My Favorite Face Masks
There is honestly nothing better than putting on a nice face mask after a long hard day at school or work. It's even better when the face mask you use actually does something for your skin. Now I've probably tried about a hundred different kinds of masks over the years, some high-end, some drug-store, and I have to say that the price tag on the product certainly does not indicate how well it will work, which is a good thing. In fact, all but one of the masks I enjoy the most are super affordable!
So here are all five of my go-to masks that I use all the time. You can probably find me using at least one of them on a nightly basis. They each have their own purpose for me depending on my reasoning for needing to use one or the other, so I will definitely go over each one in greater detail to explain how each one works. So if you are interested in getting to know some of the tools I use on a weekly basis to keep my skin clear, then just keep reading.
Mask #1: Rose Face Mask from fresh
I thought that I would start with the most expensive mask in this list because I am sure that anyone who has ever been to Sephora has heard of the brand fresh. The brand has some pretty expensive skincare, but in most cases, their products are worth every dollar. This is true with this mask, though to be fair, I got this mask as a sample and it is even smaller than the travel size option.
At first, before opening the container, I didn't really know what to expect, but what I found was an actually beautiful mask - like I actually feel bad using it because it's so pretty to look at that I don't want it to go away. It has a rather goopy consistency and goes on almost completely clear aside from the flower petals, and the smell is so good. Once it is applied, I barely see it on my face, and after a few minutes it almost completely absorbs into my skin.
Now this mask is intended to be for hydration and as someone with dry skin, I was very excited to use it, but then I became slightly disappointed. While it does hydrate to some extent, if I were to buy this mask for the purpose of hydration, I would extremely let down. It just doesn't provide the hydration that I need, but that doesn't mean I don't love it. The reason this mask is on this list is because of how calming and cooling it is. If I have any redness or irritation, this mask takes care it in under ten minutes. It's soothing and perfect for skin suffering from harsh winter weather. I would recommend getting a sample first before buying the full size to make sure that it works for your skin just because of the high price tag.
Available at Sephora $25-$62
Mask #2: Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Mud Mask by Shea Moisture
I have spoken about this mask before and I am going to talk about it again because I just love it that much. While the last mask does not help with my dryness as much as I would like, this one is my dry skin hero. On those days when my face is so dry that it hurts, I go to this mask and all my troubles are solved. I have to admit though, this stuff kinda burns a little when I first apply it, but my face is usually pretty flaky and dehydrated when I put it on after my heavy-duty cleansers, and I take the burning as a sign that it is healing my face because it always feels great after I wash it off. It is really the only hydrating mask that I have found that actually does what it claims it will.
Since this is a mud mask, the stuff is really, really thick, so you only really need a little bit. This jar is pretty huge and I've already used it about thirty times and it is still half-way full! And for 16 bucks, you can't get better than that. The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is the scent of this mask. I mean maybe frankincense and myrrh might have been great for baby Jesus but I'm certainly not a fan of them. If you are sensitive to scent, I recommend you test this out on a small patch of skin before putting it all over your face just to be sure it won't break you out. Overall, I have this mask for helping to save my skin and keep the break-outs away. Hydrated skin= acne-free skin= happy Christina.
Available at Ulta $15.99
Mask #3: Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask from YES TO
I just want to come out here and say once and for all: I fully and completely do not understand this brand's titles and labeling of their products. Tomatoes? There are a tiny bit of tomato extract at the bottom of the ingredient list, but is it a chief ingredient? No. So I'm at a loss, but the mask is great. Now when I first see the words "detoxifying" and "charcoal" I get the impression that this mask will take care of blackheads, however I don't use this mask for the purpose as I have found that it does nothing to take care of them. In fact, aside from the black/charcoal color of the mask, if you told me it was charcoal, I wouldn't believe you.
So by now you must be asking: why do you like this mask if it doesn't do what you you thought it would? Valid question and one I will answer. Upon wanting to get my money's worth in this mask, I checked out the ingredients on the back only to find salicylic acid as a chief ingredient, meaning that this mask would be great for breakouts. So I tested it on a day that my face wasn't doing so well in the clarity department, and to my discovery, after using the mask, my breakouts were less red, smaller, and by the next morning they were close to gone. Pretty great if you ask me. Now if only it could take care of blackheads.
So yeah, this mask doesn't exactly do what it says it will on my skin at least, but who knows what it does for others. It doesn't really have much of a scent, and it has lasted me quite a long time. For the price, if you are struggling with acne, I suggest you give this one a try.
Available at Ulta $15.99
Mask #4: Apple Cider Vinegar 4-in-1 Foaming Clay from Feeling Beautiful
Another extremely affordable mask and an effective one at that. Now this one can actually be used as a cleanser and a mask, but I have only used it as a mask. It has taken me awhile to learn how to use this one properly without harming my face because the scrub factor in combination with the vinegar is rather harsh and I have been known to leave this mask on longer than it says and my face has payed the price. By this I mean my face was left extremely dry and irritated and it took me over a week for my face to go back to normal So if you have sensitive skin, don't leave this on for that long.
Other than that little issue, this mask is great for exfoliating and correcting skin discoloration. If I has any redness, discoloration, or marks after a bad breakout, I use this mask. When you first wash the mask off your face, those areas I am trying to correct so look more red, but I put on a good moisturizer and go to bed (I only use this mask at night). When I wake up in the morning, I use a gentle scrub and cleaner and those irritated patches come right off to reveal clear, smooth skin. It's magical. This is a savior for those times when you are trying to get over a bad breakout as quickly as possible, and I highly recommend it.
Available at Ulta $4.29
Mask #5: Indian Healing Clay from Aztec Secret
Now this beauty is wonderful, especially if you suffer from clogged pores and acne. When I was going through a really bad skin period a few months back before I started using Proactiv, this was the stuff that saved me. Unlike the other masks, you have to mix this mask yourself. You can mix the powder with either water or apple cider vinegar. I have tried it both ways and I find that the mask is more effective with the vinegar, but if you have sensitive skin, use water so your skin won't get too irritated.
Out of all the masks in the world, this is the only one that I can feel working deeply in my face. The packaging doesn't lie, you can feel your face pulsing when it's on. My skin always looks and feels super clean after using this mask and I don't find that it sucks the life out of my face like most deep cleaning masks do. If I use this mask before bed, when I wake up in the morning, my face looks even clearer. It's a beautiful thing.
So does this mask smell great? Not in the slightest. It smells exactly like if you rubbed dirt all over your face, but I can look past that since it works so well. If you are sensitive to scent, you may not like this mask, but if you are suffering with acne, it may be a good idea to check this one out. And for the price and the amount of product you get, it's definitely worth it. I've used this dozens of times and I still have so much product left. It's a hidden gem of the Amazon Marketplace and I feel like it deserves more attention.
Available on Amazon $6-14.90
So those are some of my favorite face masks that help make and keep my skin clean and clear, but what are some of yours? Let me know in the comments or either my Instagram or Facebook page. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. As always, thank you for being here!
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