A product launched as recently as March of this year would rarely be deemed worthy of “cult” status, however Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask may well be the exception to the rule.
Previously in this Cult Product column, we’ve defined “cult” as a product with appeal that extends beyond popularity- it has the ability to revolutionise a cosmetics category and change how beauty products are formulated and used thereafter. Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask has done precisely that. This is, what I believe to be, the first mask of its kind.
The brainchild of prolific bloggers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores, Summer Fridays came to fruition following the pair’s search for a product that swathed the skin in an instant glow without parabens, sulphates or synthetic ingredients.
The brand debuted with just one product- a move that shows real confidence in that one product, given the gravitas of an entire company’s reputation balancing atop just one tube (a risk similar to the one taken by the Frank Body team, a move discussed in greater depth in Episode 5 of the Glow Journal podcast). That product was the Jet Lag mask- a plumping, hydrating mask formulated as something of a drink of water for tired, overworked skin. Instagram aficionados and beauty editors alike have touted it as a “miracle worker.” Eight hours sleep, in a tube.
What struck me about this mask, however, wasn’t the hype that surrounded it, nor its flatlay-friendly packaging, nor the Instagram pedigree of its founders. Where this mask differs from those that have come before it is that you don’t rinse it off. Rather, you’re instructed to “blot” the mask off after the desired treatment time or, as a quote from Marianna and Lauren embedded on the packaging reads, “We love this as an overnight mask and use it as a hydrating primer under make up too!”
As of Friday December 7, the Jet Lag Mask is available in Australia for the first time as it launches in Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca Maxima and on mecca.com.au (previously, it was only available in Australia online through international retailers). Ahead of its arrival on shelf, Mecca sent me a tube of this supposed miracle salve to try. I’ve made it known, both on this website and on my social profiles, that my approach to skincare reviewing requires a trial of at least three weeks before I can accurately craft a review however I have always made an exception for masks. Masks, particularly of the hydrating variety (purifying masks are a bit trickier), are designed to deliver immediate results so I find that I need only a few days to test a) whether immediate results are, in fact, delivered and b) that I don’t break out or experience any undesirable skin side effects in the days that follow.
What first struck me about this mask is the scent, which is something I’d not seen emphasised in reviews or, if it was written about, was something I’d glossed over. The Jet Lag masks smells sweet and minty, thanks to the inclusion of peppermint oil, and while scent is rarely a real determining factor in a product review for me, this won me over immediately. My face tends to get puffy the second I start prioritising anything over sleep, so I intentionally trialled this after a long night and during a long day. For my first trial, I kept a thin layer of the mask on for a couple of hours while I worked, then massaged any residue into my skin before applying makeup for an evening out. The result was as previous reviews had claimed- instantly more hydrated, glowing skin that my foundation quite literally glided over.
For my second trial, I applied a slightly thicker layer and blotted it off after the recommended 10 minutes, doubtful that the mask could deliver the same results in such a short time frame as I had seen days prior after several hours. I was wrong. My skin looked less puffy almost immediately, thanks to this mask’s potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Is Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask worth the hype? Yes. Absolutely, yes. While I have since read the odd mixed review online, this is a product that truly works for my normal-to-dehydrated skin.
Now Marianna, Lauren? Come to Australia and get on my podcast.
Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask is available in Australia via Mecca from Friday December 7.
While this product was provided courtesy of Mecca Brands, this article is not sponsored, there was no obligation for me to post and all views are, as always, entirely my own.
