Diamonds are a girl's best friend—but are they your skin's? I tried 111Skin's coveted Celestial Black Diamond face mask to find out.
Much like gold-flaked foodstuffs, the inclusion of diamond particles in beauty products sounds like a gimmick—and an excuse to hike up the price of an otherwise basic formula by way of fancy marketing. Do a little digging, however, and you'll find that the glamorous ingredient actually has been shown to offer real benefits. Per various studies, diamond nanoparticles can help deliver ingredients deeper into the skin (therefore increasing their effectiveness), and, thanks to gem's reflective nature, can even aid in protecting skin from UV rays.
With that in mind, the hype surrounding 111Skin's signature sheet mask doesn't seem so farfetched. The hydrogel masks are meant to lift, firm and plump your complexion, and are infused with diamond particles "to help powerful peptides travel deep into the skin," according to the brand. Alas, these masks are pricey ($28 each), but since they're currently on rare deal in a pack of five at the Dermstore Anniversary Sale—bringing the set down from $140 to $105 with code CHEERS—I figured there was no better time to pick up a pack and try them for myself. And, honestly, I'm so glad I did.
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