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I recently tried out two facial products I’ve been hearing a lot about–the Hanacure facial and the Zombie Pack. Have you heard of them?

It all started when I saw a segment on TV about the “Game of Thrones” facial, which is done in a salon and costs around $200. I was only able to find one place in our whole city that offered it, and I don’t have the time or the desire to invest in something like that.

The facial is part of a skincare line by DMK that boasts the use of enzymes and albumin to tighten skin. Albumin is found in egg whites, so if you’ve ever made a homemade facial using egg whites, you are familiar with its tightening properties.

So why is it called the “Game of Thrones” facial? Once applied, it tightens your skin so much that you look like a dragon, or one of the greyscale creatures from the show.

So I started looking around for similar products that could be used at home. That’s when I came across the Hanacure facial and the Zombie Pack. The Hanacure facial is a favorite among celebrities, and is one of many products available in the ever popular line of Korean skin care products that seem to be everywhere. I have noticed an entire section dedicated to Korean products at Ulta.

A set that you purchase from the Hanacure website includes four treatments and costs $110. But before you commit, you can purchase a starter kit for $29. The starter kit is also available on Amazon.

I decided to go with the starter kit to see what all the fuss is about. It boasts anti-aging, clarifying, lifting, firming, brightening, contouring, pore tightening, and skin tone evening. That’s a lot of punch for such a tiny product. The packaging is lovely, and it is easy to use. There is a powder mixture, which is the gelling solution, and a lifting serum.

 

The gelling solution is in a little cup of powder with a foil cover. You pull it back about half way to open it. Be very careful to do this gently or the powder will go flying everywhere, and that is some expensive powder. 🙂 Then you open the lifting serum, which is in a tiny glass bottle. You pour that into the powder, pull the cover back over the cup and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.

Make sure you have a good seal on that little foil cover or you will make a mess. The product is thoroughly mixed in the 20 seconds. You then use the brush that is provided to apply the product all over your face and neck, avoiding the eye area and lips. The instructions indicate to leave the product on your face for 30 minutes.

Okay, this stuff PULLS. Like can’t open your mouth pulls. Like Jennifer Garner in that darling movie 13 Going on 30 where she has a facial mask on and can’t open her mouth to eat so she pushes Cheetos through the tiny opening she can make with her mouth.

It distorted my lips and even flared my nostrils.

I felt like I looked like one of those pig looking freaks that they used to like to use in the old Twilight Zone series. My husband said I looked scary and gross. 🙂

The instructions suggest fanning your face to increase the tightening effect. I did that for a while and could feel the mask tightening. I also noticed it tightened up whenever I happened to walk under a ceiling fan.

By the end of the 30 minutes you cannot move your face at all. Then you rinse off the product, which is very gelatinous as you are removing it, so be very thorough to get all of it off.

My face felt very soft after removing it, although it was a little red in places for about twenty minutes after I removed it. I applied a moisturizer to seal the deal. I didn’t really notice any major lifting or contouring but the soft hydrated feel of my skin remained even days after using it. Perhaps the lifting and contouring occurs with repeated use. I should also note that I did not detect any smell with this product. Odorless.

Next I tried the Zombie Pack. The thing that appealed to me about this product was the price. It is only about $20 for 8 treatments.

This one claims to lift and hydrate, address enlarged pores, fine lines, and aging skin. I think the name is self explanatory, so I fully expected to look like a zombie with this one.

The mixing worked pretty much the same as with the Hanacure, in that you mix a liquid with a powder to create the solution you apply to your face. But with the Zombie Pack you don’t shake the mixture, you blend it with the brush that is included. Then you apply it to your face and wait for it to set up.

 

Unlike the Hanacure, this one definitely had a smell. Not unpleasant, kind of a mixture between a men’s aftershave and some kind of food I can’t quite place. My dog was definitely interested in it, as she kept sniffing my face as I sat on the couch waiting for the magic to happen. You leave this one on for 10-15 minutes.

If the Hanacure makes you look like a dragon, the Zombie Pack gives you a glimpse of what you will look like when you are 150 years old. Or what you would look like if you were a dried out glazed donut. 🙂 I’m going with that.

This product pulled as well, but not as aggressively as the Hanacure. And it was initially more difficult to remove. I started splashing water on my face to remove it, and rubbing my face was painful. I quickly figured out to apply water to my face without rubbing, just letting the water dissolve the product a little first. Then everything came off smoothly.

As with the Hanacure, my face felt soft after using the Zombie Pack. I did not notice any dramatic lifting, but as with the other product, perhaps results become more apparent with repeated use. I can definitely report back on the Zombie Pack since it came with eight treatments.

So what is the verdict?

• The Hanacure product definitely tightened significantly more than the Zombie Pack while on my face.
• It left my face feeling very soft, as did the Zombie Pack, but I feel like that benefit lasted longer with the Hanacure facial.
• The Zombie Pack was initially harder to remove than the Hanacure.
• The Hanacure facial is significantly more expensive than the Zombie Pack, at $110 for 4 treatments, vs. $20 for 8 treatments with the Zombie Pack. Does more expensive mean better?

I’m not sure if more expensive means better results. My skin was a bit softer after using the Hanacure product vs. the Zombie Pack, but not $90 softer. 🙂 Neither product left me saying, “Wow! My skin looks WAY better than it did 30 minutes ago.” As I’ve said before, I don’t really have any significant skin issues other than a softening of the firmness that was once there. But I am getting up there in years so this may just be my destiny unless I want to undergo a face lift, which I do not.

I think my plan is to continue to use the Zombie Pack’s remaining 7 treatments, using it once a week. I will see if I can tell a difference after two months of use. I’ll go from there and decide if I want to try another round with the Hanacure product.

Regardless of which product you choose, they are both fun to use, watching your face distort beyond recognition. 🙂 And they do both leave your skin feeling softer and hydrated. I don’t think either product offered visible lifting after one treatment. I’ll let you know if I see anything happening after repeated use. It’s really up to you to decide how much money you want to invest since the products differ significantly in price.

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried either one or both of these facials. Feel free to leave a comment!

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