In an age where we (rightfully) totally shun face wipes for their terrible eco-credentials, it has long baffled me why we so readily use sheet masks.
Even the most environmentally aware beauty editors I know (perhaps that's an oxymoron, given the amount of product we have to test for our jobs…) use sheet masks on a weekly basis, and the trend is showing no signs of slowing.
Case in point, the viral disappearing hydrogel masks you've been seeing all over your social media feeds. It seems that watching as a mask melts into our skin right before our eyes has reignited our love of sheet masks, abandoning our sustainable sensibilities.
© InstagramProving the popularity is Medicube's PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask, £23.62 for four, which sold around 800,000 units in the year it launched in 2024, then in 2025, sales grew to 1.9 million units - more than double of the disappearing mask.
All the fun of a face mask
The innovation has inspired a fresh wave of sheet mask devotees, accelerating the growth of a skincare product that could have gone in the same direction as face wipes.
In an increasingly bleak world, I think we've all fallen for melting hydrogel masks because they tap into a magical element of childhood wonder. While watching the masks gradually turning transparent sounds akin to watching paint dry, the disappearance signals that the active ingredients are being absorbed into the skin. You're seeing the mask work in real time, with Medicube's spokesperson Joe Cho noting: "As the mask turns from opaque to transparent, it creates a clear and engaging experience that reinforces product efficacy."
© InstagramHe adds that unlike traditional masks which are removed after 15 to 20 minutes, melting masks are made from solidified essence, such as low molecular collagen and can be worn for three to four hours or even overnight, making them especially appealing for overnight routines.
The results speak for themselves, too. The melting masks create the most 'glass skin' appearance that my complexion has ever had. I've often found traditional sheet masks nothing more than a relaxing ritual, but the hydration from these masks is undeniable – much to my chagrin!
Justifying my use
When even I, someone who has never got into the habit of using sheet masks before now, have become enamoured with the disappearing masks, telling myself that the fact that they melt into my skin means less waste, surely?
To ease my environmental concerns, I swap the trending melting masks for other, more eco-conscious masks rather than buying more with plastic backing attached. Enter, Decree's SOS Revitalising Mask, £20.
© InstagramLoved by eternally youthful Katy Perry, who looked impossibly young at Coachella this past weekend, the mask's outer packaging is made from potato starch, while the sheet itself is made from coconut fibres. Extra bonus points are rewarded for the backing sheet, which is biodegradable too. Fun fact – I met Decree's founder. Dr. Anita Sturnham, earlier this year, and she told me that when she uses the mask, she lets her young daughter wear the backing as mask for herself – cute!
© InstagramI also rate Botanics' Reusable Silicone Sheet Mask, £7. You apply your usual serum, then wear the mask on top to drive the ingredients into the skin. It doesn't deliver the intense hydration and glass skin that is arguably behind our obsession with the collagen melting masks, but it ticks the self-care box.
