing much to my lips...
 
 
 
 
Now, 20 minutes later... wait, why do my lips feel so dry?? Did the serum really absorb that well into the lips? Because my lips feel dehydrated more than anything, they don’t look that much plumper either. Maybe just a little plumper. Although, the fine lines in them aren’t as visible as before, so I guess they are, in fact, hydrated? And they do feel softer when I touch them, hmm. Not what I expected – or hoped for. 
 
 
 
The next day, my lips feel okay. They feel better than usual, slightly more hydrated and they are definitely softer and a bit plumper still. Lip products apply and wear better, I noticed, which is nice. But still, I expected more from a lip mask... especially because I noticed that my lips still get those stringy patches during the day, when this mask should have, theoretically, prevented that. No, I need something stronger than this mask.
 
 
Overall, so meh I cannot even begin to describe it. Well, to be fair, I did not go in expecting miracles, I just hoped it would hydrate and soften my lips, which, in all fairness, it does... just not enough. My lips are just a tiny bit softer and plumper, but they don’t feel at all like they’ve been hydrated. It’s like the hyaluronic acid isn’t there or something, because it should have better results. Over the course of 24 hours after applying the lip mask, my lips don’t feel much more nourished, and they still develop stringy, dry patches. But, I cannot give it a lower score because it does do something, even if that something is really disappointing. And the biggest thing I dislike is just how awfully occlusive and greasy and oily the serum is! This bothers me more than the damn mega thick hydrogel sheet that just won’t stick to my lips no matter what. No, this serum is so occlusive and thick and oily that I can practically feel breakouts starting to happen on the skin around my lips! This doesn’t seem to have happened but it still feels disgustingly oily. Perhaps people with dry skin will like this mask more; I have drier lips and more oily skin, and this just doesn’t mesh well with the mask. I wish I could say that this saddens me, but it really doesn’t. I am just too fed up with the goddamn hydrogel slipping, and with the oiliness and everything... nope, no recommendations, even though it shows some minor improvements to my lips.
 
 
 
Rating: 3/10
 
 
Would buy again? Eh, probably NO



 

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