So you’re doing a face mask! Nice.
Special occasion tonight or just a Sunday reset? Or maybe a big night last night? Either way, a face mask should do the trick in helping you feel like you have your shit together. (Or at least giving you the skin of someone who does.)
Whether it’s detoxifying and clay-rich or brightening and of the sheet variety, the right prep can help your skin get the very best results.
1. Cleanse First
Obvious but important!
Before you apply your face mask, thoroughly cleanse your face. And make it a double if you’ve been wearing makeup or SPF. Even if you’re using a detoxifying mask that promises to give your skin a big clean out.
Cleansing first ensures there’s no dirt or grime on the surface of your skin that would stop the mask from actually penetrating your skin (and reaping you those lovely results).
2. Exfoliate Next
Again, you want your face mask to be able to actually penetrate your skin and get to work. A build up of dead skin cells lurking on the surface of your face will prevent your face mask from doing its best work.
Sweeping an exfoliator-soaked cotton pad across your skin before you apply your face mask should help clear away any pesky build up.
3. Play By The Rules
The temptation may be to just set and forget your face mask. Vacuum your whole house. Scroll on TikTok. Dust off far too many episodes of Love Is Blind.
However! In the world of face masks, longer doesn’t automatically mean better results.
For something like sheet masks, extended wear times can actually zap the hydration you just replenished in your skin. Despite what the morning shred routines of TikTok might suggest, leaving your sheet mask to dry out can pull moisture back from your skin. Leading to dehydration and irritation.
The same goes for clay masks. Once it fully dries and cracks, it starts pulling moisture from your skin rather than removing more impurities. This can lead to dehydration, irritation, redness, and a compromised skin barrier.
Of course, there are an elite few face masks that can stand the test of time. A hydrating mask, rich in nourishing, occlusive ingredients, can sometimes be left on overnight for extra nourishment.
Overall: It’s important to follow the directions of your face mask.
4. Personalise!
Face masks aren’t one size fits all. Which is good, because neither is your face!
Getting the most out of your face mask often comes down to personalising how you use them.
For dry skin with a touch of congestion, two-time your masks! Use your clarifying mask where you get oily (T-zone, chin, etc.) and replenish with a hydrating mask everywhere else.
If your skin is notoriously oily, ditch the heavy hydrating masks and just reach for your detoxifying clay mask.
Also! Don’t be afraid to give your sheet mask a snip here and there (ie. the bridge of the nose or around the mouth) to make it actually fit your face. You’ve gone to all the effort to cleanse, exfoliate, and now mask—you may as well have it actually sitting right on your skin.
5. Use A Mask Regularly!
While many masks deliver breathtakingly immediate results (ahem Transformazing), most do their best work with regular use.
Slotting a face mask into your weekly skincare routine should help the meticulously-curated ingredients in each of our formulas actually have an impact on the health of your skin.
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