beauty

CULT BUY: The charcoal eye masks that'll de-puff your weary eyes. And they're on sale now.

Please, don’t panic, but for weeks I’ve been waking up next to an unwanted visitor.

Not a human one. Under eye bags.

A few months of letting my health slip down my list of priorities has taken it’s toll. On my face.

Think: far too much UberEats, almost no exercise and favouring Netflix over sleep – just all the things I really should know better than to do every single day.

And here we are. Just me, looking at myself far too close up in the mirror, wondering how I let these bags make their forever home under my eyes.

In search of a solution that’s not ‘sleep more‘ or ‘drink water‘, I came across… these.

They’re called BLAQ Hydrogel Eye Masks and they claim to de-puff and detox to reveal a shiny, gorgeous you in minutes. Yes please.

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Introducing, BLAQ's Hydrogel Eye Mask. Image: Instagram.
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The activated charcoal masks come in packs of 5. Image: Instagram.
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Each sachet contains two under eye masks in magic serum goo. Image: Supplied.
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The kind of look like fortune cookies, no? Image: Supplied.
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From the makers that brought you the viral blackhead charcoal mask, 10-packs of these funky eye masks are currently on sale for $45 off.

Yes, $45 off.

But do they really do anything or is this just another one of those beauty things we do for the gram, not our faces?

Considering how much I'd really like to wake up without giant bags under my eyes (I would however settle for slightly less huge bags), I decided to give the BLAQ Hydrogel eye masks a chance.

Here's exactly how it went down:

How do the BLAQ Hydrogel Eye Masks work?

Think of these eye masks as the high-tech and way more fun version of putting cucumber slices under your eyes.

The brand's flagship ingredient activated charcoal works to draw out toxins and impurities - a.k.a the crap that's making your skin look a bit sh*t - and added Glycerin acts like a watering can to moisturise and hydrate the skin under your eyes.

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BLAQ says using the eye mask twice a week until you’ve kicked your bad habits will help reduce the appearance of under eye bags, but they can also be used as a one-off before an event or when you just want to feel good about yourself.

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Fair warning: They feel... slimy. Image: Supplied.
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The face of a lady who's not sure what she's doing. Image: Supplied.
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What do the BLAQ Hydrogel Eye Masks feel like?

Would it be weird if I said these eye masks looked and felt like something I cut up in Year 9 Biology class when I first took them out of the packet?

I know, but honestly that's all I could think of. They look like tiny kidneys and are a little bit... slimy. Because of all the soothing serum, of course.

Their cooling effect is instantaneous on the skin, which is exactly what I needed to revive my under eyes.

I also loved how the masks' shape covered aaaall the way under and around my eyes to brighten my whole eye area.

During the 15 minutes I wore the masks for, they tended to lose their grip and slip down slightly. A quick tap with my index finger (that doubled as a gentle under eye massage) fixed that.

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I didn't notice any tingling or activated charcoal magic, not that I have any idea what said activated charcoal magic should feel like.

But there wasn't any stinging or irritation - my sensitive skin has a habit of going as red as Jarrod's on Bachelor In Paradise, so that was a big ole tick - and I found the masks quite comfortable to wear for the recommended time.

I did look like a bit of a dill for a quarter of an hour though.

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Stylish, no? Image: Supplied.
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Do the BLAQ Hydrogel Eye Masks really work?

Here are my before and after results.

And before you say anything - yes, I straightened my hair while waiting for the eye masks to perform miracles.

Because, multitasking.

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BEFORE. Images: Supplied.
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AFTER. Images: Supplied.
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Like most serumy sheet masks, the results were glowy and dewy, like an injection of health. Probably more than the physical results, I felt refreshed and less self-conscious about my bags, which gave me the boost I needed to tackle the day ahead.

I'd definitely use again, if for no other reason than because they feel really, really nice on.

Deep down, we all know sleep is the number one treatment for tired eye and pesky bags. There is no quick fix.

But these will help when sleep just isn't an option.

Have you tired any under eye masks before? How did you find them?

Speaking of beauty fads, the lovely Jess Wang smothered her face in coffee grounds in the quest to find a great, natural exfoliator. Check it out below.


Video by MWN

Mamamia Out Loud also unpacked why we all suddenly are so obsessed with skincare. Is it because it's one of the only things we can control in this world right now? Very deep, right?