During the week, when we have to dart out of the door to catch the bus, tube, or just beat morning traffic, it can be easy to neglect our grooming routines. Some may squeeze in a quick shave – nicks and all, some may manage a splash of moisturiser, and some even have the spare minutes needed for a brief exfoliation. But, for most of us, it’s a shower, brush of our teeth and mad dash for the office. And it’s harming out skin beyond compare.
But, at the weekend – those golden two days of freedom where you can watch Netflix all day and turn off all your alarms – we have the perfect opportunity to right those dermatological wrongs, and fix our skin after the battering it’s taken during the week. And the best way to utilise these extra hours, and graduate from the workaday work day washes to which our skin has become accustomed, is by wearing a face mask.
Don’t disregard the idea straight away. The word may call to mind visions of spas and cucumber slices on eyes, but there is no better way to recharge your skin, detox and exfoliate and prepare your face for the week to come than by relaxing in a face mask. Below are our picks of the best masks you should try – and can buy.
This hydrating mud mask will make a luxurious addition to any gent’s grooming routine. Ideal for once-a-week use – sitting in front of the television on Sunday night would be our choice – this clay-based treatment is designed to draw out excessive oil and harmful toxins, giving your skin a healthy glow and revitalised feel.
When those long days at the office have you fatigued, use Sisley Paris’ mask for an instant refresh. Again, worrying about your under-eye skin conjours up thoughts of those cucumber slices, but made from plant-based ingredients to soften and soothe the skin around your eyes, this mask has moisturising Pro-Vitamin B-5 and Arnica Extract to reduce puffiness and visibly lessen dark circles – all ready for the Monday morning boardroom.
Reach for Erno Laszlo’s ‘Hydra-Therapy Skin Vitality’ mask if you like the nitty gritty of face care. This party liquid, part powder concoction is a hands-on face mask, and delivers a potent dose of moisture to parched skin. Not only this, it’s also packed with nutrients to lessen the appearance of fine lines and enhanced with Vitamin B5 that speeds up the rejuvenation process. The portable packaging also makes this the perfect travel companion – to beat the effects of jet lag on important business trips.
If the weekend is the time to try a face mask, then it’s not just the work week your skin will be struggling with. You’ve likely got a Friday and Saturday night’s worth of hangover etched across your visage, too. Luckily, this mask works to rapidly cleanse, purify, hydrate and protect the skin. Delivered as a light gel, it takes dirt and oil out of pores as it oxidises, creating a foam to lift the grime away. Green Tea Extract combats signs of ageing, while plant-based Amino Acids and Almond Extract purify and cleanse, leaving the skin fresh and soothed.
Although you may think that the weekend is the only time you’ve got to apply a face mask, there’s always the night. Most masks are only to be applied 20 to 30 minutes max, but this offering is cleverly designed to work overnight. An intensely hydrating formula is infused with omega-rich winged Kelp extract to boost collagen production and Prickly Pear extract to deliver vital moisture. And, if that doesn’t convince you yet, gents, the weightless, gel-like texture is inspired by the memory foam developed for NASA…
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