I Tried This Viral Overnight Face Mask. You Can Do Better. | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Hannah Frye

Hannah Frye is a writer covering beauty and style. She swears by clothing rental services and won’t leave the house with less than three lip products.

If the “morning shed” trend hasn’t made it to your social media feed yet, let me get you up to speed: In pursuit of better sleep or glowing skin, people are heading to bed with all sorts of items stuck to their faces. I’ve seen chin straps that claim to snatch the jawline, mouth tape to combat snoring, under-eye masks to prevent dark circles, nose strips to ease congested breathing, and a face mask that turns clear overnight, to smooth and plump skin (ooh, ahh).

At first glance, I thought sleeping with a full sheet mask on sounded sticky, uncomfortable, and kind of excessive, but the Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask garnered enough hype to catch my eye. This overnight mask claims to boost hydration, minimize pore size, improve skin elasticity, and strengthen the skin barrier. According to a flood of TikTok reviews, it’s the ultimate overnight ticket to bright, hydrated, and gloriously dewy skin.

After seeing countless people online peel off the mask to reveal skin that looked smoother and bouncier than a dolphin’s back, I knew I had to try it. As a beauty writer, I’ve tested my fair share of products, but this would be my first time dabbling in the world of overnight sheet masks.

While I assumed that wearing a watery physical barrier drenched in collagen and glycerin would lead to more-hydrated skin by morning, I was mostly curious about the experience: Does the mask stay on through the night? How does it feel? Is it worth the trouble? I went in with lots of questions—and a little bit of hope.

This mask stayed on just fine, but the results were disappointing.

For my first test of the mask, I avoided mixing in any treatments, such as exfoliants or retinol. I wanted to see how the mask performed on its own when used as directed. The directions were to apply a serum or toner before the mask. Following that protocol, I washed my face, applied my go-to hyaluronic acid serum from The Ordinary, and then put on the mask.

To broaden my perspective, I had two colleagues join the test: Rory Evans, a senior staff writer specializing in beauty, and Matthew Young, Wirecutter’s audience development senior strategist. Rory’s skin is on the dry side. And Matthew’s skin is somewhere in the middle—he wakes up with well-hydrated skin if he uses moisturizer at night, but he doesn’t deal with excess oil.

The application process was straightforward for all of us—just peel and place. I did accidentally rip part of the mask, but it wasn’t a major disaster. I also had to trim the nose section with scissors because it was getting caught in my nostril when I took a breath. That didn’t happen to the other testers, so we’ll chalk it up to my face shape. I’ve had to do this before with other sheet masks, so I wouldn’t consider it a dealbreaker.

I worried that the mask might slip and slide throughout the night, but it clung to my skin immediately and stayed put—and my two testers had the same experience. The initial sensation was pleasantly cooling, akin to a glass of cold water after a sweaty workout.

I didn’t have that much trouble falling asleep with the mask on, but it did take me longer than usual to get comfortable. For context, I sleep on my side but occasionally flip to my back, so I wasn’t mask-down the whole night. It didn’t get my pillow wet, which surprised me. The outside of the mask feels soft and cool to the touch but not truly damp. I was slightly nervous it would ruin my treasured chocolate brown satin pillowcase, but it didn’t. That said, I knew this wasn’t something I’d want to make a habit of. No matter how great the skin benefits might be, having something on my face all night still isn’t ideal. I couldn’t help but feel it on my face as I was trying to fall asleep, and I don’t need to add to my long list of ruminating thoughts so late in the day.

When I woke up, I was eager for the big reveal I’d seen so many times online. As expected, the once-opaque mask had turned translucent overnight, and it was ready to peel off. That part was oddly satisfying. But what I found underneath was less impressive.

I inspected my skin closely (in great lighting, mind you), but I didn’t notice any extra dewiness, shine, or bounce. In fact, my skin felt drier than usual—and not as dewy as when I layer face oil over my face cream, which is my go-to for extra glow. When I pressed the skin that drapes over my cheekbone toward my eye, the fine line that formed lingered, which tends to happen when my skin is dehydrated. Normally, after I use a thick moisturizer, my skin will spring back instantly. This time, that elasticity was cut short, and I suspected it was because the mask was filled with more humectants (which pull moisture in) than emollients and occlusives (which soften the skin and create a barrier to prevent water loss).

Dr. Kiran Mian, a medical and aesthetic dermatologist, noted that, indeed, the mask primarily uses humectants (ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and collagen), which draw water into the skin for a temporary plumping effect. However, she said, the mask “does not contain skin barrier repair properties.” Further, she explained, “That may be why users experience an immediate dewy, soft, and plumping effect when they first take off the mask, but you did not feel like it was much different than other moisturizing creams or even oils.”

Most face creams contain thicker ingredients, such as butters, oils, or petrolatum. But Mian pointed out that adding too many rich emollients to an overnight mask could clog pores. “Emollients may not be ideal for a mask that’s meant to be worn overnight,” she explained, because the mask acts as a physical barrier, thus trapping these emollients underneath.

So for me (someone who uses rich creams and even adds oils on top when I’m feeling dry), this mask provides less long-lasting moisture than my normal routine. If I didn’t wear it, and I skipped all serums or moisturizers after cleansing, of course those results would have been worse. There’s no denying that many of these ingredients are hydrating, and some of them, like collagen, can contribute to retained moisture. But in my case, the rich cream performs better.

Mian also highlighted a common misconception about collagen in skin care: “Collagen extract is a large molecule that doesn’t penetrate the skin deeply. Instead, it creates a film on the surface to help retain moisture and add temporary plumpness.” So even though products with collagen in the name may sound like they’re boosting your skin’s collagen production from within, that’s not actually the case.

In fact, considering that there are plenty of temporarily plumping ingredients in this mask, I figured I may be better off wearing it for just two or three hours and then layering on a moisturizer for lasting hydration. Upon my second test of the mask, I followed this plan and saw some improvement, but nothing that blew me out of the water. However, it’s nice to know that you can reap plenty of benefits from just three hours of wear—no need to lie in your bed like a zombie fearing you’ll displace the mask if you turn on your side.

Although the mask contains other soothing and microbiome-supporting ingredients, our initial testing didn’t reflect the glowing reviews or product claims. To be fair, this was just a first impression—maybe long-term use would yield better results. But there’s a chance you could get better results from a great moisturizer, with half the hassle and more bang for your buck.

Personally, I’ll do a lot of things to get dewy, bouncy skin, but wearing an overnight mask that delivers lackluster results and bothers me while I sleep isn’t one of them. I wouldn’t say this is a terrible face mask, but I’ve definitely tried a handful of better ones.

Matthew agreed that he’s had better results with masks you have to wear for only 10 minutes, whereas this mask calls for multiple hours of wear. Rory, on the other hand, found the ritual enjoyable, even with the less-impressive results: “I wouldn’t spend the money on myself, but in true self-denying parent fashion, I’d definitely consider it as a little Friday pick-me-up for my teenage daughter,” she said.

If you’re still curious about trying this mask, you’ll be glad to know we didn’t encounter any major red flags in our initial testing—nobody experienced irritation or breakouts. And if you don’t want to wear it overnight, you definitely don’t have to. Still, when it comes to results, I urge you to go in with tempered expectations. And remember: A great moisturizer can do wonders for dry skin, no morning shed required.

This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Maxine Builder.

Hannah Frye

Hannah Frye is a staff writer reporting on beauty and style for Wirecutter. She was previously an editor at Mindbodygreen. She has been using skin-care items since she was 11 (which, she says, is a fact, not a recommendation). When she isn’t making new Pinterest boards or shopping for vintage clothes on eBay, she’s testing vegan recipes in her Brooklyn apartment.

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