Why choose a feel-good Face Mask?

Face masks were massive throughout 2019, and they still are.  So many ingredients though!!  Everything from cucumber to Australian pink clay and hundreds of other things, I am sure you have heard of many??

Ever think… “maybe that would be good for my face” other times… “why would I ever put that on my face?”.  Are all they’re cracked up to be?

They claim they have the power to fix nearly any skin complaint you might have wrinkles, clogged pores, dryness, lack of “glow” the list goes on and on.  Let’s look deeper…

Benefits – Applying yourself a face mask and relaxing with your latest TV obsession, and letting your stresses melt away – perfect!

Face masks cover the skin, creating a barrier between the air around you and the product in the mask that’s meant to be delivered to the skin.  Rather than some of that product evaporating into the air around you; as happens with moisturisers and other creams you apply to your face.  The face mask can only go into the skin, penetrating the ingredients deeper.  They can deliver speedy results too; making them the perfect pamper before a special occasion.

The perfect quick fix for complaints like redness, dryness, oiliness and inflammation.  How long you’ll see the benefit of a face mask depends on the source of the problem.  A clay mask can temporarily help reduce oiliness; oil production is driven by hormones, that benefit will be relatively short-lived.

Interestingly – Face masks are good at moisturising the skin.  Even if you were to just put a mask on top of the skin with nothing in it, it would naturally moisturise the skin, because it reduces the amount of water your skin is losing to the air around you thanks to evaporation.

When and how often should you use a face mask? – We know masks feel good, but for clay masks don’t be tempted to apply more than once or twice a week to avoid stripping away those essential natural oils.  When you apply your face mask is up to you, you can keep busy leaving them to work their magic.

Personally, I am not one to sit and chill with a mask on I usually apply my fave mask and start cleaning or doing my jobs, but each to their own, right??

What are the best face mask ingredients and how can they help various skin types? – Face masks contain many ingredients for your skin, but with everything from Aloe Vera to Zinc inside, it gets confusing, we know!

Oily Skin – Kaolin, salicylic acid and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) – a natural mineral cleanses and purifies. It also doubles as an exfoliant, buffing away dead skin cells to reveal soft and smooth skin

Use a mud face mask or clay face mask. They help draw impurities out of the skin, whilst absorbing excess oil as they dry – one of the best masks for oily skin

Rosacea – Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide for rosacea.

Skin Brighteners – Soy, kojic acid, tranexamic acid and liquorice root extract for brightening dark spots and unwanted pigmentation.

Dry and dehydrated – Glycerine helps increase water in skin cells, helping to maintain moisture and keeping skin soft and supple.

Combination skin – Chamomile curbs breakouts, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps to soothe and hydrate dry patches too

Multi-mask! – Break the mould and use and enzyme mask to deeply cleanse to balance oily skin, exfoliate to buff up dull-looking skin, soothe and moisturise.

With so many skin-loving benefits and ingredients, it is easy to see why using a face mask is the perfect treat for a speedy, feel-good boost for your skin.

Just remember…  You’re getting more penetration and a relatively higher concentration of a product when it’s delivered via face compared to topical creams.  Anything that could potentially irritate the skin, will likely irritate the skin to a higher degree in a face mask.

Anyone with an allergy, psoriasis, sensitive or rosacea-prone skin should be careful.  Be wary of ingredients such as retinol and those with the word “acid” in them, except hyaluronic acid; a moisturiser naturally produced in our bodies.

Pricey does not mean effective – Expensive, does not mean better.  A lot of cosmetic products haven’t been tested in clinical trials, so it is always wise to check recommendations and reviews.

Some homemade masks can deliver results, too.  Milk and yogurt, for example, contain lactic acid, which exfoliates the skin making it appear brighter.  Coffee – the caffeine, can minimise the appearance of pores by drying out the skin.

Be careful of highly acidic ingredients, like lemon and lime juice and apple cider vinegar.

Make sure you try your mask out on a small area of skin before applying to the whole face – always use a homemade mask on the day you mix it.

Indulge with our chocolate face mask