The Best Face Masks For Glowing Skin and Healthy-Looking Pores
Face masks are one of the best ways to relax and elevate your self-care routine. Here are the best ones to try for glowing skin and healthy-looking pores.
Papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin enzymes provide chemical exfoliation, while lactic and salicylic acid clean out clogged pores. This is a favorite among our testers for its soothing and brightening effects.
1. Sisley Enzyme Exfoliating Mask
Reveal a brighter complexion in just one minute with this radiance-boosting mask. The fine powder-in-cream texture transforms into a sumptuous foam when mixed with water and applied to the face and neck. Unlike gritty physical exfoliants, this gentle formula dissolves the proteins that hold dead skin cells together and removes them with ease without damaging the surface of the skin.
It also contains a blend of soothing botanical ingredients like niacinamide (an MVP skin-soother), plus lavender and marjoram essential oils to balance the formula and offset any irritation.
Essentially, it’s the new generation of soft peels, designed to gently exfoliate all skin types and prep it for subsequent beauty rituals in just minutes. A must-have for glow-seeking skin! TZR tested it out.
2. Skin Republic Energising Face Mask
In the same vein as the Erno Laszlo mask above, but at half the price, this multi-award winning face mask from the brand hailing from South Korea is a super quick-fix, soaking skin with its Triple algae biomatrix to banish puffiness and boost energy levels. It also comes in two parts to cater for bearded gentlemen and is super easy to pop on while shave or get ready for work, thanks to its thin, gel texture that clings to the skin.
For oily skin look for a mask that has clay or charcoal to help with excess oils or one that contains salicylic acid to help with acne-prone skin and for sensitive skin look for calming ingredients such as chamomile, green tea or shea butter.
3. La Mer Hydrating Enzyme Mask
Boost hydration and reduce the appearance of fine lines with this luxurious sheet mask. Formulated with oligo hyaluronic acid, which is a smaller form of the naturally occurring substance found in skin, it helps to absorb water and create a plumping effect.
Large pores don’t stand a chance against this Kate Somerville face mask, which contains a combination of physical and chemical exfoliants to smooth and hydrate skin. Papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin enzymes physically exfoliate without over-drying, while salicylic and lactic acids provide gentle but effective chemical exfoliation.
The face mask is free of sulfates, parabens, alcohol, and fragrance. The formula is also cruelty-free and vegan. The serum can also be used as a treatment on other parts of the body. The brand recommends applying it on a regular basis to improve elasticity and boost radiance.
4. Skin Laundry Hydrating Face Mask
A face mask can provide a serious skin-care boost, but not all products are created equal. Many have too many ingredients, which can lead to irritation and even breakouts, says dermatologist Peterson Pierre, MD. He recommends choosing a mask that has less than ten ingredients to minimize the chance of irritation.
Whether they’re made of unrecognizable green goop or plastic sheet you adhere to your face, these products are often infused with a potent serum packed with extracts and moisturizers. Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there to satisfy any skin type or concern. To get the most out of your face mask, Pierre suggests washing and exfoliating beforehand to allow the serum to penetrate deep into your skin. Then, follow up with a moisturizer to lock in all the benefits. This paper mask infused with meadowfoam seed oil, glycerin and fruit extracts scored high among testers for its ability to hydrate.
5. Soft Hydrating Face Mask
Unlike cleansers, face masks are able to penetrate deeper into the skin than regular creams. They also often target more than just hydration since many have the ability to address other skin concerns, such as brightening or calming the skin.
If you have sensitive skin, consider seeking out a mask with soothing ingredients to reduce redness and inflammation. This hydrating face mask uses thermal spring water and Avene’s protective lipids to calm the skin and help restore the skin barrier.
If you have dry skin, look for a mask that contains moisturizing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter, honey, glycerine or jojoba oil. It is also a good idea to seek out a mask that can support skin barrier health as this helps reduce transepidermal water loss. This cooling mask features a blend of rosmarinus, aloe and rosemary leaf extracts as well as hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin.
6. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hydrating Face Mask
The Shea Butter Hydrating Face Mask is a rich, creamy mask that hydrates and soothes dry skin. Enriched with 10% Shea Butter, it helps reduce feelings of tightness and leaves skin soft, supple and smooth. It also helps reinforce the skin barrier and reduce the appearance of fine lines.
The whipped texture melts into the skin and absorbs quickly, leaving a non-greasy finish. It can be used as a daily face cream or twice a week as a mask.
It is enriched with mineral-rich Reotier Water, Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter to intensely quench skin’s thirst and help improve its texture. It is a light and refreshing formula that can be applied as a hydrating boost during the day or night.
7. L’Occitane Aloe Vera Hydrating Face Mask
The L’Occitane Aloe Vera Hydrating Face Mask is enriched with shea butter, which is known to hydrate and soothe skin. It also contains Immortelle Super Aqueous Extract from Corsica, which helps your complexion resist external aggressors like blue light emitted by electronic devices.
Sheet masks are a beauty trend that were huge in 2015 and we’re still big fans. They’re packed with additives to target your specific skincare issues and often cost a little more than regular face masks.
Bang for your buck masks don’t come much better than this one by Clarins. The bio-cellulose material is flooded with beneficial ingredients including re-energising peptides, skin-brightening mulberry and allantoin. It’s also infused with rosa centifolia, which is a great way to calm irritated skin. Plus, it’s scented with rose oil so you can enjoy some pampering while you sleep.
8. L’Occitane Turmeric Hydrating Face Mask
This mask is hydrating and calming for the skin. It also contains a microbiome formulation that protects the skin’s bacterial balance, making it ideal for sensitive skin. It works with cranberry seed oil to help fade spots and reduce redness, turmeric to soothe and heal the skin tissue and shea butter to moisturise.
Face masks are designed to deliver a specific type of skincare benefit but it’s easy to overdo it which can cause damage and irritation to the skin. Using too many masks can strip the skin of its natural oils and friendly bacteria which it needs to function properly, leaving it feeling tight, dry and itchy. A good rule of thumb is to only use one or two masks a week.
9. L’Occitane Madecassoside Hydrating Face Mask
This light-textured mask will hydrate and plump your skin. Infused with shea butter and nourishing plant oils, it will leave your face feeling soft and smooth. It is perfect for dry, sensitive skin.
Centella asiatica, which relates closely to the beauty buzzwords ‘madecassoside’ and ‘cica’, is one of the key ingredients in this product. It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is also great for soothing irritated skin and reducing inflammation.
Infused with madecassoside and panthenol, this multi-repairing balm favours the recovery of sensitive skin. It is suitable for babies, children and adults. The formula is hypoallergenic and has a rich, creamy texture.
10. L’Occitane Madecassoside Brightening Face Mask
Mediheal is a brand that’s known for their sheet masks – they have 3 different overnight sheet masks under the Cute Press category for full night sleep, calming and brightening. They are formulated for Southeast Asian skin and come in handy when you need a quick pick-me-up or some self-care time.
The Cute Press 1 Night Brightening Overnight Mask is housed in a cute 50g glass tub and has a light yellow gel texture. It is cooling, refreshing with a zesty citrus scent and a subtle tackiness which disappears as it sinks into the skin.
It visibly brightens skin tone with White Flower Complex and Citrus Extract while also soothing the complexion with Green Tea extract. This is perfect for those with dull and tired looking skin. It didn’t give enough hydration for dry or dehydrated skin but you can always layer it with your favourite night moisturizer.
