Resolve to raise your skin care game
Start the new year with cleansing facial masks
Facial masks have gone from luxury, Korean skin care import to full-blown craze over the past two years, as anyone who has recently been in Sephora or on a Target beauty aisle can attest. The sheer variety can be overwhelming.
Dee Anna Glaser, interim chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Saint Louis University, says there are nominal benefits to most masks, like improved hydration for dry skin and cleansing for acne-prone complexions. But the most important part is the experience, so look for varieties that have appealing aromas, easy application and give you the feeling of a mini-spa trip at home.
We’ve rounded up a few of our personal favorites for a freshfaced start to the new year.
TRUE BOTANICALS RESURFACING MOISTURE MASK $90 for 1.7 fl. oz. jar
This overnight delivers seriously softer skin. With natural ingredients including avocado and mango butter, it’s an ideal antidote to the effects of another Polar Vortex.
LANCÔME GÉNIFIQUE YOUTH ACTIVATING SECOND SKIN $105 for 6
If you’re a devotee to Lancôme, these sheet masks should already be on your list. Made with “bio cellulose” technology, the masks feel thicker and more substantial than many other sheet masks. And with a half-bottle of Génifique in each, they’re a little dose of luxury.
ORIGINS DRINK UP-INTENSIVE AND CLEAR IMPROVEMENTS $26 each for 3.4 oz. tube
Skip the sheet mask version and go straight for the bottle of Drink Up for sad winter skin. For those with combination, not dry, skin, don’t be turned off by the name — it leaves skin refreshed and supple, not greasy. But if clogged pores are your problem after heavy holiday meals and a lot of travel, go for the Clear Improvements mask. The charcoal is thick but doesn’t smell, and leaves a drying sensation.
SK-II FACIAL TREATMENT MASK $17
If you’re looking for last-minute tightening and brightening, try this luxury mask, which is packed with vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids. Makeup goes on skin smoother afterward, so it’s great for pre-party use.
FARMACY HONEY POTION $56
Sometimes adding a little heat helps. This mask goes on looking like yellow honey but turns white when massaged into skin, and has a warming, tingling sensation. The honey is made by bees on Farmacy’s farm in upstate New York, which pollinate their patent-protected variety of echinacea, called GreenEnvy.
FRESH BLACK TEA FIRMING OVERNIGHT MASK $92 for 3.3 fl. oz.
The smell leaves a little to be desired, but the texture makes up for the weak spot. It’s thick without being goopy, and a little goes a long way. Plus it can be used nightly, perfect for those resolving to moisturize more in 2017.
THE BODY SHOP TEA TREE SKIN CLEARING CLAY MASK $17 for 3.85 oz.
Looking for something more invigorating? The tea tree oil in this mask is like a good mouthwash for your skin. The 3-in-1 Wash.Scrub.Mask ($22 for 4.2 oz.) is also a refreshing way to clear up blemishes from too many Christmas cookies.