When a brand goes from a dreamy Instagram feed straight to the shelves of Sephora (using words like ‘waiting list’ in the process), the camp of beauty enthusiasts is bound to get divided. When Summer Fridays debuted their Jet Lag Mask earlier this year, I was among those feeling the hype. The nourishing formula definitely helped my haggard complexion both onboard and after deplaning. So when a mailer of the recently launched Overtime Mask arrived, I was semi-amused when many of you slid into my DMs asking “how are you liking the glorified St. Ives Apricot Scrub?” Ouch.
Guess what?
I used the St. Ives original formula for years during my twenties. I’d get 3-packs at Costco. Yes, she shops there. Was it amazing? It exfoliated. It never triggered an emergency room visit nor did it tear my skin causing any adverse reaction. Perhaps the beauty industry and its landscape were different back then and we didn’t question ground up walnut shells (before we fell for microbeads). The scrub worked. Confession time over. Back to Summer Fridays.
The newness
Overtime is an exfoliating treatment tailored to revive dull skin tone and refine the appearance of congested pores. It uses nutrient dense Pumpkin Extract to deliver a dose of antioxidants (Vitamins A and C) as well as gentle yet effective enzyme and Alpha Hydroxy Acid charged resurfacing. Boosted with Apricot Seed Powder for additional mechanical exfoliation, the creamy texture feels gritty but not rough. Beta Carotene helps to neutralize free radical damage triggered by the unavoidable exposure to environmental stressors we experience on a daily basis.
How to use
Unlike Jet Lag, Overtime is strictly a rinse-off formula. First, apply it to dry, freshly cleansed face and massage in for a minute to help slough off the top layer of skin cells. Leave it on for another ten minutes during which all the nourishing, brightening and reviving actions happen. Since the crushed apricot seed bits always cling onto my hairline and eyebrows, I prefer to wash it off in the shower. In the mask’s defense, you could smuggle things across borders in my brows. Every physical scrub particle gets stuck in there without fail.
#TGISF vibes
Summer Fridays focuses on a fall-friendly aromatherapy in this new launch. Staying true to its chicness, there is nothing ‘pumpkin spice latte’ about Overtime. The founders are allergic to basic. It’s gourmand in a pumpkin parfait at a Jean-Georges restaurant kinda way with notes of ginger, clove, cardamom, and nutmeg. The scent is light, pleasant, and all natural.
My thoughts
Overtime is a lovely mask but my thirty eight year-old skin may need an exfoliant that’s a bit stronger to achieve that instagrammable glow. It feels great on and there is only a slight tingle, but the glow was achieved as a cumulative result after I applied Jet Lag as a follow up step. If you’re able to justify the price tag for some at-home pumpkin facials this fall, definitely give it a try. And rest assured, it couldn’t be more different from the St. Ives OG if it tried.
$44 (2.25 oz.) at Sephora.com
