You’ve done very little over the past week but you’re still tired. You’ve eaten too much and you never want to see a bottle of Baileys again. Christmas may be over for us but it’s not over for our skin: it takes around 30 days for our faces to recover from the strains – sugar, alcohol, lack of sleep – of the festive season.
But where there’s a will, there's a way and it comes in the form of the humble face mask. From getting your glow back to busting blemishes, read on for the best tried-and-tested masks around. Fresh-faced 2017, here we come...
First thing’s first: Exfoliate away any dry, party-worn dead cells on the skin’s surface. Not only will your skin look much brighter but any serums or products applied afterwards will penetrate the skin twofold. As always, Dr Sebagh knows what’s up. This bright orange mask contains the alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) azelaic and lactic, which dissolve surface grime, reduce pigmentation, help with blemish scars and firm up skin, all while giving you back your glow. Smooth over skin after cleansing – a tingling sensation is normal – and leave on for 10 minutes. Reactive skins should try the sensitive version – it’s a gentler formula.
Dr Sebagh Deep Exfoliating Mask, £59, available at Dr Sebagh
It’s not just your mouth that’s parched the morning after the night before. For a quick hydration hit, this sheet mask is second to none. Made of bio cellulose, it’s a clever ‘second skin’ that pushes ingredients into skin faster than its fabric counterparts. Hyaluronic acid and rosewater restore moisture while minerals like magnesium and zinc relieve redness, giving you the ultimate dewy glow. And have we mentioned how cooling they feel, especially when left in the fridge beforehand? Leave on skin for 15 minutes, massaging in any extra serum afterwards.
Sarah Chapman 3D Moisture Infusion Mask, £39, available at Sarah Chapman
Chamomile is the ingredient to look for when your skin is in need of some TLC. This botanical-based mask has it in spades, alongside lavender and rosemary, so besides soothing angry skin and removing any blemish-creating imbalances, it also calms a worried mind. Leave on for 30 minutes and remove any excess with a cotton wool pad. If it’s all gone before you’ve taken it off, you'll know how much your skin needed it.
Aesop Blue Chamomile Hydrating Masque, £33, available at Aesop
Small but mighty, this mask is the ultimate all-rounder. A thin layer of the indulgent creamy formula left on for just 10 minutes makes dull skin bright, sallow skin plump and tired skin energised. It’s all thanks to the black rose extract, which combats skin-damaging free radicals and smoothes out any lines. Work into skin with fingers by massaging upwards and outwards – this will help stimulate your lymphatic system, which takes toxins away from skin and flushes them out of the body. Don’t be put off by the price tag either, it will last for ages.
Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask, £95.50, available at Sisley
Put energy and radiance back into a fatigued face with this antioxidant-packed, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial mask. Turmeric is its all-natural star ingredient and aside from calming flare-ups, it also fights acne, helps heal scarring and restores that all-important glow. Apply to skin post-cleanse and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off.
Kiehl’s Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque, £28, available at Kiehl's
Eve Lom’s deep cleanser remedies a world of skincare sins. It’s clay-based (honey-infused kaolin clay), meaning it draws impurities and grime out of pores; it also contains camphor, which cools satisfyingly upon the skin. It’s perfect for mornings-after or when skin is angry or stressed. Make sure to stir it before you apply and be generous with putting it on. After 20 minutes, use your fingers to buff away the excess clay, then wash the rest off with a warm muslin cloth.
Eve Lom Rescue Mask, £55, available at Eve Lom
They say that eyes are the window to the soul but, at this time of year, eyes are a window to the food you’ve eaten, the drinks you’ve drunk and all those late nights. There are lots of different gel eye masks out there but these reign supreme because they’re infused with retinol. This helps stimulate the thin under-eye area to create collagen, eliminates that crepey look and brightens dark circles. Either put these on for 20 minutes before you go out – they deliver a hydration hit that lasts for up to 30 hours – or use to revive eyes the morning after.
Verso Reviving Eye Mask, £40, available at Cult Beauty
Beauty sleep is not a myth: It’s at night that the skin gets to work on restoring and repairing itself, which means that it’s a good time to ramp up your skincare regime. Origins’ Drink Up mask contains Japanese seaweed to help the skin protect itself during the day, and avocado oil to quench any dryness. It’s as creamy as they come, smells like fruity apricot and really does work.
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, £24, available at Boots
If all else fails, fake it. James Read’s overnight mask not only delivers that perfect faux glow – think subtle and golden – but also contains ingredients like aloe vera and cucumber to cool and calm, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. A multitasker if ever we saw one.
James Read Sleep Mask Tan Face, £25, available at Marks & Spencer
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