BEAUTY THERAPY: FACE MASKS
GLOWING SKIN IS USUALLY THE BACKSTAGE BEAUTY BRIEF
The other day I sat down for a chat with Pablo Rodriguez, the recently appointed director of artistry at Illamasqua. I like Pablo. He’s done my make-up in the past and always combines coolness with wearability. That’s the way I like it. I just don’t have a face that handles cool, directional make-up. I’m more classic with an occasional bit of ‘oomph’. Besides, for most of us, it’s very similar to fashion: you want to wear it; you don’t want it to wear you.
But London Fashion Week has been and gone with a focus on creativity and crazy colours on the face. Actually, Pablo had interesting thoughts on the matter. Glowing skin, he said, was the biggest trend on the catwalk every season. And you know what? He’s right. I’ve done the rounds and more often than not, that’s the backstage beauty brief. In that vein, I’ve become rather obsessed with three face masks, all of which help to bring clarity and brightness to proceedings. First is Lixirskin Soft Clay Rubber mask (€32, fetchbeauty.com). It’s highly recommended for congested skin, which mine (usually) isn’t. But I still like it. It has a light enzyme peel element and white clay to draw out impurities. Once it dries, simply rub it off – so it becomes an exfoliator, too. I’d only do this once a week tops, but it does leave your skin clear.
The new beauty and skincare range from Shiseido has me pretty obsessed at the moment – I especially love Waso Purifying Peel Off Mask (€33.50, johnlewis.com, available from 1 October). It’s a pearlised crushed raspberry colour, which is fun. Apply it, let it dry – really dry – and then simply peel it off after about ten minutes for a brighter and fresher appearance.
Last but definitely not least is the collaboration between Origins and wellbeing expert Madeleine Shaw, Glow-Co-Nuts Hydrating Coconut Moisture Mask (€29.75; origins.co.uk). A super-duper moisturising booster, it leaves my face lush and incredibly happy-looking. It’s a shame that it’s a limited-edition product, as it deserves a permanent place in the Origins offering. The good news is that there should be enough stock to last until January next year. Use as instructed – apply, leave on for ten to 20 minutes and rub the remainder in or off. I often put a light layer on in the morning as a final moisturiser on days when I need to fake a bit of non-tiredness.
For a slightly less expensive option, try L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Hyaluromask (€23.99, boots.ie). When applied overnight, this lightweight gel formula leaves skin a little more plumped than when you went to bed. And Skin Republic Collagen Infusion Face Mask Sheet (€5.99, superdrug.com) is a fast but effective booster before make-up in the morning, giving great hydration without feeling greasy.