Sometimes, your skin rebels when your life has too much stress, too little sleep, or perhaps too many margaritas. Usually, a good concealer and a pair of sunglasses can get you through the crisis. And skin-care brands offer some clutch treatment masks to restore the calm — even if life isn’t cooperating. But now, some new skin-saving masks are going above and beyond to help address your physical and mental state, not just your skin’s status. Packed with strategic ingredients that soothe cranky skin while also treating problems including stress and hangovers. Here are the facial masks that go beyond skin-deep to restore balance and possibly even improve your mood.
For Your Hangover
Maybe it’s not as effective as a Bloody Mary or a plate of cheese fries, but this gel mask offers some relief to anyone who’s been over-served. Infused with chamomile, this mask helps soothe skin and nerves the way a cup of the tea can.
“The scent of chamomile can be soothing and relaxing,” says Renee Rouleau, a celebrity aesthetician in Dallas. Alcohol causes your veins to dilate, which can cause redness. Chamomile’s anti-inflammatory properties can help take the redness out.
“Chamomile has healing properties, is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and full of antioxidants,” says says Debra Jaliman, MD, a New York dermatologist and author of Skin Rules. “So it will definitely take the redness out of your skin from a hangover.”
To Combat A Sleepless Night
Sometimes, faking it is the best remedy — and this mask can help wake up the look of tired eyes, helping maintain a well-rested visage. The oxygenating ingredients breathe life into tired skin, but these patches also de-puff, moisturize, and cool with cucumber extract. Once your eyes feel awake with a jolt of oxygen and hydrating cucumber, the rest of you will follow.
For Those Nerves
Lavender may not be Xanax, but it definitely can help take the edge off. “Lavender has been shown to slow the activity of the nervous system and promote relaxation,” Dr. Jaliman says. This clay mask is infused with lavender to calm nerves, Dead Sea mud removes sebum, and aloe vera gel hydrates and soothes. It’s a 15-minute stress-reducing treatment, no prescription needed.
Que Bella Relaxing Lavender Aromatherapy Spa Mud Mask, $1.97, available at Target.
To De-Stress
Sometimes, you can’t necessarily remove all the stress from your life, but you can get rid at least one of the stressors. This mud mask contains a soothing blend of Dead Sea minerals and botanicals, including brown seaweed, lavender, and bergamot. The kaolin clay soaks up oil and pulls clogs from pores to battle breakouts, leaving skin feeling softer and tighter. Clearer skin means there’s less acne to stress about — which is a definite mood booster.
Freeman Feeling Beautiful Anti Stress Mask, $3.99, available at Drugstore.com.
To Recover From Last Night
Hangover recovery may involve a bottle of pain reliever and a bagel the size of your head, but you should consider adding exfoliation to the equation.
“Exfoliation removes the dead, dull cells on the surface of the epidermis and in doing so, sends a signal to the cells below to rejuvenate,” says New York dermatologist Amy Wechsler.
Plus, removing those surface cells makes your skin look brighter and smoother — and allows hydrating ingredients to penetrate more easily. Rodial’s clay mask contains fruit acids to remove surface cells and hydrators help skin look plump and refreshed. It'll help the rest of you start the recovery process.
For A Pick-Me-Up
A Starbucks run makes total sense when a Netflix binge or a typical night of anxiety has left you sleep deprived. But you — and your skin— can get a jolt from caffeine in the shower. Lush’s scrub uses coffee grounds to exfoliate, while caffeine helps stimulate your skin. Plus, coffee is packed with antioxidants to help repair and protect skin. The caffeine in coffee helps those antioxidants work better, Dr. Wechsler says.
Lush Cup O' Coffee Face and Body Mask, $10.95, available at Lush.
Before An Interview
This Korean beauty brand has created oddly specific sheet masks (Before Interview, Before Office Attendance, Before Dating) to put skin “in the best condition.” The Before Interview option contains extracts of spinach, pomegranate, and lemon to make skin as fresh and energetic as you want to come across. Let’s hope a “firm handshake” mask is in the works.
Holika Holika Before & After Mask Sheet, $3, available at Holika Holika.
For A Moment Of Zen
Just taking time to treat yourself to a mask can be therapeutic. In the case of Origin’s calming mask, you only need 10 minutes to create a little bit of zen. A blend of lavender, mandarin, and chamomile essential oils hydrates and creates a feeling of calm just from inhaling them. The combination of botanicals and oils hydrates the skin to combat the damaging effects of cortisol.
“Cortisol does rise during stress and this creates inflammation in the skin,” Dr. Wechsler explains. So hydration can help combat the signs of stress on your skin. And treating yourself to stress-relieving rituals lowers your cortisol levels, creating a cycle of calm mind and calm skin.
Origins Stress-Relieving Face Mask To Calm and Soothe, $31, available at Origins.
For Dehydration
Water is your best friend after you’ve soaked your liver in alcohol. The effects of dehydration are partially the reason that after a night of drinking makes you feel like you’ve been Ronda Rousey’s punching bag.
“You’re always dehydrated when you have a hangover, so your skin is dehydrated, too,” Dr. Jaliman explains. The Icelandic glacial water in Skyn Iceland’s Hangover Kit helps restore some water back to the skin and get them to a healthier condition.
“You can’t get enough hydration when you’re hungover,” Rouleau adds. “If your skin feels healthy and hydrated, you’ll likely feel better overall.”
Skyn Iceland Skin Hangover Kit, $25, available at Skyn Iceland.
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