How to choose a face mask

Even if you naturally have excellent skin and the same face cream, there are weapons without which it is much more difficult to remain or become beautiful. We are talking about masks. FashionTime compiled a comprehensive guide, not leaving out either professional or homemade masks.

Since ancient times, women have been accustomed to wearing a mask. Clay-based masks, as well as milk and honey ones, were valued by one famous Egyptian woman named Cleopatra. Centuries later, women continued to use the products that were easiest to obtain to maintain their beauty. Englishwomen not only drank black tea with milk, but also rubbed their skin with it. Spaniards put mashed boiled beans on their faces. And Bulgarian beauties preferred sweet pepper pulp. Fortunately, modern young ladies have many more ingredients and products in their arsenal. Why are masks so necessary even with regular use of other beauty products?

Firstly, the mask performs the same function for the skin as fertilizer for the earth. The farmer will not get a harvest from infertile soil. A modern girl will not “bloom and smell” without special cosmetics.

Secondly, no other remedy solves the problem so purposefully and precisely. While the cream is engaged in prevention and maintaining normal balance in the epidermis, the mask hits the target: it solves a specific problem, be it moisturizing, whitening or lifting.

Thirdly, the mask differs from the cream in the time of contact with the skin: no more than a quarter of an hour once or twice a week. But little does not mean bad. It’s just that the concentration of useful active ingredients in the mask is several times higher than their content in the cream and even serum. Therefore, fifteen or even five minutes is enough for the skin to receive all the benefits.

1. The mask should be applied to skin previously cleansed with scrub and tonic.

2. Make masks only when you are not going to go outside. For cleansed skin, dust and smog are real aggressors.

3. You can’t walk or even talk with cleansing masks, you can only lie down. Otherwise, the appearance of wrinkles will worsen.

4. Rinse off with wet palms using massaging movements.

5. Face masks should not be applied to the skin around the eyes - here it is drier and thinner.

6. For combination skin types, you need to make masks separately for the cheeks and for the T-zone.

7. No mask can remove toxins from the skin. This is work for the liver.

If necessary, masks that solve various problems can be used every day, alternating. In summer, the skin needs cleansing most of all; in spring, it is better to focus on toning, nutrition and radiance, and in winter, buy softening and steaming masks. Whitening masks can be done in the fall. You need to moisturize your skin all year round. And of course, do not forget to choose a mask not only based on the problem, but also keeping in mind your skin type.

Film masks

Such masks exfoliate dead skin particles well, mattify the surface of the epidermis and narrow pores. They also have an antiseptic, tightening, degreasing effect, so they are especially good for oily facial skin. Film masks are made from polyvinyl alcohol. After application, the composition hardens, turning into a film. When removed along with it, the skin gets rid of both dead cells and sebaceous plugs.

FashionTime selection: Matis, Reponse Purete Pur Peel-Off and Green Mama, “Calendula and Rose Hips.”

Homemade recipe: Dilute a teaspoon of gelatin in two tablespoons of hot milk. Apply the resulting mixture to your face and hold until it hardens.

Cream

They solve any problems and are suitable for all skin types. The main difference from other masks is that there is no need to wash them off.

FashionTime selection: Kanebo, Sensai Cellular Performance Hydrating Series and Carita, Progressif Anti-age Masque Biologique.

Fabric

With their help you can fight against wrinkles, irritation, swelling, sagging and dark circles under the eyes. Unless they are suitable for cleansing the skin. Soaked in serum with vitamins, minerals, amino acids. Thanks to the textile base, these active ingredients are better absorbed into the deeper layers of the dermis.

Choice FashionTime: Valmont, Collagen Mucopolysaccharides Complex, Olay Total Effects and Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Anti-stress Face Tonic.

Cleansing

These masks are always used before any other types of masks. They remove keratinized particles located under the surface of the epidermis. These masks contain the best absorbents - bentonite clay or kaolin (also known as porcelain or white clay). It's best when the mask contains both. As they dry, they absorb sebum. But the more bentonite in the composition, the longer the mask will dry. And the more kaolin, the drier the skin will be. These masks cannot be kept on the face longer than the regulations. Otherwise, the skin gets tired and absorbs the dirt it gives off.

FashionTime selection: Kiehl's, Rare Earth Facial Mask with kaolin and bentonite, Avene, Cleanance Puriying Mask with kaolin, Lush, Amazon with kaolin.

Homemade recipe: Dilute one tablespoon of kaolin powder (sold at the pharmacy) with milk until the consistency of sour cream.

Moisturizing and nourishing

More often than not, hydration and nutrition go hand in hand. Therefore suitable for all skin types. Typically the main component is hyaluronic acid.

FashionTime selection: SkinCeutical Moisturizing and Nourishing Mask, Hydrating B5 Masque, La Roche Posay Hyaluronic Acid Mask, Hydraphase Intense Legere and Body Shop, Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask.

Homemade recipe: Squeeze the juice from a quarter of an orange. Add egg yolk and a teaspoon of olive oil to it. Beat lightly with a whisk.

Anti-aging

The packaging may also indicate “lifting mask,” “sculpting,” “toning,” or “beauty mask.” There is only one goal: to prolong the youth of the skin. Thanks to collagen, they improve complexion, relieve puffiness, reduce nasolabial folds, and tighten the oval of the face. When the first signs of aging appear, anti-aging masks should be used every 10 days.

FashionTime selection: modeling mask Fonteverde, Firming Mask, express mask Uriage, Aqua Precis and toning mask Yves Rocher, Masque Aqua Tonic.

Homemade recipe: Beat two tablespoons of finely ground oatmeal with egg white.

Whitening

Whitening masks are mainly used if you need to lighten freckles or age spots. They also even out skin tone.

FashionTime selection: Shiseido whitening mask, Whitening Essence.

Homemade recipe: Use any homemade masks for your skin type with the addition of lemon juice or simply wipe your face with it.

Radiance masks

Radiance masks most often contain reflective or pearlescent particles. However, their presence is not justified, since the mask will still have to be washed off. Another option is to simply make the skin healthy, and therefore glowing from the inside.

FashionTime selection: Givenchy, Black for Light Mask, Payot mask for dull skin, Masque Reveil Eclat and Teana multilamellar mask.

Oxygen

When mixing the special ingredients of the mask, carbon dioxide is formed. The skin absorbs it, the amount of oxygen in the cells increases. Thanks to this process, your own collagen and hyaluronic acid are more actively produced. Oxygen masks differ in the type of action: they can cleanse, moisturize, and add elasticity. You can't cook them in your own kitchen.

FashionTime selection: Cefine, Oxygen Jacuzzi and Faberlic, Phyto Kislorod.

Sauna masks

Another type of clay-based cleansing mask. Another name: steaming or thermoactive. When applied to damp skin, heat is generated. The pores open up and all the bad things that have accumulated inside come out. Thanks to the vasodilating effect, sauna masks also ensure rapid penetration of medicinal substances into the tissues.

FashionTime selection: Garnier, Skin Naturals “Clean Skin”.

Homemade recipe: Prepare a mixture of a tablespoon of kaolin, two tablespoons of honey and one drop of lemongrass essential oil.

Cooling

Such masks are most often recommended after laser resurfacing, chemical peeling, mesotherapy, and contouring. The goal is to soothe and cool the skin and reduce swelling. This can be either a traditional cosmetic product in a jar or a real mask made of rubber with slits for the face and mouth, inside of which a gel (often with menthol) is poured. Before using it, you need to put it in the refrigerator for a while. Keep it on your face for no more than five minutes.

FashionTime selection: Kenzoki, Energetic Face Mask and Algotherm, Masque Refrigerant (Complete Visage).

Masks can also be:

Cosmetologists are sure that the best time for skin care is night. When the body sleeps, it relaxes and receives maximum benefits from cosmetic masks. Night masks usually have a creamy texture and are well absorbed. However, you should not apply moisturizers before bed: this can cause unwanted swelling.

FashionTime selection: Natura Siberica, Night Detox.

Hello, dear friends! All women, regardless of age, want to look stunning, even in their sleep. But how to do that? Face masks are a great help with this. But how to choose a face mask? How to use it correctly? What should we know about this?

How to use

Since masks contain active ingredients in very high concentrations, they should be used no more than twice a week, and maybe even less often. As a rule, masks are used after light peeling. The choice of a mask and how to use it is best done in consultation with a cosmetologist.

How to choose a face mask

The most common and popular are masks with cream or gel textures. They are followed by masks - films. As a rule, this option is most suitable for those with oily or combination skin. A greenhouse effect is created during the action of such masks, the pores open and are well cleaned.

Next on the list of popularity are fabric masks or patches. They are mainly used to combat age-related skin changes. This is due to the fact that they deeply moisturize, even out the complexion, and visibly tighten the skin.

Also on the cosmetology market there are “narrow pros” that are created for individual parts of the face or body (hands, feet, lips, eyes, neck, etc.). In addition to anti-aging, this type of mask is used by ladies who often change time zones. In winter, lip patches are very often used: they contain a huge proportion of hyaluronic acid, collagen and natural plant extracts.

How to choose a face mask

Classification of face masks

1. Moisturizing

A moisturizing mask will help save your skin from winter dehydration. When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the composition, which should contain: hyaluronic acid, seaweed, vegetable oils, bisabolol, aloe and chamomile extracts.
If you are young and your skin is prone to oily skin, then it is better for you to turn to moisturizing masks with a gel texture. For girls over thirty, it is better to turn to fabric masks that nourish and also supply the skin with antioxidants and important microelements.
Some masks do not need to be washed off; you just need to remove the excess tissue. However, such masks should be made exclusively at night, since makeup will not adhere to such a base.

This product works well with complexion and is designed to quickly remove signs of lack of sleep, fatigue and traces of a hectic young life. The uniqueness is that the masks tighten pores, making the skin smooth and soft. This is due to the fact that they usually contain a large number of moisturizing components.

Toning masks are used only in the morning. And from time to time, so that you can put yourself in order in a short time. One caveat: using these masks for the area around the eyes is strictly prohibited; “other rescuers” are needed here.

The purpose of using this product should be to cleanse pores of impurities or remove blackheads. In the composition you will find kaolin or white clay. Its amazing power has long been known to everyone: “pulling out” all excess from the skin, antibacterial effect, absorption of excess secretion of the sebaceous glands.

Also on the label you will find zinc, bisabolol, various essential oils and extracts. If you have oily, combination or problem skin, then this is your option. For dry skin, look for green clay in the composition, as it is less aggressive than white clay. Clay dries out very quickly, so when applying the mask, be sure to arm yourself with a sprayer to irrigate your face with thermal water as soon as you feel tightness.

As a rule, we resort to such masks after reaching 35 years of age. They must contain vitamins A, E, C, coenzymes, and amino acid complexes. The next step will be masks with peptides and plant stem cells. Collagen patches should not go out of use, as they make the skin firm, elastic, and fresh.

Peeling masks should not be confused with cleansing masks. Peels work effectively due to glycolic, mandelic and lactic acids. By dissolving dead skin cells, they make the skin smooth, tone evens out, blood circulation improves and age spots fade.

Peeling masks make the skin very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, so it is necessary to use creams with an SPF filter. If your skin is very sensitive, then pay attention to masks containing enzymes. This type of enzyme will help remove dead skin cells without destroying the natural lipid layer or causing irritation or even burns.

This article provides recommendations, not a guide to action. Before choosing one or another product, consult a cosmetologist.

Face masks are a quick response to dryness, dehydration, and dull skin color. They can also quickly reduce wrinkles and hide signs of fatigue. What you need to know about the rules of masking, what mask to buy and whether it makes sense to prepare cosmetics at home.

1. The importance of face masks
2. Cosmetic masks or homemade ones: what to choose?
3. Rules of application
4. Review of anti-aging face masks
5. Purifying face masks
6. Moisturizing face masks
7. Leveling face masks
8. Night face masks
9. Multimasking

The importance of face masks

Face masks, compared to creams and lotions, contain an increased dose of active substances, specifically those that are aimed at a quick and targeted effect.

Some sheet or cellulose masks may contain a week's "dose" of cream or serum. © IStock

For example, if a serum for problem skin works for the long term, every day reducing the stratum corneum of the skin and normalizing sebum secretion, then a cleansing mask mattifies the skin and clears pores in just one session. Together they solve the problem better than individually.

Or, for example, moisturizing masks: in 10 minutes they refresh the skin and saturate it with moisture, which is especially important after flights or before an important event.

Radiance masks contain acids in higher concentrations than toners and serums, which allows them to quickly restore a radiant complexion.

Cloth masks can serve different purposes. Their main advantage is that they are convenient to carry with you, to use not only at home, but also at work, on an airplane or train (the main thing is to warn your colleagues and neighbors in advance so as not to be scared).

Night masks are a new format invented in Asia, where people are ready to take care of their skin non-stop. And this makes sense: at night, the skin carries out intensive restoration work and absorbs nutrients more readily.

Cosmetic masks or homemade ones: what to choose?

Cucumber circles under the eyes, pureed strawberries on the face, egg whites on the T-zone - the popularity of homemade beauty recipes in Russia is off the charts. And the point here is not at all about super-efficiency.

The reason for the people’s love for masks was “made from what was there” - it’s just a historical relic, the legacy of the Soviet Union and the 1990s with their total shortage, when the choice of cosmetics was extremely scarce. So we had to get out.

Now the situation has changed dramatically: there are cosmetic stores even in small towns, and something hard to find but desired can be ordered online.

Of course, if you are used to making your own face masks from fruits, vegetables and other improvised means, no one can forbid you from doing this. However, we can authoritatively say that in the competition “ready-made masks versus grandma’s recipes,” the latter lose. Here are some arguments.

Dubious savings

A package of white clay in a pharmacy costs no more than 100 rubles, and you can also buy oils and herbal infusions there. For a basic recipe, such a set will do, but a homemade mix will work at an elementary level. But to prepare serious cosmetics, you will have to rob a cosmetics factory and set up a real laboratory in the kitchen. Are you sure you can handle it?

High risk of allergies

When using ready-made masks purchased in a store, no one is safe from an allergic reaction. However, this risk only exists if there is an individual intolerance to certain components. In general, absolutely all cosmetic products undergo thorough dermatological control. With homemade masks, the risk of allergic reactions is much higher.

For example, strawberries and honey are the strongest allergens. With cucumbers it’s a little easier in this regard, but don’t expect any effect; you can just as easily wash your face with tap water and not wipe your face with a towel.

Both homemade and ready-made masks must be tested on your hand before use. Especially if you are prone to allergic reactions. © IStock

Complex recipe

Whatever one may say, it’s not for nothing that people study at universities for six years to become chemical engineers. Developing a balanced and safe effective formula in which the components do not conflict with each other is beyond the power of neophytes. Just believe me: the production of cosmetics is a complex chemical process that does not end with a uniform texture in a jar. The product must undergo several tests and safety assessments in independent laboratories.

Zero shelf life

No matter how many fans of an eco-friendly lifestyle convince us that preservatives are evil, the truth is that cosmetics cannot exist without them. It simply won't be stored. And now we’re not talking about a few months, because oxygen and sunlight can quite quickly change the properties of a freshly prepared mask - and not for the better.

Ease of application

“An important point is ease of use. You can apply the finished mask in a couple of minutes and go about your business. It will take at least an hour to make a homemade one, but the medicinal mixtures that peel off from the face have made many husbands laugh and forced them to wash kilometers of floors unscheduled.”

No effect

And finally, about the properties. Fruits and vegetables crushed in a blender will not penetrate beyond the upper layer of the epidermis. All that a homemade mask can do is increase self-esteem (“I’m great, I take care of my skin!”) and superficial hydration.

Rules of application

Any face masks are applied only to previously cleansed skin, preferably after the exfoliation procedure - this way the skin cells will better perceive beneficial substances.

Nourishing and moisturizing: Leave the mask on your face for as long as you see fit. You can - until completely absorbed or dry, unless otherwise indicated in the instructions.

Clay based cleanser: You can leave it on the skin a little longer than the time prescribed in the instructions, provided that you spray water on your face - this method will protect the skin from discomfort and tightness.

Exfoliating mask with acids (glycolic, salicylic, lactic): strictly observe the exposure time if you do not want to cause irritation and redness.

Do not leave masks on your skin too long. Otherwise it is easy to achieve the opposite result. © IStock

Remove the remaining mask using the method indicated in the instructions:

remove with a cotton pad;

rinse with warm, but not hot water;

rub in the remaining composition using massaging movements to prolong the effect (usually this applies to the impregnation of fabric masks).

Cream masks are best removed with a damp towel or sponge. The main thing is not to overdo it with friction, so as not to end up with irritated skin instead of healthy and rested skin.

Review of anti-aging face masks

Nobody argues: at 20 and 40 years old, the condition of the skin will be different.

Young skin requires regular hydration, often measures to narrow and cleanse pores and control sebum production.

For mature skin - thinner, weakened, tired - additional nutrition, lifting effect, smoothing and adding density are much more important.

Therefore, it is more effective to solve the problems of aging skin through daily well-chosen care, rather than using masks once a week. Even if their packaging contains the words anti-age.

And yet, which face masks will be useful at 30, and which two decades later?

Anti-aging masks after 30 years

Even if your skin feels great, use moisturizing masks once or twice a week - this is the best prevention of aging. In winter, as well as after flights, turn to nutritional formulas.

Fruit salad for the face. © Getty Images

Apricot-banana mask

Ingredients:

remove the pit from the apricot, peel it, chop the pulp;

Peel and chop the banana;

blend the fruits in a blender, adding warm water as needed for a comfortable consistency.

How to use:

Apply the mask in an even layer, avoiding the eye and lip area;

leave for 20 minutes;

Wipe the skin with toner and apply moisturizer.

Skin.ru recommends ready-made masks as additional anti-aging care after 30 years:

Hyaluronic express mask LiftActiv, Vichy contains high concentrations of low and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, as well as agave yeast extract, which stimulates the natural synthesis of hyaluronic acid. Provides intense hydration and smoothes the skin, making it more elastic.

Youth activator mask Génifique, Lancôme serves as a prevention of the first signs of aging, strengthens the structure of the epidermis. The synthesis of its own proteins is enhanced in skin cells.

Anti-aging masks after 40 years

Don't forget about intensive skin nutrition and include masks in your care system that help stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin. Although it is difficult to imagine that the ingredients at hand have these properties, honey and sour cream are always popular in home recipes.

Honey and sour cream are the most popular ingredients in homemade cosmetics. For any occasion. © Getty Images

Honey and sour cream mask

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon honey;

1 tablespoon of sour cream.

How to cook

Mix the ingredients thoroughly.

How to use:

Apply the mask in an even layer, avoiding the eye and lip area;

leave for 20 minutes;

remove using a damp sponge or soft cloth soaked in warm water.

Ready-made masks for women in the 45+ category:

Instant peeling mask for skin renewal Re-Plasty High Definition Peel, Helena Rubinstein with acids is quite capable of serving as an alternative to cosmetic procedures - it renews the skin, makes age spots less noticeable, and reduces wrinkles.

Anti-aging masks after 50 years

Look on store shelves for the most powerful anti-aging formulas: nourishing, moisturizing, exfoliating, restoring. Homemade mask recipes can also have nutritional and even antioxidant properties. The choice is yours: high-tech laboratory-tested cosmetics or natural products.

Almost confectionery face masks © Getty Images