These 6 sheet masks are almost as good as a facial

Photo credit: Courtesy of brand
Photo credit: Courtesy of brand

From Cosmopolitan

If you don't regard sheet masks as one of THE best things in the beauty world - prepare for that to swiftly change. Hailing from Korea, where a baby soft, wrinkle free complexion is the most sought after commodity, sheet masks are pretty much the closest thing you can do to your skin - except get a fancy £££ facial - to get it beaming ASAP.

Why are they so great? Well, the beauty of sheet masks is that they hold the ingredients onto the skin, compressing them in, so you receive maximum benefits. The good stuff goes in, and it can't get out. Comprende?

They've got a special knack for delivering super amounts of hydration that lasts, AND they are usually pumped full of nourishing stuff that brightens, tightens, evens skin tone, and generally improves your complexion no end.

All the ones mentioned below are from my own personal stash (yes I am a certified sheet mask addict), and have transformed my face before parties, events, on the plane, ect.

Always give your skin a deep clean before applying any sheet mask, then smooth on, sit back, and wait for it to work its magic for the next 20 mins (I attempt to meditate during this time).

Once the time is up, make sure you massage in the excess serum and you're good to go.

Best for: hungover skin

If I'm looking a bit meh, say, I've had a few too many drinks the night before, and I need my face to look incred in a flash, I always reach for this. Made from bio-cellulose - I now exclusively use bio-cellulose over cotton - the sheet is covered in a serum that contains evening primrose, colloidal gold, ginko and kudzo root extract. I don't know how it does it, but the glow it gives me rivals some of the best facials I've ever had. My face looks and feels a million times better - plus, my makeup always goes on impeccably. It's a life saver.

Best for: tired complexions

Another one of my absolute faves, I turn to this when amping up my skin's radiance is paramount - and it always does the trick. Enriched with diamond powder, pink grapefruit and skin-toning peptides, it brightens, tightens and gets my base its dewiest ever in around 30 mins - half the time it takes me to get a full blown facial, I might add.

Best for: breakouts

All these formulas focus on topping up hydration: not this ultra-fine microfibre mask. Spot stoppers salicylic acid, niacinamide and tea tree oil are the cure for blemish prone complexions, blitzing oiliness, breakouts and bringing things back to equilibrium. It also sorts out the other pesky problems associated with breakouts: redness, inflammation, post blemish dark spots on the skin. It's my go-to when my face is all out of whack, basically.

Best for: ageing skin

Retinol is a game changer for ageing skins, and guess what, this bad boy is saturated with it. It comes in two halves, so is easier to apply than most others (bonus), and means it fits more snugly on those annoying areas that single sheet masks never seem to reach. Plumping amino acids help to firm, wrinkles and fine lines are softened and smoothed, it even seems to make a difference to those frustrating fine lines around my eyes, and I'm convinced my smile lines are less noticeable.

Best for: brightening and dark spots

Dark spots and dullness are one of skin's most annoying plights (second to spots, obv). You should be using a vitamin C serum religiously, but sometimes you just need a bit of an extra boost to get you glowing in a hot sec. Enter this undeniably potent helping hand, from Dr Denniss Gross. Saturated with a radiance boosting blend of brightening vitamin C and collagen, in just 15 minutes your face is guaranteed to be beaming, oh and it will feel as plump as a babies bottom.

Best for: being on a budget

You don't have to dish the cash for a sheet mask, you can actually pick one up for under a fiver - which is obviously undeniably great. This offering from Garnier is one of the best in the biz for transforming skin in a sec, without setting you back. Grape seed extract and hyaluronic acid work together to plump and smooth, plus it's great for diminishing any dark spots over time. Oh and did we mention it's £3.99?


You Might Also Like