Masks are a great way to seriously treat your skin to the nourishment it needs. They are also a great way to just kick back and relax while feeling like you’re getting something done for yourself. Most usually focus on hydration or drawing out impurities. They come in all forms — sheet masks, clay masks, overnight masks and more. You can incorporate them into a spa night with girlfriends or as a regular part of your luxurious Sunday-night routine. Whatever you choose, it’s important to pick the right mask for your skin type so that you don’t find yourself inflamed or greasy. The following is a guide to choosing the right mask for your skin type.
Dry Skin
With dry skin, it’s important to find a mask that will nourish and repair your skin. Your skin is dying for its moisture barrier to be replenished, but not to the detriment of your pores. It’s important to find masks that contain elements such as moisturizing oils, hyaluronic acids or other replenishing elements. The following masks will hydrate without clogging your pores.
Vitamin E, avocado and oatmeal are hydrating ingredients that will help replenish dry skin while also utilizing clay to purge dirt and oil from pores. This is a great dual-purpose mask.
This mask will boost your dry skin by using collagen to firm and plump up lifeless skin. It’s specially designed to liven-up dull skin by improving fine lines and wrinkles.
This mask serves to both restore moisture while also maintaining your skin’s lipid barrier. There's also coconut oil in the product that will help protect your skin from any environmental contaminants.
Oily Skin
Oily skin is harder to navigate because you're looking for something that will not only deal with controlling oil production, but also encouraging skin renewal to clear out any clogged pores. Products that utilize mud or elements such as AHA/BHA exfoliating factors will be incredibly beneficial for oily skin. Check out the following masks to help with your shine.
This mask utilizes bamboo charcoal to absorb toxins and lecithin to dissolve impurities. For oily skin, it’s a dream come true. It’s a cult favorite that thousands of people seem to always be raving about.
This mask uses tea tree oil to kill bacteria that are causing acne flare-ups to smooth out your pores. It's formatted for oily skin, so those of you who suffer from the double-whammy of oily, acne-prone skin can finally find some relief.
This mask utilizes three phases to achieve results for oily skin — the purifying, protective and responsive phase. It also utilizes citric acid and modified oleic acid to trigger detoxification of the skin without disturbing the natural moisture barrier.
Sensitive Skin
Some of us suffer from sensitive skin, which means that the products that usually work for others might be too harsh for us. It’s key to find products that first and foremost don’t further exacerbate any existing issues, while also soothing and resolving any skin problems. Products containing elements such as chamomile and cucumber can help reduce irritation in sensitive skin.
This sheet mask uses cottonseed oil and cotton extract to protect sensitive skin. It helps to nourish and replenish delicate skin.
This cooling mask will help with any irritation that your face is suffering from.
This product is meant to sooth red or acne-ridden skin that just can’t stand anything else. It will help calm damaged skin while also improving elasticity and firmness.
Acne-Prone Skin
Skin that is acne-prone is especially tricky to target with masks. You're trying to both treat your acne, which is often a drying process, while also locking in moisture to promote great looking, glowy skin. With this type of skin, ingredients that promote cell-turnover and exfoliation such as salicylic acid or AHA/BHA acids are important in preventing and treating acne. Here are some great options below.
This clay can be mixed with water or apple cider vinegar to help remove dirt and impurities from your pores. This is great for congested, acne-prone skin that just can’t seem to kick the habit of breaking out.
This mask utilizes for exfoliating AHA acids to dissolve dead skin cells to expose smoother, clearer skin. It will help with preventing future pimples, existing acne and old acne scars. It also serves to help with sun damage and hyperpigmentation.
This is a creamy mask that will help with blemish reduction and skin congestion. It utilizes antioxidants and enzymes to improve overall skin texture, while also targeting acne before and during a break-out.