i have a fascination with facial masks. And I’m not sure why. There’s something relaxing about lying down while the mask does its job, & you wait for the effectiveness to kick in. In my short life time I’ve had to deal with acne, blackheads, & have been using anti-aging products since my 20s. So I guess that’s why I’m fascinated with them. And I especially love 1 time use masks. I want to see if they really are transformative, & if they do all the things they claim that they do. And nowadays there’s a wide variety of facial masks, from all over the world. I’ve tested & tried many kinds of them, & here you’re going to benefit from my research.
Andrea Pomerantz, an editor of Glamour magazine, who is like my beauty guru, thinks that facial masks are useless. And I honestly disagree. They’re like at home spa treatments! There are useful masks & they have many features, some of which I’ll list here:
The Most Effective Masks to use:
*Anti-aging (which also hydrate & tone)
*Skin impurities like acne or blackheads
*Stress
The ones that I think are useless? The ones that only hydrate or exfoliate. You don’t need a hydrating mask if you have a really good night cream. If it’s hydrating AND anti-aging that’s another story. THEN I think it’s worthwhile. And for exfoliating you could always get yourself a pair of exfoliating gloves, or a microdermabrasion brush. Therefore you wouldn’t need a mask. If you come across masks that ONLY do those things, save yourself some money, don’t get them. Check my post on Exfoliating!
Here I will list I think the most effective masks I’ve tried, all within reasonable prices. I’ve written articles on i.e. acne, anti-aging, before, but here I will compile a list of facial masks for you to try if you have any of these problems.
Anti-aging
Of course, no one wants to look older than they actually are. And the great thing about anti-aging masks that they hydrate & tone as well.
Mario Badescu’s Super Collagen Mask, $18
Sephora’s Jelly Mask Moisturizing & Energizing, $20 for 6 masks
TONY MOLY’S Red Wine Face Mask, $7.50
Made from a brand called TONY MOLY, this is one of the best anti-aging masks I’ve ever tried. LOVE IT! Will be buying it again! This is a great mask, for it’s pore minimizing, skin tightening & purifying. All in one!!
Nugg Beauty Ant-aging mask, $20 for 5 masks
A relatively new brand on the market, they sell these adorable little one time use packets for $3 each at Target. Unfortunately they don’t sell these masks online there. If you can catch them at your local Target, you can buy them individually, if you would like, instead of buying them in a stack. If you would like to see more anti-aging products, check out my post on Anti-aging.
Mizon’s Sheet Mask Bundle, $18 for 5 masks
Sold by a website called Peach & Lily, who specializes in selling Korean & Japanese products, Here they have a set of different kinds of anti-aging sheet masks for you to try. It comes with a collagen, peptide, syn-ake, starfish & shangpree premium collagen masks. If you like it, you can buy the set again!
Acne
The best ones are mud / clay masks that can draw out impurities from the skin. If you suffer from acne, (especially if it’s severe) you should put on a mask at least once a week. There are lots of masks for acne, but here I will list a few.
Murad clarifying mask, $26 on Amazon.com
Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Facial Mask, $10
Formula 10.0.6, Deep Down Detox Ultra Cleansing Mud mask, $6
Ahava Purifying Mud Mask, 0.09 oz, $10
This is actually travel size. Which is not a bad idea if you’re just looking to try it out. This is a great brand, made with Dead Sea minerals, & comes all the way from Israel. If you try it, like it, you can buy the whole size which costs $33, at 4.4 oz. If you would like to purchase that one, click here: Ahava Purifying Mud Mask, 4.4 oz size.
The Body Shop’s Tea tree face mask. It’s cheaper at Ulta, for about $15, but check to see if they have a sale at The Body Shop! I have this mask at home & it’s amazing!! You use it once & you can already start to see your skin clear up right away!
For blackheads:
These masks for blackheads only. I myself have masks at home specifically for blackheads, which are both black tar & peel off. They recommend that you stay away from your hair (including your eyebrows) for peeling it off, you may peel off some of your hair as well! Honestly I think it’s best just to focus on your nasal and / or chin area, where you actually do you have blackheads.
In the world of Japanese cosmetics, there are lots of black peel off masks aimed at blackheads. This one happens to be a black mud mask. Luckily for us, there are a few in the US market. I have a different one at home; these directions say to leave it on for 10-15 minutes, & then peel off. You will see your blackheads once you peel off the mask.
Daiso Natural Pack Charcoal Peel Off Mask, $6
And if you have Amazon Prime, you can get this shipped to your house in 2 days! The only differences I see really between this one and Pilaten is that this one is made from charcoal, & claims to minimize pores also after using. Which is great!!
Boscia’s Luminizing Black Mask, $34
Boscia’s black mask more or less does the same thing, but this one you have to leave on for 30 min. Honestly I think Boscia copied the Japanese masks & made one for the American market. If you feel like saving yourself some money, get one of the Japanese ones.
Make sure you get a pore minimizer if you do have problems with blackheads. To constantly rip off blackheads & leave them open & exposed is not good for your skin.
For Drawing Out Impurities:
If you have oily skin, acne, blackheads (or all of the above) you will need a a mask that helps your skin draw out impurities.
Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, $16
From a Korean cosmetic brand that’s not even sold in stores in the States (only online) I think is a great deal! Using volcanic capsules from Jeju Volcano, this clay mask draws out impurities, exfoliates, tightens pores, & cleanses! All in one jar! They also have a daily cleanser: Jeju Volcanic Foaming cleanser
Dr. Jart’s Pore Minimalist Mask, $8 for 1 mask, $35 for 5
This 1 time sheet mask uses black Korean charcoal, with added spearmint extract for detoxifying & pore tightening.
Dermal Charcoal Collagen Essence Mask, $10 for 10 masks
This charcoal mask made by a company called Dermal, indicates that this mask is used to clean & protect skin, with added vitamin E & collagen for anti-aging. Get it all in one mask!
Biore Self Heating One Minute Mask, $5 for 4 packets
This mask is unique because you have to wet your face first, open the packet & start rubbing the mask onto your face. Add some water to your hands as you massage your face for a min, the mask will start to warm up. After a minute of massaging, you can just wash it off. It’s supposed to draw out dirt, oil, open pores, & then finishes with a cooling sensation.
Caolion’s Blackhead Bubble Pore Pack, $26
A bubble mask that’s like a 3 in 1! It helps deal with blackheads, acne, oily skin, gently exfoliates, & moisturizes skin! Is there anything else you would want from a mask?
For Stress:
This is great for women under pressure, or have trouble sleeping. And why not use a mask to help you relax? There aren’t that many stress masks on the market, but I will list some if you feel that you need it.
Freeman’s Anti-stress mask, $4.30
What a great deal! Made with Dead Sea minerals, it also helps moisturize, clarify your pores, while lavender & bergamot help relieve tension.
Montagne Jeunesse’s Dead Sea Anti-stress Mask, $2
Montagne Jeunesse is actually a UK based company, & have been making skincare products for the past 30 years. They have lots of these 1 time use masks that have silly pictures all over them. They are quite popular at Ulta, & you can also find them on Amazon. Made also with Dead Sea minerals, it’s meant to clarify pores, smooth skin, & have also stress relieving properties.
Inducing Deep Sleep Therapy Mask, $15 for 5 sheet masks
Made by a Korean brand called Holika, these masks are infused with Lavender, milk, jasmine & cherry blossom to help you to go to sleep. =)
In conclusion? Use them if you feel that they are necessary. If it feels relaxing, why not? Don’t go too crazy because to use masks too often is bad for your skin. If you want to get one to fix your problems, get one!
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