I know face masks have been around for ever and ever, but I feel like they have really gained popularity in recent years. Maybe it has to do with me maturing. When Maria and I were teenagers (gosh, it has been a while!), we used face masks mostly for pre-party entertainment, snapping pictures of our muddy green faces (I will spare you all). Now, that we are older, I believe ingredients are more important than colour – luckily – but which one to pick? It can be a jungle when you roam the isle of your local beauty pusher.
Clay masks
There are a number of clay masks on the market, and they seem to be some of the most popular ones – at least on the high street. For our Danish readers we have previously mentioned the L’Oréal Clay Masks. In our opinion they are decent masks at a decent price. This is important when it comes to masks because I find that if you want a life-altering mask, you will have to splurge. Anyway, clay masks are known to be pore cleansing and drying, making them perfect for anyone with a tendency to combination to oily skin!
Charcoal masks
Charcoal masks were the first masks I tried when I switched from buying the cheap green mud masks (not real mud, mind you!). They seemed to be all the hype for a while and with good reason for the combination to oily teenage (or mature) skin. Most of them seem to be peel off masks meaning they strip the skin for stuffed pores and excess oil.
Sheet masks
Lately with Korean skincare finding its way to Europe, sheet masks have become all the rave. They are essentially face shaped sheets of paper drowned in liquid. Therefore, to get an effective sheet mask you have to read ingredients because it is all in the liquid! I find that sheet masks generally tend to be advertised as hydrating. They truly are a love hate thing, and I personally am not really a fan. You often end up paying per mask, and I would rather just pop the liquid/product straight on my face than bother fitting the sheet over my skin. However, they are fun!
Acid masks
If you are looking for a mask that will change your life it will most likely be in this category but be prepared to splurge! Acid can do wonders for our skin but the effects all depend on which type of acid we are talking about. Hyaluronic acid ties moisture to the skin and therefore can do wonders for dry, dull, or aging skin. In my opinion, we can all benefit from hyaluronic acid at some point in our routine! AHA is great for exfoliating and evening out the skin tone. Salicylic acid is often used against combined to oily skin, as it dries out bacteria and is able to penetrate the oil! Retinol is for the aging skin or hyperpigmentation. As you can tell, the ingredients do all the work here, and wow, do they work!
Lotion-like masks
Lotion-like masks – like the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask – tend to be extremely easy going on the skin making them perfect for anyone looking for extra moisture without the aggressiveness of acid. I am looking at all the sensitive skinned people, yes, you!