Esfolio Red Ginseng Essence Mask Sheet for combination skin
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other nourishing masks fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers excellent nourishing for your combination skin due to the presence of red ginseng extract and panax ginseng extract, which revitalize and improve skin elasticity.
- Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide general hydration benefits, which are supportive for your skin type.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- You can use this sheet mask PM or AM to control oily shine. Start 3 times a week and increase if your skin likes it.
- Apply this sheet mask after cleansing and toning, and before putting on your moisturizer.
- Unfold the sheet mask and gently press it onto your face, smoothing it out without rubbing. Leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes before removing.
- Put the sheet mask on clean skin to help your face absorb the essence better. Pat any remaining liquid gently into your skin.
- Avoid getting the product too close to your eyes. Do a quick patch test before your very first use.
People Say
★3.8Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this mask is recognized as an affordable, highly saturated sheet mask that provides a quick, revitalizing hydration boost and a temporary plumping effect for tired skin. Its performance is often overshadowed by a very strong, earthy ginseng scent and a sticky finish that some users find unpleasant.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “It is definitely hydrating”
- “moisturized my skin very well”
- “leaves skin feeling moist”
Generous essence Mostly Mentioned
- “Packed with essence”
- “soaked and dripping”
- “extra essence for neck/arms”
Strong scent Mostly Mentioned
- “Terrible smell”
- “smells like olives/oysters”
- “very strong ginseng scent”
Affordable price Often Mentioned
- “Less than $1 a mask”
- “budget sheet mask”
- “great value for money”
Plumping effect Sometimes Noted
- “Has a plumping effect”
- “skin looked and felt revitalized”
- “velvety hydration hit”
Sticky residue Sometimes Noted
- “It's like Velcro”
- “sticky”
- “disgusting how it makes skin feel”
Temporary results Sometimes Noted
- “Revitalized look is short-lived”
- “no long term affects”
- “results are fleeting”
Irritating ingredients Rarely Noted
- “Contains denatured alcohol”
- “not for sensitive skin”
- “felt a little tingly”
Sources: lovi.care, wordpress.com, dermapproved.com, youtube.com, makeupstore.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does esfolio Red Ginseng Essence Mask Sheet work for combination skin?
This mask works for your combination skin by nourishing it and providing general hydration, though other products fit your skin better. To work best for combination skin, a mask of this type needs heartleaf extract and other ingredients that balance moisture levels without overwhelming the skin, while calming oily shine and keeping skin comfortable.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for combination skin?
Red ginseng extract and panax ginseng extract make this mask a good fit by revitalizing and improving skin elasticity, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide supportive hydration. To fit combination skin even better, a mask of this type needs heartleaf extract or other calming and hydrating ingredients that balance moisture levels and manage oily shine without overwhelming the skin.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Red Ginseng Extract do for combination skin?
Red Ginseng Extract helps balance combination skin by improving moisture, tone, and resilience while supporting a calm and smooth complexion. It may also help protect against daily skin stress and signs of aging.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This nourishing mask fits into a weekly routine for combination skin after cleansing and before toning and moisturizing. To better support combination skin, this product type needs extra balancing ingredients and lightweight moisture that target both oily and dry areas.
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this mask alongside retinol by applying it before your retinol treatment on nights you do not use strong exfoliants, or by using it as a weekly boost to keep your combination skin soft and hydrated. This type of skin works best with nourishing ingredients like red ginseng extract and soothing agents that help maintain moisture balance while managing retinoids.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this mask?
You can use this nourishing mask occasionally as an extra step in your weekly routine, as it works well enough for your combination skin without being a daily essential. Red Ginseng Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate help keep your skin hydrated and refreshed, while Glycerin supports your skin barrier.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Ginseng Research, 2020
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This mask is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin because it has a safe formula without harsh ingredients. However, a product of this type needs lighter hydrators and oil-balancing ingredients to give your skin a better fit.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
Korean Red Ginseng extract suppressed melanogenesis in vitro, reduced wrinkle formation and collagen degradation in ultraviolet B-irradiated hairless mice, and improved skin resilience, moisture, and tone in humans.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2020A mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida prevented skin aging by improving procollagen type I expression, diminishing matrix metalloproteinase-1 secretion, reducing skin roughness and photodamage scores, and decreasing loss of skin moisture in human dermal fibroblasts and healthy human skin.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2017Panax ginseng root extract induced Type I procollagen synthesis and COL1A2 promoter activity through Smad2 phosphorylation in human dermal fibroblast cells.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Enzyme-modified ginseng extract cream significantly reduced the global photo-damage score and various roughness measures including total roughness, smoothness depth, and arithmetic roughness average compared to placebo in 23 human subjects.
Rejuvenation Research, 2015A red ginseng hydrogel formulation with 1,2-hexanediol promoted selective growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and decreased Cutibacterium acnes in 20 female subjects.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2022A 1% fermented black ginseng cream significantly reduced eye wrinkles and brightened skin color in twenty-three human subjects compared to control cream and baseline.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A, 2020Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other nourishing masks fit combination skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Red Ginseng Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Phyisepipi-17 6 Copolymer, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium Edta, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chlorphenesin, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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