A show of hands: how many of you come home feeling like you need a facial and some TLC but just can’t find the time? Enter, the face mask. Apart from elevating your regime under 10 minutes, this skin saviour can work wonders when you find the right mask for your skin type.
Make the most out of your next pampering sesh with masks made with Himalayan bamboo charcoal to target acne-prone skin, to a multi-masking combo that targets oily and dehydrated areas. Put on your comfiest pyjamas and light a scented candle in your bedroom. It’s mask day at Honeycombers.
For overnight repair: Laniege Water Sleeping Mask Lavender
Cheat your way through a good night’s sleep (yes, we’re looking at you, night owls) with this hardworking hydrator. Thanks to its innovative Sleep-tox and Moisture Wrap technology, Laneige’s Water Sleeping Mask does all it can to revitalise dull skin and keep the moisture locked in. The gel-like consistency is non-sticky so you don’t have to worry about the product transferring onto your pillowcase. The lavender scent also gives the perfect bedtime cue.
Laniege Water Sleeping Mask, $51 for 100 ml, available at Tangs and online
For dry skin: Dr. Jart+ Shake & Shot – Hydro Shot Shaking Rubber Mask and Treatment Mask
Dry skin people, we feel you. Sometimes, even the most hydrating masks (as promised on the label) can disappoint. Not this baby. There’s a fun element to the Dr. Jart+ Shake & Shot Rubber Mask despite the eccentric packaging. Combine the booster and hydrating ampoule with hyaluronic acid and a water botanical complex, and shake them until the formula reaches a cream-like consistency. Apply the mask on your face before it hardens. Finally, feel all your dead skin cells being stripped away as you remove the mask. You’re left with hydrated skin for days.
Dr. Jart+ Shake & Shot – Hydro Shot Shaking Rubber Mask and Treatment Mask, $13, available at Sephora stores and online
For unclogging pores: Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask To Clear Pores
Chase stubborn pores away with this powerful charcoal mask that goes deeps into your skin. Activated charcoal and white China clay are the key ingredients that clear dirt and impurities by environmental stressors, reducing excess oil in the process. Might as well say goodbye to your oily T-zone.
Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask To Clear Pores, $39 for 75ml, various outlets islandwide, also available online
For a deep-cleansing yet gentle formula: Pixi Glow Mud Mask
There’s just something about mud masks that get the job done – you’re left with lesser breakouts, a better complexion and squeaky-clean skin. However, some harsher formulas can strip away moisture, leaving you with dry skin. You don’t have to worry about that here. Thanks to gentler ingredients like kaolin clay (cleanses and purifies), sea salt (high in minerals and detoxifies), ginseng (brightens and clarifies) and soothing aloe, you can kiss dry and flaky skin goodbye.
Pixi Glow Mud Mask, $37 for 45ml, available at Sephora and online
For anti-ageing: Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask
Count on a mask that has collagen in its moniker to provide you with dramatically improved elasticity and firmness. If you’re worried about fine lines, wrinkles, irritation or lifeless skin, this is your best friend. Made with ingredients such as kaolin, oatmeal and algae extract, you’ll be looking at a youthful and energised complexion in no time.
Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask, $30, available at Sephora or online
For skin revival: Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask
If you need to hit restart, this winning product works wonders. Words like ‘turmeric’, ‘brightening’ and ‘exfoliating’ are like music to our ears – exactly what you’ll need for a little perk-me-up. But wait, there’s more. Papaya enzymes, aspen bark, peppermint and rosehip seeds are used to clear pores and sebum buildup, paving way for a healthy skin cell renewal. It also reduces the appearance of pigmentation, sun damage and pollution. Quite the multi-tasker.
Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask, $68, available at Sephora and online
For sensitive and congested skin: Eve Lom Rescue Mask
Suffering from pesky zits, redness, puffiness or oily skin – despite blotting every now and then? This versatile rescue mask has camphor, almond and honey-infused kaolin clay to perk up your skin, leaving you with an insanely soft and shine-free complexion. Who needs Superman when you’ve got a superhero in the form of a solid face mask?
Eve Lom Rescue Mask, available at Sephora, Escentials, Tangs and online
For an all-rounder: Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment
This mask does it all – it fights common issues such as blemishes, blackheads and whiteheads, pores, redness, scars and even razor bumps and ingrown hair. We’re not surprised, after looking at the power-packed ingredient list of activated charcoal and six types of acids to bring dull complexions to life. No wonder it’s a staple item in many beauty junkies’ regime.
Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, $89, available at Sephora and online
For multi-masking: Skin Inc’s Mask-have Matte & Glow Duo
We’ll admit it, one mask is never enough to combat all your skincare woes. So what do you do? Hint: multi-masking is the keyword. This phenomenon has been quite a hit with beauty junkies and with good reason – it’s a smart and efficient way to get ahead of your skincare routine. Not sure where to get started? Skin Inc’s got your back with the launch of its Mask-have Matte & Glow Duo.
Ready to go in a sleek packaging (that’s also great for travelling), it features two masks – Pores Be-Gone Mattifying Mask for detox and the award-winning Get Glowin’ Brightening Mask for glow. Got an oily T-zone? The volcanic ash and kaolin clay from the mattifying mask absorbs all that nasty sebum, leaving your pores squeaky clean. Dull skin? Revive targeted areas with the brightening mask that’s packed with Scutellaria baicalensis root extract (sounds like a spell from Harry Potter but it’s a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that brightens dull skin). You’ll see the real magic after a couple of tries.
Mask-have Matte & Glow Duo, $98, Skin Inc Concept Store, #B3-43 ION Orchard 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801, also available at all Sephora stores
For dehydrated skin and lack of ZZZs: Fresh’s Rose Face Mask
You may be lacking some shut-eye, but one thing you should catch onto is the power of a rose. Well, more like an average of two and a half roses in a jar. This gel mask is infused with real rose petals, rosewater and smart algae that target dry areas and produces moisture where your skin needs it most. It’s a refreshing formula that drenches dull and tired skin, leaving you with a radiant complexion. Eat your heart out, Sleeping Beauty.
Rose Face Mask, $62 for 100ml, various locations including Ion Orchard, Raffles City and JEM, also available online
For Exfoliating: Herbivore’s Blue Tansy – AHA + BHA Resurfacing Clarity Mask
The au naturale ingredients in this mask got our attention. Sure, it might look a little gentle for an exfoliating face mask (it has a smooth texture and an interesting blue hue that’s a far cry from the usual exfoliating masks) but the ingredient list speaks volumes. The mask has a mix of blue tansy leaf oil, papaya and pineapple enzymes, and white willow bark that clarifies and resurfaces skin, while soothing redness and inflammation. It also contains natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that get rid of dead skin cells and natural beta hydroxy (BHA) that unclogs pores. Aha! we can already hear our pores rejoicing.
Blue Tansy – AHA + BHA Resurfacing Clarity Mask, $72, available at all Sephora stores and online
For sheet masks: SK-II Facial Treatment Mask
They are less messy, great to carry around and save so. much. time. Sheet masks often don’t get the recognition they deserve, and we’re here to give this star product some love. We’ve become fond of calling SK-II’s facial treatment masks our go-to. Pump up the hydration, vitamins and minerals in your skin with SK-II’s Pitera complex, the elixir that’s used throughout its entire range. And here’s a tip: get the most out of your sheet mask by popping it in the fridge before planting it on your face to reduce puffiness. And don’t waste the excess serum from the pack. Apply it all over your neck and arms for ultra-smooth skin. You can thank us later.
SK-II Facial Treatment Mask, $127 (6 pieces), available at all SK-II stores and online
For acne-prone skin and oil-control: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
Ever looked in the mirror around midday, only to realise your oily T-zone has changed your matte makeup look to a hot mess? Oh, the horror. This tingling mud mask draws out impurities and excess oils from the skin thanks to powerful bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothill. But it doesn’t dry the skin – instead, antioxidants and catechins-filled green tea leaves and tea tree oil in the mask exfoliate the skin, leaving it blemish-free. Feel free to target specific areas like your stubborn, oily T-zone.
Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask, $35, available at all The Body Shop stores and online
For the girl on the go: Peter Thomas Roth’s Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Atomic Heat Mask
There’s no need to go all the way to Hungary for a thermal spa, just grab a tub of Peter Thomas Roth’s atomic heat masks. The mineral-rich thermal water in this miracle mask transforms into a flash of heat with a splash of cool water. Don’t be alarmed though. The heat opens your pores so that the skin soaks up all those nutrients. All you need is three minutes and you can feel the effects almost immediately.
Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Atomic Heat Mask, $110, available at all Sephora stores including Peter Thomas Roth’s pop-up store at the Ngee Ann City outlet
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