Review: A. by Bom Ultra Cool Leaf Mask

You may have heard of A by Bom. They have a super fancy salon in Gangnam- a celebrity go to for hair and nails. You’re maybe less likely (until recently, when they’ve been blowing up on Instagram, more so than when I started writing this post) to have heard of their cosmetics range, which was officially launched last year. It was great to hear from the company asking if I wanted to try their products, and I didn’t resist! (PR samples- see my disclaimer for my policies). Today I’m gonna be discussing one of their sheet masks, because I think it’s actually the bomb (sorry not sorry).

Ultra Cool Leaf Mask

Purpose and How to Use

This is a two step mask. They come in one attached packet, and you separate them by tearing.

First, there are four tiny leaf shape masks, with the purpose of intense care and relief, and anti-wrinkle focus. They are called A1 step, and you can place them anywhere you wish to focus on, as shown here in A. by Bom presentation:

The full sheet mask (A2 step) is applied over the top, for cooling and hydrating skin.

The idea is double the masks, double the soothing and care.

Ingredients

A1- cool leaf patches:

Water, Methylpropanediol, Isopentyldiol, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Glycerin, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Adansonia Digitata Pulp Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Platycodon Grandiflorum Root Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, PEG-450, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Allantoin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance(Parfum)

A2- ultra cool leaf (sheet) mask:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Methylpropanediol, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Tagetes Erecta Flower Extract, Glycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Diglycerin, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Carbonate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Caffeine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance(Parfum)

Material

The material is is 100% Lyocell, made from cellulose extracted from trees. The company claim it will decompose within a month after disposal- I haven’t been able to test this but it’s definitely good if it’s true.

The material feels very soft and comfortable on my skin. Both A1 and A2 masks seem to hold A LOT of essence, and stay damp for a long time (I’ve been wearing them for about 45 minutes and they’re still not dry).

The material is perfectly thin to allow complete adherence. The sheet mask is also a great fit for my face, with no real adjusting necessary. I thought the leaf patches might slip around once the sheet mask was over the top, but they really don’t.

Essence

For A1, the essence is a viscous clear liquid with some slip when applied to skin.

For A2, the essence is thick, clear, and gel-like. I prefer gel consistency, as it doesn’t run all down my face.

The scents of both are very fresh and fairly light. I can still just smell it when I’m wearing the mask, but it’s not at all overwhelming or even particularly noticeable. There’s an abundance of essence in A2 which is what I like! Don’t ever rip me off on my essence please. 

Performance

I laaaaaaav it. Partly because it’s really cute, but also because it feels wonderful on my skin!

The small leaf patches are perfect for intense care and calming. I choose to apply them in a variety of different places- under my eyes, on my laughter lines…you can really place them wherever. They’re adorable and I like the targeted approach.

The mask itself then feels great too. It fits well, smells pleasant, and I love the consistency of the essence. It lasts fantastically well for the 45 minutes I usually wear masks, and the results are lovely.

My skin type holds a lot of heat and is often red (you should see me at the gym- lobster after 2 minutes doing any form of exercise). This mask works extremely well to calm my redness, even out my skin tone, and my face actually feels very cool to touch afterwards. I know it’s going to be a major player in my routine in the summer for soothing, cooling and calming. My face is also left feeling so hydrated, but without the stickiness I often experience after sheet masks. This is one of the few I’m happy to do in the morning.

Overall I’m super impressed with this, both for the individuality of the design, but also the cooling and calming effects.

Availability and Price

A quick search online shows Amazon selling this mask for $14.99 for 5 with free shipping. Personally, I think that’s a fantastic price. I also see the masks available on GMarket and Coupang for those of us in Korea, for around 20,000 won for 10- again a really great price. As these are a newly released item, and the company seem to be pushing their marketing abroad right now, I think they will be snapped up by a western shop soon, and perhaps more easily and reliably available.

Do you fancy trying this mask?