REVIEW Dr Georgia Lee's Dual Use Moisturising Mask

I wish I had this DrGL Restore Gel Mask, $38 (100ml) and $68 (240ml) after my face firming salon procedure last year. I used this wonderfully cooling mask twice for this review - once before chilling it and the second time after it was chilled.


Mask Trial before chilling:My skin feels cool the moment it is smoothed on. I like the subtle delicious aroma of the herbs (like a not-so-sweet and yummy jelly dessert). At the end of the 20 minutes, the gel on some parts of my face was fully absorbed and my skin appears more hydrated than before.

Explanation from Dr Georgia Lee:

I am amazed that there was a cooling sensation even though it wasn't chilled before use. Explains Dr Georgia Lee, founder of TLC Medical Centre in Singapore, "The gel has remarkable absorption ability which goes right into the skin. This creates a cooling of the skin temperature and hence the cooling sensation is felt." When the 20 minutes was up, the amount of gel on my face seem to have reduced very slightly, while the gel seems to have penetrated the skin without a trace on some parts of the face. The latter parts of the face which seemed to have absorbed the gel had some rubbery bits when I rubbed my skin. According to Dr Lee, the rubbery texture is the remnant of excess gel that the skin could not absorb. It forms a protective layer over the skin.

I wanted to leave the gel on my face and use it like a sleeping mask after the session so I asked Dr Lee if it would clog up my skin. Apparently, Dr Lee assures that it is all right not to wipe off the excess mask as instructed on the packaging. 

Mask Trial after chilling the mask:
Great for a Saturday cool down, the chilled gel mask immediately cools the skin upon application - even more than when unchilled. At the end of the 20-minute masking session, there was less gel on my skin compared to when the gel was used unchilled. This time I also applied the gel over my very dry lips and went to bed with the excess gel mask on my face (using it like sleeping mask).  The result? Both my skin and lips are better hydrated the next morning sans clogs. The pimple that has been bothering me for days also seem to be drier than before -- feels like there's a scab over the bump. Lips are smoother, softer and fuller with less obvious lines.

Explanation from Dr Lee:
According to Dr Lee, using it chilled is highly recommended especially on skin which has just undergone laser treatment or burnt from tanning. When the mask is chilled before use, the cold improves the efficacy of the mask. It soothes burnt skin with an “ice pack“ effect, while hydrating skin to further reduce redness through vasoconstriction (reduction of blood vessels from the cold effect), says Dr Lee.
Mask Trial (as sleep mask): (updated 3 March 2014)

Smoother hands the monring after

I went to bed after smoothing on a thin layer of this mask over my face and hands. I was greeted with plumped up complexion and smoother hands the next morning. I had forgotten that I had gone to bed with the mask as my complexion wasn't sticky when I looked in the mirror, just more plumped up than the day before. I am amazed yet again by the positive results.


Factual Bits on Skin Benefits
DrGL Restore Gel Mask soothes and reduces skin redness with Gardenia Florida Fruit and Guaiazulene. It also protects skin with antioxidants and anti-bacterial ingredients. Its soothing properties make it a great travel companion especially when travelling to colder and drier climates, and even more so if skin tends to turn red with dryness in changing environments.

On sun burns, newly tanned skin and post-procedure treatments: the fact that it has no artificial preservatives or fragrances makes it safe for use on such skin conditions. The blend of natural products such as extracts of Paeonia Suffruticosa Root, Chamomilla Recutita Flower and Centella Asiatica, as well as Guaiazulene and Aloe Vera soothe, reduce inflammation, repair and reverse damage


Dry Skin

It's a hydrating gel, I wonder how well it will benefit dry skin if used daily. Dr Lee explains that using this gel everyday repairs and reverses the daily damage from stress, exposure to UV radiation, pollution and microscopic abrasions from daily handling of our skin. 

So does it improve dry skin to the point that fine lines are smoothed out permanently with the improved hydration? "No," says Dr Lee. "No product can permanently remove lines as ageing and skin traction from the daily handling of the skin happens every minute. What we can do is to use the right ingredients in the right product, in the right manner to delay and repair concurrently."

With this reply, we should all be mindful of the claims that some products promises with hydration and also smooth out lines.

For Destinations experiencing cold weather and dry air:

This gel is a great travel companion as it treats wind burns however, it is not moisturising enough to prevent it, cautions Dr Lee. So to prevent wind burns in drier climates, layer this wonder gel with a richer moisturiser over it. "It is important for the Restore Gel to be in direct contact with the skin so that skin receives maximim benefits of the soothing ingredients," reminds Dr Lee on the sequence of gel application. 

Packaging
I love its light weight packaging and practical twist-to-lock pump dispenser. When there is no time to rebottle this into a smaller container, these two plus points make it suitable for throwing into the toiletry bag.

Product response so far 

Those who have used this gel love it for its high hydration properties without leaving skin clogged. "Our product was sold out in 6 weeks after the initial retail market launch in Jan 2013," shares Dr Lee.

Conclusion: Personally, the efficacy and price point of the product makes it a MUST BUY considering that most commercial face masks start from $50 and above for a 100ml bottle. I would alternate this with my other face masks as hydration is key in achieving youthful skin.