Facial Masks 101 – Key to Beautiful Skin
If you’re looking to add a beneficial step in your skin care regime, a weekly facial mask is a great addition. No matter your skin type, there is a facial mask suited for you. Usually used once or twice a week, facial masks can deep down clean your face, tighten your pores, or brighten and exfoliate your face. Masks are not a “one size fits all” product though. There are clay masks, fruit extract masks, yogurt masks, and gel masks, just to name a few in a long lineup. Before you buy a facial mask, you must recognize your skin type and buy accordingly.
Regular cleansing will remove surface dirt and grime, but only a facial mask will actually draw out impurities from beneath the top layers of the skin. Masking helps exfoliate dead skin cells and unclog pores so your toning, hydrating and protecting products work more effectively. Masks also help stimulate blood circulation and leave your skin feeling smoother and softer.
I try to remember using facial masks once a week, but sometimes I forget due to lack of time! It’s very important to use if you want clear and glowing skin!
HAHAA
If you have oily or combination skin:
People with oily or combination skin do best with regular use of a clay mask. Clay is great for removing excess oil, deep cleaning your pores and preventing and clearing up blackheads. Natural clay is a great detoxifying treatment for your face without leaving your skin extra dry. Most clay masks work fine with sensitive skin.
If you have dry skin:
People with dry skin use a mask for a very different reason than those with oily skin. You are not looking to reduce oil, but add moisture. Using a moisture mask will rejuvenate and plump your skin. Many masks for dry skin include at least a bit of “sink-in” effect. You leave the mask on your skin for up to 10 minute and then rub it in a bit more before wiping off the excess. You’ll notice immediately smoother, softer skin.
If your skin is dull:
If you’re looking for a boost of radiance, exfoliating masks will certainly help you. Look for a peel off mask which will exfoliate your skin leaving it smooth and fresh. Many exfoliating masks use fruit extracts to naturally exfoliate and usually smell fantastic. When peeling off some exfoliating masks, your mind will wander back to peeling off Elmer’s glue in elementary school. But not all exfoliating mask are uncomfortable. You’ll be so glad you tried it when you see how happy you are with the noticeable results.
If dryness or breakouts are of no real concern for you, you have many options when it comes to masks. You can use one that will give you radiance, one for deep cleaning or a gentle one for sensitive skin. Regardless of how “normal” your skin may be; you’ll see benefits from using a weekly mask.
I have oily or combination skin, sometimes my forehead and nose gets really shiny, and my cheeks get dry… below are 3 masks that I frequently use..
If you want to use a cheap mask, that you can use frequently:
I’d recommend Beauty Diary..
The first time I found out about these, was in Chinatown NYC at the beauty boutique.. I was attracted to the packaging, and the price.. it was only $16 for 10 pieces, so it’s roughly $1 per sheet. Well, I will tell you that the difference between each sheet may not necessary seem that different, other than the overall scent. At first, when I used these, I disliked them.. because well.. they simply don’t work. If you try to get a “WHITENING” or a super “premium” line, dont expect results right away. On my skin, this just makes my skin soft, more like a a moisturizer. I actually gave away about 6 boxes of these because they simply didn’t work. but.. hey.. it’s cheap, and if you are traveling, say on the plane or after a long day of work.. why not right? put it on!
When you take out the sheet, it is formed with a piece of plastic that holds the mask together.. it’s wet, and after 5 min of applying, the sides of the mask where it aheres to your cheeks/neck? well.. it starts to lift off..because it dries out. I don’t think you can get more than 20min out of these sheets. But because of the cheap price, it’s good for what it is. I’d just keep in mind, dont expect too much from these.
This is my favorite smell out of all the boxes, the White Bulgarian Rose. 
Buy it here: ‘My Beauty Diary Bulgarian White Rose Mask-10 Piece’ on Amazon
If you want to use a medium priced mask, that you can expect good results:
I’d recommend Shiseido Elixir Superieur Moisture Recharge Mask
An intensive care moisture mask that generously replenishes effective ingredients to skin damaged by dryness or UV rays, to instantly restore resilience and clarity. Plumps up skin’s texture with moisture to kiip it supple. Moisture ingredients penetrate deep into skin. Soft yet durable mask fits perfectly over skin to lock in skincare ingredients. Lightly scented with an aqua floral fragrance.
The quality of these masks are definitely 2x better than My Beauty Diary. The sheet is much more soaked with the liquids, and it’s much softer. Lasts for about 20-25minutes without drying or flipping. Skin feels rather soft afterwards, and lasts til next day. No strong fragrance and the coverage of the mask is good on the face. Costs $35 for 6 sheets. Relatively affordable.
If you want IMMEDIATE RESULTS and NOTICEABLE difference..
I’d highly recommend SK-II Whitening Source Derm- Revival
Whitening Source Derm-Revival Program was designed to respond to individual whitening needs with high-speed accuracy by detecting peroxide in the skin and delivering actives to address oxidative damage. Peroxide that potentially moves around within the skin – is a key contributor to the melanin production process and cause for the unpredictability of new spots. Whitening Source Derm-Revival Program’s breakthrough glyco-technology contains concentrated whitening actives that target stubborn spots. Each disc of the smart melting film, which dissolves in only 15 minutes, contains as much Vitamin B3 as that in seven pearl-sized drops of the Whitening Source DermDefinition. The mask contains DMT Blocker – an advanced complex containing Vitamin C derivative, Pitera® and Niacinamide; Inositol, a skin conditioning agent; and yeast amino peptide – key to encouraging the release of excess pigmentation from the skin to restore the skin’s crystal clarity.
Price is $160 for 10 sheets
and…if you are not into brightening/whitening… then there is the regular version for you..
“FACIAL TREATMENT MASK”
I do however, feel that the whitening source mask works a lot better, the reason why I started using it…was that I would get a lot of sun spots and sun damage on my face.. so I’d have little brown freckles and my skin would get dark… In order to lighten up those sun spots, I had to even out my skintone.. and to do that, you have to apply whitening/brightening. The change in the whitening is not horribly drastic.. it just makes your skin glow, and not just, wash out the color in your face.
With this expensive mask, I would put the mask in the fridge to cool it, and then apply it on your face. The content of the mask is WAY more substantial.. it is heavily condensed liquid.. the mask is very soft, it feels like 2 packets of sheshido. It instantly cools your face, and right after you take the mask off, you can see a significant difference, and FEEL a significant difference in the softness of your skin.. Much much smoother and hydrated. I was mainly using this mask before I discovered cheaper varients of facial masks, so that’s why I consider them “DONT WORK”… the results on the other ones are just not immediate.
Price is: $125 for 10 sheets
Check out ‘SK II Whitening Source Derm-Revival Program-6pcs’ by SKII http://amzn.to/eyfeIm
Review: My Comprehensive 10 Foundation Comparison
My personal foundation story… In 2006 (4 years ago), I wasn’t really knowledgeable about makeup, and I had a hard time finding the right color and texture of the perfect Foundation. To this day, I was able to narrow down to a few of my top most favorites and some disappointments. Before I decided to write this review, I really didn’t know how many bottles of foundation I had, haha. Looks like I have a lot!
Before I go straight into the long review about different types of foundation, I want you guys to know that – these are my opinions only – and this is what I consider good for my skin. My skin type used to be very oily T-Zone. Currently I have combination skin, somewhat oily T-zone, and dry cheeks. I also have slight acne on different areas and milia. (I’m not perfect!)
It’s important to know that, natural beauty, and skincare regiment is way more important than makeup. Your natural skin is the foundation to your beauty, you really don’t want THICK THICK FULL coverage foundation to cover your acne. You want NO acne. The key to having great skin is to really cleanse/take care of it, and eat well. Strive and aim for not using foundation at all, and let it shine through. Having cakes and cakes of makeup on your face is not only unflattering, but when you don’t have makeup on , you would look terrible! 
Also, no matter how detailed you are to cleansing your face, you’re still putting chemicals on it. Try not to use foundations daily if you don’t have to. Let your skin breath! In terms of what kind of skincare products I recommend, well that’s for another feature review 
I’m planning to do feature reviews on my favorite products in Foundation, Concealer, Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, and Lip products.
What I consider to be a great foundation?
The color, amount of coverage and level of “flawlessness”
One item I cannot live without, is a concealer. I have many sunspots on my face, dark circles under eye, and some redness on my cheeks. The best is to apply the concealer in those areas smoothly, before applying your foundation. I have tried many types of concealer, ranging from Mac’s Studio Finish Concealer pot, Makeupforever HD Invisible Cover Concealer, Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer, Giorgio Armani Master Corrector and High Precision retouch , and Chanel’s Pro Lumiere Profesional Concealer … the list goes on………