Facial Mask Shopping Secrets You Need to Know for the Best Complexion Results!

Flawless skin this beauty has didn’t just happen by chance–but is achieved through proper maintenance.

Whether you choose to make you own or buy a ready-made product, a facial mask is something everyone can benefit from for normalizing, nourishing, or helping heal a problem complexion.  In my sidebar, look under the label of homemade skin care recipes and you will find some of my favorite facial masks that I’ve used on my changing skin over the years.  For those that don't like to fuss in the kitchen creating your own mask and prefer buying a commercial product, then there are some important things that you should look for before making that purchase.



For a complexion prone to oiliness or blemish-prone, you need a deep-cleansing mask that will help zap out that excess of oil and troublesome impurities as well as one that tightens the pores.  Look for ones that are clay-based (or kaolin) or mud masks to help in drawing out that overabundance of oil and refine the skin’s texture. Other ingredients like magnesium, sulfur, charcoal, corn or wheat starches are also great to see when you’re examining that product’s label because these minerals also help decrease oil. 

If you keep suffering from breakouts, you might also want to go one step further with an exfoliating mask that has a safe concentration of salicylic acid or either a beta or an alpha hydroxy acid in it.  The beta hydroxy has an added advantage of anti-inflammatory properties for calming stressed skin.  Alpha hydroxy ingredients in the mask can gently slough off dead cells to regenerate new cells. However, be careful that you do not abuse this type of product with too frequent use or use too strong of a concentration that could irritate and make your problem worst.

Dry skin requires soothing and nourishing since it can often be sensitive.  You want a mask with ingredients that also can hydrate and seal water in the skin.  Usually the best ones are found in a gel or cream-based mask that use humectants to trap moisture within the skin. Look for ingredients such as algae, propylene glycol, aloe vera, chamomile, elder flower, sage, and watercress that also help reduce inflammation.  

Aging, sun damaged dry skin needs yet a different variety of mask.  The product should have  plenty of antioxidants from vitamins A, C, and E for helping the skin recover.  Also, the alpha hydroxy acids are nice for the part they play to renew the skin.

This post covers just the basics of what you should be looking for before making that decision of the right facial mask purchase.  At least, it will help you better understand the ingredients you need to best deal with what is currently going on with your complexion.