FACE VALUE

THE RIGHT MASK IS AN AFFORDABLE FACIAL IN A BOTTLE, BUT CHOOSE CAREFULLY

There’s something so soothing about a home face mask. They’re a far more affordable alternative to a regular salon facial, making you feel fresh and new inside and out — if you’ve got the right one.

I tried one of those masks that’s applied as a gel, then it dries, then you (allegedly) peel it all off in one fell swoop, taking all your pores’ impurities with it. That’s definitely not what happened. It literally felt like I was peeling a layer of my skin off as I tore minuscule strips off my face bit by bit. I sat and contemplated what life would be like if I just left it on and accepted my new face, for fear the pain would actually kill me. My friend gleefully laughed and filmed my torture.

When the ordeal was over, my skin didn’t resemble a young Jennifer Aniston’s — the bus driver from Billy Madison would be a better comparison.

The moral of the story is, if you’re going to plaster something on your face, your most visible and in some cases most valuable asset, you better make sure it’s good.

Mask technology has come a long way from cold, goopy sheets that make you look like a horror movie serial killer. The key is to check for natural ingredients.

I recently tried a new brand called Alpine + Sea. The idea behind this range is that every ingredient comes directly from the farm itself, not through mystery wholesale manufacturers who are storing large volumes for potentially years at a time, decreasing its cleansing or healing properties.

Owner Jen Plahm goes one step further with her DIY face mask, where you actually mix the essence yourself and soak the mask in it before applying it to your face.

It’s all about getting the absolute most out of natural ingredients — in this case organic lavender water, rose water and organic aloe vera juice — while they are at their freshest. And the smell is heavenly.

My last suggestion is more of a funny one than an actual beauty tip. And yes I realise I’m contradicting my earlier advice but you’ve got to have fun, right?

You may have seen the bubble clay masks on the internet — basically they’re charcoal foam masks that puff up on your face and turn it into a big, grey cloud.

It’s hilarious, but Elizavecca’s version backs up the novelty value with mud and charcoal, both excellent at drawing impurities out of the skin.

The fluffy feel of the mask will ensure it doesn’t do any damage like that awful peeloff mask I tried (seriously, never again).