THE MASKS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Whenever I think about face masks, I think of two things. Firstly, my 14 year old self thinking I'm sassy as hell in my Montagne Jeunesse sachet mask - you probably won't know the name but google the brand and I 100% guarantee that if you're a 90's kid you'll remember them - and secondly, the more sophisticated mask session complete with a glass of vino, cake (because there is no dreamy evening without cake, although lol.. that's the sophistication part out of the window) and generally just relaxation. Either way, facial masks have been something that I have loved for a long time but apart from making you feel a little bit like Beyonce, do they actually work?

 In my years of mask testing - I'm not sure I've ever written a phrase that has made me sound so much like a tit! - there have been some absolute winners, and also some absolute catastrophes that have simultaneously burnt half of my skin off and given me spots. YAY ME!! But today's post is dedicated to the babes that actually make such a difference to my skin. The one's that I use and instantly have all the "I've got my sh*t together, move out the way world" feels. The one's that make me look ever so slightly like I've used the snapchat pretty filter, just without the alien forehead and nose job filtered shnoz.

The Brightening ones
Sometimes - [read: all day ehhrday] - my poor lifestyle choices i.e all the red wine, all the coffee, all the early mornings and lack of sleep and not enough water means that my skin is definitely anything but bright. So on the days where I need to look a little more put together, the brightening masks are the ones that come out to play and I have a couple of new additions to my arson that I can.not.stop.using. The first if my favourite of the bunch, mainly because it makes me look like one of the Covent Garden performers/like a blogger's thrown up all over it and it's the Origins Ginzing peel off mask. Apart from the fact that it's a snapchat story waiting to happen, I absolutely love how incredibly soft it makes the skin after using it. My pores instantly look tighter, my skin brighter and I've had the satisfaction of peeling it all off. Winning. It's not the most hydrating of the bunch - although it doesn't claim to be - but it does leave your skin with this flawless matte complexion which I am so on board this. The next is the Skin republic Brightening vitamin C face sheet mask and I cannot even tell you how impressed I am with this. Firstly, the sheet is absolutely saturated with product meaning that it really does give such a boost of moisture and radiance. It just makes my skin feel incredibly plump, incredibly bright and even and as the name suggests, as if I've taken a massive dose of vitamin C (and trust me, this burger demolishing gal pal definitely hasn't). You wear the mask for 15 - 20 minutes so it's definitely one for a longer pamper session rather than a quick fix but it really is lovely. It's also available at Superdrug too so slightly more accessible if you're not near a bigger department store.
The Hydrating ones
One thing I've noticed as I've got older - BRB while I cry myself into my Lily of the valley scented pillow - is that my skin is as hydrated as the sahara desert, and no matter how many lotions and potions I use, it never feels truly nourished. So hydrating masks have become a major component in my skincare routine and one that if my skin could talk, it would pretty much be like "slather it on me bitches and watch me glow". One of my all time favourite masks comes in the form of the Avene Soothing moisture mask which is without a doubt the most soothing, nourishing dream boat of a mask and always calms any redness or sensitive/dry patches. (I actually have an in depth review in a drugstore skincare post coming soon so keep your eyes peeled for that). Then there's the Clarins HydraQuench cream mask which is kinda like the more luxurious, spa-like version of the Avene Soothing moisture mask. It does a very similar job but just smells stunning, feels unbelievably dreamy and is my favourite pick for when I need an instant pick me up. Finally, we have the Origins Plantscriptions sheet mask which apart from making you look like something out of a horror movie, also manages to make my skin look 10 years younger in 10 minutes - well, bearing in mind I would've been a 13 year old teen going through puberty that's probably not a good thing but you get the gist, it made me look younger - Fine lines look less visible and my general tone and texture is so much more even after using this, not to mention that it feels like a massive glug of water for your skin. I am all about that hydrated, plump skin kinda life. After taking the mask off there's no need to rinse, you just massage the residue into the skin and I think it's this that makes me wake up feeling like a Victoria's secret model (just 4 stone heavier and 10x uglier) because your skin just looks completely rejuvenated.

The exfoliating and purifying ones
Finally, when you've eaten all the crap, drank all the crap and basically turned your face into a human pizza - something I have an incredible ability to do [insert pig emoji here] - it's the purifying/detoxifying/exfoliating/[insert your own choice of word which basically means "gets the crap out" masks that I use to fix things. One mask that I've used constantly over the last couple of months is the Yes to Tomatoes detoxifying charcoal mud mask. What I love about this is that despite doing an amazing job of getting said crap out, it also manages to be gentle enough that it doesn't dry out the skin whatsoever, it doesn't make it tight or sensitive or red... it literally just does the job whilst keeping it hydrated too. I use this a couple of times per week or as a spot treatment and my skin loves me for it. Then we have the Ole Henrikson Truth sugar glow polishing mask which really is unlike anything that I've tried before because it's a sugar/scrub mask which feels like a straight up exfoliator but does amazing things when left on the skin. It makes my skin brighter, more even in tone and so unbelievably soft and smooth that I can't stop touching it. (Which I know is incredibly bad for your skin as Kendall Jenner said so and you know, what Queen K says, goes). Finally comes a much more inexpensive product that might just be the most original of the lot. It's the Body Shop's 3 in 1 wash, scrub, mask (available from July 27th) and I think that it's just genius. For somebody that travels a lot, multiuse products are my absolute baes - oh jesus christ shoot me now please - so to have this product really does make my life easier. It's kept me skin really clear and does an amazing job of clearing up any problem areas, the only thing I would say is that it's a little too harsh to use everyday so stick with using this as a weekly scrub/mask but other than that, it's a dreamy product that I would definitely repurchase.

So that brings my mask round up to an end. Now, obviously I only have one face - a pretty big one but still only one - and masks aren't an every day product so this bundle will definitely keep me going for a while but I would highly recommend any single one of these, so if you're looking to add a little somethin somethin to your skincare routine or upping your Sunday night pamper game, these are some options for you.

I'd love to know what your favourites are? Any products you'd highly recommend to go alongside my Lush bath, almond magnum and Harry Potter audible pamper session tonight? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

As always, thanks so much for reading!

xx

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