Nothing beats the feeling of washing off a face mask after a long day. As someone whos obsessed with skincare, face masks are a fun and a vital step in a skincare routine to maintain a clear complexion. It’s one of the best self-care activities out there, while giving your skin what it needs in only ten minutes. The face mask’s ingredients are to credit for, resulting in smooth skin regardless of your skin type. The right face mask can hydrate your skin, unclog your pores while removing any excess oil or impurities.
Sometimes, the ingredient list can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t exactly sure what it does for you. Here’s a load down on what ingredients are best suited for your skin type to enhance your skin’s healthy glow, or to create a desired mattifying effect.
Oily
Salicylic acid is your number one go-to ingredient for oily skin. It works by unclogging your pores through the surface layer of the skin. For even better results, use a clay or charcoal mask that contains salicylic acid to tighten your pores and visibly reduce your oil production.
“Masks containing ingredients such as clay or charcoal work by absorbing oil out of pores,” Says Dr. Imahiyerobo-Ip. Charcoal lifts any dirt or oil to the surface of your skin, then washes away with your mask.
Dry Skin
Dry skin should have moisturizing or hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin. According to Dr. Bunting, hyaluronic acid works as a water-gel, meaning it draws water into the skin’s surface. Glycerin draws moisture from the air and brings water from the second skin layer to the top skin layer.
Avoid any masks that contain salicylic acid as it absorbs oil which can make your skin even drier. Use a cream or gel–based texture. Don’t use any clay or charcoal masks as it draws moisture out of the skin.
Sensitive Skin
Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or plant oils nourishes the skin to restore the moisture barrier. A study found that using a product containing ceramides largely increased the skin’s moisture. If you have sensitive skin, you probably know cream or gel masks are ideal because of their soothing textures.
Avoid clay or charcoal masks from it’s tightening effect that can lead to blotching. Also, avoid artificial fragrances because it can include harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin even more.
Combination Skin
With this skin type, you can experiment with different types of face masks because your skin isn’t too oily or dry. However, some areas are probably more affected than others. The T-zone and forehead are usually oily, and the cheeks are dry.
Apply a clay mask on the oily areas, and a cream or gel on the dry areas. A little tedious, I know. But it works.
You can also use a clay mask with moisturizing ingredients such as aloe vera or glycerin. This will tighten your pores but moisturize your skin at the same time. Exfoliation clay masks work excellent for combination skin. This can include joba joba beads or fruit enzymes like papaya to create a shiny complexion through gentle exfoliation.
Normal Skin
If you have normal skin, you are one of the lucky ones! Nor too oily or too dry so your skin is probably almost perfect. Normal skin can benefit from any type of mask, it just depends on what skin benefits you’re looking for.
If you want your skin to be glowing, use a moisturizing mask with natural ingredients such as honey or avocado. Notice how smooth the texture is when you eat it? Imagine it in a face mask! Honey and avocado are high in antioxidants and locks in moisture. Prevent breakouts by using a clay mask that helps to tighten your pores and keep your skin acne-prone as it is.
