Finding a face mask that works for you is like finding a new best friend — they make you feel better, give you confidence, and can help you out of a slump. Dramatic? Maybe, but let’s be real: a great face mask can be a game-changing addition to your skincare routine.
Face masks are definitely not one-size-fits-all, and investing money in one that ends up doing nothing for you (or worse, breaking you out), can be super frustrating — nobody wants to add once-used products to their skincare graveyard.
In the office, we love talking about the products that we swear by, and face masks frequent the conversations. So, we’ve officially rounded up the ones we love most, and why exactly we love them so much, (it’s the perfect excuse to pick one up, take a bubble bath, and give yourself a self-care night this weekend!).
If a mask could be Instagram famous, it would be this one — and for good reason. I have naturally dry skin and this mask keeps my skin super dewy and hydrated. I use it a couple times a week as an overnight mask to really let all the vitamins and antioxidants soak into my skin. You can also mix it into your primer before makeup for an extra glow!
This is one of my new favorites. On days when my skin is feeling a little dull and needs an instant pick me up, I use this product for a really gentle exfoliation. After leaving it on for about 10 minutes, I scrub it into my skin before rinsing! It leaves my face with a smooth and radiant complexion. This mask is also good for combating dryness, discoloration, and enlarged pores.
I have a couple of these L'Oreal clay masks (and tbh they're all great!), but this one is my favorite. It's your typical clay mask — dries down to where you can't talk or move your face, and you might freak out your dog (or significant other). I always do this mask at night because I wake up the next morning with the glowiest, softest, most even complexion I've ever had. I also always apply this with a flat foundation brush to pretend I'm at a spa, so I highly recommend that, too.
The first time I bought this mask, it was the month before prom. I wanted to get a deep cleansing facial, but after buying everything else for the big night, I was broke af. So, I did some internet searches and went to my local health food store to try this baby out. Now, I can't imagine ever going without this mask. I only use it about once a month, and I never use it within a week of a big event. It's so powerful that it basically brings any of the gunk hiding under your skin to the surface. So, for about a week, I'll be honest, you don't look too hot. Rest assured though, there were absolutely no surprise breakouts on prom night, birthday parties, weddings, or most importantly, when I saw Nick Jonas. Trust me, it's the best.
I've gone through more tubes of this mask than I can literally even count — IT IS AMAZING. It's a peel-off mask, so it does hurt a bit, but it's the only mask I've ever used that I feel cleans my pores, AND leaves glowy at the same time.
Okay, I know the word "Glamglow" can warrant an eye roll — but this mask is SO worth the money. I originally got a smaller size of it in my lovely monthly Sephora Box (highly recommend), and the first time I used it, I kid you not, I gasped. My skin was glowing to the gods, and to this day I haven't found anything that compares. It also lasts a super long time, which helps justify it.
I got this face mask as a sample size in my Birchbox subscription a few years back and I IMMEDIATELY fell in love with it! It both exfoliates and detoxifies and you can really feel it working since it purges pores in just 5 minutes. My skin looked so shockingly clean afterward, I was blown away. Finish up with your fave moisturizer (because even though it's not particularly drying, charcoal is charcoal and you'll thank yourself for the extra hydration) and bask in your glowing skin for days to come.
I love the idea of mud skin products – who doesn’t love the idea of mud pulling the toxins right out of your skin and cleansing your pores in the process? The only problem is that, with my super dry and sensitive skin, many mud products just end up being irritating. This mask is the opposite. It’s soothing and deep-cleaning, but not drying at all. And, it’s a lot easier to take off than other mud or clay masks, which, at the end of a long day, is basically everything.
I picked this up as one of those impulse purchase moments at Ulta - you know, where you pick up like 12 things and then realize you just accidentally spent $200, OH WELL. But I'm actually obsessed with this mask (for once an impulse purchase that paid off!) and have subsequently bought it many a time. It's a little pricey, but lasts a looooong while, even using it every week. I slather it on Sunday nights and then just bask in the feeling of all the gunk and ick being sucked to the top of my pores to be sloughed away in the steamy fall of the shower. Long live charcoal.
We featured the founder of ROSEN Skincare, Jamika Martin, last year — and I absolutely fell in love with Jamika, her story, and her products. After her own lifelong skin struggles, Jamika set out to create natural products that actually work to fight breakouts and scarring — dude, she DID IT. I use several ROSEN products religiously, but this is my absolute favorite — it's not drying, but really effectively stops breakouts in their tracks. (P.S. ROSEN's tingling mud mask is a winner too — try both!!).
As someone who naturally has red and splotchy skin, when I slather this on at night, I wake up in the morning with the most even-toned skin I've ever had. It works miracles. And smells like the fruity lip gloss you had as a little kid, in THE BEST WAY possible.
I love a good sheet mask — on facetime, while driving, on the airplane, you name it. This one in particular has every super ingredient I've ever wanted in a mask — Hyaluronic Acid and avocado for moisture, AHA for exfoliation, turmeric and peptides for major glow, and much much more.
I have chronic bags under my eyes. It's not just age, as I've had them since I was maybe five, and it's not just lack of sleep because I still have them on the rare occurrence that I sleep for a solid eight hours. These bad boys get rid of my bags like nothing else ever has, and the 24k Gold feels luxurious AS HELL.
There's something so satisfying about being able to peel a mask, you can almost feel your pores clearing. This red clay mask from First Aid Beauty goes on like a thick moisturizer but quickly dries and tightens into a latex feeling. After 10 minutes, it easily peels off and takes any impurities with it.
First thing, it smells phenomenal. It's a resurfacing product that serves as both a mask and an exfoliant. The enzymes in the mask kick start the rejuvenation of skin cells and after 10 minutes, a hot water wash serves as a perfect exfoliant.
