We Tried The £18 ‘Radiance’ Face Mask The Internet’s Obsessed With – And It’s Worth The Hype

Here's an unpopular opinion, of all the various steps in my skincare routine, face masks are my least favourite. There is something about sitting there with a wet sheet or cold paste on my face for the best part of 20 minutes that seems gruelling, annoying and plain boring... I did say unpopular opinion, didn't I? I also wonder about its effects – how can a once a week treatment promise to transform my skin in 20 minutes? Despite my personal reservations, face masks are big news. Look to K-beauty breakout brand, Beauty Of Joseon, whose Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask, £18, has sent shockwaves through social media. This week alone, the mask was up 700% in searches on Google.

But the brand is no one hit wonder. It boasts 108.9K posts on TikTok with many of its offerings, from the Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics, £15.50, to the Glow Serum : Propolis + Niacinamide, £15, managing to hit the viral stratosphere. In fact, Beauty Of Joseon's reach is so influential that Boots recently decided to lean into the demand for K-beauty by welcoming it, alongside five other Korean skincare brands, to its virtual shelves. Yes, you can now click and collect Korea's hottest beauty commodities alongside your pack of cotton pads.

Beauty Of Joseon has managed to stand out of the brimming and ever-expanding K-beauty world thanks to its efficacious and affordable formulas. Inspired by Bing Heo-gak Lee's 'Regulation Book (Gyuhap Chongseo)' published in the 1800's during the Korean Joseon Dynasty, which, according to the brand's website literature, seeks to 'enrich women's lives to be more convenient in daily life,' Beauty Of Joseon launched in 2013 to that end with a roster of no-nonsense, approachable, kind-to-skin products that are made from herbal ingredients that have been used since the Joseon Dynasty.

The Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask is a product of that historical influence. Enriched with elasticity-boosting makgeolli, a traditional Korean liquor made from fermented rice which contains brightening and moisturising kojic acid and galactomyces byproducts, as well as rice hull powder to remove dead skin cells and impurities, the mask is well-loved for its ability to deeply hydrate, illuminate and calm the skin. The latter quality is all down to the inclusion of anti-inflammatory honey and sebum-sapping kaolin, which work to soothe and purify pores.

Arguably, the star of the show is rice, which has fast-become a star ingredient in the beauty world with its benefits spanning hair and skin (CC: the 'rice water' trend, made from soaking rice to create a fermented, watery byproduct). For hair, it has been said to contain vitamins and minerals that are key to a healthy scalp and hair growth, as for skin, its effects span improvements in hyperpigmentation, acne, hydration levels and protection from free radical damage thanks to its antioxidant-rich contents.

As an longtime anti-masker, I'm pleased to say I've really taken to this. I am a total K-beauty convert and this mask proves why the trend for Korean skincare is the new-age of healthy skin. While its nourishing texture instantly leaves my skin comfortable and hydrated, I particularly love the grittiness of the rice hull powder which is gentle yet hardworking enough to lift dirt and dead skin. That same grit makes me feel like the mask is truly doing something to the problematic, acne-prone skin sitting beneath it, not least because my face is always left, smooth, supple and clearer after use. And, if you're anything like me, you'll appreciate the mattifying effect it leaves behind, too.

While TikTok clearly reflects the mask's popularity, with swarms of beauty buffs taking to the app to share their love of the viral skincare buy, experts back it, too. Biochemist @4complexion, who has tested the mask herself says, 'I recommend trying this mask for people with excessive oil production and breakout issues. It can also benefit people living in cities with high pollution levels. It can help detoxify the skin, clear the pores and calm and soothe inflammation.' She's not lying there.

Shop: Beauty Of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask

Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).