So much more than a selfie opportunity
We welcomed Korean beauty craze with open arms – why wouldn’t we? It’s given us essences, the best BB creams, and the slightly hilarious, and also slightly terrifying in equal measure: the best sheet masks.
But for the uninitiated, no doubt your first question is…
What are the best sheet masks made of?
Made from cloth or paper that’s saturated with skin-loving ingredients, the best sheet masks are created with the ideal formula for your skin’s needs. The mask is applied to the face, then left on the skin for around 10-15 minutes so it can absorb its fill of the good stuff. (There are handy cutouts for your nose, eyes and mouth so you don’t feel as though your suffocating!) The beauty of the material is that the carefully selected ingredients have nowhere to go but into the skin’s layers, as there’s no risk of evaporation.
The other big draw is you’ll find you won’t need to rinse your face afterwards, because it’s essential the best face serum a gal could ask for. Just work the excess product into your skin with the tips of your fingers. The whole routine really couldn’t be easier.
Lastly, there’s another oft-forgotten added benefit to the ol’ sheet mask: it’s a little more convenient to cart around when you go on holiday compared to packing an absolute arsenal of lotions and potions for the trip. They’re packaged so thinly that you can tuck one away in your bag, taking up virtually no room at all. Beauty bliss. After a day in the drying sun, you want to up your hydration levels, so keep an eye out for water-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, known for being able to hold 1,000 times its own weight in H2O.
For the more adventurous beauty lover, there are slightly wackier sheet mask options, from the ever Instagrammable bubble masks to fruity slice masks.
Everyone – and every face – can benefit from using a sheet mask, but which is right for you? Keep scrolling to find the best sheet masks for your skin type and needs.
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Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Intensive Revitalizing Face Mask, £63 Fabled
Pure liquid retinol (a derivative of vitamin A) penetrates the skin and works to re-plump it from the inside out. With regular use you'll see softened lines, well moisturised, vibrant and smooth skin. It also comes in two pieces, so you can use it over cleansed skin with ease once a week and leave on for 15-minutes.
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Sarah Chapman Skinesis 3D Moisture Infusion Mask, £46.50 Amazon
Chapman originally developed this mask for use in her facials. Her clients loved it so much that luckily it's available to all of us now. Which is brilliant because trying to get an appointment with the woman herself is TRICKY. It is indeed pretty special. The mask itself is 440 times finer than fabric masks so you can be sure you're getting the max out of the ingredients. It re-hydrates, plumps and smoothes - which is music to our ears.
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Origins Plantscription Youth Renewing Sheet Mask, £32 Fabled
Invest in the power of plants with Origins Plantscription sheet masks. In just 10 minutes the appearance of fine lines is visibly reduced and skin looks restored.
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La Mer The Hydrating Facial, £200 Fabled
Yah we know, bit pricey, but it's La Mer. Your skin will love you for treating it to this. It's celebrated Miracle Broth is super-rich in nutrients and so tackles dryness, firmness and texture. This mask comes in two parts - one for the top half of your face and one for the lower - just leave it on your skin for eight minutes to work its magic and then massage the residual product into your skin. There are six in the packet.
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Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Power Foil Mask, £17 Fabled
Another overnight wonder mask, Estée Lauder's foil mask will deeply moisturise your skin. This is definitely one to wear for Instagram.
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Nip & Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Face Mask, £5.50 Fabled
You do not need to spend a pretty penny on sheet masks. There are some brilliant ones on offer under a tenner. This is the ideal mask to put on before headed on a special night - be it a night out dancing, a date or just dinner with friends. 15-20 minutes gets rid of those pesky dead skin cells that make your complexion look dull.
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Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun Cooling Face Sheet Mask, £2.67 Amazon
Oh sweet heaven, this is such a great product for the holidays, but also for the English summer months - hello sunshine. Fact - after sun has no healing properties, it is just there to sooth painful skin and make you feel more comfortable. This is PURE comfort.
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Charlotte Tilbury Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask, £18 John Lewis
So this is a bit different - this is a DRY sheet mask. Which for some of you, will be a bit of a relief as some of them can be a bit drippy...
Charlotte Tilbury's makes you look a little bit like Jason for the Halloween movies, but it's worth it because it's intelligent. It has this super smart technology that releases exactly what your skin needs and where. Dry on the chin? Let CT sort that out for you...
