The face mask fix....

Back: Origins Clear Improvement, Origins Drink-Up Intensive, Nude Miracle Mask, Bliss Steep Clean. Front: Ren Glycolactic Mask, Bio-line Red Clay, Ziaja Nourishing Mask.

 We don't always have time or means to go to professional beauty salons and get expensive hour-long facials. Having said that, devoting 10-20 minutes of our weekly time to a skincare treatment sounds doable and will definitely provide our complexion with many long-term benefits. Face masks are aimed at various problems, differ in formulas and are less or more effective but they all have one thing in common -  they are to make us look better, practically after one use, and improve the general quality of our skin. I am a dedicated user of face masks and I apply them religiously twice a week. I generally divide them into three categories - cleansing masks, radiance masks and moisturizing masks.

Cleansing masks:

Ziaja Nourishing Mask and Bio-line Red Clay Mask

Bio-line Red Clay Mask

1. Bio-line Red Clay Mask - I bought this jar in small shop specializing in selling natural cosmetics but you can easily get it online . This is the most cleansing and most natural (it only has one ingredient) mask I have ever tried. The consistency is powdery so what I tend to do is to put a little bit into a bowl and add some mineral water (you can also try to mix it with rose water or even almond/argan oil if your skin is very dry) in order to create creamy consistency. I apply it mainly on my T-zone and leave it for about 15 minutes. You can feel it drying and tightening, which can be quite unpleasant but the result is clearer and smaller pores and brighter face. It helps with acne problems, enlarged pores and general impurities. I recommend it particularly to those with combination/oily skin but I believe all skin types can benefit from its simple composition and effectiveness.

Ziaja Nourishing Mask

2. Ziaja Pro Nourishing Mask with Brown Clay - Another clay mask in my collection, this product is my latest discovery and my newly found love. First of all, it's perfect for all skin types being a mixture of cleansing clay, moisturizing oils and panthenol. It cleanses without drying your skin. It has a very pleasant scent - something reminding me of a fancy spa or some high-end cosmetics. In addition, it is hassle-free as the formula is creamy and ready for direct use. Finally the product has a friendly price tag charging little over 6 euros for 200 ml. Its only downside? It is made in Poland by a Polish brand and it is only accessible in professional beauty salons. But you know what they say: where there's a will there's a way so try eBay or ask your Polish friends to get you a pot. Definitely worth it.

Bliss Steep Clean and Origins Clear Improvement

3. Bliss Steep Clean Pore Purifying Mask I purchased it after hearing about its benefits from You Tube beauty guru MakeupByTiffanyD who seems to have similar skin type to mine. It is supposed to unclog pores, exfoliate skin, remove dead cells and brighten complexion. The formula i quite unique as the product consists of two different gel-like liquids which come out separately out of a specially-constructed pump. We do have to mix the two formulas together to create a green-coloured cream. I leave it on my skin for about 10-15 minutes and wash it off with a wet cloth. The advantage of the mask is its lovely smell and the fact that - for a cleansing mask - it is not to harsh. I can see the results but they are not very long-lasting so I prefer to use it for a short-time effect before a party or an important event as it evens out my skin tone and makes my pores less visible under my make-up. The price is a little "steep" as well with $55.00 for 100ml at sephora.com (alternatively SEK 495 via kicks.se).

4. Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. It is a pore cleansing mask whose "muddy" look is due to active charcoal which is supposed to act like a magnet drawing all the dirt away from your skin. It contains white china clay so it can feel a bit tightening when drying but the effects are so amazing - skin is visibly clean, pores are smaller and I can notice a noticeable improvement of my oily complexion when it comes to break-outs and over-production of sebum. It is, by far, my favourite cleansing mask and I will repurchase it over and over again - a real Holy Grail. It is easy to use and it actually smells pretty nice - as all Origins products tend to do. It is not the cheapest on the market with the retail price $24.00 in US and SEK 280 in Sweden but it is worth every cent. It normally comes in a larger (100ml) see-through tube (showing the black colour of the mask) but the one I have is a limited edition packaging. 

Bliss Steep Clean

Origins Clear Improvement

Radiance masks:

Nude Miracle Mask and Ren Glycolactic Mask

1. Nude Miracle Mask. This combo-mask works both as an exfoliator and a mask as you apply it by gently massaging it onto the skin (the way you would apply a regular scrub) and then leave it for 5 minutes. This is a heavy-duty mask, containing Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and rice beads whose role is to remove dead skin and reveal beautiful, radiant skin. I do have to say that the name is very appropriate - the mask works like a miracle and the results are visible almost directly. My face seems flawless and significantly brighter only after one use. Because of the acid it contains, the mask can be a bit irritating for those with sensitive skin so I advise to keep to the recommended 5 minutes and use sunscreen for a day or two after using the product. I personally only feel slight tingling when having it on and I experience no redness. That being said, my skin is really thick so I cannot guarantee it would behave the same way on those with less resistant skin types. Can be picked up via sephora.com for $48.00 and via Space.NK for £38.

Top:  Ren Glycolactic Mask. Bottom: Nude Miracle Mask

2. Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask. This mask, similarly to Nude Miracle Mask, works as a chemical peel although it does not contain any perceptible beads. It is rather a combination of Glycolactic Acid, Lactic Acid and Citric Acid that works the magic. The formula is marmalade-like and the colour is bright orange. There is no scent to it, something I actually dislike about this product and the tingling sensation can be perceived as pretty strong if you have some "angry" break-outs or sensitive skin. You can leave it up to 10 minutes and the brightening results are seen directly. I haven't noticed any long-term improvement of my skin after using it but I only have a small tube of 15 ml (this is my second one) so maybe you need to go through the whole bottle to be really satisfied. Extremely expensive at sephora.com for $55.00.

Moisturizing masks:

Origins Drink-Up Intensive Mask

Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask - is the only moisturizing mask I own but also my absolute favourite. It is easy to use as you can sleep with it on. It soaks into your skin to make it all plump, nourished and hydrated. It smells like mango, contains avocado oil and works even for very oily complexions. If you want to read more about it, check my October favourites post. Available at origins.com for $24.00

Origins Drink-Up Intensive Mask

For those of you who do not feel like they can use up a whole tube of product or they just want to try different kinds to see what suits them best I recommend buying masks in sachets - they are much cheaper and you can usually get 2-3 uses out of every package:

When it comes to application and removing the mask I like using flat foundation brushes to evenly distribute the product on my face and wet muslin cloth to gently wash it off:

And let's not forget that not only our faces but also our feet, eyes and hands can get a special spa-like treatment: