Keana Nadeshiko Rice Mask: The Drugstore Sheet Mask I Keep Going Back To
I’m a rice girl, both in my diet and skincare.
Those who frequent Japanese drugstores would find the Keana brand by Ishizawa Lab highly recognisable with its cute packaging. Keana is “pores” in Japanese, and the brand offers cleansing products for both genders. They debuted with their signature baking soda cleanser in 2007 and the rice line was launched later in 2014.
I first picked up the multipack sheet mask in Japan, seeing that it ranked number 1 on @cosme charts in 2019. Since then, the only times I’ve strayed from it were when it went out of stock (which happens more often than you may think)!
Ingredients
Made in Japan from 100% domestically-produced rice, the serum is formulated to minimise the appearance of large pores while hydrating the skin. However, as with Japanese sheet masks, the product is not alcohol and paraben-free. Key ingredients include:
Fermented rice liquid (i.e. sake) – moisturises skin
Rice bran oil – plumps skin by improving skin elasticity
Rice ceramides – conditions skin by restoring its natural barrier to retain moisture, preventing the overproduction of sebum
Rice bran extract – improves skin appearance and texture
Packaging
The sheet mask comes in two sizes: a resealable zip lock bag of 10 available at most drugstores, and a special box of 28 available exclusively at LOG-ON and city’super. The latter is my favourite as it lasts me two months and costs less than HK$4.50 per sheet. Multipack masks have been trending among Japanese drugstore brands for a long time now. I love that they are a more eco-friendly option for frequent users and that they don’t come with the disposable film that I hate – it always drips all over the place and gives me more trash to deal with!
Nevertheless, most multipack sheet masks I’ve tried feel somewhat cheap. Either the mask texture feels like rough paper, or there’s just not enough serum which makes the masks dry out quicker. With the Keana Nadeshiko Rice Mask, there’s plenty of the light, milky serum to go around so your masks will stay moist, down to the very last sheet. That being said, do remember to seal the bag or box properly after using it all the same. And as much as I love the mask, don’t take it travelling with you because the zip-lock is never really air-tight and serum will spill all over the place.
Usage
The sheet mask is on the thicker side and holds a fair amount of serum. The texture resembles cotton paper – comfortable to touch but also a tad fragile – so it pays to be gentle and not rip the mask.
As the mask doesn’t contain fragrance, there’s no overpowering or artificial smell which some other brands have and really put me off. It fits well to my face and I only have to fold down tiny bits on my forehead and the tip of my nose.
The reason this mask is one of my favourites is that it just feels great.
Given how long I’ve been using this sheet mask, I wouldn’t say it’s done wonders on my visible pores. But I can always count on it to leave my skin visibly softer and plumper, in the sort of dewy way that has a stickiness to it but isn’t tacky. It also has not caused any breakouts, despite my sensitive and combination skin.
Because of how moist the mask is, I reserve it for night routines rather than as a quick pick-me-up before makeup. This means I can leave the serum on if I’m feeling lazy, otherwise I rinse or go in with toner on a cotton pad to gently pad off the excess liquid.
Given how affordable the Keana Nadeshiko Rice Mask is, it’s at least worth giving the 10-pack a shot. And while I don’t use it every day, I do keep it on rotation with several other products; it’s my favourite follow-up product after a cleansing mask.
Bonus tip: Leave it in the refrigerator for a refreshing boost. I love how it calms my skin and reduces any redness that has flared up.
So, What Do You Think?
Have you tried Keana Nadeshiko products before? Or maybe you’re not a fan of Japanese multipack sheet masks.
Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear what you have in mind!
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