I admit it – I am a total face mask junkie. First of all, I don’t think there is anything more effective at fixing problem areas than a mask specifically designed to do so (if you get the right ones!). Second of all, there is nothing more relaxing for me than coming home, putting on yoga pants, taking off all my makeup, and putting on a face mask to unwind. It is my happy place, no matter what is going on. That being said, some face masks do the trick and some just DON’T. Over the past five years or so, I have made myself into a face mask guinea pig – trying any mask I could get my hands on and I’ve finally narrowed it down to my ultimate favorites. These are what work for me depending on what my skin is asking for at the moment. For reference, I have normal to dry skin that has sensitive areas but is overall resilient as long as the product is gentle.
Glam Glow – ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment
This mask takes the cake as far as my all-time favorite. With my skin having dry tendencies, especially living in Southern California, this is a go-to for me. ThirstyMud hydrates your skin on the deepest levels, leaving it feeling plump and moisturized long after you take it off. You know how you can use a super intense body butter and it seems to make your skin silky smooth but as soon as you take another shower, you’re back at square one? This mask does NOT do that. You feel a subtle cooling sensation as soon as you put it on and it immediately feels like your skin drank a glass of water. My skin keeps this extreme moisture locked in for 2-3 days after I use the mask! Sometimes I put it on for the recommended 20 minutes but occasionally, I leave the mask on overnight. Hydrating while I sleep? Yes please.
Another one of my favorite things to do with this mask is bring it with me when I travel. Airplanes can make your skin so dry – the recycled air in the cabin just makes my face feel instantly tight and dehydrated. To avoid this, I bring the mask in my carry on and as soon as I am settled on the plane, I apply a thin coat to my entire face and let the hydrating begin. Your fellow passengers won’t mind though – it smells like a mixture of refreshing mint and calming oatmeal. Before you land, you can either rinse it off in the bathroom or simply wipe it off with a paper towel and rub in the remaining amount. Travel game-changer.
Origins – Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask
This little guy is another favorite of mine for when my skin is in need of a little extra moisture. It’s not as intense as the Glam Glow ThirstyMud but it definitely gets the job done. Side note: I also love this one a little extra because my boyfriend surprised me with it after I mentioned in passing at the mall that I wanted it. I apply this before bedtime in a thin layer and rub it in just enough so that it doesn’t get all over my pillowcase. You will wake up with your skin feeling refreshed and moisture-surged. Like the Glam Glow, this also does a really good job of allowing your skin to retain the moisture for days to come. I would compare this to a very intense moisturizer as opposed to a mask because of how gentle it is.
Glam Glow – FlashMud Brightening Treatment
This may sound slightly dramatic but I am not exaggerating when I say this mask changed my skin forever when I first started using it over a year ago. When Glam Glow says brightening, they mean it! I didn’t even know my skin was particularly dull but looking back, I don’t know how I ever lived without this. It keeps my skin looking radiant and luminous without looking oily. You apply it by putting a thin layer onto dry skin over your entire face, or wherever you feel you need brightening, and exfoliate briefly in circular motions. After exfoliating, leave the mask on for 20 minutes, or until it becomes translucent, and rinse. Your skin will be completely smooth and free of unevenness, dark spots, or dullness. Glam Glow recommends using it for three consecutive days for optimum results, which I do agree with, and then a few times per week to maintain. One thing I will say about this mask is that I would be careful if you have extremely sensitive skin. If you still want to try it despite sensitivities, I would avoid extra sensitive areas of your face (under the eyes, etc.) and lessen the amount of time you leave the mask on. Other than that, this mask is the BEST if you’re in search of radiant, even skin tone.
Glam Glow – SuperMud Clearing Treatment
As someone with dry skin, I rarely ever use this mask over my entire face. However, people with oily or combination skin swear by this as a holy grail product for all over treatment. I use mine as a spot treatment whenever I see a blemish starting to peek through. Whether the pimple is just starting to show or is a full-on monster, applying this treatment over the blemish will either shrink the blemish significantly or get rid of it altogether. I usually apply a generous layer to the spot that needs it and allow it to dry before going to sleep. I leave it on overnight (it won’t transfer to your sheets because it’s already dry and hardened) and wake up with a completely flat blemish or no blemish at all. It’s literally magic!
Another thing I love using this for is to clear out any blackheads in my T-Zone. I apply a thin layer to my nose and anywhere else that I see needs some clearing out. I leave it on for 20 minutes or so and rinse it off to reveal completely clear pores. This mask is especially satisfying (and horrifying) because every tiny pore that it vacuums out is left as a black dot once the mask dries so you can literally see it working.
Sephora Collection – Mud Mask Purifying and Mattifying
I love this mask as an alternative to the Glam Glow SuperMud. It is definitely a great dupe in terms of price – it is $50 cheaper and twice as big. I love using this mask at the end of the week, especially if I have been wearing a lot of makeup or feel like my skin needs an extra deep cleaning. I apply it all over my face in a generous layer and leave it on for about 15-20 minutes. It gives you the same satisfaction as the Glam Glow SuperMud because you can see each tiny extraction once the mask is dry. It leaves my skin feeling SO fresh and clean without drying it out. Although, since I am prone to dryness, I usually follow this up with an intense moisturizer to avoid any dehydration. They have changed the packaging on this since I bought it but the product remains the same!
What are your favorite masks?
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