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What Are The Benefits Of Face Masks?
The great thing about face masks is that there’s something for everyone, whether you’ve got dry, oily, sensitive, or combination skin. Depending on the type of mask you use, they can help moisturise dry skin, strip pores of unwanted debris like oil, dirt, and dead skin, fight and prevent acne breakouts, soothe sensitive skin, and even out skin tone.
Choosing The Best Mask For Your Skin
Clay, Mud, And Charcoal
Clay masks have been around for millennia, being the preferred beauty product of ancient Egyptians and Aztecs alike. They’re usually made with bentonite clay, which is said to be rich in healing minerals, and are often mixed with other ingredients like activated charcoal, turmeric, and coffee.
Clay and charcoal are absorbent substances, meaning they’re excellent at drawing out dirt and unwanted nasties from your pores and lessening oiliness.
Peel-off
Like clay masks, peel-off masks work as exfoliants, stripping off dead skin cells, dirt, and oil. These are great for acne and blackhead-prone folks. Though they can be a bit painful to remove, peeling off a mask can be incredibly satisfying, especially after seeing your skin glow!
Gel
While clay and peel-off masks reduce oiliness, gel masks, on the other hand, will refresh and hydrate dry skin. They’re often made with natural ingredients that have hydrating properties, such as aloe vera, avocado, oatmeal, and collagen.
Cream
Much like gel masks, cream masks are ideal for dry, dehydrated skin. Some cream masks also have anti-acne properties, as well as wrinkle and fine-line treating ingredients. This is why you’ll often find cream masks marketed to women over 40.
Homemade
Though homemade masks are the least convenient option, DIY-ing a face mask lets you save money and monitor the ingredients that’ll go on your face. Most household products can be used to create a face mask, from honey to egg whites.
Sheet
The K-Beauty trend put a spotlight a ton of really cool skincare products, including the much-loved Korean sheet masks. These days, you can get a sheet mask pretty much anywhere, from Chemist Warehouse to Priceline. Sheet masks are so popular because, not only are they super convenient, they also come in different variants that address specific skin types. So whether your skin is oily, dry, or combination, there is a sheet mask for you.
The 6 Best Face Masks In Australia
6. Garnier Hydra Bomb Ultra Hydrating Soothing Mask
Price: $AUD14.99 for a pack of 5
Ingredients: Pomegranate extract, hyaluronic acid, witch hazel leaf water
What it does: Hydrates and soothes dry skin.
Why we love it: Inspired by Japanese and Korean sheet masks, Garnier’s tissue mask is a cheap and easy-to-use mask that leaves skin feeling fresh and hydrated in just 15 minutes!
5. Lush Mask Of Magnaminty
Price: $AUD17.95 for 125g
Ingredients: Honey, kaolin clay, peppermint oil, ground aduki beans
What it does: Gently exfoliates skin, cleanses it of dirt and oil, and stimulate blood cells to help it glow.
Why we love it: For men and women who prefer to keep their facial products 100 percent natural, you can opt to get the self-preserving Mask of Magnaminty, which cleanses without the use of synthetic preservatives!
4. L’Oreal Paris Pure Clay Purifying Mask
Price: $AUD19.99
Ingredients: Kaolin clay, montmorillonite, ghassoul, charcoal
What it does: Detoxifies skin of impurities and brightens complexion.
Why we love it: Instead of relying on just one type of clay, this mask combines 3 pure clays which absorb excess oil without drying out your skin. It’s a powerful yet gentle mask that works wonders on oily and combination skin.
3. Sukin Natural Pink Clay
Price: $AUD16.95
Ingredients: Bentonite, cucumber, chamomile, hematite powder, Tasmanian pepper, aloe vera
What it does: Detoxifies skin of impurities, leaves skin glowing.
Why we love it: Specially formulated for sensitive skin with soothing ingredients like aloe and cucumber, this mask helps acne-prone folks achieve clear, glowing skin.
2. Swisse Manuka Honey Detoxifying Facial Mask
Price: $AUD20.99
Ingredients: Charcoal, kaolin clay, manuka honey, salicylic acid
What it does: Purifies skin while hydrating it at the same time.
Why we love it: Manuka Honey is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory natural ingredient that soothes skin as it cleanses it. Meanwhile, salicylic acid is one of the most effective anti-acne ingredients on the market!
1. The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask
Price: $AUD35
Ingredients: Bamboo charcoal, green tea leaves, tea tree oil
What it does: Absorbs impurities and tightens pores.
Why we love it: This tingling clay mask is one of The Body Shop’s current best-sellers. Aside from being super effective at rejuvenating skin and tightening pores, it’s also 100 percent vegan, paraben, paraffin, mineral oil, and silicone-free!
