It is easy for one to diagnose skin dullness for himself. Simply cleanse, gaze in the mirror and look for signs like greyness (sometimes, a blue tinge or a “yellow cloud”)or roughness, especially around the cheeks. If further confirmation is needed, repeat in sunlight. The skin will look “flat” if its surface is opaque, which is a confirmation of a lack of light.

One of the biggest reasons could be poor sleep habits (a 2022 YouGov survey reported that 30% of Singaporeans get five to six hours of sleep), where the rise of cortisol levels leads to the breakdown of the proteins that keep the skin smooth and glowing. Coupled with inflammation that messes up the skin barrier, dehydration can be expected too, which causes an uneven skin surface where light reflects unevenly

By no means, however, is the Ceramique Aesthetics DermaAqua Vit B5 Silk Mask a replacement for seven hours of sleep, but one can think of it as a “prevention or cure” method for dull skin. The secret in each serum-soaked sheet (a pro tip: apply excess on the body after squeezing it out before tearing the package open) is sodium hyaluronate. Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid and has a lower molecular weight, making it small enough to penetrate the epidermis, providing intense hydration.

With one of the key ingredients sorted for the mask (it is the first ingredient on the list, which means one is getting a powerful dose of it with each use), Ceramique Aesthetics next thought about what else can be added to reap another benefit of sodium hyaluronate. The ingredient has the ability to enhance the effects of other actives by easing their penetration through the epidermis.

Ceramique Aesthetics decided to focus on ones that soothe, regenerate, and of course, brighten. Aloe extract was added for its anti-inflammatory properties, allantoin improves the skin’s healing rate, and red algae extract gently removes dead skin cells while protecting the skin from photodamage and photoaging.

Now, for what also makes this cleanser a winner due to how we personally like to use it: as a quick fix on days where we had a night of poor sleep, a treatment for dehydration that occurs from travelling from one climate to another, a soothing way to rebalance oily or dry skin, and more often than not, a mask we like to wear during office hours as we frequently move in and out of air-conditioned rooms: Ceramique Aesthetics’s DermaAqua Vit B5 Silk Mask adheres snugly to the face and continues doing so even after the duration (20 to 25 minutes) one is encouraged to leave it on.

The glow-up, too, lasts equally long. Expect constantly clearer, smoother, and brighter skin if one uses this diligently at least once a week.

The Ceramique Aesthetics DermaAqua Vit B5 Silk Mask is priced at $68 for a box of five and is available at Orchard Central #03-13/14, 235A/237A New Bridge Road, Tampines 1 #04-29 or on ceramique.com.sg.