Sheet masks are huge in South Korea, and the trend has been migrating onto the faces of Western women with impressive pace. It’s bad news for mask-lovers though, as new research by Racked reveals that some masks are being folded in people’s home, often without gloves.
Photos have emerged online showing the same piece of cardboard being used to fold multiple masks, on what appears to be a household coffee table. Pretty grim.
It’s illegal to make cosmetics at home in South Korea but, with so many small companies, relatively common. However, Racked reports that even major companies like Mediheal and SNP have been using human labour in producing their masks. Mask folding is a popular way to earn extra cash, with many students and housewives taking up the roles, often for a low wage.
Even sterilized masks can still have debris such as hairs in them, and with factory sanitation an ongoing issue, there's no telling what your sheet mask has been through. Not what you want to be putting on your face anytime soon.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.