Here I am, back on the skin-care kick and it’s my new favorite hobby. One of my favorite ways to treat my skin on days I feel as though my skin needs a little extra pick me up is a face mask. If you are anything like me (read: lazy) then I suggest a little bit of magic known as a sheet mask. A sheet mask is a facial treatment with crazy easy application that involves little- to- no clean-up. A sheet mask is a piece of cloth that has been cut out to fit onto a face comfortably, complete with holes for the eyes, mouth, and nose. The cloth has been soaked in active facial ingredients and then packaged for use. This makes application easy and clean up even easier. Simply remove the cloth, unfold it (sometimes the trickiest part), and place it on your face for the instructed time. Once it’s time to remove the mask, any residue can be massaged into the skin for added treatment.
There are a huge variety of sheet masks to choose from, all boasting different life-changing effects. While I can’t vouch for all of them, I can say that a couple I’ve sampled definitely qualify as life changing. Two of my favorite brands can both be found at Target, which probably does not qualify as a coincidence considering the amount of time I spend there. The first is “Que Bella,” a favorite because of the vast variety of masks they have to try as well as the fact that they are cheap as hell. Secondly, I love the “Yes to Tomatoes” detoxifying charcoal mask. It leaves my skin feeling so refreshed clear, especially since it’s geared towards breakouts on oiler skin.
Due to the daunting array of mask types, it can be hard to know which mask to get to treat your own personal skin battles. So, here’s a quick cheat sheet of which active ingredients to look for in a mask to treat your skin like the queen it is according to Vogue beauty and personal experience:
Inflammation: Kaolin is best here. It is an ingredient commonly used to help offset unwanted redness and rosacea, and can also be helpful to those with red, irritated or inflamed skin patches.
Acne: Like I mentioned before, charcoal is a lifesaver here, and not only for oily skin. Charcoal is one of the best exfoliators and works to deep clean pores to help calm current breakouts and lessen the chances of future ones.
Dry Skin: Avocado and coconut oils are your friend! They moisturize skin deep down to the base, leaving your face feeling like it just had a tall glass of water.
Hyperpigmentation: Glycolic acid is the way to go here. This ingredient can help sped up cell production, which overtime introduces clearer and brighter skin.
Dark Under-eye Circles: Vitamin K-1. This activates the tissue cells and can lead to a more refreshed, lightened under-eye area.