The Black Tea Battle
I have made my love for Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask very clear. The only thing not awesome about this product is the price. 77 Pounds or 92 USD (for 100ml). It's painful, very painful. So, it was time to find a dupe, and the only one that came to mind was Heimish Black Tea Mask Pack, retailing at 20 USD on Yesstyles (for 110ml).
Time to put these two to the test against each other.
Texture: very similar to each other, but there is a bit of a difference. My mum has compared it to custard. The Heimish one looks like freshly made custard, while the Fresh one looks though one added butter to the freshly made custard. (If this made you hungry, I am not sorry).
Smell: very different. Nothing comparable.
Thoughts upon first application: the Heimish Mask Pack does feel a bit cooling, but not much. The Fresh mask, on the other hand – super cooling.
Thoughts during (at the 10 min mark): the cooling effect of the Fresh mask continues throughout the whole experience. It basically almost freezes your face. It's amazing. The Heimish one, on the other hand, quite minimal in the cooling department.
Thoughts after taking it off: the Fresh mask leaves the skin soft, supple, and with a cooling effect even after you take it off. Like, for another 30 minutes or so. With the Heimish one – the skin is soft, sure, but the moment you remove the mask off the face – the cooling effect disappears.
Final thoughts: I cannot call the Heimish mask a dupe for the Fresh one. It is a cheaper alternative, for sure, but the Fresh mask is definitely superior. Now, a little bit about the ingredients. Fresh uses the Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, while Heimish only uses Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water. Quite a difference in concentration of the “black tea” ingredient. Both products have the Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract – an antioxidant rich ingredient. The Heimish ingredients are not bad at all, but the Fresh inci list is more interesting for me personally. Overall, the Heimish mask is not bad, and I might repurchase it once I am out. But the Fresh mask is King.