Face Masks for Skin Care

Face masks have become a beloved part of many skincare routines, but are they really necessary? In my opinion as a dermatologist, a correct custom skincare routine is sufficient for maintaining healthy skin. However, face masks can provide additional benefits for those who enjoy extra self-care. They are perfect for moments when you want to pamper yourself, relax, and enjoy some downtime. So, if you love treating yourself to a spa-like experience at home, incorporating face masks into your routine can be a great way to enhance your skincare regimen. I’ll discuss benefits of face masks, when to use them in your routine, and how to know which is right for your skin type. Make sure you know which of the 16 skin types you are so you will know which mask is right for you. If you don’t know your Baumann Skin Type, take our 3-5 min free quiz. It the same skin care routine quiz that dermatologists use.

Face masks are not essential but are a fun self care ritual

Masks can boost your routine results

Choose a mask based on your Baumann Skin Type

When to use a mask in your routine depends upon mask type

Using Face Masks in Your Skin Care Routine

Do you need a face mask in your routine? How do you choose and when do you use it? This article will discuss these issues and help you find the best face mask for your skin type.

Who Should Use a Face Mask?

Face masks are not essential, but they can be beneficial. While a correct custom skincare routine is critical for maintaining healthy skin, face masks offer extra self-care and relaxation benefits. They are perfect for those moments when you want to pamper yourself and enjoy some downtime. So, if you love treating yourself to a spa-like experience at home, incorporating face masks into your routine can enhance your skincare regimen.

Benefits

Face masks offer several benefits depending on their type and ingredients. They provide an occlusive barrier to slug active ingredients into your skin. Specific masks can boost hydration, unclog and refine pores, create even skin tone, smooth texture, remove excess oils, decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, make skin feel firmer, improve blemishes, and increase skin radiance.

Face masks provide a variety of benefits depending on their ingredients and your skin type. Here are some key benefits of different mask types:

Unclogging Pores: Clay, salicylic acid, and retinol masks are excellent masks for clearing clogged pores. They are ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. They can dehydrate dry skin types. Other ingredients to look for in clay masks include bentonite, charcoal, kaolin, and volcanic ash.

Soothing Masks: Anti-redness masks can calm and soothe irritated skin. Look for calming ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, cucumber extract, and oatmeal.

Acne Masks : Salicylic acid masks exfoliate the skin and prevent acne by unclogging pores. Key ingredients include salicylic acid, tea tree oil, witch hazel, and niacinamide.

Hydrating Humectant Masks : These masks provide intense hydration to dry skin. Look for humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, aloe vera, and honey.

Oil Reducing Masks : Clay masks help balance oil production and are ideal for combination to oily skin types. Effective ingredients include kaolin clay, bentonite, sulfur, and activated charcoal.

When to Use a Face Mask in Your Routine

Applying a face mask correctly ensures you get the maximum benefits. When to use a mask in your routine will vary by the type of mask and your Baumann Skin Type.

Here’s a simple guide:

Cleanse your face to remove dirt, oil, and makeup.

Apply the mask evenly over your face, avoiding the eyes and lips. Extend the layer to your neck and décolletage.

Wait for the recommended time before removing the mask.

Rinse with warm water and a soft washcloth if necessary.

Pat dry

Face Mask After Showering

You can use a face mask after a shower. Cleanse your face using warm water in the shower. Pat face dry. While skin is still damp, apply the face mask. Follow instructions depending on the type of mask you use.

Face Mask During a Bath

The best time to use a face mask is during a bath. The warm water helps open your pores, making the mask more effective. Start by cleansing and toning your face, then apply the mask evenly. You can luxuriate in the warm bath water while the mask works its magic. After the recommended time, remove the mask and follow up with appropriate skincare based on the type of mask you used.

Types of Face Masks

There are various types of face masks available, each designed to address specific skincare concerns. Here’s a breakdown of types of masks and collections of our dermatologist-recommended masks by category:

Soothing Anti-redness Masks for Sensitive Skin

Masks for sensitive skin have soothing ingredients to calm irritated, reactive, or overexfoliated skin. This can be used after a sunburn or during a rosacea flare or after an allergic reaction to calm upset skin. Look for soothing ingredients like:

Argan oil

Caffeine

Chamomile

Cucumber

Green Tea

Licorice Extract

Hydrating Gel or Colloid Masks

These are lightweight and easily absorbed, ideal for oily or acne-prone skin. Key ingredients to look for include aloe vera, cucumber extract, green tea extract, and hyaluronic acid.

Hydrating Cream Masks

Moisture-rich and perfect for dry skin, especially in the winter months. Look for ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, ceramides, and squalane.

Exfoliating Antiaging, Lightening and Brightening Masks

These masks remove dead skin cells and promote healthy skin turnover. Essential ingredients include salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and papaya enzymes.

Clay, Mud, and Charcoal Pore Shrinking Masks

Ideal for drawing out impurities and absorbing excess oil. Key ingredients are kaolin clay, bentonite clay, sulfur, and activated charcoal. These may be called mud masks .

Acne Treatment Masks

These acne treatment masks have ingredients like salicylic acid to calm skin and get down into clogged pores to clean them out and break the acne cycle.

What To Do After Removing a Mask?

After removing a face mask, it’s essential to follow up with the right skincare so you do not negate the benefits of the mask.

Here’s what to do after using a mask based on the type of mask you used:

Clay Masks : Cleanse your skin again to remove any residue and follow with your usual skincare routine.

Sheet Masks : Simply remove the mask and apply your moisturizer directly to seal in the benefits.

Gel or Colloid Masks : Remove the mask and apply an occlusive moisturizer to lock in the humectants.

Cream Masks : Follow the instructions; some cream masks are meant to be left on, while others should be rinsed off.

Exfoliating Masks : Use a non-exfoliating cleanser to remove any remnants of the mask, then apply a moisturizer. Avoid retinoids and vitamin C immediately after using these masks.

How Often Should You Use a Face Mask?

Face masks can be used 1-3 times a week depending on your skin type and the mask type. Adjust the frequency based on your skin’s response and environmental factors. For example, hydrating masks can be used more frequently, while exfoliating masks should be used sparingly to avoid over-exfoliation. Once you take our skin type quiz, you will receive a custom skin care routine and emails that will help guide you on what masks to use, when to use them and how often to use them.

Matching Face Masks to Your Skin Type

Selecting the right face mask for your Baumann Skin Type is crucial to get the best results and avoid irritating your skin. There are 16 Baumann Skin Types, and using a mask that doesn’t match your type can lead to issues like irritation or breakouts. Make sure to determine your skin type using our quiz or consult with one of our skin care experts to get personalized recommendations. Once you know your skin type, you will be able to shop for masks using your skin type octagon.

DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.

Related Articles

Ad Blocker Detected