Face masks, such as Joey New York Peel-Off Masque ($26.52, amazon.com), are a crucial part of many people’s skin care routines. And just as it can be difficult to find the right cleanser or moisturizer, it can also be tough to find the right mask.

Joey New York sent their mask over for us to try. I found that it was very cleaning, though it probably best suited for oilier skin types.

Coconut Water

The benefits of green coconuts when eaten have been better studied that those looking at its topical application, but the preliminary results are still promising.

Though coconut water has been better studied for its benefits when consumed, there is some information out there about its usage as a topically applied agent.

Coconut water is said to be hydrating to skin and help to improve skin elasticity (Household and Personal Care TODAY). With plenty of vitamins and minerals, as well as animo acids, the water that comes from green coconuts has been shown in studies to improve complexion and roughness (Molecules). It also contains kinetin — found to help as an effective anti-aging treatment — though it doesn’t have as much kinetin as other products.

[Read More: Should You Use Coconut Water on Your Skin?]

Indian Ginseng

Indian Ginseng has been used for years in Ayurvedic medicine, but scientists are just starting to test its abilities now.

This plant has been long used in Ayurvedic medicine for its claimed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and rejuvenating properties — among other things. Preliminary tests show there are some therapeutic benefits with no toxicity (Alternative Medicine Review).

In studies with mice, Indian Ginseng was found to be chemo-preventative and result in a decrease in skin lesions when given to mice with induced skin-cancer. This was attributed to its antioxidant abilities and free radical scavenging (Alternative Medicine Review).

While these are the predominantly skin-related studies, they are promising and more in the future will help us better understand how well coconut water works.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the naturally produced antioxidants found in the skin.

Vitamin E is one of the antioxidants that your skin produces naturally, coming up through the pores in sebum (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology). It works to protect the skin again environmental exposure and UV damage (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology). In this, as well as other ways, Vitamin E helps to protect the skin barrier (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology).

It helps to stop the formation of metalloproteinase matrix mRNA, which is responsible for the degradation of collagen and is part of what makes Vitamin E a staple in anti-aging products (Free Radical Biology and Medicine).

[Read More: Spotlight On: Vitamin E]

Personal Use and Opinion

Joey New York Peel-Off Masque is clear with a gel consistency. The smell when you first squeeze it out is a very potent alcohol scent that I found difficult to deal with — though it does dissipate after it’s applied to the skin. It has a sticky feel to it, which ensures that you don’t put too little on to make a peel-able mask.

You can feel when it dries because it tightens on the face and becomes smooth. I found that it was easy for me to peel off and almost came off all at once. Just be careful not to catch any of your hair in the mask because it’s extremely painful.

Afterward my skin felt very clean, albeit a little dry, but that was easily remedied with the lotion I’d put on after washing my face anyway.

Bottom Line

Joey New York Peel-Off Masque’s ingredients are promising, but primarily unproven. Aside from water, the most prevalent ingredients have been used in traditional medicines for various purposes, but there are few studies to validate their topical usage.

The actual mask has a very strong scent, though it does go away, and a thick glue-like consistency. However, it comes off easily and leaves skin feel clean, if not a bit dry. Overall, it’s a solid mask, though not recommendable to someone with dry skin.

Product Rating: 6/10

• High or optimized concentration of proven effective ingredients: 2/3
• Unique formulation of new technology: 2/3
• Value: 2/3
• Sunscreen: 0/1

 Ingredients

Aqua, Cocus Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Withania Somnifera (Indian Ginseng) Extract, SDA Alcohol # 40, Polyvinyl Alcohol Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, PVP, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Rthylhexylglycerin.