SAVING FACE

DON’T JUST GRAB WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON INSTAGRAM – CHOOSE A MASK WITH INGREDIENTS THAT SORT OUT YOUR SPECIFIC COMPLEXION CONCERNS

Nix your skin problems with smart masks.

ZIT ZAPPERS

Acne is the most common skin condition, and one of the most powerful ingredients for eliminating it is salicylic acid (find it in Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask). “It can cut through dead skin cells, and is particularly effective at cutting through oils,” says dermatologist Dr Mona Gohara. But it can also be irritating. Enter ultra gentle charcoal. “I think of charcoal as a tape strip to remove blackheads,” says dermatologist Dr Kavita Mariwalla. The swipe-on charcoal mask by Yes To Tomatoes minimises mess. 1. Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask, $59.95, KORA ORGANICS, koraorganics.com 2. Detoxifying Charcoal Snapmask Stick, $24, YES TO TOMATOES, priceline.com.au

PORE PERFECTORS

If your pores strike you as gargantuan, genetics are probably to blame. But it could also be a combination of surplus oils pooling and skin-cell accumulation around the pore’s opening. Your first order of business: sop up the grease. A mask with clay such as Glamglow Instamud

60-Second Pore-refining Treatment or L’oréal Paris Pure Clay Exfoliate & Smooth Mask will work on any skin type. To get rid of excess surface cells, dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner recommends a mask with an alpha hydroxy acid, such as glycolic or lactic. Try Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask, which contains lactic acid, while Dior Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask revives in just three minutes with AHAS and apricot kernel powder.

3. Pure Clay Mask: Exfoliating & Smoothing Red Algae Mask, $19.95, L’ORÉAL PARIS, 1300 659 359 4. Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask, $98, DIOR, (02) 9295

9022 5. Rejuvenating Mask, $79, MINENSSEY, minenssey. com 6. Cold Plunge Pore Mask, $48, OLE HENRIKSEN,

sephora.com.au 7. Instamud 60-Second Pore-refining Treatment, $64, GLAMGLOW, mecca.com.au 8. Detoxifying Clay Mask, $44, ENBACCI, enbacci.com

JET LAG BUSTERS

Aeroplane air is notorious for sucking up moisture. Hyaluronic acid (HA) can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, making it the exact opposite – a moisture magnet and the perfect antidote to a longhaul flight. Even if you’re not a frequent flier, you could likely benefit from extra HA, as found in Clarins SOS Hydra Refreshing Hydration Mask. “When we’re

about 30, the hyaluronic acid in our skin starts to decline critically,” says Gohara. “We begin noticing fine lines, dryness, and saggy skin.” Sheet masks are occlusive, holding their ingredients tight to your face. This makes them a bad idea for the acne-prone, but a godsend if your skin is dehydrated. Since HA works by attracting water in the environment, apply a mask, such as Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque to damp skin.

9. SOS Hydra Refreshing Hydration Mask, $52, CLARINS, clarins.com.au 10. Fresh-mix Tissue Mask Hyaluronic Shot,

$3.50, GARNIER, 1300 659 359 11. Skin Hydrating

Masque, $65, DERMALOGICA, dermalogica.com.au

OVERNIGHT SKIN SOFTENERS

The sleeping mask is skincare for slackers. It works while you rest, and you don’t even have to rinse it off. “Night-time is when skin turnover happens,” says Mariwalla. “A lot of renewal processes go on, a lot of repair.” You can help things along with the right active ingredients. Mariwalla recommends green tea (try Innisfree Green Tea Sleeping Mask) to help with redness. She also advocates for using a quick-absorbing gel formula to protect your pillows, such as Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Sleep Mask. Or opt for a mask with dual purposes: The Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask hydrates and refreshes in 10 minutes or can be used overnight for an ultraplumping treatment. For something more active, Alpha-h’s Liquid Laser Overnight Treatment Mask combines glycolic acid and retinol to resurface rough texture and soften uneven tone, ramping up repair.

12. Hydro Boost Hydrating Sleep Mask, $4.99, NEUTROGENA, priceline.com.au 13. Green Tea Sleeping Mask, $25, INNISFREE, innisfree.com/au 14. Liquid Laser Overnight Treatment Mask, $149, ALPHA H, alpha-h.com

15. Jet Lag Mask, $73, SUMMER FRIDAYS, mecca.com.au