The power of the beauty influencer is real.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, $48, available here.
Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed a certain beauty product in a slim blue tube all over your Instagram feed — at least, if you happen to follow beauty editors (hi!), influencers or those generally in the beauty realm. After months of teasing the launch of their new beauty brand Summer Fridays, influencers Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland officially debuted their inaugural skin-care product: the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. It’s currently sold out on the brand’s own website (a re-stock is in progress) and ranks as the top product on Sephora‘s “Bestsellers” page.
I got my hands on a tube at the New York City launch event last week, and after my own obligatory Instagram Stories post on the product, my DMs were full of questions, ranging from “Why am I seeing this EVERYWHERE right now??!!!” to “Is it worth it?” Now that I’ve used the mask twice, I feel equipped to give a full review.
The short answer: I like it! A lot!
The longer answer: Hewitt and Gores Ireland know what they’re doing. They conceived of the mask — an intensely moisturizing (but not greasy) white cream that goes on mostly clear — when looking for a way to remedy the dullness and dryness that can result from lots of air travel and an irregular sleeping schedule. The idea is that you slather on the blend of antioxidants, moisturizers, gentle exfoliators and brighteners while you travel (or any time your skin needs a little extra TLC). It doesn’t have the typical goopiness of most face masks — it’s more akin to an ultra-rich face cream or balm — so if you’re okay with looking super-dewy on a plane (I certainly am; I hate being matte) you could totally wear it in public and have your travel companions be none the wiser.
When I tested the mask, I applied it all over my face, concentrating on the eye area. According to the package instructions, you can use it on your eyelids and below your eyes, a big departure from most skin-care products that caution you to stay away from that area. As someone who struggles with genetic undereye circles as well eye sensitivity, that aspect really makes this product a game-changer for me.
Like any face mask, you smooth it over clean skin and then let it do its thing for a little while. Because it’s essentially a really luxurious moisturizer on steroids, you could totally leave it on all day if you wanted to. But when you do want to remove it, you can simply blot away any of the residue still left with a tissue or whisk it away with a damp cloth. When I did so, my winter-ravaged, when-will-spring-ever-arrive dry skin looked smoother, more supple, less haggard and subtly brighter. Sometimes I get weird, minor rosacea flare-ups, and I swear this helped keep them at bay while also brightening and smoothing out the skin around my eyes.
After the first use, I left the mask on for about 10 minutes in the morning, and my makeup went on more smoothly than it normally does (without the pilling or flaking that can happen when I leave a thick moisturizer on).
I also love that it’s free of parabens, artificial fragrance, petrolatum and a host of other potential irritants, as well as being vegan and cruelty-free. (The brand’s creators took care to prioritize all of that based on what they look for in products as consumers, and also because so many of their followers ask for products that fall into this category).
Yes, I do think it’s a bit pricey — but the tube is pretty sizable, and especially considering a thin layer of the mask goes a long way, I’m guessing it’ll last for a while. Even if you use it, like, really often. Which, just in case it wasn’t glaringly obvious from how much I’m gushing, I absolutely plan to.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, $48, available here.
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