Benefits of Hydrogels? | Abib Collagen Gel Mask Sheet Review

Abib has made a variety of skincare lines that revolve around minimalist skincare that is soothing, calming and enriching. Their Heartleaf line is one of their most famous, designed to soothe and relieve acne, sensitive skin and irritation. They are also famous for their Jericho Rose Line, which is rich in ‘Anastatica’ to hydrate and refresh dry skin. And they’ve launched onto the scene a new PDRN+Collagen line that includes a hydrating overnight jelly and undereye patches to refresh the skin. It makes sense, therefore – that their hydrogel mask line-up follows this same pattern: with a Heartleaf Jelly Mask, Rose of Jericho Jelly Mask and a Collagen Jelly Mask. 

So, why are we excited? Hydrogel masks are a new skincare trend that has been raging through 2025, until almost every K-Beauty brand has their own, silky, seaweed-gel mask. What’s the hype around hydrogel? Well, simply put – good hydrogel masks help boost skin repair far more than other face masks. It creates a healing matrix full of nutrients and hydration that helps seal the skin barrier and boost absorption. Its most exciting use has been in wound dressings in medicine, to ensure quicker healing times and reducing scar formation. They also infuse collagen (and other ingredients) into the mask matrix, to ensure deep hydration into skin cells, for firmer, stronger and boosted skin. 

It’s no wonder people are excited about hydrogel masks – so what’s the real-time effect on skin? We’ve bought the Abib Collagen Jelly Mask pack (4 masks) to find out! With absorbable, vegan collagen (extracted from yeast) and hydrating sedum extract – it seems an exciting boost to flaking skin (and one of the most cost-effective hydrogel masks on the market). 

All hydrogel masks are formed with a base of copolymers and seaweed extract (Chondrus Crispus powder). It’s the infusion of other ingredients which will determine if a hydrogel mask is successful at hydrating and firming skin: 

Niacinamide: a favourite of Korean beauty, vitamin B3 helps lift dark spots and even skin tone appearance. It’s most famous for it’s healthy ‘glow’ that it makes on skin. 

Collagen extract: a vegan extract of amino acids from yeast, that helps absorb deep into skin to firm and boost inner collagen production. 

Sedum extract: traditional medicinal plant that boosts natural skin healing, reduces inflammation and irritation. Rich in antioxidants to protect skin against future damage. 

Sodium hyaluronate/Hyaluronic acid: different weights that acts as a powerful water humectant to draw moisture into skin barrier and hold it for a ‘plumping’ and hydrated effect. 

Allantoin: boosts skin cell healing, softens skin texture and infuses deep hydration to repair dry skin, damaged skin or sensitive skin. 

Panthenol: soothing vitamin B5 that helps nourish and repair dry and damaged skin. Deeply soothing and healing. 

Adenosine: boosts hydration and reduces fine lines, whilst naturally stimulating collagen production from within skin cells for improved elasticity. 

Ascorbic acid: aka vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells against environmental and UV damage, whilst improving cell regeneration for a more youthful, refreshed glow. 

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5: a protein that directly stimulates collagen production from within skin cells, to boost natural firmness and reduce fine lines. Also, prevents breakdown of collagen for longer lasting skin plumpness. 

Inside this mask there’s a variety of hydrating and soothing ingredients, as well as a variety of agents that help boost natural collagen production from within. 

This hydrogel mask is designed for gentle hydration and should not cause irritation to any skin type. You should avoid if you are allergic to any of the ingredients or have had a reaction to hydrogel in the past – otherwise hydrogel masks are incredibly beneficial, especially in damaged or irritated skin. 

I love a good hydrogel mask, especially as sheet masks tend to cause irritation and redness to my skin. As summer approaches, a cooling hydrogel mask is my favourite to help soothe and reduce skin redness. Hydrogel masks are biodegradable and environmentally friendly, so I was a little dismayed to see this one wrapped both sides in plastic wrap. It was also hard to remove the plastic eye holes and mouth. But once in place, it has a great grip and doesn’t move around. 

The instruction is for 15-20 minutes, but I kept it on for 30 minutes to ensure good hydration. I would really recommend this mask after using a hydrating serum, to help seal in all the ingredients – but even without any additional serum, it was decently hydrating and plumping.  

Here is the before and after using. You can see the little lift from the added hydration and that obvious niacinamide glow (it makes it an obvious choice for cosmetics as it adds radiance in seconds). It’s not as dewy hydrating as some hydrogel masks – but as one of the cheapest on the market, it makes for a nice and refreshing addition to an evening routine. 

I would absolutely recommend it for combination skin, oily skin or sensitive skin – especially where you note flaking or dryness. I think it would be beneficial for dry skin to an extent – but in terms of needing deep hydration, I think it’s better to invest in a deep serum (the Anua Rice 7 Ceramide Barrier Serum would be my recommendation). 

Although its not deeply hydrating enough for dry skin - it provides a deep and nourishing boost. I would recommend it best for fine lines or dull skin - as the niacinamide provides an immediate boost and glow and skin did appear firmer after use. And as far as hydrogel masks - they are always better than sheet masks in my book!

Looking for more nourishing skincare? Whether you have oily skin, dry skin or sensitive - we have your back! Check out the K-beauty range on Arktastic, with only authentic skincare directly from Seoul.

Looking for more hydrogel fun? Check out our review on the Elizavecca Collagen Hydrogel mask here. Or curious about the benefits of collagen? We have a blog on it!

Elizavecca Botanitch Hydrogel Collagen Recipe Mask Pack Review 

Collagen Benefits in Skincare