Real life mask loves...don't expect instagram worthy photos.

Let's talk masks.

Everyone from Aldi to Armani now make face masks. It is a bit of a minefield.
Luckily for you, I have tried A LOT. (I've tried a lot of everything, much to the disgust of my bank balance)

Here is a run down of my faves and my top tips, as well as some that really are not worth the hype/money

Sanctuary Spa 5Minute Thermal Detox Mask

This is without doubt, the best clay/charcoal mask I have used. You can use this on larger areas with blocked pores or literally to spot treat.

This is amazing for those cystic spots that will not come to the surface. I also swear by my patented salt water technique for drawing them out. See below.

1. Boil a kettle, rinse some water around the mug to warm it. This helps because the colder the mug, the quicker the hot water will cool and you will have to get up and down to refill.
2. Fill the mug half full and add a teaspoon of salt
3. Wrap a cotton wool pad (or even better, use a cotton ball) around a teaspoon.
4. Dunk in the hot water
5. Test the heat – you don’t want to burn your face
6. Rest the hot salt water cotton on the spot
7. Dip and return to the face for around 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the water stays hot.
8. The area should go red, you are attempting to boost circulation to get the spot to surface

This mask is also great for when you pop a spot (naughty, but sometimes must be done) and need to draw out any remnants and calm it all down.

Dupe for: GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD MASK. Much cheaper. Much less irritating (the tingle factor in the Glamglow is completely unnecessary. If you want salicylic acid, apply it directly in another form. The combination is too drying.

PLEASE DO NOT USE PORE STRIPS/THOSE GOD AWFUL PEEL OFF MASKS ON FACEBOOK. All you will do is worsen acne, trigger rosacea, irritate and flake dry skin and cause broken capillaries. It is not worth it. If you have that many black heads that ca be pulled out by effectively, liquid sellotape, then you need to be looking at your cleansing and serum routine. 

Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel

This is the most milk form of acid peel that I will mention here. I used this religiously throughout my roaccutane treatment. The flaky skin needed to be removed somehow, my stronger masks made my face fall off and scrubs just led to broken capillaries.

Ingredients:

No parabens, sulfates or synthetic fragrances

Glycolic acid

Some nice oils (low down the list) to buffer

Hyaluronic acid

Vitamin C – please note, I do not believe that vitamin C in mask form will give any results beyond the fact that it is slightly acidic. In order for vitamin C to be active, it either needs to sit on the surface of the skin to provide antioxidant protection, or absorb into the skin to boost collagen. It will not do either of these things in 10 minutes. It is also light sensitive so when stored in a clear tube it probably wont be active.

This will leave your face GLOWING, resurfaced but not irritated. Great for sensitive skin

Alpha H Smoothingand Perfecting Mask

Out of all of them, this might be my favourite mask.

Spotty? Amazing. Dry? Amazing. Dull? Amazing.

Stronger than the Murad mask (15% glycolic acid) but still somehow not irritating. This will leave you with glass/baby-bum skin

Love

The Ordinary AHABHA peeling solution

Only use this if you have rhino skin.

This has a whopping 30% AHA - Glycolic (note this is first on the ingredients list) Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid and Citric Acid

 and….2% BHA (2% BHA is the max the EU will allow us to use in cosmetic products),

as well as some hyaluronic acid

It is a beetroot colour and very liquid. Apply a few drops at a time otherwise it will drip all over your sink/bathroom floor. It has this colour so people don’t leave it on like a serum. If you did this, you would probably have some exposed bone when you next looked in the mirror.

This is amazing for pigmentation, dry skin, dull skin, blocked pores, blackheads, spots and scarring. If you want results, this will give them to you.

Work your way up slowly. You’ve been warned

One to avoid: GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD™ Tinglexfoliate Treatment. This contains absolutely no AHA’s or BHA’s and no proven resurfacing ingredients other than pumice and silica which are physical exfoliants (you know my feelings on these). There are however a LOT of ingredients designed to piss off your skin ( tingle means its working right? WRONG)

Just don’t bother.

Ren Evercalm UltraComforting Rescue Mask

This is great for everyone. Roaccutane burns, over use of said The Ordinary product above, sunburn, dryness etc. This mask will fix it. It is very rich but it is removed so I do not have such an issue with leaving it on my skin. This is amazing to apply overnight, or to apply in the afternoon before an evening event. Your make up goes on like a dream.

Hydrating, soothing and calming. Also amazing on a plane as it leaves no visible residue but you will arrive hydrated

Albatrellus Extract, Arnica, Algae, oils and probiotics tackle redness, inflammation, and relieve irritation and itchiness. There are no chemical nasties in here. It almost leaves a film over the skin, so if you are the kind of dry where you feel you continuously want to apply moisturiser – this will be perfect and can just be dabbed off with a tissue before makeup.  However, if you are combination, or have irritation from products or medications, this is also perfect, just cleanse off and continue your skin care routine.

Home made masks

Yes you can buy clay. But when my beloved Sanctuary mask can be picked up at boots for under a tenner – why bother? The mess and frustration will not compensate for the cheapness of buying your own bag of clay.

“Crushing aspirin to make salicylic acid”. Yes aspirin is a version of salicylic acid. However it is not in the right pH to create a version that will have any effect when put on your skin. Plus mixing it with water – which is the only way you can apply – will make a complete mess, and destabilise the product. The ordinary has a salicylic acid solution which is a fiver, and their AHA BHA mask is also a similar price.

Turmeric. Turmeric has indeed been shown to have anti inflammatory properties but not when applied topically. Put it in your cooking not on your face

“Natural alternatives to retinol”. If retinol was not such a buzz word at the moment, no one would be claiming. What they mean is “this product might help resurface or moisturise the skin”. Retinol is the only product that can actually boost turnover of skin cells and make them act like younger versions of themselves.

“Orange juice is the best source of vitamin C”. No. Just no. If you wish to burn your face/apply a lot of sugar to it then go ahead. In order for vitamin C to act on the skin it ideally needs to be in the form of ascorbic acid. This needs to be stabilised and pH balanced in order to work. Buy a vitamin C serum or The Ordinary vitamin C powder instead. The same applies for putting lemon juice on your face. Yes it is acidic but not in a form that will do any true resurfacing, it will just make you sticky (at best) or burn you.

“Glycolic acid comes from cane sugar – why can’t I just use that”. If this was the case, all the leading beauty companies would start sticking sugar in their products. It would be far cheaper and easier. You will, again, end up with a sticky face that will be a nightmare to cleanse, and will get no true glycolic acid resurfacing because it is not in the right form. Sugar is not glycolic acid. It is sugar.

Avocado - yes this provides lots of nice oils and fats, of all the home made options this offends me the least. However if you can afford to buy avocados purely to mash, put on your face and wash down the sink, then you can afford a more advanced and proven formula. 

Just buy a tried, dermatologically tested, stable, pH balanced, regulated mask. You do not have to spend a fortune (although you can if you want to). 

You can buy most of these from lookfantastic, who I have ordered from for YEARS and they have never failed me. My other new fave site for more luxury items is Cultbeauty.