Mask 101
My absolute favorite part of skincare are masks. I seriously cannot get enough of them. Technology and science evolve quite quickly & with them so do skincare products, for this reason skincare can get a little overwhelming, everyone is always talking about "the next best thing" & I can see how it can be a little difficult to start a proper regimen on your own following solely the advice of someone on the internet.
My advice would be to understand your skin, don't buy something just because you've heard rave reviews about it. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Educate yourself. Know your skin type and the issues you want to solve on your skin & go from there. The skin on your face is not something you want to mess with. I wish I would've followed this advice years ago prior to giving myself contact dermatitis and slight eczema. Luckily, I have completely reversed these skin issues and I'm pretty happy with the skin on my face today.
I think I have narrowed my skincare down to a relatively minimal, yet effective routine. You can see my skincare video HERE. After using tons and tons of unnecessary skincare products I came to the realization that the simpler your routine the better, at least for my very dry, very sensitive skin.
With that said, I don't believe that there is a single mask out there that does it all and takes care of every single problem you may be having with your skin. This is why even though I try to keep my skincare minimal I always have several masks that I use on rotation depending on what my skin needs at the moment & today I'll be sharing these bad boys with you!
1. Caudalie Instant Detox Mask
- Immediately minimizes the appearance of my pores
- Doesn't dry out my skin
- Really does detox my clogged pores & evens texture
This one is a new favorite and I am so pleasantly surprised every time I use this mask and look at my skin the next day. I noticed that the pores on my cheeks were becoming a little larger and I really wanted to try something that targeted that specific problem. Coincidently, this was part of my Sephora free point perk and after using it one time I knew I had to purchase it. It REALLY does minimize my pores and make my skin look very uniform. I also use this when my skin is congested and it works wonders on my texture. It doesn't dry out or irritate my skin in any way, my skin loves this stuff.. I'm obsessed.
- Peel off mask
- Excellent for fine lines
- Firms my skin and evens my texture
One of my favorites!... I'm sure you've probably heard three million and two people talk about this mask already but it's for a very good reason... It does wonders for the firmness & suppleness of your skin. I have laugh lines that can look pretty bad if my skin lacks suppleness & this just does such a great job at plumping my skin. It also helps my texture... most of these masks help with my texture. Overall, it just makes my skin look very even and cohesive.
3. Odacite Synergie Perfecting Beauty Masque
- Detoxes
- Removes dead skin
- Brightens and evens skin tone
- Firms
This is kind of your one-stop-shop if you want a mask that does a little bit of everything, besides hydration of course. However, even though it doesn't supply hydration it does not irritate or further dry out my skin.
4. Jack Black Deep Dive Glycolic Cleanser
- Detoxes, firms, reduces appearance of pores
- Can be used as a mask or cleanser
- Doesn't dry out my already dry skin
- Vegan & fragrance free
EXCELLENT for when your skin is congested and you just need to bring everything to the surface. This can also be used as a cleanser but I have only used it as a mask, and again, even though it is a detox mask it does not dry out my skin, nor does it irritate my skin.
5. Origins Retexturing Mask with Rose Clay
- Removes layer of dead skin including dry patches
- Reveals skins radiance
- Evens texture
This little guy is going to be in my mask collection for many, many years to come because it's one of those masks that you notice a major difference in your skin right away. This mask dries like a regular mud mask but you're left with a sandy texture which exfoliates your skin when you're rinsing it off.
Whenever I touch my face and feel dry patches I use this mask and it takes care of everything. I do not have acne prone skin and I rarely get hormonal acne BUT I do get really annoying texture on my forehead, my jawline & chin. My skin gets clogged and I get little bumps that are nearly impossible to get rid of. This mask does a really good job at clearing that stubborn texture.
- Supposedly great for acne
- Vegan, cruelty free & organic
- Evens out skin tone
Whenever I feel as though my skin is looking a little uneven, blotchy or dull, I pop this mask on and it does the trick. It also moisturizes and brightens my face. Many people who suffer from acne claim that it is excellent for clearing their skin.
7. Murad Rapid Age Spot Lightening Serum
Technically, this isn't really considered a mask but I wanted to include it because I use it as a spot treatment overnight. Whenever I get a blemish I am almost always left with a dark spot and this serum seriously does what it claims to do. I place a little bit of it onto the spot that needs to be lightened with a Q-tip and the next day the spot is much lighter, it usually takes a couple of tries to completely lighten the spot if it's very dark but it still works great none-the-less.
- Takes care of dryness
- Soothes redness
- Minimizes pores
This mask really tones and soothes my skin. It also works really well for minimizing my pores and introducing moisture and suppleness back into my skin when it is feeling dehydrated... which is the majority of the time.