A face mask is a skin care product that is very well-known. You may or may not have heard of it. If you use one, do you exactly know the reason why? You are probably using it because everyone else is using it as a part of their skincare routine. Or maybe you don’t even bother. Now is the perfect time to learn what face masks really do!

Here’s the Truth!

The outer layer of your skin is actually dead. If your body is slowly getting rid of it, your skin will have a dull, aged look. Facial masks are an excellent way to remove the dead cells that make up the outer layer of your skin. But that’s just one of the things that this tiny helper will accomplish for you.

Face masks are considered as the best way to enhance the appearance of a lifeless skin. Be it oily, dry, normal, face packs help in coping well with skin problems while offering radiant skin. A good mask will not only improve the appearance, but also the health of your skin. It can make the texture appear brighter and more translucent.

You know the skin you had when you were younger? It can be close to that!

Facial masks can clear up your skin, moisturize it, and keep your pores clear as it removes toxins!

When you get rid of these, the moisturizer you apply after is absorbed better and so it does a lot more for your skin. It will help rejuvenate it, making it appear more youthful. (Like this one on the right!)

Not all masks dry and harden but many do. That causes your blood vessels to expand which improves the blood circulation in your skin’s surface and that leaves you with a much-improved tone, making you look you glowing and completely refreshed. Furthermore, not all masks are created equal. Different facial masks serve different purposes.

A full cleanse mask is great for oily or combination skin. It will draw not only pollutants but also oil to the surface, and these will be removed when you wash your mask off. It will unclog your pores and remove dead skin cells, discouraging the development of blackheads. A cleansing mask will do a great job in tightening your pores and improving the texture of your skin.

A surgical face mask is medicated to deal with a specific problem whether it’s a rash, pimples, or some other skin issue including over sensitive skin.

The Organic Dead Sea Mud Mask, for example, can be used to control the spread of acne and heal it. There are masks for dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin. As well as masks to cleanse, moisturize, and freshen.

There are also masks to remove toxins and control skin conditions. There are just so many different types of masks. You can even create your own at home with the use of common ingredients such as cucumber, honey, lemon, oatmeal, milk, and papaya, just to name a few.

Spa style masks that you buy use ingredients like apricot kernel, green clay, lavender, cucumber, chamomile, mushroom extracts, lemongrass, olive oil, tea tree, oats, fruits juices, aloe vera, and honey.

Prior to Applying a Face Mask

• Double cleanse well. Your facial skin is still exposed to the dirt and pollution in the air that will fill your pores even if you don’t put on makeup.
• It’s a good idea to open the pores so that when you apply the facial mask, all the nutrition is immediately absorbed into your face. Cover your face with a steamy towel or soak your face with warm water and a chamomile tea bag.
• Follow the directions. Apply a face mask sheet for the duration suggested in the directions.
• If you use mud face masks, apply an even layer on your face, avoiding sensitive areas such as eyes and mouth.

After Applying the Facial Mask

You can soothe and maintain your moist and nourished skin by applying plenty of moisturizing cream or lotion. If you used a sheet type face mask, you can just pat your face with the remaining essence.

Furthermore, there are numerous benefits of applying face masks on the facial skin. It moisturizes, tones, cleanses, and rejuvenates the skin from within. There are several ready to use face masks available on the market these days for every skin type.

If you don’t know what your skin type is, click here to find out. Though, it is important to consider a face mask according to the age of a person. For example – a tightening face pack is not meant for the people of lesser age. It is best for the people in their forties or fifties as it aids in the lifting of the sagging skin.

Benefits of Using a Face Mask

• Face masks are excellent cleaners that deeply cleanse and rejuvenate the skin.
• Facial masks have bleaching agents that aid in lightening the skin tone.
• Application of face masks helps in regaining the elasticity of the skin by making it firmer. If used on a regular basis, it prevents the skin from sagging that is often the result of aging.
• Face packs absorb the unwanted oil from the epidermis and open the clogged pores by removing the dead skin cells.
• It effectively deals with the problem of sun tanning and offers even skin tone to the entire face.
• It also works as a stress reliever by boosting up the flow of oxygen on the facial skin.
• As most of the face pack contains anti-oxidants, it aids in fighting the skin infections and helps to reduce skin dryness.
• If you are dealing with acne, scars, or pimples, application of a good face mask is one of the best remedies to achieve significant results.
• It offers soft and supple skin for the user and provides you with younger looking skin.

A Friendly Reminder

A face mask can do many things for your skin’s health and beauty. However, there are many face masks on the market that do more harm than good. Some of them can actually increase your risk of cancer. You may be tired of hearing about all of the different things that cause cancer, but this is one that you can easily avoid. It’s called estrogen.

I’m sure that you recognize the name. It is often present in face masks that are advertised as “instant face-lifts”. The ingredient that you see on the label may be estradiol, placenta, or amniotic fluid. Estradiol is the most concentrated form. The others contain estrogens and a variety of other hormones.

A face mask that contains any of those ingredients “works”, at least temporarily. It attracts fluids that cause the skin to “puff up”. Basically, what you have is swelling. Swelling is inflammation. Inflammation can hasten the signs of aging. So, even if you look better for a few days. You won’t like what your skin will look like in the long run.

The big problem is that face masks containing these ingredients increase your risk of certain types of cancer including breast and uterine cancers. They are even more hazardous for men. Their bodies do produce some estrogen, but only in very small amounts. There is really no clear indication of exactly how bad the adverse effects could be. It’s safe to say that both sexes should avoid such ingredients.

A Good Face Mask Should…

A beneficial face mask may either provide deep cleansing of the pores and removal of excessive oils or have a deeply moisturizing effect. Some companies recommend alternating the two on a weekly basis because over-cleansing is not good and over-moisturizing is not beneficial. Over-cleansing can cause excessive dryness. If the ingredients are good, over-moisturizing is simply a waste of time, because once a balance is achieved, the skin’s cells will stop absorbing the moisturizers.

These two masks below are great options for overall healing and rejuvenation:

The best face masks do not dry out. You either rinse them off, if it is a cleansing face mask or wipe off the excess with a tissue if it is designed for moisturizing. The ingredients for each differ slightly. The clay extracts, such as kaolin and bentone gel do pull dirt, makeup, grime, and pollution out of the pores. Also, they absorb excessive oils. Both allantoin and macadamia oil are helpful ingredients for either moisturizing or cleansing.

They prevent the clay from drying out and becoming stuck in the pores when included with the clay extracts – a problem with some of the older clay face masks. Allantoin is a plant extract that reduces inflammation and prevents irritation. It has been scientifically proven to stimulate the growth of new skin cells and help restore skin that has been damaged by the sun, wind, and other elements.

Conclusion

We are all well-aware that skin is the largest organ of our body and is known to eliminate toxins through the process of sweating. It helps our body get rid of the toxins but is still subjected to various kinds of skin diseases and infections. Skin problems like eczema, acne, and pimples are common, and that is why people make use of face packs to enhance the vitality of the skin. For ages, people have been using face masks for its detoxification.

There you go. Hope this helps you and clears any question/s you had about face masks. If you have more questions, feel free to let me know in the comment section below. I’d be happy to help!