Is your skin congested, dehydrated, tired? Or looking dull, dry, lacklustre, angry, acne-prone or breaking out? Or, all of the above?
The best face masks will soothe and smooth skin, no matter how overworked, under-slept and exhausted it (and you) may feel.
Hydrating face masks, sheet masks, J-Beauty face masks, cream masks, oxygen masks, 5-minute masks, moisture masks, overnight masks, clay masks, peel-off masks - there's a face mask to suit every skin type and skincare routine.
So, how do you find the best face mask for your skin type? Your perfect match should be one that boosts your skin’s brightness, radiance and gives you lit-from-within, dewy skin. We asked Marcia Kilgore (BEAUTY PIE Founder, beauty guru and skincare expert) for her expert guide to mask-matching.
The Best Face Masks For Your Skin Type
The best face masks for dull, dry skin and hyperpigmentation
How to Exfoliate. Stimulate. And Hydrate.
When skin feels dry, dull, lacklustre or like it’s dragging its feet, Marcia recommends:
Tone: Fruit Acids not only exfoliate, they stimulate, and they hydrate. After cleansing thoroughly (with a dry-skin suitable cleanser), soak a cotton pad with a glycolic toner, like our Dr Glycolic Glow Toner, and rub it - using a bit of pressure- all over your face, behind your ears, over your neck and chest, and then flip and repeat. This will get rid of any dead cells on your skin’s surface so everything else you layer on is optimised.
Treat: Refuel your face with a brightening face mask (like our Oxygen Instant Facial Refuelling Mask) to re-energise, moisturise and clarify skin. Slather a thick layer over your face and neck, avoiding your eyes, and let it sink in, and re-oxygenate your face (5-7 minutes, max).
Hydrate: Rehydrate your skin barrier with some Vitamin C and ceramides, like our Japanfusion BioCeramide Deep Moisture Mask. Either target specific areas and remove any excess after 10 minutes, or apply allover, massaging it in.
The best face masks for acne-prone, oily skin
How to Emulsify, Exfoliate. And Deep Clean.
When skin feels congested, clogged, oily, blocked and full of blackheads, Marcia recommends:
Cleanse: “Use a milky, creamy, or balmy cleanser – I like Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser for hard-to-move blackheads and clogs. While balms may feel greasy, they will soften the hardened oil and keratinised plugs that are filling your pores from your sebaceous follicles. Massage your face for 3-4 minutes in circular motions with your fingertips. Use a double-sided cleansing cloth or a konjac sponge to remove it.
Exfoliate: Use an exfoliator to remove dead, keratinized and potentially clogging cells from the surface of your skin. For oily or heavily congested skin, choose the legendary Fruitizyme Five Minute Facial. Use a hazelnut sized amount, scrub in circles, gently and with lightness, then leave on for 5 minutes for a solid, skin clearing surface peel.
Treat: If your skin is oily/clogged, ADD a thin layer of purifying clay, like our Super Pore Detox Purifying Black Clay Mask across oilier areas, leave on for 3 minutes (if you’re sensitive), 5-10 (if you’re not), then rinse well, then finish with serum and/or moisturiser.“
The best face masks for breakout-prone skin
How to Decongest. Exfoliate. And Tackle Bacteria.
Whether they’re hormonal breakouts, comedones, whiteheads, stress-related spots, papules, pustules or you suffer from cystic acne, when skin is breaking out all over the place, Marcia recommends:
Cleanse: Massage a thin layer of a purifying clay cleanser, like our Super Healthy Skin Deep Purifying Clay Cleanser any and everywhere you’re battling breakouts and acne. After 5 minutes, use a double-sided cleansing cloth or a konjac sponge to remove it.
Exfoliate: Take a dropperful (or two, if you have a larger surface to treat) of pore-refining Salicylic Acid (like our Plantastic Micropeeling Super Drops) and apply to any affected area to help battle breakouts and reduce the appearance of pigmentation.
Treat: For oily or heavily congested skin, use some glycolic acid to unclog pores, particularly targeting areas of concern. Next, neutralise the anaerobic bacteria that’s causing inflammation (and the acne), by re-oxygenating the skin. Apply an oxygenating facial mask (like our Oxygen Instant Facial Refuelling Mask) in a thick layer, all over any affected area- and if you have cling-film in the house, apply it in strips on top for best oxygen penetration (but do make sure you can breathe, please!). You may feel quite a lot of tingling as it sinks in, but that just means it’s working. After 10 minutes, remove or rub in any excess, and moisturise (if you feel the need). You should see a huge improvement in 12-24 hours!
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