Face masks are an excellent way to maintain beautiful, clear skin, but it’s all about finding the one to suit your skin type. This month, the EL team test-drove some new, targeted products – here’s how they fared.
Skin type: Mature and dry
PureHeal’s Ginseng Berry 80 Overnight Mask
What I liked: It smells very natural, and it’s not tested on animals, which is a plus. Unfortunately the packaging wasn’t in English, so I couldn’t decipher the rest of the ingredients!
Verdict: I’m always a bit sceptical about these products, and I’ll admit it didn’t make much difference the first night, but on the second night I was a lot more generous with it and applied it on my neck too, and my skin felt really nice and soft the next day.
Score: 3/5, and that’s after using it twice. It’s supposed to firm, whiten, brighten and moisturise, and some of those results would take a bit longer. But it definitely felt good, though it needs to be more moisturising.
Rebecca Bisset
Skin type: Normal to dry
Thirsty Mud Hydrating Treatment by GlamGlow
What I liked: I’m a sucker for nice packaging and fragrances, and this mask ticked both boxes. The blue colour is reminiscent of a well-known jewellery brand that I wish I owned more from (a big hint there to my husband if he reads this), and the smell is lovely, like chocolate mixed with coconut. The packaging states it can be used as a night moisturiser, and you can either wash it off or leave it on. It felt a bit sticky at first, but in the morning my skin felt lovely and smooth.
Verdict: Yes, my skin feels silky-soft, though I’m not 100 percent sure if that was wholly down to this product, or the fact that I’m on a mini-detox right now.
Score: 3/5
Amy Brook-Partridge
Skin type: Sensitive
Boscia Cool Blue Calming Mask
What I liked: As my skin has a tendency to get red and irritated, I loved the cooling effect and the minty-fresh smell of this mask. I didn’t like the fact that I had to peel it off, as I prefer the wash-off method, but I got on with it and it wasn’t too troublesome.
Verdict: It significantly reduced any red patches and helped soothe blemish-prone areas at the end of a hectic workday and a sweaty workout – I’ll continue to use it.
Score: 4/5
Susannah Jaffer
Skin type: Combination
Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask
What I liked: Initially, I was tempted to taste a little bit of this mask, as it smelt deliciously of carrot cake! It has a grainy, slightly runny texture and was easy to apply to the skin in a thin layer. The instructions warned of a tingling sensation (that’s the alpha hydroxy acid that stimulates the peel), but I found this very mild and it passed in a minute or two.
Verdict: After seven minutes I washed the mask off and my skin was noticeably brighter and smoother (that’s the exfoliation effect from the pumpkin enzyme). In daylight, my skin had a more even tone, and appeared brighter. This is a great product and I’ll continue using it twice a week.
Score: 5/5
Katie Roberts